Letter from the other side of Heaven

Area: Bang Bua Thong
Companion: Elder Xiayawong

March 18, 2013

Hello Everybody!

Great week here on the other side of heaven! I don't know where to start there is a lot to tell! I guess for starters I am still in Bang Bua Thong with Elder Xaiyawong. Tuesday we had English showcase and we had a bit of a talent show at the end and Elder Xaiyawong and I and Br Tu who is in a wheelchair and way boss on guitar sang a Thai like pop song and then finished off the evening with I am a Child of God in Thai and English it was way sweet. And sounded pretty stellar too!

Thursday was transfers and even though neither of us were moving they told me I needed to go. It was a way exciting meeting Elder Gilley is training! He’s such a boss! Oh something that Pres Senior has changed a couple of transfers ago in the mission is that he took the calling of trainer and put it at the very top. He said why should the less experienced train the even less experienced but rather have the most experienced sharpest missionaries train. That’s Elder Gilley to a T! He’s so good! We also talked to the elders serving in Ubon the Redds are doing great and they gave us a letters from Pong and Jan and told us they are getting baptized the first week of April! Made my day! Made my week! We were so stoked! Pres Senior had something that’s never happened before in anticipation for 35 new missionaries arrival in only 4 short weeks, he announced all of the trainers for this transfer AND next transfer! That’s 42 trainers! By next transfer 60% of our mission will either training or being trained! Almost every sister in the mission will be training and 3 of my phiis and the crazy bit the youngest trainers 3 of my nongs and me! Ahhh! I’m so excited, and nervous, and stoked! I’ve got 4 weeks to get ready!

Sis Nong from Pakkret was there so happy to see her she’s defs my favourite member in Thailand and she had some crazy awesome news she got remarried!! Last month to a way awesome guy named Newt who is an RM he speaks English way good too! Soo happy for her and her daughter Netr!

We also got a new companionship in Bang Bua Thong making this area its own district The new elders are Elder Banta and his luug Elder Heras who is brand spanking new. Its way fun! I think me and Elder Xaiyawong are a little nuts cause we have these inside jokes that are way funny but make absolutely no sense and sometimes it will be in 3 languages and we switch in between them all the time its way fun but they think were kind of goofy and they’re right! In the apartment complex they live 2 doors down. It started off a little crazy cause no one has lived in that room for months and its way and like trashed and the power was shut off because the bills hadn’t been paid so they had no ac and Thursday was scorching hot! Well they slept over in our room the night and we got everything figured out. Elder Heras speaks Thai way good I’m always surprised at how good they are out of the MTC! The thing is he can’t eat spicy he had this one dish called suki and it like has no spice to it and he was sweatin up a storm and saying it was way hot haha trainings gonna be way fun I can’t wait!

The way good Essan restaurant that’s right by our house burned pretty much to the ground a couple nights ago, the really crazy bit is it was arson! some competing restaurants were losing all their customers and so burned the place down at like 3 in the morning luckily some street cameras caught them. Way sketch!

Our two daters came to church this week they are such cute little old ladies and they are progressing way good! We found out Arunsi had been to church before like 20 years ago when we walked and an older sister got up and ran and gave her a hug and started chatting up a storm haha way solid fellowshipper! This time round she’s getting baptized for sure!

That was an awesome update on Olivia thanks so much! She is such a cutie! Hey mum there is a member in our ward that has multiple sclerosis just like you. She wanted me to tell you she is praying for you and that you will fight together! She speaks English really good she teaches it.

We have 200+ members on record and about 60 that are active it’s been around 20+ years and the area is about an hour bus ride long and an hour bus ride wide (depending on traffic) it’s pretty big!

Dad- triathlon wow! Do it man! That’s sweet!

Mikaela - Provincial’s sounds wicked awesome! I love that analogy it’s so good!

Chrissy- what happened to your knee? That’s way rough; sounds like provincials was a party! Been on any dates lately?

Teddy - I hope you get in! 

Kenny- you win I’m in 3 Nephi 17! You’re gonna finish this week for sure! You are so good at reading your scriptures!

