It's the Plan, Stan.

August 3, 2014

My mission definitely hasn't been ordinary. From the moment I got my call to serve in Cambodia/Vietnam this has been an adventure and a half. I never imagined that being assigned to serve in the "homeland" would be like this - every week seeing my cousins, meeting people again that I met eight years ago while only traveling in Vietnam, and even having my own mother travel to the city every other month and trying to avoid running into her. I don't know what a "normal mission" is like, but this isn't what I expected.

One thing that I've learned while serving is an appreciation for my Vietnamese roots. Yeah, I know I was born and raised in America but being a halfsie has always been important to me. And if you knew me in high school you probably just knew me by the name Asian. I did, and still do take a lot of pride in being a Viet.

Another thing I have come to love and really appreciate is my cousins. Last summer my family and I went to the Manila, Philippines temple together. At the time I could barely communicate with them, really I could barely say their names correctly. And although my Vietnamese is still not that great, I am able to talk to them a lot, especially my cousin Hoàng! These past eleven months he has always helped me and encouraged me to do the best work I can for the Lord. Hoàng is the best and all Vietnamese girls should want to marry him...in the temple...maybe even this year....anywayyy...

I know the Lord answered my prayers when He allowed me to serve in Vietnam. But He didn't just send me here because He knows I thought it would be fun. I think the Lord knows that I'm really too weak and wouldn't be able to do this whole mission thing without my family's support. Missions aren't for quitters. When things get tough, when you're stressed or frustrated, you just have to make 1 phone call to the president and you can go home. They don't teach you this, but I learned it while in the MTC - if you want to go home, go. No one is going to force you to stay. No one is going to help you with your bags though because no one wants to see a missionary go home. To be honest a lot of us want to quit sometimes. I wanted to quit just three weeks ago - made the phone call and everything. Well, obviously I didn't go home because I'm currently in a really hot internet shop in Saigon. But yeah, sometimes this gets difficult. But because I have my family, I'm staying.

So let me tell you about what happened this past week and maybe you'll understand why I've told you of the importance of my family. 

I have two cousins, Huy and Dung. They're Hoàng's brother, and sister-in-law. They're members but live far out of the city so I don't get the chance to see them too often. Dung was pregnant expecting a baby girl who was to be born this week. But, Tuesday morning I received a call and found out that Dung had had a miscarriage. From that morning, even until now I feel like this is a dream and that none of this has actually happened. I really wish that it didn't happen. I really really wish that this week I would have a new baby cousin. That's not God's plan though. This past week I have had to really practice what I preach and simply put my life in the Lord's hands and really trust that it is all part of His plan.

Tuesday afternoon I went to the hospital to visit. Being there was hard, really hard. The hospital was full and she just had to lay on a bed in the hallway. And in there we all just sat crying. You know when you're surrounded by people but you just kinda feel alone? (That may or may not be a song. I don't know.) I felt like that for a bit until I remembered one of my favorite scriptures in Alma 7: 11 - 12

 11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

 12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

He knows. The Lord knows it all because He felt it all. And in our infirmities He knows how to comfort and heal us. He understands this trial that has caused heartache for many people. And He is here for us.

I'm grateful that I didn't go home and I chose to stay here. I'm grateful for the numerous members who served and went to the hospital this past week to be with Huy and Dung. I'm grateful for families - the ones that are connected to you by blood, and also the ones that are connected to you through the gospel. I'm especially grateful that we have the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation and knowing that we never really have to say goodbye to our families. And I'm grateful for temples that make eternal families possible.

Huy and Dung hope to go to the temple this year to be sealed as a family, and plan to move to the city so they can attend church regularly.

Lesson learned this week: Endure to the end - it's all part of His plan.

With love,

Sister Egelund

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-00-1420-because-of-him?category=topics/easter&lang=eng

Watch this a million times because it's the best.

