12/21/15... Sister Rungtip and I are happy and loving life- falling asleep last night we were laughing so hard I think we were crying.

nothing to do on P day... lets try on WIGS!
FAM!! 

So I only have a little bit of time today to send emails before our SKYPE on Friday- your Thursday- but I will give you some of the highlights from the week, and give you the good details when I have more time!

First things first- WE HAVE A HOUSE!!! Somehow the RS President got the wrong info, and the DREAM condo didn't actually have a problem with us renting! We moved in two days ago, I am sleeping on a rug, and we are getting things all put together! haha the pics of my nightly view will make your mouth water... especially you mom!
our view at night <3

We have some super cool investigators- a 17 year old boy named บอส์ (Boss) we met walking home from the church the other day- he was smoking, and it was the craziest thing, like an audible voice, "INVITE HIM!" We are also teaching the friend of a member- also crazy. We were inviting, I invite this guy sitting on a bench with his friend to come to the huge Christmas Journey to Bethlehem, and I am kind of explaining to him what it is etc....... the friend reaches in his bag pulls out a flyer for it and goes "Dude, I'm the shephard..." hahaha the friend is totally a member (an RM too! haha) who I didn't recognize! Long story short, we taught him this week, his name is บิก (Big) and he is super cool! Another miracle- this Nepali lady I invited in front of the hospital named โสบา (Soba) came to church and is way interested! She speaks little Thai, but like tons of other languages so we are going to teach her tonight- She took a Book of Mormon in Indian! Way way cool. 

Other BEST news- transfers were this week, and you would not believe it----- remember Cake the kid in Udorn that Sister Forte and I helped do his mission papers?? So he got his call to Thailand--- and HE IS NOW IN OUR DISTRICT!! He is totally serving here and it is so weird to not call him Cake and to see him as a missionary- HE IS AWESOME!
Welcome to the mission CAKE!!!!

I got the package from you guys at transfers, took it to our hotel room, and wasn't planning on opening it until Christmas- but we got home Friday night and ANTS were ALL OVER IT! I don't even know what happened! So I opened it------ OMG as always you guys are SOO thoughtful. Thank you so so much for everything, it was perfect. 

I think the best part- I took the Muddy Buddies to church yesterday to share with everyone, and bless his heart, I gave Elder Kanikam some of the cake batter ones and he totally came back and was like "Sister Morgan, tell your mom that was the best thing I have ever eaten...." hahahaha I was like "Really?" so I gave him the whole bag and he was sooo happy. He felt all bad to take my Christmas goodies but I told him, "No no no, my mom will be so honored that a member of the Quorum of the Seventy loved her puppy chow!" PRICELESS

Mom you are so good. 

This week I was led to read the talk "The Touch of the Master's Hand" by Boyd K Packer- I love the poem he ends with, I am sure you guys have heard it before, but I just want to throw it in here at the end cause I think it is so true about our lives as we ponder the "whys?" of every situation we find ourselves in. Maybe this week I have pondered, why are we opening this area? why are we having a hard time finding a house? why am I training Sister Rungtip? why do I need to learn these lessons?

’Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile:
“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”
“A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two?
Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three—” But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, “What am I bid for the old violin?”
And he held it up with the bow.
“A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?
Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone!” said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
“We do not quite understand
What changed its worth.” Swift came the reply:
“The touch of a master’s hand.”
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine,
A game—and he travels on.
He’s “going” once, and “going” twice,
He’s “going” and almost “gone.”
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought
By the touch of the Master’s hand. 

So grateful for the ever mindful Master who has tuned and re-tuned and is still tuning this missionary through lots of different experiences- I love Him for it and know with the touch of His hand, I and we will become all He needs us to be. 

Sister Rungtip and I are happy and loving life- falling asleep last night we were laughing so hard I think we were crying. OMG who is with me that those are the best moments in life? You get to meet her in 4 days!
I love you guys soooooooooo much, see your cute faces oh so so soon!!

xoxo SISTER MORGAN
haircut!!! how cute is she?!?
We love our missionaries in the TBM!!!
*Elder Choi's dad passed away this past week and he went home for the funeral. Pray for him and his fam
the APs
teaching Vocabulary at english this week.......... my specialty








12/13/15... We learn from the poor little drummer boy, that even though we may not think what we have to offer the Savior is necessarily "fit for a King", we can use what we have, and "play our best for Him".

hahaha working the bun inside of the santa hat
FAM!!

hey hey you crazy people IT IS CHRISTMASTIME!!! It sounds like you had a good week..

