7/19/15... The people here in Udorn have become my family... I can't even tell you how special they are to me.....

Some post rainstorm selfie for you...... OMG people rainy season is in full affect...... เปียกตลอด translation: ALWAYS WET
FAM! 

hanging out with the best cousins around in the mansion cabin, what could be better?! Thanks for the pics and everything, it is so fun to see your cute faces. I hope it is a way fun week and all I ask is that someone keeps Grandma Nancy humble in Banana Grams without me there to do it! HAHA :)

Such a good week here in Udorn with the new companion. We are having such a blast together, I can't even tell you what a dream it has been working with her. We are laughing all the time and just happy as can be. But yeah, she definitely does know some of the BYU Hawaii crew so that has been fun with all of our random connections. We had such a great week............ a little run down as always:

So we had the funeral for แม่ตี๋ว's (Mah Thiw's) husband early this week and it was just a really special day. It was done in the perfect light of the gospel and the Spirit was so strong. I feel like my testimony and gratitude for the Plan of Salvation are constantly growing, especially as I see it so completely comfort and strengthen people around me (members, other missionaries, investigators) in real life situations.  The people here in Udorn have become my family, and I just sat there in the cultural hall with all of the members and just felt so overwhelmed with love for these people who were so banded together in this time of need. They are so amazing you guys, and they definitely understand the concept of truly being one "family" as children of Heavenly Father. I can't even tell you how special they are to me.....
love my แม่! (it was her husband that passed away)
at the funeral with the Sisters
A little update on พ่อสอ (Pah Sah), he is doing so good! We went out and taught him, and he is just cute as ever. He kind of speaks this giberish อีสาน (Esan) and so there is definitely some lost in translation, but he got the Holy Ghost this week and is just happy happy happy. It is way nice to have the แสงเวียนs (Sangwiens) go with us to teach because they are close in age and are คนอีสาน (people from the Esan) too, so they totally get him and just make him feel so loved. We are excited to keep working with him and his family, apparently his son in law has learned with the missionaries before so we are hoping to meet with him! And the newest/most favorite news we received from this last visit was that he has two women that he is kind of going on "dates" with......... hahaha! Who would have thought?? In Thai the word is หลายใจ which literally means "many hearts"...  พ่อสอ the LADY SLAYER!

Then this week we have been teaching การ์ตุน (Cartoon!) a new investigator who is the niece of one of the members here. She is the CUTEST girl ever, and it is seriously the best when you are working with member referrals because immediately there is a total support system. I can't even really tell you just how grateful I am that we are teaching this girl.... I don't know that she has always had the easiest life and definitely got caught in some situations and things that really just make your heart wrench to think any 16 year old girl has been through this or felt this way. It has been the most beautiful thing to watch the Atonement take affect in her life... to be with her as she realized that only through the Savior and making real changes to follow Him can she feel relief. It was definitely an Alma the Younger experience:

"And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world. Now as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the chains of death. And now behold when I thought of this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy

She came into the church yesterday just BEAMING... so happy and filled with light. Pray that she will continue to make the changes necessary for baptism next Sunday!

This weekend we had a little goodbye party at the church for 2 of the girls in the branch that are leaving on their missions at the end of the month (sidenote, SO many people on missions/ about to leave on one from Udorn, they are KILLING it here!!) We get upstairs to the cultural hall right before it is going to start, and แม่พร (Mah Pawn) totally asks me if I will be the speaker to just give them advice and encouragement... I was like uhhhhh ok! So way quick I just kind of had to gather my thoughts... but it was a way fun chance to really think about and actualize how dear my mission thus far has been to me. I think when it comes down to it, the best advice is what we learn directly from the Savior in word and deed and actually.... my fav Jack Johnson put into words in one of his classics when he says: 

"Love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart" 
with Sister โม (Moe) before she leaves on her mish to AUSTRALIA...
she is going to be soooo good. love this girl <3
yeahhhh its true people, more than the baptisms, the companions, the areas, the transfer videos,the bike riding, the inviting at markets........... its all really just about LOVE. The realization that a life spent in the pursuit of loving like the Savior more fully will be a life well spent fills me with hope and happiness unlike anything ever has. So grateful for a mission, a country, a people, and a gospel that have written that on my heart forever. 

The church is true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Love you guys SO much.... hugs all around to the Van Slooten crew this week, have a blast!

xoxo,

Sister Morgan
Sister จอย (Joy) had the baby! Best part....... she named him "Olsen".....
Sister Olsen was like you should name him Olsen, and she TOTALLY DID!!! we all died
some post church badminton....... a must
and sometimes you just need to wear a batman suit to church and keep it on for all three hours...
They are absolutely perfect <3 OMG

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