Phở-Shizzle

July 27, 2014

Serving in Thảo Điền is wonderful, because all of the recent converts that Sister Trà and I take care of are people that I taught as investigators. Coming back and seeing them is like meeting completely new people. They have all changed and progressed so much within only a few months. I once thought that people who said "the light of Christ could shine from someone's face" were crazy people. How can someone literally seem brighter and happier? Looking at these recent converts though I really do see a light in them that I didn't see before. They really have been changed by the gospel of Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Ghost! So while I have been trying to help them see the changes in themselves I have been thinking a lot about the things that I myself have changed while serving a mission for nearly a year.
First, I'm a lot more Vietnamese now. Everyone just tells me that I'm a full Viet now...except for the fact that I don't speak Vietnamese. For example: I seriously eat anything put in front of me. No holding back even if it looks like it's still alive...just kidding. Kind of. I eat desserts and meat that come out of banana leaves. And I can't eat anything without soy sauce or fish sauce. (The new elder can't eat fish sauce and everyone thinks he's a freak.) Oh, and I get freaked out about my skin getting dark when I go outside and I always run to the shade under trees to protect myself.

Second, I'm a lot calmer and less sarcastic.That's a little weird.

Third, well I asked Sister Hunsaker if she thinks anything has changed about me while I've been on my mission. *long pause "...you changed your eyebrows."

And that's it people. I Emily Egelund am a new woman. I would write more but we're going out to eat Phở so see ya later.

You Can Take the Girl Out of Thao Dien, but You Can't Take Thao Dien Out of the Girl...

July 20, 2014

Day 321 (I think) in the missionary life of Sister Egelund Trinh Ly. "Day 15 on the alien planet." Name that movie!

So this was a really good week. I transferred back over to Thao Dien and it just felt like coming home! I'm living in the house that I lived in when I first started my mission, Elder Hieu was my first district leader and now he's district leader again, and "it's all coming back to meeeee." Yeah, it's really good to be back here! (The kid next to me in the internet place is watching high-speed police chases and he's really distracting me...)

So what can I tell you about this past week? I feel like all the members here put pictures of me on Facebook all the time so if something cool happens you already know about it anyway.

Happy Birthday mom!

So if you saw the birthday picture on Facebook don't worry, it wasn't my birthday, it was my moms and I made that so my cousin could send the photo to her. MY birthday is in a couple weeks though...don't forget.

We had English class special activity night and had a Christmas in July party. That was pretty fun! We took pictures with Santa aka Elder Bao because he's the fattest person we could find.

Sister Vy and I with Santa Clause.

No offence to Elder Bao...We also made snowflakes, wrote Christmas lists and drank hot chocolate. Everyone seemed to really enjoy it even though they thought we were stupid for celebrating Christmas in July.

That night we also said our goodbyes to the greatest district leader of all district leaders - Elder Duy. He's heading back over to Cambodia and then will be finishing his mission mid-August. There are eight missionaries from the Vietnamese program that will be finishing their missions next month. Do you know what that makes me? The oldest of the missionaries. "I don't wanna grow up, I wanna be a Toys R Us kid." Being in the old people group is sad and with only seven months left they're all just waiting for me to kill over. Officially on the down hill now...Plus, once all the sisters die in August there are only four sisters that can serve in Saigon - me, Sister Tien, Sister Tra (my current companion) and Sister Hunsaker. All the other sisters that are currently serving are from Saigon so they can't serve here. Basically the four of us will be here intil we die. #NotMadThough 

Sushi bar with the homies.

I'm done with rambling about this week now. Hopefully that was interesting enough for you all to read the whole thing. 

-Sistaaa Egelund

pics on pics on pics....part 2

July 14, 2014

More selfies.

                                    
                                               Aaaand more selfies.

English class outside because the power went out.

                   English class in the dark is a bit creepy. 

pics on pics on pics....part 1

July 14, 2014

The window display at the Gucci store in Saigon...if you look closely you can see mine and Sister Hunsaker's outfits. Are we wearing socks with shoes so our feet don't get dark?...maybe just maybe.











I thought it would be funny to teach everyone about "mean muggin'". They seemed to really enjoy it! :) Haha.

Rainy days and sups cute rain jackets!

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!