6/21/15... Next thing we know, I am in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV

Bangkok Hospital's finest......... never take off the nametag! haha

FAMILY!!!!!!!!!! 

ok, so first thing is first, I am ALIVE!

This week has literally been so so crazy, so I think I'll just dive right into it...

We had Zone Conference here on Tuesday and Wednesday so early this week we were doing lots of preparations for that. 2 totally classic scenes............... 

Monday, I call the Zone Leaders and ask them if they need any help with anything for Zone Conference and they are like "uhhh, no I think the senior couple missionaries are going to take care of it all?" So, a tiny bit skeptical, I call the senior couple and they like give off this whole list of things that we are supposed to have together... hahaha I was just laughing so hard cause it totally reminded me of all the times mom would like put together this amazing party or function and the boys just like assumed it somehow magically appeared!  I guess even when they are killer missionaries, boys are just sometimes clueless about things like this and its a good thing to have girls/sisters to keep things straight! haha, Bonus, we went to the Costco of Thailand for the first time, its called Makro. 

You know I still carry around my Costco card with me and show it to people sometimes just to be cool........

exploring Thailand Costco

Scene 2. Our district is doing one of the special musical numbers for the Zone Conference, so Sister Coates totally arranges this mixture of I Need Thee Every Hour and Lead Kindly Light and we are just practicing hardcore at district Meeting on Tuesday. But something was just soo off, and we all kind of knew what someone it was, I think even the someone knew what someone it was, but we just keep singing, and singing and singing hoping we will improve. It was like the funniest thing ever.. I was dying. So Sister Coates, bless her heart, totally appoints said person to the noble duty of leading us instead of singing with us. Person mentioned totally felt so honored and took it SO seriously, like offering every bit of insight and correction possible and in the end the musical number was a success! hahaha thats district unity.

So yeah, Zone Conference was SO good. We talked about hope, baptism, and GOALS. It was the perfect mixture of new insight and learning, the spirit, and it ended with the most tender tribute to the Senior's time here in Thailand. They were just beaming as they finished their "The Things of My Soul" presentation, and I think we all just felt such a mutual love and adoration for these 2 people that have done so much for us, and so much for this country. At the same time though, they really left us all so excited and ready to support President and Sister Johnson and their new vision. Good things behind, and good things ahead. 

The Seniors <3

The only problem was.... the entire Zone Conference, I was feeling SO sick. Just so so yucky, but I didn't really want to leave the room (it was that good people!) so I just somehow made it through, but right after we went home.

Then total plot twist! 

Thursday morning, still feeling so so bad............ we get a call and the Zone Leaders say that Sister Parin will be transfering to Chaing Mai and needs to leave as soon as possible. WHAT?? So a midst the decision that I probably need to go to the hospital, she is trying to quickly pack her stuff. And just a little extra fun-- our room is totally ripped apart cause they are replacing the infamous air conditioning (Yes, FINALLY!) so she is just like trying to dance around everything and get her stuff together. CRAZY! 

But in the end, next thing we know, I am in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV with what the doctor said was a sever intestinal infection. I know you have like 100 questions about it, but it was just really the yuckiest I have ever felt in my life and just like constant throbbing headache. haha yikes. My companions took WAY good care of me-- Seriously Sister Olsen and Sister Coates are such troopers/angels from above. They slept at the hospital 2 nights, endured the especially restless first night, made sure I had food to eat (you guys will laugh to know that the only food I wanted to eat at first was GOLDFISH... total flashback to that being the only food I ate from like age 6-12 HAHA. There is one grocery store here that sells it.), and they totally kept me laughing. Plus the members were SO sweet and tons of them came and visited and brought fun treats. They are all so thoughtful and kind. I really don't think I have dengue fever, I think I just ate some bad food or drank some bad water. It also could have been like some sort of Thai cursing on me, cause on Monday we were at this market and there was a popcorn stand, and they had this little cup of popcorn sitting off on the side and I am like totally thinking it is a sample thing.... so I just ask them if I can try it, and they are like frantically trying to stop me and tell me that it is actually the ancestral offering thing (like you know when you go get a pedicure and they have the little food shrine...) hahaha YIKES Sister Parin was laughing so hard, but after the events that followed this week, moral of the story is to steer clear of the small portion of food they leave out for the Buddhist gods..... or you could wind up in the hospital.

