1/25/16... We are literally FROZEN this morning. You walk outside and people are wearing parkas and scarves and beanie hats...I am pretty sure it is in the 70s..........

FAM!!!

can't believe some of your updates, especially worried about my favorite Grandma Phyllis in the whole world.... and Grandpa too. I am so glad you guys could go down and be with them for the day and I will be praying for them<3 also so stoked about LOMALINDA..... I think Cal is the perfect fit for Mr. surfs up 

HAHAHA speaking of, remember when Tyler came home for Christmas after he was at BYU Hawaii and he just could not handle the cold and we were all like what the heck Ty?!

That is me you guys- we are literally FROZEN this morning. FROZEN. You walk outside and people are wearing parkas and scarves and beanie hats and I wish I had a parka and a scarf and a beanie hat for myself! I am pretty sure it is in the 70s.............. But literally this is not good!! hahaha YIKES!

Other than this sudden change in weather, things are all good in the hood! And even then, it is kind of nice to change things up a bit from the usual hot hot hot. Seriously a way killer week!

It started off on such a good note (LITERALLY) with FHE at Brother เอก (Eek) and Sister รษา's (Rasa's) house--- SO COOL! So Eek is actually a super famous singer here in Thailand, like his songs, especially one of them, play EVERYWHERE. They are in our ward and are the coolest couple that have the strongest testimonies and so much love for people and for life. I am not kidding Sister Rasa teaches the Investigator class (when they are not touring for his music!) and she is so so good. Plus she is a total diva. But anyways, FHE was really good with some RCs and at the end of the night Eek totally played some songs for us, our own little concert. Ha! Also-- I am kind of ashamed/weirded out to tell you guys, but Sister Rasa has gotten me hooked on eating snails! I AM SO GROSS, I KNOW!!!!!! 

FHE/concert

I told them I needed this picture cause it was like celebrity cribs/ them in their relaxed normal clothes. hahaha I LOVE THEM

We had seriously the BEST lesson ever this week with จอม (Jom) our new investigator from last week. We taught the plan of salvation and it was so special. There is the coolest spirit in the room when the investigator just wants to learn so bad-- she totally wept at the end of the lesson and gave the most beautiful prayer. She loved the idea of family history work- we just have to help her find out how she can find her family members since she has no siblings or connections to family and her parents have both passed on and are not fully Thai etc. I am so excited to keep teaching her. Pray for her to be strong in her resolve to keep the commandments and quit drinking coffee!

Also this week we went and taught Sister ใจ (Jai) at her house, and we totally taught her in-laws! hahaha I wish you guys could have just seen it cause there is no way to describe it-- their house and her in-laws were the epitome of Thailand. We had to go down this really narrow alleyway that you can't get to by car, back through tons of "houses" and then we get there and they are just sitting criss cross apple sauce in the main room on a mat, he's wearing one of the plaid wrap skirt things that all of the old people wear, she's wearing like a tank top without a bra (hahahaha sorry its true) and they are just sitting there happy as can be. We taught them how to pray and I think they will slowly open up, especially with what a rockstar Sister Jai is. She and เมฆ (Make!) got confirmed yesterday and I just could feel what a special thing it is going to be for their WHOLE family. Also Jai said the prayer in Relief Society! haha so cute

At Jai's house! This is her other son who is like 1-- his name means fog and the older son who got baptized, Make!-- his name means cloud.......... so creative over here haha! 

Fog

We were so spoiled with tons of great training and spiritual power this week too-- we had Zone Conference and then this Worldwide Missionary Broadcast back to back and both were SO awesome/inspired! The main topic for both comes down to, "Teach Repentance and Baptize Converts" and I am so grateful for reminders and tips on how to be effective in that, which is the perfect way to really look at our purpose as missionaries.. 

Zone Conference!