Ben - there is a boy in our ward who is just like you his name is T he’s 7 and way little skinny and funny just like you! I LOVE cub car rallies! Take THE BLOCK haha

Jeana - Thank you for telling me about school. What do you like to do there?

Love you guys so much!

Elder Cahoon

Elders Cahoon, Xiayawong, Maples and King

Elder Xiayawong - Lao Warrior

Elder Cahoon and Elder Xiayawong with cute family

I Love Farang!

Elder Cahoon

Do you teach about Jesus Christ? Sit down and Teach me

Area: Bang Bua Thong

Companion: Elder Xiayawong

Com Usta Everybody!

That’s some Filipino for yall! We have a new Filipino investigator his name is Marvin he was a referral from a sister that teaches English with him. He is way sweet we got to visit him at his house with his girlfriend and his dad. I got to teach in English for the first time which was cool but it was soo easy to talk and share things especially when I speak in English these days it’s pretty basic is but at the same time there was quite a few words that I could only think of in Thai. So it was like way easy but way hard at the same time. But they were way interested in the restoration they are Seventh Day Adventist but they have heard a lot about the Mormons. I told them about Chelsea going to serve there and they thought that was way cool!

I will get on that picture assignment!

As for the questions:

Elder Cahoon lives in an apartment with a main room a bathroom and a bedroom, we have a bunkbed and study in the bedroom cause that where the AC is. We are on the 3rd floor with a tiny balcony that’s barely big enough for the two of us to stand on. Our view is the wall of a mall called The Square that we live right next to.

We have a pretty even split of finding investigators and teaching with an average of like 3-5 lessons a day and then a good amount of time to invite too! This week we got 8 new investigators 3 of which were the Filipinos and another 2 are these way cute old ladies who are our new daters! Another new one is a man named Puhn. We were walking down the street and said hello to him in English and he said hello back in English which is pretty normal but then he asked do you teach about Jesus Christ we told him we sure do! He responded sit down and teach me! What?? So of course we did! He’s like 70+ and way smart he knows like 5 languages and teaches English and French and he also has studied every major religion but he’s trying to like take the best parts of all of them and do them so that no matter who is right he will be saved! We are going to help him find out the truth of the restored gospel!

Best Meal: We had some way good pork strips called koh muu yang with fish cooked over a fire and we ate it all with sticky rice called khaaw niaw we even ate the eyeballs! Another tasty first was yellow watermelon! yum! 

Mikaela - sometimes it’s tough at times like this turn to the Lord, serve others, and be the best you you can be, learn to play an instrument, become a runner, paint, take pictures, create something. oh and don’t use any media! Except to send letters to your brother Love ya girl su su!

Chrissy - that’s saweet about provincials that’s gonna be awesome! How is Brad these days?

Teddy - I’m excited for your play send lots of pics k?

Kenny - Ether 14 are you kidding me I’m only in 3 Nephi 10! You are kicking my butt! Thats a way cool lesson from Bro Wilsher he’s such an awesome teacher! 

Ben - Dude why are you so awesome! You have so much fun each week! Are you helping mum out and being a good older brother?

Jeana - that is a way cute story!

Sounds like a pretty sweet march madness in Calgary for provincials!

This week was awesome in doing the Lords work! We feel so guided and were really blessed! We received revelation in how to prepare, how to teach, where to go and what to say. The really cool part was we saw the blessing each time. There are times you follow a prompting and never find out why, but we saw the blessing attached to each action and looking back at the end of each day we could clearly see how the Lord had guided us and all the "coincidences" and the things that just worked out that was really the Lord at work. It was such a privilege to receive clear revelations every day and see the big picture as the Lord's work unfolded.

I love you all so much!

Elder Cahoon 

Faith and Finding Lost Sheep

Area: Bang Bua Thong

Companion: Elder Xiayawong 

Whats up Fam Jam!

