Hey
there Dad!
Sounds
like we have quite a Cabinet in the making. A little crazy, but I won't be here
for two years, so I'll be watching from the sidelines!
Snow?
I wanted snow while I was still there but alas... no snow. Now on the other
hand, I'm not even surprised by snow here. Even though I'm not from Utah, it
just seems like a common occurrence that isn't all that special... Oh well! It
makes everything look cool! But also cold...
I
remember Debbie! Playing volleyball with all the people in our stake was fun.
Volleyball here is good too! We have good days and bad days, depending on who
is playing (some people cannot bump with two hands for their life). But I'm
learning to serve better, and spike, and set, just no diving! It's a lot of
fun. Just trying not to get injured here!
So
we had our first Skype TRC yesterday. Fun stuff! We skyped with a samaachig nay
Prathet Thai! It was fun, but also it was a humbling experience. I know I am
definitely not fluent in Thai, but I realize how much I need to learn now as
well! Its difficult. We taught about faith, but then he had to go for a meeting
(we think he is a member of the mission presidency, whatever that means). He
was definitely taking it easy on us! I was super nervous, but it didn't go all
that badly! The things that I need to work on aren't necessarily language or
grammar in Thai, but teaching skills, which I knew was an issue slightly, but I
didn't realize how hard it is to ask questions, and teach through the Spirit!
Right
now, I'm at a loss for what to study. I do feel as though I am lacking a couple
words in Thai, but I can't fully understand what some of the teachers say, but it
is really difficult for me to find relevant vocabulary, or otherwise, to study,
Really difficult! I just feel like my progress has slowed down a ton. In
Thailand, they have a "higher" form of language that is reserved for
when you address the king, or a divine being, which we call
"raachasa(t/b)". People know about it, but they don't speak it, or
learn about it, since it is reserved only for royal persons! Even so, they have
entire dictionaries for raachasat in Thailand!
The
point of this short explanation of this language is? All of the
scriptures are written in it. It would be nice for me to be able to take words
from the scripture, but alas, I cannot. That being said, not every single word
is in the royal language, but I don't know which words are, or are not, so it
is not the most applicable for me... So I have no idea how, or what to study!
All I know is to keep moving, and to keep trying, for the Gift of Tongues works
based on how much you struggle and work at the language! That's all I have to go
on. I just need to remember what words I want to learn, and translate from
English in to Thai!
Hey,
I sent a video to you guys! Two, or three. Should be good! I'm not fond of
hearing my own voice, but you'll be able to hear me speak at least! Love you guys
a lot! I hope it does snow, or at least school is cancelled! That would be fun!
I'll talk to you soon! Rag khun!
-
Elder Collin Decker
No comments:
Post a Comment