In the words of Michael Scott, "I'm not superstitious, I'm just a little stitious"    hahaha 

my fearless caretakers

I got out on Saturday, still a little shaky, but doing way better (WAY) so we rode out and visited some members and some of the other Sisters investigators... which I guess are kind of my investigators now! Cause we are a trio for right now... Trio round two with Sister Coates! Then that night, the Stokers came, and Sister Stoker totally brought me some chicken soup! As always she is so awesome! 

I was sitting there before Branch 1 started on Sunday just trying to make sense of the big bus that had hit me from this last week...... the metaphorical bus. Don't go thinking that I was in the hospital for getting hit by a bus or something. haha but yeah, just like freshly out of the hospital, my companion is gone, I just kind of felt a little like, "Heavenly Father, please help me to feel my purpose right now." I look up, and in walks ชมพู (Shampoo!) with her MOM!! We have told her and ฟ้า (Faa) before that their families were welcome, but never had they taken us up on it.. this was totally all on her own! It was a serious tender mercy a midst a little trial of faith and I sat there as we sang the opening song "I Stand All Amazed" with tears in my eyes knowing that the words of that song are so true. That He loves us, He knows us, He died for us, and He is with us in our troubles. 

Other Sunday highlights... The husband and wife that I told you we started teaching came to church too, and they are doing SO great. We taught them the the Plan of Salvation and about temples, and it is so special to see this family start to see  themselves in the light of eternity. Pray for them, their names are Newt and Mim. Ok also............. we got a new branch president in Branch 1, and he is 28 years old! That really is one of my favorite things about the church here in Thailand, watching how faithfully the members serve. The old president served for 8 years, so it was time for a change, and  the spirit just bore such strong testimony that this is the man that the Lord had called. 

The Church is so true people!

So yeah, crazy week right????????? Never a normal day around here, but I am grateful for the concept of "the LOAD" from the talk by Elder Bednar that I have come to know is SO true. Where it is the presence of a load that is able to get us where we need to be. I wouldn't want for the load to be taken in any circumstance, but I am grateful for His upholding supporting hand in carrying the load- whatever it may be- that has been endlessly evident on my mission.

I love you guys so so much and hope you have a great week!

Xo Sister Morgan  

pre-hospital swag sporting the FAM tee

I'm gonna miss this girl!

free at last after 2 days inside... Udorn sunsets are so priceless

My new คู่s!! And then there were three........

Here's a little more info from her letter to me: 

It was really crazy at the hospital but I am doing way better. The nurses took great care, it is a SUPER nice hospital. The food was good (thai food, which at first sounded so gross, but I knew I was doing better as soon as that sounded somewhat appetizing again)

The weirdest thing was... the first night my head was SO bad. I finally got the nurse in and she put this stuff in my iv and then all of a sudden my throat started to burn... like fire like i had just sprinted up a mountain as fast as I could in the freezing cold. it was crazy for like 2 hours and they didnt know what to do. Sister Seppi who takes care of our health said it was an allergic reaction and to make sure I never get that again! so crazy but I am fine!

Ok so attached is a pic of this cutest girl that came to the branch yesterday. When I saw her dress I was like ok my mom would look so good in that.... I need to take a pic! She is from Portland Oregon actually and the brand is "Collective Concepts" I think she got it at Nordstrom... you need to get it, it would look so good on you! This is my birthday present to you, to buy that dress. haha :) ok anyways that is a sidenote. just know that I am always thinking of you and I was laying there in the hospital and telling everyone it was my moms birthday today and just talking about you. haha I love you and hope it was the best day ever. I love that pj spoiled you and it seems like it was a great day. 

6/14/15...This last weekend history was made and a new Stake was formed in Thailand!

I found the Space Needle??? HELLO SEATTLE

FAM!!!

So you guys got the package... a public apology issued to Big B about the lame empty bottle of Mansome!! But yeah, I have something that I am sending him to make up for it!  Just you wait Mr. Spring Sportsman of the Year..... 

haha seriously you guys, such a SUPERB week. SO AWESOME!! Here is a little rundown...

So many cool new investigators this week and the existing ones are doing so so great! We are feeling so blessed that Heavenly Father has prepared these people and is using us. 