I am so happy to hear about all of your Christmas celebrations! It sounds like the annual Grandridge Dental Christmas parties are still as legendary as always.. and I hope Santa is going to be there for Grant and Claudia on Wednesday HAHA!

We are celebrating here too as always... Mom is so right, Heavenly Father did send me to the country of CELEBRATIONS! We might still be living in a hotel, and we might have just gotten news that the PERFECT apartment we were going to rent will not rent to us, but you cannot take the Christmas spirit from us or stop the work from moving on! haha here is a look into this week:

So yeah, after talking with President we decided that the area that the Barbie Dream house is, isn't right and started looking in this other area called เมืองทอง (MuengThong) It is a perfect central location and there are TONS of members that live around there, especially Sisters which is perfect cause the Bishop really stressed that he wanted us to work with the Relief Society. So we went out with the Relief Society President and found this PERFECT condo. The location could not be better and the size/ price everything. We had everything all together to sign tomorrow, and they called last night and said they don't want to rent to us! Definitely one of those times where you breathe, remember Isaiah 55- For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways... and just TRUST that there is something better around the corner. It is hard to think there could be something better considering that from the balcony there is a perfect view of these most beautiful tennis courts and there are little prodigy kids that were doing drills and it was just a little slice of heaven watching them for a minute...... (you could say I took that as a heavenly confirmation that "This is the Place" hahaha) but I know we are going to find the right place. The RS President has been so AWESOME with helping, we are going out with her again. Please pray for us!
Sister รุ่งทีพย์ (Rungthip) living the HOTEL LIFE!
We can't complain about bed making and fresh towels everyday, but we are ready to move!
So... I think I totally forgot to tell you last week, but SISTER FORTE is also serving in this area, training this other cutest Sister, Sister Smith from Washington, and they have been such a tender mercy/ blessing to us. First of all, it is Sister Forte and we are just BESTIES for life, but then in regards of the work, they have been so so awesome. Since we have no Area Book to teach recent converts from, they gave us some to teach and have been way helpful in getting to know the area a little bit. 

This week we made an appointment to teach one of the RCs that they gave us, Sister แอน (Ann) and she totally brought her younger sister โรส (Rose) who is not yet a member to learn too! WOW. That was such a tender mercy. We taught about faith, then แอน asked if we could teach her the Restoration too. We are going to keep teaching her this week when she comes back into town, pray for her to open her heart and to be able to quit drinking coffee!

We have been inviting like crazy and seriously meeting way cool people. Sister รุ่งทีพย์ (Rungthip) is so good and really loves inviting/ every aspect of missionary work and life (even though ours is not so standard right now!) She has the greatest spirit about her all the time and I feel so lucky to be her trainer. hahaha I think my favorite thing this week/ this just sums up Sister รุ่งทีพย์(Rungthip) was at our Christmas Zone Conference this week (it was AMAZING.. details/pics to come!) we each got a Christmas Card from the First Presidency and in our companionship prayer before bed that night first thing she says is, "Thank you so much for the letter from the Prophet" I just sat there so grateful for another one of those learning moments... What I totally viewed as a mass printed card that went out to missionaries all over the world, similar to the one I got last year, similar to the one we get from American West Bank with the printed signatures(ha!), she just like loved and treasured and felt the personal love that was intended. She is so awesome and teaches me something new everyday. 

And best news ever that we just got this very day about 1 hour ago... HER GRANDMA IS GETTING BAPTIZED!! Just before she left, her grandma had started meeting with the missionaries, but kind of slowly and not really wanting to pray etc... Well if there is one person who has the faith to move mountains or get Buddhist since birth grandmothers to change their hearts, it is Sister รุ่งทีพย์(Rungthip)! I have no doubt her mom and little brother are going to follow soon.

