April 17, 2016

A three-day Thai Water Festival brings fun, water fights and a lot of joy teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Sisaket Thailand  

Elder Weaver, Elder Davis, Elder Hunt and Elder Jesse Bundy enjoying a refreshing water fight with some local children on their day off.

"So, last Thursday was our Songkran P-Day!  It was a BLAST!  We got up extra early so we could fit everything in.  The Thailand New Year is a country wide water war....  

Elder Weaver and Elder Jesse Bundy getting pelted with water and powder on Songkran 

We headed over to Ubon in the morning and started our day getting soaked by random people on the streets, so we started by drenching all of the motorcycles that came over this famous bridge!  

We maneuvered our way over to a park that  had water spouts coming out of everywhere.  We had a MASSIVE water fight with everyone that was in the park....

Then we went back to Sisaket and continued the water madness!  It was NUTS!  During the festival, we have a 6 p.m. curfew.....and we made it in plenty of time."

Elder Weaver, Elder Hunt and Elder Jesse Bundy give a victory pump after winning a water battle

"Friday is still Songkran......we did our best to set up lessons with people but all of our investigators and most of the members were either partying or out of town.......so we went way out into the boonies and did a service project.  We cleaned out a fish pond thing for a Ward member....we really enjoyed it..."

Elder Hunt, Elder Davis, Elder Jesse Bundy and Elder Weaver getting ready to attempt doing missionary work during the Water Festival.

"Afterwards, we tried really hard to do some contacting, but we just got WRECKED by everyone soaking us with water guns, buckets of water and pelting us with white powder!  I will admit....we were easy targets....large, slow moving and white! lololol.....  We just got DRENCHED and powdered, but it was fun and we were able to get some good contact numbers......we were in by 6 p.m."

Elder Jesse Bundy with Elder Weaver trying to contact during Songkran

"On Saturday morning, I realized I had lost my name tag during the Songkran.......so, we went looking for it.  I think it's lost forever, but it's O.K.  I will order a new one.   After searching for my name tag, we taught Brother Geek's family.  They had a baptismal date for this past Sunday, but sadly they're having some difficulties and had to postpone.  Please remember them in your prayers.  They are GREAT with way solid testimonies!  If I stay here, I'll get to see them be baptized, but if I get transferred, I won't.  It will be alright though!  As long as they get baptized is all that matters."

"We went out and visited with our man Frong, our first convert in Sisaket.  He is GREAT!  He is super busy volunteering at the hospital and doing good things.  We had coordination meeting with the ward leaders and Elder Weaver got flat tire number 17......It was a great day!"

"If I get transferred, this will be my last Sunday here in Sisaket....  We had a gREAT turnout at church.....101 people at Sacrament Meeting!  After the service, I felt really impressed to go visit an investigator we haven't been out to see in a while.  He was extremely sick!  He is also taking care of a man who is about to die, so Elder Weaver and I went to our house and got all of the meds we could and gave them to him.  They don't have money for food, let alone meds.  We also took over all of the left over food from the church party and gave it to them.  It was a really awesome experience and I am so thankful for the Holy Ghost."

Elder Jesse Bundy handing out pass along cards

"Later, we went inviting by the train tracks.....we took a brand new deacon name Fruk with us to teach an investigator.  He was WAY good at teaching and he loved being with the missionaries!  It was a way cool experience.  Just when the day could not have ended any better, we stopped by the Bishop's house for dinner, then ran home."

"In my personal studies this week, I have really studied 2nd Nephi in the Book of Mormon....especially chapters 2, 4 and 9.  They have GREAT insight.  I believe transfer calls should be coming tomorrow.  We will go to Bangkok on Wednesday if any one of us moves....I have no idea what is going to happen.  Today, we are going to get caught up in our cleaning and probably play a little basketball with Brother Joker, our recent convert.

"Some little girls that threw water and powder on us when we walked by their truck"

"It has been a CRAZY week, but a really awesome one too!  I am SO thankful to be on my mission!  I love teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ!  Tell everyone hello and I miss them!  Until next week....."

Elder Jesse A. Bundy