One of our new ones was a random former investigator, จุม (Jume) that I decided to call one morning from the Area Book. He is an older guy who sells clothes at the walking street and is actually kind of sickly. He is way nice. But anyways, he agreed to meet with us that same day, and totally remembered lots about the first vision and reads from the Book of Mormon still. He went to church on Sunday and has a date to be baptized next Sunday! 

Then ฟ้า (Faa?) and ชมพู (Shampoo!) have just been the best little missionaries and we are teaching their friend มี่ (Me!) now and she is doing so great! It was actually way cool, like 2 weeks ago we had an appointment to review with ฟ้า(Faa?) and ชมพู(Shampoo!), and they brought มี่(Me!) cause they were coming straight from school and I think ฟ้า(Faa?) was just like giving her a ride home or something. So we are teaching the gospel and she wasn't way into it, just kind of sitting there. Well we invite her to baptism at the end and she says no and doesn't even give me her phone number when I ask her for it. So it was kind of like, ok she is just not feeling this but I was just like "I'm not sure if ฟ้า(Faa?) has shared with you about her baptism yet, but I think you should ask her about it and we are so happy to help you understand more if you change your mind." So then the next day or two later ฟ้า(Faa?) calls and is like "Hey, I was just calling to say มี่(Me!) wants to be baptized!" Seriously SO surprised! So we have been teaching her and her only problem right now is being able to consistently come to church on Sunday cause she has to help out at her family restaurant. Pray that she will see the importance of the sacrament and also that her family will allow her to come!

ฟ้า ชมพู and มี่ (Faa? Shampoo! and Me!)
I told them I would send a pic of them to my cute 17 year old brother... they were pretty excited!

I wish I could write about all of them but other ones are this student เอ๋ (A) and this cutest couple ever. Pray for all of them, especially for time and time specifically on Sundays!

Also, เบล (Bell) is doing WAY good. We ended up going to the Dr. with her and it was so great. It was one of those times where you are just sitting there with someone who has had a lot thrown at them- her mom left their family for a teaching job far away, her older brother is a lady boy, and she is just living with her dad in a situation not really able to do anything with her life- going why was this your lot and mine, mine? The only thing that can answer this question is that the Atonement and gospel of Jesus Christ is the only thing that can make right all unfairness, hardship, or discord in this life. And for her right now, it is totally doing just that. Her countenance has changed, hearing her pray and all of a sudden be able to say "I know I can quit smoking" etc when before she couldn't at all, is proof of the Savior's workings. She got a blessing this week, and the spirit was so strong and the brother that we asked to go with us was just way inspired. Little by little we are seeing a miracle before our eyes! Pray for her please!

Ok so then... As you maybe know, this last weekend history was made and a new Stake was formed in Thailand! We have known this was going to happen on June 14th for a while, and I had pretty much made it known to everyone and their dog how cool I thought it was going to be and badly I wanted to go. But อุบล (Ubon) is totally not in our zone, so the chances of getting to go were SO slim... haha as in zero. Well, Sister Parin totally wanted to go too, (she has served in อุบล and just same as me, knew it would be so special!) so she decided to go out on a whim and offer to translate for it. It kind of got shot down at first.. but then its Friday morning, I am just sitting there thinking to myself about what a super week it has been, kind of trying to think about what we need to do on Saturday and we get a call from the Zone Leaders. And BEST thing ever. They said President and Sister Senior gave Sister Parin and I permission to travel to อุบล(Ubon) for the conference and that we needed to be there by 2 o'clock on Saturday. We were so shocked and SO excited! 

So seriously best weekend ever! President Gong from the Quorum of the Seventy was there with his wife, who are both so so nice. We got to translate for a Relief Society session on the temple..  it was like a Q and A panel for the women to ask anything they wondered. Then the general session at night was so awesome. President and Sister Gong were right on note with Dad on the invitation to a more spiritual dedicated sacrament meeting. I LOVE THAT. As you can see from what I said about our investigators, Satan truly is attacking the Sabbath day, and I think a reminder to consecrate the time and use it to draw nearer to the Savior is EXACTLY what we all need. Such a simple, yet completely profound concept to focus more fully on the basics.  I wish you were all there!

The new Stake Presidency!

Then Sunday was SO special. It was so awesome seeing the implications of the formation of the Stake in this part of Thailand. Simple things like now having bishops, high priests and not having to set up with the Mission President for temple recommends etc. I couldn't help but cry a little as I saw members from ร้อยเอ็ด (Roi Et) who are so dear to me, receive stake callings and bear such humble grateful testimony for the opportunity to serve the Lord. The new Stake President is from there and he will be SO amazing. 