My understanding of what repentance really is/means has grown so much on my mission and from this training too. I think of the whole process involved in missionary work and when I think of the investigators in that baptismal interview, truly knowing what repentance means, how to repent, and DOING IT, everything that is hard or awkward about the changes that the gospel requires completely dispel--- it makes my heart SING!!!!! It also sings at the fact that we ALL can repent all the time. How spot on is what Elder Klebingat said in that conference talk that blew everyone's minds about spiritual confidence: 

"Become really, really good at repenting thoroughly and quickly...Spiritual confidence increases when you voluntarily and joyfully repent of sins, both great and small, in real time by applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ."

That is ultimately something I want EVERYONE I teach- and everyone in the whole world actually- to know. That baptism is not the washing of sins in water, it is a symbol of the repentance that preceded it- and also of the commitment to continue repenting and applying the all encompassing, merciful, atoning sacrifice of the Savior forever. 

YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. 

As my DL in P-Log used to say, "Are we being one hundred percent obedient?" 

no one would answer usually............... 

and he would just say, "Keep repenting"

haha, I have never forgotten that....... but lets do it people, keep repenting. 

other good tid bits from the week:

I renewed my Visa this week! So fun to meet up with all of my MTC group there at the government office place........ we are a family forever!

Talking with the เชียงไหม่ (ChiangMai) Elders and get this......... Brayoon is totally going to church EVERY WEEK and in the words of the ever eloquent Elder Hartung, "Sister Morgan, He blows minds in gospel doctrine class" I could CRY!!!!!!!!!!

We started teaching Ning, the girl we visited in the hospital on Christmas eve- She is awesome!

I gave my "dying" testimony at Zone Conference........ so cliche but I can't believe it was me standing up there this time. WEIRD

Everyone look up the painting "La Clairvoyance" - SO GOOD!

(aka see people as they can become, as HF sees them)

Everyone start READING PREACH MY GOSPEL<3

I love you guys so so much!

SISTER MORGAN

...some of my favorite members! 

Gato and his dad Tha..... as we are all leaving the church last night
they totally come driving up by where we are all standing talking by the doors of the church, roll down the window and are just snapping singing their hearts out
"BABY THERE AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH AINT NO VALLEY LOW ENOUGH............" omg favorite moment ever

so the church is literally right next door..... MINI will always have my heart! hahaha

1/18/16... I am forever grateful for the moments I have witnessed in this past week

hey hey hey!!!

SO glad everyone is doing well, especially glad to hear the house has not burned down with the new hover board and with mom's little Palm Springs vaca leaving the boys to keep things running. hahaha love it-- but really I am still way confused/mind blown on the hover board concept??? its a little too 'phil-of-the-future' for me to wrap my mind around..... like you literally just float around the house on it? hahaha what the................................

ANYWAYS

This week was such a good one- so I am just going to dive right into the good stuff :):):)

Sister ใจ (Jai) and her son เมฆ (Make!) got baptized yesterday! When we taught them this week, it was so fun to see how ready they were. They are going to be awesome members, and this week we are going to go teach at their house. Pray that her husband opens his heart! Seriously nothing cuter than Make! saying prayers and just loving the gospel. So stinking adorable. I think one of the underscoring way cool parts about it, is that Sister Rungthip's first baptism was totally someone she invited. 

I totally remember those feelings as a greenie like, "Am I going to be the first missionary that ever puts on this nametag and just like can't really do anything?" or "Is the Lord really going to use me??" haha of course those are the craziest thoughts when we remember that this work isn't about US but, they are so real nonetheless, and I love that she had this little "win"/ confirmation- that of course, she, and we all can totally do this work. And to be honest, those feelings, of longing so deeply for Heavenly Father to use you as a tool in His hands/ confirm to you that you are doing what He needs you to do never go away. Those little confirmations are so golden and He gave me one of them this week too...