So yes---- This week we had our Christmas Zone Conference and it was SO AMAZING!! The morning started with Christmas cookies and milk while we watched  "THE BEST TWO YEARS" and was followed by Christmas games, carols, chimes, then the best best best devotional. We are so spoiled in this mission! 
the funnest cat and mouse game...
The Johnsons were so cute and had us play a bunch of games that they play with their kids,
they made it so "homey" and you can tell they just have such a good time as a fam
Christmas Tree decorating contest.... My group won with our wreath around the face.. YEAH!!!!!!
chimes!
One of the things that has been on my mind lots this week was something Sister Johnson talked about... the Little Drummer Boy. Everyone knows the song and loves the rum pum pum pums (Think The Office, Angela singing Karaoke to it at the Christmas Party and Dwight totally supplementing super intense rums and pums hahaha), but beyond that, the message is something we all really identify with. We learn from the poor little drummer boy, that even though we may not think what we have to offer the Savior is necessarily "fit for a King", we can use what we have, and "play our best for Him". 

I love that imagery, of this poor little boy who has nothing really (I picture some of the little boys we see in the streets here), but he has this very treasured drum- its probably kind of dirty from him taking it everywhere with him, that he plays all the time and has gotten pretty good at.. He hears the news and follows the crowds to the manger. Upon the grandeur and awe of being in the presence of the new born Prince, his natural instinct is to offer Him something for all he could FEEL the babe would someday offer him with His yet unbeknownst Atoning sacrifice. He plays one of his best little rifts (for some reason I am picturing it being a bongo drum ha!), and while doing so the little Baby smiles at him, confirming to his overwhelmed, humbled heart the love that comes from the Sinless one, even while yet a speechless, mortal baby.  

I know that someday that will be us, in the presence of the now resurrected Prince, we will feel those same feelings of grandeur and awe, and how special will it be to know that while we have waited for His arrival, we "played our best for Him" and served Him and His children with all we had, even if it seemed meager or less than fit for the King of Kings. I know that He will smile at us just like he smiled at the little drummer boy, and that He does smile every time we do something that draws us closer to Him. YEAH!!!!!!!!

so lets play those drums people, all day long for the rest of our lives........ ha!

Last thing from this week-- we had the HUUUGE Stake Christmas Party/ community wide gathering/ I don't think there is an American comparison of what it was. SO AMAZING! It was called "Journey to Bethlehem" and it was kind of like the one last year that I said was like dad's Halloween spook alley on steroids... but it was all about the story of the birth of the Savior and there were these different set pieces about the story through the church with singing and acting (the Shepherds, the Wise men, King Herod, the Inn Keeper, the Manger) It was just way classy and so AWESOME for us missionaries to have the opportunity to talk with so many non members and get referrals. YES!! I feel like I just butchered the explanation of what it was but just know you need to come to Thailand for Christmas to experience it for yourself- they are so so fun (and so over the top!) love it
there was no taking pictures in the "Journey To Bethlehem" so this is the only one I have! It was the first room that the groups had to wait in... Think like that room you go into before the Tower of Terror to watch the video.... YEAH it was intense people. Then instead of the gift shop at the end, they were led to the cultural hall to talk with us missionaries. Way better than a gift shop for sure..............

Christmas magic is in the air and we will be SKYPING next week!! Can't wait to see your cute faces. I love you guys so much! 

xoxo Sister Morgan

ps Can we all just agree that The Best Two Years is nothing like missionary life in so many ways????????? HAAAAAAAAAAA sooo funny watching it with Thai people too, Sis รุ่งทีพย์(Rungthip) loved it and laughed so hard!
Sisters in the Zone.... hahahaha I just had to send this, how ridiculous is my hat?? I am retarded
So we were all given these hats, then President said "when you notice me take my hat off, you all need to take your hats off and the last people with them on have to sing a Christmas carol for us"
oops Sis รุ่งทีพย์ and these Elders were the last ones!
FHE at the Kannikam's on Monday! It was SO wonderful... they have the best spirit in their home. 
And OMG Elder Kannikam loves leading Christmas Carols, cutest thing ever!
Elder and Sister Kannikam
cute members here on Sunday in their Christmas best... how beautiful are they?! They are both like 65! 