Sustaining the new Stake Presidency

Other highlights of the weekend were seeing so many fun missionaries (all wondering why the heck we were even there!?) reuniting with my ร้อยเอ็ด(Roi Et) FAMILY (seriously it was SO good), around 16 hours of total bus travel, and my first HOT shower in over 2 months at the hotel! 

Sisters from the อุบล zone at the Hotel!

Thank you President and Sister Senior for letting us be a part of such a special occasion!

So yeah, this week was a good one... back in the motherland and ready to work hard! We have Zone Conference this week too, so we are way excited for that. 

All is well, all is well.

And in case you were wondering, Sister Coates and Sister Olsen survived without us there to keep them in line.. Sister Coates only suffered one nearly fatal tumble down the stairs. haha Oh brother....

XOXO 

Sister MORGAN

ps I am realizing how much I say so or SO in these letters... and I hope it doesn't annoy you as much as it just helps you see that I really do love this work SO much!! if its annoying I can try to stop, but I'm not making any promises...

HAHA ok have the best week ever people... and make sure to put that footage of Ty on the anesthesia on Youtube

Elder Gong from the Quorum of the Seventy! He is so great. And also, the debut of my newly cut Thai skirt! I got the fabric at the market in NaaKaa on Monday and one of the cutest แม่s(Mahs) here made it for me!   

Sister Stoker <3

Elder Kanikam from the Area Presidency

you are wondering, what is this a picture of? This is scripture class in the dark because of the CRAZY rain storm that made all of the power go out! to paint the picture: we are like sitting in a hot box with no air flow, crazy thunder, old people with poor vision trying to read by the light of cell phones, baby chicks chirping in the background (don't ask me why one of the members had a shoe box of baby chicks dropped off for her in the middle of the class), little kids running around screaming, and us missionaries are just trying to help them get something out of Alma chapter 20... hahaha sometimes you are just like OMG this is my life and its AWESOME!

So Sister Coates and Sister Olsen got these throw blankets on Monday when we went to the markets in NaaKaa, and they have been having endless fun with them....

surprise attacks on the regular...

our little Sister Olsen is getting so grown up...
hahaha seriously just get a load of this girl.......

6/7/15... Sister Parin and I are having a good time together and working hard... Miracles on the daily..............

Madi and Taylor's cousins, the Berberts!  He served here about a year ago and came back to visit
with his fam... such a small world, they were so so nice!! 

HEY HEY HEY!!!

Sounds like everyone is doing so well! A huge hug and congrats to Rachie for the big graduation and for killing it on the speech, I can just picture the whole thing!! It seems like yesterday that I was the one up there speaking (and then being totally annihilated by silly string HA)... where has the time gone?!

But really so proud of all of you guys........... especially Ty and PJ killing it with the ladies 

We had a great week here in Udorn! The first week of the transfer is a little nuts of just getting our ground on what our goals are, who we are going to be focusing on, and FINDING. Sister Parin and I are having a good time together and working hard. She just moved from หนองคาย (Nong Kai) where the work is on the slower side, so she keeps mentioning how she can't believe how many people we are able to contact, teach, etc here. Miracles on the daily..............

One of our investigators right now is a radio DJ named เล็ก (Lek) and he is so awesome! He came and found us at the church and said he just had this feeling that he needed to come to the church on Soi Jinthakam and learn how to pray. He was like "I have 30 minutes right now before I need to go back to work, and I want to learn!" So we finished the lesson we were teaching, taught him and he knows he needs to be baptized. When we teach him we just have 30 minute lessons when he can go off air and come to the church for a little bit, but his understanding and desires are so solid. The only problem right now is time! He was all set to come to church on Sunday, then had to go to Laos for work (life of a DJ I guess? haha) Pray that he will have time to come and will keep his commitments despite a demanding work schedule!

We are still working with เบล (Bell) the girl who is so addicted to smoking and she is doing way good. I can't even describe to you the feelings I have about the fact that I know Heavenly Father wants us to be teaching her right now.  Not that she is the golden investigator and is going to be baptized tomorrow or anything, but every time I hang up on the phone with her, I just have this little confirmation like He is saying "Thank you for taking care of one of my daughters.  I love her and I know you do too."  She is lonely and stuck and needs the gospel for sure, but more than anything she needs a friend.  I am so excited because on Tuesday this week we set it up with เเม่พร (Mah Pawn) to take her to an addiction recovery doctor.  Pray that all goes well and we can get her on the path that leads to baptism and a life free of addiction! 