The emails are awesome from everyone thanks so much! Sorry to hear the flu struck thats no fun. The ones from elder wood, and sloan are sweet too! Those guys are such studs! Just a quick note much the same as those 2 elders transfers are coming up mine are on the 14th and because of changes in time spent in the MTC this next transfer is only 4 weeks long! Which means my mission is getting cut short by 2 weeks! Making it 2 years and not 2 years and 2 weeks. Happy news for those at home but not so exciting for the missionary. But after this 4 week transfer is General Conference, Songkraan thai new year, my year mark, and a possibility of training!! Its going to be pretty crazy. Crazy awesome that is!

Mikaela - this is such an exciting time for you, summer, moronis quest, and preparing for a mission.  Along with studying the scriptures and preach my gospel. Become the best mikaela you can be, play sports, learn to play an instrument, become a master cook, learn a language, spend as much time as possible outside, spend time with your younger siblings, spend time with friends , be mums best friend, exercise, serve, talk to people about the gospel, but naturally its really easy if you just practice, smile at everyone, make someones day!

Chrissy - i agree everyone needs a ukelele it is the chillest instrument! Hey make sure you fill me in on rugby keep me on the up and up ya hear! How is the dating scene these days? All the thai ladies think your gorgeous and super white! 

Teddy - sorry to hear about basketball that sounds like a rough game, how is the play going? 

Kenny - why are you so awesome??As far as your questions go: this mission, and the challenges of teaching, of inviting, being away from home, learning thai have tested my faith more than anything, but it has strengthened it, and made me trust the lord and rely on his strength. I feel the Lords love every single day His love for me and His love for the people i teach and even for the people on the street. He shows his love by answering my prayers, by helping me speak thai, and by changing the lives of his children and allowing me to help. I have never had a day when i didnt know the Lord was there he has been there every second of every day, but sometimes i have to ask why i didnt turn to him sooner. Kendra you have a wonderful testimony! keep up the scripture study i LOVE that scripture in D+C 121! Congrats on the Bronze too! Your answer is right on the money! its all about service! I will do better to serve others everyday! I am in Helaman 13 where are you?

Ben - Dude that is some exciting stuff! getting a laptop, winning basketball games, partying, playing with dad, and wendys twice! They dont have wendys here but they do have mcdonalds, and subway, and A&W and all the deliscious thai food you can eat!

Jeana - that carnival sounds so fun i havent seen any snow in so long its summerland here i get summer for 2 years straight! I really like it but when i go home i want to play in the snow with you!

Livy - that picture is gorgeous! shes such a cutie!

I cant believe february is over that went by way fast. This week we used Elder Evans advice to ask everyone who they know who we can teach, and it worked wonder, we got a lot of refferals and some awesome new investigators. We have also been finding a lot of less-actives and teaching family members who arent members and helping everyone attend church. This week a brother and sister and their mum get back to church, the brother is such a stud he has got some sweet hair, and he works at mcdonalds which is exactly better than average job over here. He is 17 so we are going to be helping this kid get on a mission cause he is sweet. oh yeah his name is luugcheen haha which is thai for this meatball thats made out of fish haha hes sweet! You wanted some trials, well in our LA efforts we found a couple of families that totally rejected us it was some of the first member khonthais that just like hated the church and the missionaries  and everything we stand for, it was rough so sad to see they were so angry i couldnt understand it.Thank you for your answers and insights they are wonderful and inspiring. I have had some incredibly good studies lately and have recieved some great insights and revelations and i have decided as one of my courses of action is to live alma 26:22 thats is to repent daily, exercise faith by taking a step in the darkness, praying continually and without ceasing, and these things along with my missionary labours will bring forth good works, and then the lord has promised me i will recieve many revelations daily even to know His mysteries and i will become an instrument in bringing many souls to Him.

So Mum im going to Just Do It! 

I will study section 4  and im going to get in english too (I only know it in thai) I will also do those suggestions you had for me!Thank you so much Mum and Dad you are such shining examples to me.

Love,

Elder Cahoon

P.S. Elder Xaiyawong lost his nametag and so he has been wearing my extra one for the past week and so there are two elder Cahoons in thailand, when people notice they get way confused but we just tell them we are brothers and that im a half blood khonlao, and im dark enough and speak thai that a couple people have believed us haha!

Elder Evans Visits Bangkok