12/7/15... Pray for a house, pray for Sister Rungtip, and pray for me to adjust to life without a bike! WE ARE IN BANGKOK PEOPLE!

COMPANIONS! ...Her name is Sister รุงทิพย์ (Roongthip) and she is so AWESOME!<3
family! 

How the heck are you guys?! I cannot believe what a crazy week you have had! It has been equally crazy in the life of yours truly... in fact I can't even believe all that has happened since my last letter, but longstoryshort, as dad put it, BAM, WE'RE IN BANGKOK!!!!!!!!!!!
from the real jungle to the concrete jungle
First things first, Sister Sirikwan and I made the long trip from ChiangMai on Tuesday... probably my last bus ride ever. The members were so cute and came and saw us off and as always brought tons of unexpected gifts and goodies... seriously the THAI PEOPLE! 

We got to Bangkok early Wednesday morning and wouldn't be picking  up our new companions till night, so that is when we started the SEARCH... haha my life this last week since our move has looked a little bit more like House Hunters International than anything else, but there have been miracles and blessings all along the way...

We found some good leads on Wednesday, and seriously Wisan and his wife, Sister นอ้ย (Noi) have been our LIFESAVERS. When we got to the mission office early early on Wednesday Wisan helped us get some barings on the map we had to go by (Seriously, all we had to start was a map with a circle around where we were supposed to go!) He hooked us up with the nicest Sister, อ้อย (Ooi!) to go look with us in the morning, then Noi came and took us all around. And totally took us out to lunch too... she is SO beyond sweet.

That night we had a little "transfer meeting" at the mission office and my ลูก (loog! aka CHILD) is perfect! Her name is Sister รุงทิพย์ (Roongthip) and she is so so awesome. She is the only member in her family and has been a member for just over a year. She is such a hard worker and has so much faith! I love companionship study with her and hearing her strong testimony and solid understanding of the gospel. Plus, ummmmmmmm so perfect- she was MTC companions with Sister Olsen's ลูก and they are just the best of friends. Honestly, all the trainers and new missionaries were matched up so perfectly, it was really kind of cool! 
the new missionaries! HOW CUTE ARE THEY?!
So no doubt, we are going to see miracles together... and we are going to start with finding a house, CAUSE WE LIVE IN A HOTEL PEOPLE! haha it is actually a really nice hotel and is not too bad, but we want to get things going with the area and it kind of starts with a place to study/sleep/be! Wisan and Noi have taken us out almost everyday and we had a total miracle finding a house right in their neighborhood! It looks like a Barbie Dreamhouse and could be perfect. It has been fun spending time with them and experiencing firsthand the influence of a family that literally gives all they have for the furthering of the gospel. They are the pioneers of the Church in Thailand and I really just love them and respect them so much. Way fun to be serving in their area... especially seeing Wi on Sunday! <3

Seriously Sunday was such a great day. It was a total unexpected treat that we actually serve in the International Ward here too. I had no idea how special it would be to me to hear the sacrament hymns and sacrament prayers in English... something I haven't heard in over a year (totally bawled a little!) . The testimony meeting has such a different flow too. I love that the church is true and the spirit is felt in every language though, because the next sacrament meeting was way good too. It is always so fun that first Sunday in a new area to feel of the dynamic of the ward (I am finally serving in a WARD again, I haven't since I was a greenie!) and get to know the members. There are the best of the best here, I am so honored to get to serve them and serve with them... this is the ward of Wisan and lots of other pioneer members including Elder Kanikam of the Quorum of the 70. So fun, and I can only imagine how the missionaries feel serving in the Salt Lake City South mission or whatever who are totally in Bednars or Oaks's wards, YIKES haaaaaaaa We are doing FHE at the Kanikam's house tonight!
PRES JOHNSON back in the day! Visiting a member in Don Mxang and what do you know! She was taught by President himself! So cute this pic has a way prominent place in her living room
Speaking of FHE- last Monday I had the sweetest reminder that the Lord is oh so aware of us, and that He will teach us little lessons in the very same way that a father teaches his children. How grateful I am for a relationship with my Father in Heaven and for His patience with me as He teaches and reteaches me the lessons of life and ways of His kingdom. The story of FHE:

So as I knew I would be leaving ChiangMai, Sister จันทร์ (Jan, by this point you should know who she is!) planned way in advance that she would have a big FHE at her house to send me off. So so sweet of her and she was just way excited. At church on Sunday though, one of the members (kind of a cool, hip young member with a way nice house) came up to me and said "Hey we want to have a big send off FHE for you at our house!" Suddenly I felt a little conflicted, I love all of the members, but had already said we would go to Sister Jans. I asked if maybe we could all go together, but kind of knew it wouldn't work. So anyways long story short, kind of dumb, but I just was feeling bad about having to say no to the other member and just feeling awkward a little bit and in my studies for some reason I decided to read this article in the Ensign for this month:


(its seriously not that long just read it or you will be so lost!)

I guess you could say I had my own little "Christmas with the Dombrowskis" in a sense that the Lord so clearly helped me see like this missionary that it is invaluable to experience the love of those around you, to feel of their sacrifices in your behalf. 

Even more, the miracles that followed us being at Sister Jan's house that night were too good. First of all, Sister ฝน (Phone, our RC with cancer) totally brought her HUSBAND!!! It was so awesome seeing him feel so comfortable and having so much fun with the members.. and he said he would go to church on Sunday! Then, early on in the night, we totally had this cutest lost American girl ask us directions to get to a nail salon.. we pointed her in the right direction and said if she didn't find it to at least come back and have dinner with us! Then after, as we were all getting ready to leave, she came walking back and Jan invited her in and started force feeding her fruit and just showering her with love/ everyone else was way nice in a more casual way HAHAHA. But long story short, she is a teacher who just moved here from Boston and is looking for a church  and was just so touched by how nice everyone was to her, and how she had NEVER experienced anything like that with complete strangers. I just sat there looking at their faces as Jan made plans to pick her up for church on Sunday, just feeling so grateful to be in the company of true disciples of Christ who LOVE everyone, so grateful that the church has established Mondays as a night to be with family, and so grateful as I said, that Heavenly Father loves me enough to teach me... 
with ฝน and her husband at FHE! love them
I feel like a lot of times in my life Heavenly Father just looks at me like a little kid who just learned from experience that stoves will burn or that dogs will bite, just shaking his head, smiling, saying , "See, I told you so." haaaaaaaaa

So yeah, a way solid week, lessons learned, and so many to be learned here up ahead... I CAN HARDLY WAIT

Pray for a house, pray for Sister Rungtip, and pray for me to adjust to life without a bike! WE ARE IN BANGKOK PEOPLE!

I love you guys so much! have a great week and get that CHRISTMAS pandora station blaring through the house this week

xo SISTER MORGAN

grateful for a country that is festive during Christmas without even knowing it! haha! 
ewwwwwwww how nasty is this??? would this EVER fly in America?! 
At the big celebration for the King's Birthday, aka Thai Father's Day!
fireworks of course!
Thai Father's Day! 
bye bye to my food people in Chiangmai! I LOVE THEM!
we ate lunch here EVERYDAY


11/30/15... I am leaving ChiangMai tomorrow :/ I am so sad to leave these people and this place, but at the same time, so excited for what is ahead.

FAM!!

So I think it's safe to say... you had the best Thanksgiving weekend getaway ever! LOVED the pics and all of the updates. Oh, to be a MORGAN!!

I don't even know where to begin with the details of this last week... IT WAS SOOOOO LEGENDARY! Between the miracles, the celebrations, the laughs, the goodbyes, my heart is so so full. And so are my stomach, and my camera, and my suitcases too......

Cause, you guys, I am leaving ChiangMai tomorrow :/ I am so sad to leave these people and this place, but at the same time, so excited for what is ahead. Ever upward, but before then, a little retrace into this past week to give you just a taste of the wonder/glamour/hilarity that is my life and that was the week of November 23th-29th, ha!

The week started off with a miracle when we were going to email last Monday, and our usual internet place was closed... There was one other place that came into my mind that is just outside of the mote, so we rode out and emailed there instead. When I went to pay, the guy working there goes, "So Sister, how long have you been serving in the ChiangMai branch?" Come to find out, he has been a member for 10 years! We went back to teach him later in the week, and he is the nicest, coolest guy. We are going to get him back, just pray that he can get his class schedule a little more flexible on Sundays! I love how the Lord will do whatever it takes to find His lost sheep.. who knows why our usual place was closed?!