Speaking of แม่พร (Mah Pawn) .. she is the one who I said drives like Grandpa Floyd, she is the relief society president, and she is just the happiest, kindest, slightly scatter brained because she is so selfless person in the whole world. She was teaching the lesson yesterday in the investigator class and it was on Repentance. She talked about how she has not always been the แม่พร (Mah Pawn) that everyone knows today, that before she joined the church she was a basketball coach and would yell and get angry and put people in their place etc, and even that she smoked!  I was like a little (a lot) surprised at this, seriously if you met her, she just walks around smiling and basically sing-songing the way she talks and just LOVES to serve everyone. It was such a powerful reminder to me of the true power of the Atonement and repentance. That we in our weaknesses and trials are not cast in stone and can continually become more like Him until we have truly CHANGED. 

Making green curry with one of our favorite แม่s, we love her!!

I sometimes sit there and look at myself and go... you sure have a LONG way to go Sister Morgan! Like for example, the other day when we had the appointment for the air conditioning to be fixed, we waited for 2 and a half hours and the guy never came! I was so bummed that we had wasted the time (which isn't even OUR time anyways) and I am also not loving sitting in a pool of sweat while I study my scriptures every morning. haha so I gave them a call to see what happened and to reschedule, and I will just say it was a just the slightest bit of Jeff Morgan staying at the Mauian while under construction Spring Break 2009 that came out of me.. HAHA. I really am grateful that we can repent DAILY even for things like a little bit of anger with the air-con repair man and CHANGE. But just so you know, the air conditioning is still not fixed! Hopefully by this week, and hopefully I am learning what Heavenly Father wants me to learn from this *patience, humility, love, long suffering :) hahaha

Also this week so fun...... I have had a few chances to just see the continuation and deepening of roots in the gospel of some of the Recent Converts we are working with here. On Sunday, right after Sacrament Meeting where ฟ้า (Faa?) and ชมพู (Shampoo!) got confirmed (the 2 best friends who had to get permission that got baptized last week) the Primary President came up to them and asked them to be Primary teachers! haha the looks on their faces were like, um what is that?? haha but we will see, they would be SO good at it! Then this week we helped เค้ก (Cake) fill out his mission papers! He is about to hit his 1 year mark of being a member and is just SO good. He is the only member in his family, and will go visit his family a few hours away and call us and say "Hey I am with my grandma can you teach her over the phone right now?". He will be such a good missionary because he really knows just how much light and happiness the gospel brings! I think I have written about it before, but there are totally these moments as a missionary where you feel like the proud parent at your 6 year old's soccer game, just sitting there screaming your lungs out when they are dribbling down the field like a big kid. Haha its awesome! (showing up in Sunday best for the first time....... yeah sometimes get a little teary eyed at that one.) 

Brother เค้ก's mission papers pic!
We are getting it printed this week and we are sending those babies off this week! 

 But yeah, you guys asked about Sister Parin, and she is great! She is so fun to be around, and just has the coolest perspective on spiritual things and life in general. She is so funny... like her parents are here visiting Thailand, and her dad called to be funny asking about English class and she just thought it was someone from around here who heard about English and is all explaining it to him then he said he was from Orem, UT and she finally realized it was him! It was fun hearing her interact with them, but totally cute, she goes after a few minutes "Mom and Dad this is breaking the rules and I am working right now!" Gotta love that dedication... is it bad that I thought to myself in that moment, if my mom and dad called I think I maybe would have seen it as a free pass to chat away YIKES! haha mom I blame you that it is in my blood to love to chat!

talking with the parents... hahaha it was seriously way funny

And yes, we are still here with Sister Olsen and Sister Coates having a BLAST. Seriously it is too much fun. I feel so so blessed to work around such super people. Sister Parin is getting used to the level of weirdness in our house too and she fits in just perfectly HAHA it is bliss...

I love you guys SO much, hope you have a great week, you are in my thoughts and my prayers everyday! 

