Word From Thailand

Here are a couple of Aaron's latest adventures in Thailand.
A new revelation has come his way.

He's weak.
He's small.
And he's old.


Welcome to reality son.

Mom and Dad,
Thank you for the birthday greetings. I think I liked Jake's the best. Jake, thanks dawg... Haha. As far as birthday celebration, I failed miserably in my attempts to ear 22 scoops of ice cream at Swensen's. It was an epic failure. I had even gotten some preparation instructions from Elder Wright who did 21 for his birthday when I was there with him in Ubon. I followed them to a T, felt pretty confident going into the store, started off with a bowl of 12 scoops and got shut down by Old Man Swensen. I wanted to die. I've never been so cold in my life, not even when we lived in the barren plains of North Dakota. The roof of my mouth feels the same way it gets when you eat really hot food and burn it, except it is from cold. I left the store shivering and defeated. Only 12 of 22 scoops. I feel like less of a man. Not a very good way to end one's 22 birthday!
Other than that it was a good day. A bunch of people called at the end of the day; other missionaries and a member from Lampang who has the same birthday and somehow found out I am in Buriram and what my phone number is. Elders Nordgren and Thepitak had a bunch of appointments fall through so they came home and decorated my study room with balloons and stuff. 22. It's weird to think that besides all the ancient sisters in the mission, I am one of the oldest age and time in mission wise.
Well, we only have three investigators right now, so giving you the run down on them will be quick. An and Sombat are doing ok. They learn really slowly, but An is definitely picking up. Her mother is coming along but is still a little bit clueless. They are reading the scriptures together nightly though, so that will help. I think An is ready for baptism now. Not a thourough understanding of the doctrine, but that's not necessarily required for baptism. The interview questions test belief and willingness to accept the baptismal covenant.
Jade is coming along. Turns out he hasn't yet prayed about the restoration of Christ's church and priesthood through Joseph Smith. Last time we saw him though we talked about it and he was going to do it. He sayed that before he had never really prayed sincerely, rather he just "nigthuing" as he was lying in bed before he falls asleep. That word basically just means think about. He said he would try a kneeling prayer this time around. We have had the opportunity to talk with his wife a lot lately, and we are going to try another shot at having him invite her to learn with him.
This past weekend was zone and district conference. Elder Carl B. Pratt from the Asia Area presidency was there, along with Elder Stanley Wan. Not sure what his calling is, but he was from Hong Kong, so he's kind of a big deal. It probably would have been a pretty normal weekend, except that I just happened to get dragged into some pretty close proximity situations with Elders Pratt and Wan. Zone conference was Saturday morning, and Elder Pratt gave a great talk about the reasons people sin and how to fix it by making and keeping covenants. After zone conference was over, there was a few hours before the Saturday evening sessions of district conference started. Most of the missionaries had been assigned to go to areas near by or even in Ubon/Warin for switch offs, but somehow Elder Rovig and I got overlooked. I was helping wash some dishes with Elder Thepitak when the assistants came in trying to figure out where everyone was going. The end result as I understood it was for me to stay at the church with Elder Walker, another missionary branch president, and just wait for the first meeting to start. Next thing I know, Elder Nance, one of the assistants, was dragging me with him to go translate for some meetings with the district presidency, President Smith, and Elders Pratt and Wan.
Intense. I remember President Dodge telling us about a time when Elder Wirthlin came to his home ward. He said Elder Wirthlin just looked like a frail old man and struggled to get up the stairs to the podium, but as soon as he got there and began to speak, he had clearly gained strength throught the Spirit of the Lord to say what he needed to say and do it with power and authority. Similar experience here. As we reviewed the proceedings of the conference and little details about speakers, music, and timetables, it was kind of jumbled and unclear. Then, in the second meeting, which was with the mission presidency, the district presidency, and Elders Pratt and Wan, Elder Pratt finished reviewing the little details and then started doing what he has been called to do: build the Kingdom.
He looked down at the papers he had, took a breath and then started laying everything out with regard to what needed to happen here to make Ubon into a stake with such force and clarity that anyone who was in the room had to know that he had been given this assignment from Heavenly Father. I was floored. He was pretty unforgiving about little mistakes and unfinished business still going on in the district, but it wasn't condescending or rude. It was just that he knew what needed to be done, trusted that with the Lord's help it could be done, and expected it to be so. Probably one of the most important experiences of my mission.
Through the course of all that, he learned that I was a new branch president. I noticed him looking at me a lot as the conference carried on. (I was still in close proximity because President Smith asked me to sit on the stand as messenger and to translate for Elder Wan when he spoke. (Oh yeah, turns out many people think I translate better than the assistants, and generally assistants to the president are pretty dang good at the language. Just a little tid bit that is probably prideful, but I still thought I'd share.)) Once the conference was over, Elder Rovig and I were outside the building talking to some members when Elder and Sister Pratt came out to go to their car. I turned around to say thanks and good-bye. He shook my had and gave me one last peel-your-soul-like-an-onion stare and said, "Elder Volk, take care of your sheep." I paused for a moment, considered the immense meaning of that simple phrase, and said as much as I could muster, "... I will..." I felt like a small boy.
So that is all the excitement that has happened recently. I have to travel back to Ubon again tomorrow for some training on inspecting finances or something.
I did get the call from CM Pomeroy's office. I think it went great except for the one question I totally bombed. She asked me about what I would do if I received an order that I felt was morally wrong. I tried to sound intelligent and made reference to the "training I have had regarding those kinds of things" and answered correctly but forgot to say that I would report it to the next person up in my chain of command. She brought that up and I was like, "...uh, yeah...." Oops. I was really nervous about the call, but after it was over and I was reviewing it in my mind, I noticed that there is a massive difference between the punk kid I was coming out of high school who had little understanding of what he was getting into by joining the Air Force and who I am now and the understanding of what it is I am pursuing and why I am so bent on pursuing it.
That's all for today. I love you all.

Aaron