So yes.. this week we totally kept teaching David, seriously such a good guy. You know him well from the detailed info card, but I think this quote/scene will give you even more imagery:

*trying to see where he is at with prayer and what he really wants to get out of learning with us. Note that Sister Sirikwan doesn't speak English, and neither does Sister จันทร์ (Jan, the cutest one with the voice like the guy on Rat Race) so I am flying solo for the most part

Sister Morgan: "So David, do you believe in Jesus Christ?"
David: "Yes, I do"
Sister Morgan: "That's really good. Why do you believe in Him, David?"
David: "In my humble opinion, a person without religion or some belief in a greater being is like a mere cabbage or potato in a field"
Sister Morgan: dying.... I don't even know how to respond... but it is kind of true so I think I said something like, "Yeah, that's right" HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

*later in the lesson, helping him see why the gospel of Jesus Christ is something that should change his life/ helping him see the importance of what we have been teaching him and why he needs to keep the commandments:

Sister Morgan: "David, you are going to play a part in helping Heavenly Father help his other children in China learn about this." 
David: "Yes, I think this needs to be propagandized everywhere. But I don't know if I can do it as good as you do it, Sister Morgan."
Sister Morgan: "Yes you can David"
David: "But Sister Morgan, I am just a potato!"
Sister Morgan: "I am just a potato too David!"

oh no at this point I realize what just came out of my mouth........... sometimes the most bizarre things happen and all you can do is laugh at the situation you find yourself in and try to come back from comparing yourself to a potato. Just a little play on the lines of the Lord will use small and simple means (potatoes) to accomplish His purposes but HILARIOUS none the less.

David had to go back to China, but he is a legend and I know he will read that BOM everyday and someday he will be baptized, and he will be a gnarly potato harvester (aka pioneer in bringing the gospel to the Chinese) hahaha  

We are still teaching all of the "kids" too. They are so fun and are good little "students". In Thailand they are so focused on learning and studying and homework etc, that it actually is kind of a benefit to them learning the gospel too. haha! You give them a reading assignment in the BOM and they want to do it so thoroughly and correctly like it is real "homework"... but in the process they feel the Spirit, realize this is no ordinary homework, and are CHANGED. เฟิร์น (Fern) is going to be baptized next Sunday and the others are on date for the end of December! 

My fav miracle of the week though, a Thanksgiving Day miracle, begins with the prompting I had to buy some candy at 7-11.... I love the little kids in the branches here and it is always fun to have a little treat to give them when you see them. (There is nothing cuter than a little Thai girl doing a little curtsy wai when you give them something, LOVE IT) so we get to the park to invite, and as I am getting off of my bike, this cutest mom and her little son come walking up to get on their motorcycle and leave. I starting talking to them.. give him some candy (YEAH!) and she was sooo cool and nice. We met her at the church on Thanksgiving and she is PERFECT. She is the sweetest mom, she and her husband both work at the post office, her work schedule just got changed to having Sundays off, and she loves to read. YES. She came to church on Sunday and the speakers were all about Eternal Families.. she was beaming the whole time. I can't wait for this family to be baptized! 

So honestly...... miracles on miracles this week......... but also celebrations on celebrations 

First of all, THE LANTERN FESTIVAL!! Words can't even describe it so I will just attach lots of pictures, so so fun! The members here are way fun about wanting us to have every cultural experience, we all made กระทงs (the floating flower boat things) at the church before, then we lit off lanterns on the big bridge and everything... AMAZING
the sky full of lights
the ELDERS
it was like Disneyland ride detail gone Thai style
making กระทงs at the church!