Sister Morgan

Keep up the good work people...

someone go check the porch, I think the package is maybe there..... YEAH

not the cutest pic ev... but next to me is Elder Visser who is from Uncle Paul's ward! 
He is our district leader and is SUCH A GOOD MISSIONARY

Sister Olsen with the 2 girls that come and find us at the church EVERYDAY... 
they totally love the sisters and are the cutest in the world!

some traditional Thai dancing after church! I am pretty sure the secret is in the hand movements... you have to be way precise about the hands... hahaha I will perfect it before I come home and teach you all

5/31/15...I am just so grateful thinking about the opportunities the Lord has given me

My new companion, Sister Parin. SHE IS SO AWESOME

Fam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Loved the updates and the pics and the stories. I was literally almost crying I was laughing so hard HAHAHA. It sounds like this week has just been jam packed for you guys as always... so busy here too! 

This week was WAY GOOD... oh my goodness, so so good. 

So first news first.. I am still in Udorn! But I do have a new companion and her name is Sister Parin. SHE IS SO AWESOME. She is Thai, born in Thailand but moved to Utah when she was 13 and has grown up there. She is 22 and went to BYU and loves to draw. She is so funny and SO much fun to be around. An answer to prayers and I am SO excited to work together!! We actually kind of knew we were going to be together because she was told to drop her stuff off here on her way to Transfer meeting in Bangkok, but we still never know with President Senior sometimes! 

So yeah, everything before Transfer meeting on Thursday is a total blur and seems SO long ago, but Transfers were way good! It was President and Sister Senior's last one and it was way special. All of the districts and lots of missionaries that have served here since they have been here made this video for them and it was so so funny/touching. Our district totally did this Hunger games reference and it was like (one of) the best part(s) of the video.... hahaha Ty would have been so proud. One of the branch presidents here has this song he sings for all of the dying missionaries and he came and sang it for them.. so adorable. It is kind of weird to think it is probably our last transfer meeting like this... I have told you guys how they are just SO much fun and there is just such an awesome spirit there. We will see, change is good too though and we are all so excited to welcome President and Sister Johnson!

the branch president singing the goodbye song at transfers... so cute!!

 It is always so crazy traveling back from Bangkok... think sleeping (ish) on a bus all night, getting there at 6 AM--- just in time to start the day and get to work! haha But even with the weirdness of traveling and all that, we have still been able to get lots of good work done this week... such an answer to prayers! 

One of my favorite lessons from this week was with เบล (Bell), our investigator who is so addicted to smoking. We went over to her house and literally I feel like the spirit just gave us the things to say. We talked about the temple and how our bodies are temples... and the connection just really rung out with her. We drew a vision of her life in 5 years, made her a school fund jar (for the money she is going to save from not smoking), and made her a daily schedule to keep her busy. As we left she even let us take her cigarettes with us to throw out. Progress little by little! Best part was that her dad totally declined to sit in with us and listen, but just kept pacing around and listening and watching. We are going to get him! Pray for both of them please :)

On Saturday I coordinated with Sister Stoker to have her come teach the ladies in the branch how to make American treats... seriously these ladies were on cloud nine!! The Stokers were coming up anyways for the branch conference on Sunday so it worked out way good, but she is seriously so so nice to do it. She loaded up 2 ovens in her car and basically all of her kitchen to share one of her talents with these ladies and make them feel loved. I have learned so much from Sister Stoker about how you can truly render Christlike love and service through ACTIONS, without saying much. (She doesn't really speak Thai at all, and the little Thai she does speak is so compromised by a thick Idaho accent.. HAHA I love her.) 

Cooking 101 with Sister Stoker!

So then... Sunday. We had 4 baptisms!!!! Seriously all I can say is Heavenly Father knows who the prepared are, and if we will just be patient with His timing, all will come together. ฟ้า (Faa?) and ชมภุ่ (Shampoo!) got permission and it was just so special to see them in their white dresses after they had almost resigned to the fact that they wouldn't be able to get baptized for now. Through it all, I just had such a peaceful feeling that we shouldn't drop them yet... just keep calling, keep praying. YES. Then ครีม (Cream) the one who I met at the University, just gave the most sincere testimony on her gratitude for a fresh start. And last but not least ออง (Ong) our dear neighborhood guard. HE IS BAPTIZED PEOPLE. It was actually kind of crazy, he totally fell off of his motorcycle on the way and was late to sacrament, but in the end it all worked out! Miracles... especially the miracle that Elder Sangwein was able to baptize all 4 of them in like 1 foot of water. Yikes............ haha

BAPTISM!! Love these people so much! 