We taught the COOLEST new investigator this week. Her name is จอม (Jom) and I met her outside of Central before new years for just a brief second- From what I can remember, she walked straight up to me, and when I asked her if she wanted to learn about Jesus Christ she totally said yes right away (totally caught me off guard with how quickly she said it), grabbed the card, quickly gave me her number, and she was off! Well finally we met with her this week, and it was probably the most special lesson of my whole entire mission. She came just ready to learn and connect with Heavenly Father. Completely unexpectedly, when we asked her why she wanted to meet that day, she said that when she saw us there in front of Central, she had this feeling that "we had what she has been searching for for a long time." The Spirit was tangible in the room as we taught this girl truths that she has been searching for and as she took the challenges to act and to know for herself. SERIOUSLY SHE IS AWESOME. We left the room and I think we all wanted to cry. Sister Rungthip and I just high fived and gave each other the look. like "that was awesome" haha! She came to church yesterday and we are excited to keep teaching her. 

This week we also taught the dad of this LA family we visit at a house where they sell gas. He isn't a member, and his wife and daughters have to help with the gas, so they totally are not able to go to church. It was seriously way funny/ actually really good teaching him. I think I have come to realize how big of a deal Sabbath day observance is, because not being able to get off work on Sundays is really what keeps him from readily joining in with his family. The whole time, it just felt like he KNEW it was true. Pray that we can help him increase his faith because that is where it all starts! On Sunday, his two daughters came to church which was HUGE!

This week it was impressed upon my heart something that comes full circle with what I wrote about at the beginning- how as missionaries we have these total fears about the Lord using us to do his work- and that is how completely we are to just do our part, then "get out of the way" (as Elder Bednar puts it) for the Spirit to do the work because after all, THE LESSON IS INSIDE THE LEARNER. In preparation for Zone Conference we were asked to read the BEST talk, and this is my favorite part, he says: 

"We do not learn and teach the gospel for the sole purpose of gaining knowledge. We learn and teach the gospel to gain exaltation. Gospel learning and teaching are not about mastering facts; they are about mastering discipleship. Whether we are teaching our own children in the home or teaching ward or branch members in the classroom, we need to remember that the lesson we are teaching is already inside the learner. Our role as parents and teachers is to help learners discover the lesson inside their own hearts and minds. When we acknowledge the magnificent potential of each learner, we begin to see as God sees. Then we can say what He would have us say and do what He would have us do."

I have seen that constantly on my mission, that these people are familiar with these truths. Jai and her son, Jom, and the dad of the LA family all so clearly feel those familiar calls from their Father in Heaven when we do what we can to teach His truth, then leave the rest to the Spirit. I am forever grateful for the moments I have witnessed in this past week, and this almost year and a half of people and their first reintroductions to heaven. It is SO SPECIAL!

Other favs from the week:

I finally put my finger on it- PRESIDENT JOHNSON TOTALLY LOOKS LIKE ROB OLSEN! Is that not kind of true?????????

I finished the Book of Mormon (in English this time!) again- it is so true!

Our washing machine finally got delivered!!

I finished my Personal Progress in Thai! haha seriously it has been SO fun doing little projects and value experiences all in Thai and kind of geared toward missionary work. Yay!

I memorized the full name of Bangkok YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sister Rungthip was so proud/ was so helpful too hehehehe

Sister Forte and I totally took our companions to VT here- Our Vietnamese restaurant obsession from Udorn- they did not appreciate it like we do! We were so sad....... but as always SO YUMMY!

We have Zone Conference this week! 

And that is that! LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!! 

have the best week ever, SISTER MORGAN

BAPTISM!!!!!!!!

inviting by the river- seriously cutest atmosphere!

Sister Rungthip

practicing my spelling- hahaha you really have to think like a Thai person to spell English words in Thai--- sooooo funny writing these out then having Sister Rungthip read them back to me. OMG priceless

1/11/16... "Rungthip and Morgan's Series of Unfortunate Events"

"Rungthip and Morgan"

hey!!

Such killer updates from you guys, so glad my two favorites are up visiting for a bit...and I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT A BALLER BRADLEY IS!! So proud of that kid! 

