V-cation!

July 14, 2014

First, I am not dead. 

I didn't get the chance to email last week because.....President Moon took us on vacation!! Okay, okay so it wasn't a real vacation, but it was the bees knees. President Moon had business to take care of here in Vietnam so he set up a day for all of the HCMC missionaries to go out to the Mekong Delta in western Vietnam. The Mekong Delta is a bunch of little islands surrounded by brown dirty water. It's pretty cool though and the best part was we got to go on a boat! Missionaries never go on boats, but I did, and it was the best.

Ridin on the river.

Still ridin on the river.

Being Gucci.

Trying to be a cute missionary and take memorable pictures.

Hmmm...what else has happened the past two weeks? 

-Sister Hunsaker and I are exercizing...that's been pretty interesting. Basically we just jump around and then lay in bed because we're so sore. #GetFit

-Speaking of Sister Hunsaker, we're breaking up. That's right, it's time for transfers again. Any guesses as to where I'm going?..THAO DIEN! My birth place! I spent my first six months there, left for three, and now I'm going back! I'm pretty stoked to go back, but also frowning because Tan Son Nhat has been tons of fun! Fortunately the two branches are pretty close and they do many activities together so I won't really have to say goodbye to anyone.

-Oh! It was the Fourth of July. I wish I could tell you that we did something exciting, but I was sick. We did sing 'America the Beautiful' at zone training though so that's...descent.

Here's my random gospel thought for the week:

A while back an elder asked me, "How can you measure your faith?" Pause for a minute and think. Really, how do you measure faith? Well, after lots of thinking I still have no answer, but I did have a differant, cool thought:

So for example, imagine that you won the lottery or something. How soon after winning would you think of and thank God? Now imagine you got in a major accident but survived. How soon after would you be grateful to God that you're alive? 

We would all like to respond by saying that we immediately think of our Heavenly Father because we know that we should always remember Him. But sometimes we put Him in the back of our mind and are slow to remember His blessings and the miracles He performs for us. So if you experience one of these things and within a minute think of Heavenly Father, you are a minute away from Him. If it takes you days, weeks or even years to recognize the Lord's hand in your life, that's how for away you are from Him. 

Now this is what we have to try to do: Always, and I mean always, think of Him. Remember that He is the reason for everything around us and the reason for everything that happens in our lifes! He's got the whole world in His hands! So trust Him! Always remember Him! And continually pray that you may have His Spirit with you.

I hope to be able to say that I am only one second away from my Father in Heaven. And I hope we will all be able to say that!

That's what I've got to say this week!

With lol (lots of love),

Sister Egelund

Once a Scout, Always a Scout

June 29, 2014

First things first: President Moon isn't sending me to Russia. Don't worry I'm not too upset. I really just wanted to go so I could play in the snow. 

I've been really trunky for snow lately. Is that a thing? What I'm trying to say is that I really, really miss snow. One of our members is leaving Vietnam next week to marry a man in Holland. She's like the cutest person in the whole world and met him while going to school in Holland. He actually served in the Skyline ward about ten years ago. Anyway, the Relief Society had a mini bridal shower for her yesterday after church and she was telling all these sappy love stories about how they met and when he proposed and stuff. And while all the other women were ooo'ing and awww'ing at her story, all I could think about was the snow in Holland and picturing myself wearing a coat and boots.

I know it's blurry but she's the cutest and she's leaving for Holland!

I love the snow.

Posh

What else happened this week?

While out contacting I saw a store that sells Vietnamese boy scout stuff! They have scouts in Vietnam! Cool, right? I ran inside and talked to the guy all about scouting and he told me about how the scouts meet at this park right by our church every Sunday morning and then we were instantly friends. He is possibly my favorite person in Vietnam...BECAUSE HE'S A BOY SCOUT.

The Boy Scout guy!

I love scouts. And if you don't like the scouts I don't like you. Not only that, you can't just like the scouts, you have to participate in the scouts for me to like you. Every single thing about boy scouts is good because this is what you do: you take some young blood boys and make them learn how to do things and stop being baby girls. Then you go in the forest and learn to do things that no book, video game or football camp would ever teach you. And then you leave the forest being a lot cooler, BUT only if you have a desire to be cooler and learn things. 

I had this conversation recently with an elder:

Elder: "I know guys that have their Eagle Scout that can't survive one hour in the forrest."

Me: "I know people that have been members for 20 years that can't even get out of bed to go to church for an hour."

My point being, getting your Eagle Scout doesn't mean anything if your mom forced you to do it so you could get a drivers license. Going to church doesn't mean much if you're only doing it as habit. And Boy Scouts, just like the gospel, requires sincere dedication if you're going to get anything out of it.

That's what I've got to say this week.

Stay tuned for next week when I rage about people that use their time at church as a social hour.

With love,

Sister Egelund

Kicking it old school with my Thao Dien friends!

Anh Nam's birthday party!

Pretty sunsets in Saigon!

I am a Visionary Woman

June 22, 2014

In world news:

Currently in Russia there is a large group of Vietnamese people that are interested in learning the Gospel. The only problem is that they don't speak Russian or English, and there aren't any Vietnamese speakers to teach them.

 

The Elders in Russia are teaching them in English, while having someone in Washington state translate to Vietnamese for them. There are a few young men who were recently baptized and for church meetings they Skype with our branch for Sunday School and Priesthood. Sounds like a hassle, right? Well, I have proposed a solution to both my mission president and theirs - transfer me to Russia! Viet speaking. Great idea right?

Okay, I sound like a crazy lady. Buuuuuut. Here's the but: When I was in Cambodia I had a dream that I was serving in Vietnam, but then I got reassigned and I was forced to choose between serving in Vietnam and serving in Russia. Crazy, right? And if you have a dream about it, it means it will happen...kinda like the time I had a dream I married The Jonas Brothers...

So yeah, if I get transferred to Russia don't get too freaked out. Just send me some coats if you can.

That's it for world news. 

I'm Asian and I'm obligated to take a picture at every meal.
Plus I need to get my money's worth out of the selfie stick.

Now back to Vietnam:

-Everything going on in Vietnam is currently revolving around everything going on in Brazil. There is World Cup stuff everywhere! I guess it's a big deal. Weird thing is I didn't even know what the World Cup was until last year...

-Everyone, and I mean everyone, thinks that I am from India...but they also think that Sister Hunsaker and I are twins. Legitimately, soooo many people have asked if we're twins. What in the world? We don't even look similar at all? Whatever though.

-It's rainy season...the rain is fuuuuuuunn...until you hear stories of trees falling down on people, or the wind blowing roofs off and hitting people on their motos, or even telephone wires falling down and electrocuting everyone in the flooded streets. 

Rain...lots of it...flooding our balcony...

Ha well on that note, I'm peacin' out. 

I'm Sister Egelund with ___ News. Until next time, goodnight.

Pics from Cambodia:

 

That time that I had to say goodbye to my favorite smoothie place...

his is my best friend in Cambodia, ba Cho.

And this is ba Cho's blind son...