I am reading the Doctrine and Covenants now and I love what I read this morning in section 25. It is the Lord's counsel and encouragement to Emma Smith during the struggles of organizing the church at the very beginning. He says in verse 10: 

"And verily I say unto thee, that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better."

So short and sweet, and easily applied. I was a little overcome as I read this verse. Just so grateful thinking about the opportunities the Lord has given me to "seek for the things of a better". One year ago I never would have thought that I would be teaching older women from another country how to measure cocoa and mix brownie batter, or that I would be cleaning and bandaging the dirty foot of a tiny old man in the church overflow so he could go into sacrament meeting, or that I would be walking down the street with a bag of cigarettes to throw out for someone who I have truly come to love. The Lord has been too good to me, and I really know that as we consciously "seek for the things of a better" and do it with an eye of gratitude we are filled with true JOY. 

But yeah, that is all i have for you today, here is to another joyful week!!!!!! Love you all so so much!

xo Sister Morgan

PS thank you for the BEST package ever!!!!!!!!

TY TY, totally wore my new T to sports day... it was such a hit. I will wear it every week!! you are sooooo funny

Mom thank you for all of the goodies!!! Always so thoughtful and just so perfect. and thank you to Grandma and Grandpa too, such a fun surprise to have some love in there from them too!!

thank you thank you thank you!!!

but on the real, your package will be there hopefully next Tuesday... it was quite the ordeal getting it sent. but it is sent and you are going to love it!

ออง (Ong)......... get a load of this guy!!!

it all started with this pipe!! the air conditioning in our study room actually broke last week (we are DYING!) but they are coming to fix it on Wed... who knows maybe Heavenly Father is just going to slowly have our house fall apart until we baptize all of the service people in Udorn HAHA

ครีม my girl CREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

the best two friends there ever were ฟ้า (Faa) and ชมภุ่(Shampoo) enter the waters of baptism at last!!! 

reunited with NEWS and Sister Herrmann at Transfers... back the the Bangnaa days <3

This is one of the things I eat almost everyday! sooooo yummy

just swimming home on our bikes the other day....... so crazy!!!

5/24/15...This week there were some serious flashbacks of my younger days going on...

District pics on the last Sunday... such a fun group!

FAMILY!! Holy cow, what a CRAZY week... all of your updates were so so fun! 

JC is home, baseball, NIKE employee store, last minute Lake Powell trip, there is a Krispy Kreme by our house now.... what is this?!

And since when does Dad get heated at sporting events? hahahaha JK (flashbacks of my entire sports career reading that one) I LOVE YOU DAD

...And all the rest of you too, so so much! 

This week has been a really good one-- seriously can't believe that transfer is coming to an end this Thursday... Where has the time gone? Here are some little updates:

So to follow up with the hair washing story... ออง, the neighborhood guard will be baptized this coming Sunday! He is so great, we ride our bikes home at night and there he is just reading his Book of Mormon. It also makes for the easiest daily follow up ever... just park our bikes, walk back, make sure he is keeping his commitments, give him something to read for the night... its awesome! haha now we are going to start working with the daytime guard too :)

the daytime guard at our house... HOW CUTE IS IT THAT HE HAS THIS SHIRT??? I think a missionary must have given it to him at some point or something, but he wears it all the time!

This week there were some serious flashbacks of my younger days going on... 