And since you asked- I am pretty sure the Thai fighter name I gave him was BRAD THE BULLDOZER, given according his to stature, aggression, and ability.... and if you ask me, I am pretty confident that he could take down JEFF THE JUNK PUNCHER these days...HA HA HA

ok for real though, way glad the Thai fighter shorts are going over well! Part of me hopes you never wear them out of the house, part of me says wearing those out of the house is a lot better than a lot of the things I have seen people wear out of the house here in Thailand so go for it. HA!

Thailand, Thailand, Thailand. 

I love Thailand. 

This was a really really great week. If I was to come out and say it as it is- which, it is now kind of comical- this past week, I probably could have written a small novel called "Rungthip and Morgan's Series of Unfortunate Events" I AM NOT KIDDING!

We were somewhat on an island this past week....... among many other things, almost all of our appointments canceled or no showed (investigators, Recent Converts, Less Actives), then after getting a replacement phone for our stolen one, the battery burned out it wouldn't work at all! Sister Rungthip and I just looked at each other a few times this week, shook our heads and laughed. WHAT?!

When these things happen, as I learned and am learning, there is only one thing you can do: love it! And notice that as always, the blessings outweigh the not so desirable. Because there were SO MANY BLESSINGS. Sometimes the blessings come in the form of feelings, lessons made so perfectly clear from on High, and quiet whispering of the Spirit. Blessings that would have maybe gone unnoticed in a time of prosperity. The Lord sent a drought and this is what I learned: 

First of all, the silver lining of it all, and the greatest miracle to trump all miracles, is that Sister ใจ (Jai) and her son(Make!) are doing awesome. SO AWESOME. Their baptism was going to be yesterday, but the ward decided it would be better to be next week instead. They are all ready to go and her nephew that she has been bringing  to church/ our lessons is going to get baptized too. How cool is that? The ward has welcomed them so well, and we are having FHE at Wisan and Noi's with them tonight. It was so special when we taught them about tithing and fasting, Sister ใจ  just lit up and was so excited to fast for her family. (her family situation is a little crazy... she is married with two little boys, but her mom died of drug overdose when she was young, and her dad has been in prison for the past 19 years and her little brother is into drugs etc) On Sunday she had her fast offering all prepared to give to the bishop and told us the schedule she decided on for paying her tithing. Wow. Her search is over, she has found the one thing that can in some way make up for all of the sadness, stress, unfairness she has experienced thus far in life. 

Then one of the few lessons that we were able to teach this week was with a girl named กลอย (Gloy), who we met at English. She came and just said how she was not interested at all, would not pray, and would not come to church. It was a little shocking, just sitting there thinking to myself, "ok girl, why did you even want to meet with us?!" She was kind of iced over, but as we shared the Plan of Salvation with her, she broke, and wept. Then still rejected it all. She wept and wept, and I looked into her eyes and saw this longing. 

Fulfilling that longing is the search of a lifetime for some, and it is over as soon as we begin to exercise faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I so clearly saw that this week in the juxtaposition of Sister ใจ (Jai)- filled with light, clarity, hope and Sister กลอย (Gloy)- filled with fear, questions, doubt, and emptiness. A lesson I will never forget, and one that I no doubt was able to ponder and see more clearly in this the week of unfortunate events and humbled missionary hearts. 

I think the experiences and lessons of this week are summed in a few verses from the D&C perfectly-- 

Amidst the trial and persecution that the Saints were facing while the prophet Joseph was in prison, He shared with them in a letter the most beautiful, empowering, truths:

"For there are many yet on the earth... who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men... and who are only kept from the truth, because they know not where to find it- 

Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven- 

These things should be attended to with great earnestness. 

Let no man count them as small things; for there is much with lieth in futurity, pertaining to the saints, which depends upon these things. 

You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small help in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves.

Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power, and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and his arm to be revealed."

Maybe taken a little out of context, but as I read that this week, it was confirmed to me that as we attend to our duty to share the gospel "with great earnestness" despite crummy conditions or "droughts" as I put it-- and do it CHEERFULLY, those who have been "blinded by the subtle craftiness of men", those who are "longing", will receive the "hidden things", the truth, and join with us in that "assurance that one day they will see the salvation of God." 

