May 15, 2016

Teaching soccer friends how to pray, an MRI on an injured knee and learning about theVietnam War from the COOLEST guy ever!  

All parts of Elder Jesse Bundy's week serving the Lord in Sisaket Thailand

Jesse with some of his favorite soccer friends!

"Hi from Ubon, Thailand!  It's a large city about an hour from Sisaket.  Ubon is WAAYYY pretty!  A HUGE river runs through the middle of it and the guy who does the show, River Monsters fishes here!  Elder Earl and I will be here all day, but get back home before six tonight...."

"Soooo, I've been having trouble with my knee.....so, I had to come to Ubon to get an MRI.  The Zone Leaders will pick up the results tomorrow, send them to Bangkok to the mission nurse to look at......then she will send them on to the area Doctor in Hong Kong and then I'll let you know.  That is the protocol for things like this for missionaries.  No worries!!  It's really not that bad.  It's just a constant annoyance that has never gone away since I wrecked on my bike back in Plok......Enough of that, let me tell you all the cool things that happened to me this week!"

Jesse enjoying some EXTREMELY large raindrops cooling off during a heat wave!

"Last Monday in the middle of our P-Day, we got a phone call from a member who needed help cutting down some trees.  When we got there, a close friend of theirs was also there.  After cutting down the trees, we all sat down to eat lunch together.  We taught her about the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and it was AMAZING!  It turned out SO good......She felt the spirit very strong and accepted our invitation to read and pray.  She also set a date for the 29th of this month!  Her name is Meaw.....which means cat in Thai...." 

"Tuesday was the day I went to the hospital for the first time for my knee......I'm not gonna lie, it was scary!  I had to take my dress pants off, so I put my basketball shorts on and everyone kept asking me if it was the 'new style' for missionaries.....hahahaha."

Jesse making a fashion statement......lolol!

"Wednesday afternoon, we had the COOLEST experience ever!  We were coming back from inviting and found a group of kids playing soccer on the church's field.  I just jumped in and started playing with them.  I don't want to brag, but I wrecked 'em...lololol!  The cool part was, after we played, they ALL agreed to sit and talk with us about the gospel!  We taught them the Plan of Salvation and how to pray!  It was SO COOL and the spirit was SO strong!"

Jesse's soccer team!

"Ohhhh my goodness!!  Thursday it just rained cats and dogs, again!  We went into the boonies to teach an investigator.  After teaching him and helping him with his cows, on the way home the torrential rain just started coming!!  

Of course, we were on a dirt road and our clothes and everything just got TOTALLY wrecked!!   

"But it sure felt good in this heat....."

Jesse with Brother Swing, teaching each other.

"I have to say.....Brother Swing, a 70 year old member of our ward is the COOLEST guy EVER!!!  Friday, we had the INCREDIBLE opportunity to sit and visit with him.  He told us all about the Vietnam War and we were honored to answer his questions about the temple!  Easily one of the BEST moments of my mission so far! I LOVE that guy!"

"After that AMAZING experience, we taught Sister Laad who is doing awesome.....she is taking her time and asking a lot of questions to make sure she understands which I definitely appreciate.  She will be a stronger member because of it..." 

Jesse enjoying a peaceful moment.....

"Sunday was SO GREAT!  We had so many investigators to church!  We taught them all together in a class and it was picture perfect awesome!  After church, Elder Earl and I went home and went through the former missionary's book for the area.  I remembered Dad telling me that he did that when he was on his mission and picked up really good contacts from it.  It was a great idea, because we were able to set 11+ appointments for the week from investigators that had been in that book for like 5 years with no follow-up!"

"O.K...here is a picture of the CRAZY...UGLY...SCARY 

dogs I've been telling you about!  

Just try facing a pack of these bad boys in an alley, going all kujo on you and biting at your ankles!!  I'm just say'n..."

"Well, I have to go!  Tell everyone I miss 'em and I LOVE 'em!  Oh, and thanks mom for being the coolest person in the world and the BEST mom ever....I love you!"

Elder Jesse A. Bundy