So first of all with ชมภุ่ (Shampoo!) and ฟ้า (Faa?), our cutest 17 year old investigators who are BEST FRIENDS that are just waiting on permission from their parents (they have interviewed for baptism and everything). Well we had seriously the best lesson with them on like Wednesday this week, Elder แสงเวียน (Sangweyen) the older couple missionary here taught with us (HE AND HIS WIFE ARE SO CUTE... like I die at their cuteness/everything about them every single day) But anyways, we read in the scriptures about the importance of baptism and then he just shared about how they can still be in a Buddhist family and keep their baptismal covenants etc. So we left the lesson and both knew they wanted/needed to be baptized and had a better understanding of how to talk with their parents about it. So I call ชมภุ่(Shampoo!) that night and such an answer to prayers... her parents gave her permission! But she coupled it with the condition that she wanted to see if ฟ้า(Faa) was going to be able to be baptized too. I tried to explain how baptism was something that she needed to do according to faith, not according to friends... but that is where the flashback came in. I sat there and thought of the curse and blessing of bestfriendship. At that age, if Breanna Lyons ate dirt I would have eaten dirt... hahaha. So of course prayers that night were like so much gratitude for 1, yes, but still so fervently asking for another one. As it stands right now, ฟ้า(Faa) is still unsure about her parents, please please pray that we can help them understand so that these 2 can BOTH be baptized. (cause from the mouths of the best two friends there ever were, it has been very clear, we aren't getting one without the other!) ** SIDENOTE: if you are reading this Bre, I LOVE YOU and it was a fun little treat this week to think back on daily morning phone calls to coordinate our outfits and meeting halfway at the Jackson's corner everyday... haha the best :)

Elder and Sister แสงเวียน the CUTEST!!

The other flashback was to the frustration of my senior year fiber arts class as we helped Sister จีนตนา with the school uniforms she was making.. HAHA. She is seriously so so good at what she does and makes it look so easy, but let me tell you, cutting the excess strings off of these outfits and slicing the button holes is not a job just anyone can do. But really, super fun doing some service for one of the members who is always so mindful of serving us missionaries. We love her!

one of my other แม้s... she is the Becky Loveridge of Thailand!

I wish you could hear her cute voice... she loves taking funny pictures

Other favorite from the week-- ครีม (Cream) is doing SO well and is all ready to go for her baptism on Sunday. I just feel such a connection with this girl. At the beginning of the transfer President Senior told me there was someone specific I was supposed to teach in Udorn, and I really feel like it is her.. way special. 

Ok other news... I finished JESUS THE CHRIST this week!! All I can say is, read this book. PLEASE!! I can't even say how much I love it... It so beautifully connects the life of the Savior and the fundamental principles of the gospel and will literally answer any of the questions you have had about anything (anything!).  Beginning with his predetermined mission as the Savior of the World in the council in Heaven, to the Restoration of His gospel in preparation for the millennium, literally it just paints so perfectly the picture of Christ's centrality.  I would totally recommend reading it with the gospels in the bible (Matt, Mark, Luke, John) it just solidifies everything and you will just feel such a  love for the Savior.. so fun!

If there is one thing that has been on my mind from my readings, it is how much the Savior loves and obeys Heavenly Father.  In everything in His life, it was to glorify and accomplish the will of the Father.  He was so intent on making sure disciples, Pharisees, his very Apostles, everyone know that what he did, taught, thought, and said was not coming from Him, but from His Father.  I have been asking myself as a missionary, or even as a member of the church what would it look like if my will was only His will and nothing else?  I love my Savior for so many things, but this week I am especially grateful for the reminder that complete comprehension of my wants and desires with Heavenly Father's is the most happy fulfilling way to live. 

But ya, seriously a great week, life is good here in Udorn!

I love you guys so much, hope this week is the best.... who knows, maybe I will be somewhere new next Monday! (seriously thinking I am not moving, but you NEVER know with our transfers!) 

Until then, go get some Krispy Kremes my goodness...

xoxo Sister Morgan 

also I am sending your package this week... if I do say so myself it is PERFECT and I wish you had it in your hands this very instant! prepare yourselves....

seriously the FUNNIEST thing in the whole world having Thai people read this...
Translastion: "Apple bottom jeans boots with the fur" HAHAHAHA we were dying
(I am still a little bit of a thug...)

District bowling last Monday!

the LADIES

This is พ่อ สีไทย (Pah Sitay) and he thinks my hair in its bun is the funniest thing in the world
(I guess one time it was blocking his view in sacrament meeting or something)
so I always tell him I did it extra high for him HAHA

แม้ ตี๋ว (Thiw!) the one who will make me any food I request. She is the BEST

our fridge art courtesy of the legendary Sister Zaugg... Udorn really is the Promised Land!

หน้า ตลก!!! (FUNNY FACE!!!)

The Sisters... plus Elder Graham?

Our cute townhouse!

Our across the street neighbors, so beautiful, this pic doesn't even do it justice!

this is the คนบ่า (crazy person) who comes to the church EVERY day...
It is seriously so funny/ a little scary/ Elder Graham loves taking care of it so we had to document it