Thanksgiving was so great! Sister Stoker spoiled us and it was so fun to be there with out little makeshift "family" We were sitting there together after, and Sister Stoker goes, "I love this, it reminds me of being with my own kids!" I think one of the highlights was Sister Stoker telling a story about a family vacation or something and she literally was laughing SO HARD... tears streaming down her cheeks... hahahaha It was so funny, you know exactly what I am talking about, when someone is just dying laughing. That is my favorite, and I don't think any of us missionaries had ever seen that from our sweet, put together Sister Stoker! We love her!!  
Thanksgiving!
Then Friday night, we had the BEST activity at the church EVER!! Sister Stoker taught dancing, and then there were these two RMs who served here about 30 years ago (I think it was maybe just before Uncle Dave) as part of a singing group.. Apparently to get have a good relationship with the public etc the mission President then made a little singing group of missionaries that toured around Thailand performing and it became way popular and helped the missionary work. So anyways, they were here with their families and they performed and it was so fun! The members LOVED it. On one of the songs, everyone was doing this Thai traditional dance... SO FUNNY/ADORABLE. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh I love them.

the RM Singers! I think Elder Furch and Murri are their names.. their families were so great too!
It just takes one to start the dancing... Sister จันทร์ (Jan) did the honors 
until EVERYONE is dancing
Brother Brayoon came to the activity and was SO cute holding this baby.... OMG
Something that has been on my mind as I am leaving these people is something I read a while back from Spencer W. Kimball, where he goes through the life of the Savior and said, "The Savior was not afraid of close friendships." As I have tried to apply this in my life, I have felt and seen the greatest change. I can testify that when we make the effort to get close to people- all sorts of people, kids, adults, all walks of life, we are filled with compassion and HAPPINESS. 

I think we all love and know the scripture in Matthew where the Savior invites us to "take his yoke upon [us] for [His] yoke is easy, and [His] burden is light" ... and I think as we become yoked with the Savior, we understand that His "burden" really is light... perhaps it is as simple as loving those around us, getting close to them, being their friends, helping them learn of Him, learning of Him through them. 

And to be honest you guys, the response from the members to me leaving has been so tender and actually humbling. I have such special relationships with so many of the members here and love them like they are my family, to feel of their love in that same was really special. From the Branch Presidents and older members who took lots of pics w me and promised a place for you guys to stay when I bring you back to visit, to the YSAs, to the 11 year olds who came up and asked, "do you really have to go?" My heart is full, expanded, and my testimony is strengthened of the importance and beauty of close relationships. I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU GUYS TO MEET THEM. 
Sister จันทร์ (Jan)
love them SO MUCH
And I totally didn't write that to make it sound like I am awesome... purely out of love and gratitude for a new perspective, tried and true, on how I want my relationships to be for the rest of my life 

YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

So best week, and then we are off to Bangkok tomorrow, to get our CHILDREN!  (the new Thai sister missionaries fresh from the MTC)  Sister Sirikwan and I keep joking and saying it is like we are two pregnant women getting ready to give birth around the same time....... hahaha she will look at me with her hands on her stomach and go "Sis I am at 8.5 months, how far along are you???????" haha it is cute how excited she is to train, and she has been such a blessing to serve with.. honestly SO hilarious. And I know ChiangMai is in good hands. I LOVE HER!! 

So that is that, next time we write I will be living the BANGKOK LIFE... I haven't been there since I was a greenie! How crazy is that?? I am excited and ready to go!

LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!! You all look so good in the pics, I love to see your cute cute faces. have a great week and you better be getting that CHRISTMAS TREE UP!! 

And by that I mean ALL OF THE CHRISTMAS TREES UP.... do it in my honor!

xoxo

Sister Morgan, potato expert, annual Christmas elf, shopaholic, and missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints

HAAAAAA!
Olsen loves รอยกระทง (Roygratong) hahaha he said he has been praying I would not move so I could experience ChiangMai Roygratong with him hahahaha 

from the church.... you could see them from everywhere!
even from my window at night while we were planning too!



we are sooooooo ASIAN
the parade was SO COOL! Sister ฝน (Phone) one of our RCs was walking in it!


so in order to make it home on time we had to hurry and throw our กระทงs off the bridge cause we didn't have time to go down to the waters edge HAHAHA

we are talking street FULL of people... we actually had a police escort all the way back to the mote,
that's Heavenly Father providing a way for obedience if Ive ever seen one!

this is what "lunch out with the girls" looks like in Thailand
Elephant park for P-DAY!
SISTER SIRIKWAN! <3