Thanksgiving

Hello family


Well I have to inform you that before you read this email I will have celebrated thanksgiving twice. That's because the International Ward in Bangkok hosted all the missionaries in the 3 Bangkok Zones for thanks giving. Last Saturday we were hosted by the bishop of the Ward. I have to say walking into an American style home after 5 months was quite a culture shock. It was interesting because the first thing we noticed, as we walked into the house is that they had carpet and 3 leather couches. I love couches. Anyways when we walked in we weren't sure what to do because we have been so used to the Thai culture for so long we just kind of stood in the doorway for several minutes and soaked it all in.

The Spencer's are a really nice family. Brother Spencer works for a international company and has lived in Thailand for 3 years. They are originally from Orem, Utah but they haven't live there for some time. 20 years at least.

For dinner we had an amazing turkey with mash potatoes and gravy, yams, cranberry, stuffing, rolls, and yummy yummy yummy pie. I miss eating good pie. It was quite a treat.

On Sunday i was giving the great opportunity to speak. Brother Oat the 2nd councilor in the branch presidency told us on Thursday that the elders needed to speak on Sunday. He then suggested to rock paper scissor for who get the honor of speaking. I won.


To put the outcome of the talk on Sunday in a short phrase. Lets just say I'm glad I still have a senior companion. I was supposed to talk on fasting but after struggling for a few minuets I just bore my testimony and called it good. The language barrier is still there but its getting better.

one of our investigators was kind enough/ sarcastic enough to point out the words that i said. Hes a great guy we see him a lot I think I'll try to get him back somehow to show him how much i appreciate him. lol

On Monday we had Zone conference. This time Elder Prate the area seventy over Asia, was touring through Thailand. So he talked to us. He talked about the importance of complete obedience, with a little bit of how we should pray with our investigators, members, companions, and ourselves. The Answer is on our knees. In the past few days as we have taught our investigators and members we have asked them to kneel as we and they pray. It is amazing at the difference of the spirit in the room when we pray on our knees vs when we sit, stand, or lay down.

Well we get to celebrate thanksgiving again tomorrow when we make thanksgiving dinner for the Branch here in Lop Buri. That was really not what we were planning to do but after it was announced over the pulpit on Sunday, then Brother Oat kindly informed us that we would be making thanksgiving dinner, we really didn't have much of a choice. Truth be told I really am not too happy about it because with zone conference and thanksgiving last Saturday we haven't had a lot of time to look for and teach our investigators. But it should be fun to do anyway.....hopefully.
We also won't have turkey it was expensive here, so chicken will work.

Well that's about it for the week. I'm glad that everyone enjoyed and got a kick out of the pictures that I sent home more will be on their way soon. I also am planning on stopping in a photo place were I can get a CD made of all the pictures I have so far and send a copy home so you can see all of the photos and a few of the last videos I made in the last day at the MTC.

The dish with shrimp was som tum. It is an Eesan dish for east Thailand. Its yummy. This dish in the photo happen to be a lot hotter than I expected and by the time I was done eating it I had tears running down my face.

With the elephants I'm not sure if there is a place in lop Buri to ride them but we can take a hour ride on a train and find one in Ayutia. I'm not really sure what the price is but because we are foreign it won't be cheap.

I got the package this week, Thank you for the poptarts and pudding and cider. Its starting to get really cold in the morning. Cider will be good.

Ok I have to go
I'm really excited to read the rest of conference talks,

Love you
Elder Brandon J Holt (โฮล์ท)