I am grateful for this week, as I said. I will never forget the feelings I had as I sat in sacrament meeting yesterday, prepared to take the bread and water and be completely made whole by it. I know that the Savior took on our disappointments, sorrows, bummers, and droughts. He knows the entire Series of Unfortunate Events and through him, we can rewrite our tales completely. In fact, I am confident that this new week will bring about the sequel to last week's, and we will call it something like "Rungthip and Morgan's Series of Very Incredibly Fortunate Events" HA HA HA

yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh 

 and, ok, my last hilarious/somewhat unfortunate tid bit:

NO MORE TBM TRANSFER MEETINGS

Apparently Dallin H. Oak's came out with a video conference for all Mission Presidents and so lovingly pointed out that "It has been brought to his attention that some missions are having big transfer gatherings and that this is in no way allowed..."

do you think maybe he was one of the 213,000 people who happened to see last transfer video or do you think he was talking to some other mission? HAHAHA

yikes. The work will go on and that's all that matters!

love you guys SO MUCH!

have the best weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek

xoxoxoxo SISTER MORGAN

(Note from Mom:  Our prayers really are answered!  Remember a few weeks ago when she was living in a hotel and asked us to pray that they would find a house?  Well, our prayers were answered and then some!  Check out these pictures she sent of her new apartment... Now I know why she said it reminded her of her Barbie Dreamhouse! ...I thought missionaries were supposed to "rough" it!  At least she's still her tidy old self! :)

when you walk in the front door

study room

our bedroom

Sister Forte found the pool at our Condo by accident....... hahaha how cute is she?!

There are crepe stands like this all over Thailand and I think of Brad and Parker every time I see one...

Elder Wanasi's (Cake) chronology of the Bible and the Book of Mormon.... how cool is that?!
Elder Davenport just said he works so hard on it during personal study LOVE IT

Central, the big mall where we go all the time

Kids' Day at Central....... surreal when I realize I was in Thailand for Kids' Day last year

Celebrating Sister Tai's birthday for FHE!
She is an RM and lives in our building and is our greatest little friend, love her!

1/4/2016... I hope you are feeling good about the fresh start of 2016!.....time flies when you are having fun..........

HELLO

howsssssss it????? 

You are back home, back to the grind, and I hope you are feeling good about the fresh start of 2016! Can you believe it...... I feel like yesterday it was 2004 and I was wearing a denim jean skirt listening to my hitclips. WOW

time flies when you are having fun.......... and that is exactly what these past few days have been. The updates are few considering that we JUST talked (it had to end sometime this P-Day changing madness.................) so here goes:

We had the BEST New Years day with พ่อแม่ from บางกะปี (I have written about them and sent home pics of them lots before... They are the CUTEST couple ever in like their late 40s who are totally not members, but take care of the missionaries like we are their own children. OMG I can't even explain how cute/generous/hilarious they are) So Sister Forte had served in บางกะปี (Bangapi) where they live, so they called her and asked if we wanted to do something on New Years. So fun!! So leave it to them to totally plan in great detail the funnest day ever. They picked us up and we went out to this way cool tourist boat thing, got off at the COOLEST port then went to the Grand Palace and this other coolest wat! The Grand Palace was a little crazy cause it was free for New Years so there were literally one million people. OMG

Me and แม่ ("Mom" from Bangapi!) LOVE HER

cutest PORT EVER

GRAND PALACE!

Then we had a switch off the next day with the other Sisters and it was so so fun to work with Sister Smith for the day! We have realized that in a lot of ways we are literally the same person- including but not limited to the fact that she is the only other person I have met that writes with the left hand and rests the pen on the fourth finger instead of the third. hahaha and to top it off--- She totally knows the little Indian kid from Diary of a Wimpy Kid (...they come back from Summer break and everyone has grown a ton and has mustaches now and he is all "Thank goodness for kids like Sherad Goopta") Apparently they went to the same middle school or something. hahaha such a solid claim to fame right there. ANYWAYS,

We had some way cool lessons that really just confirmed something that has been on my mind/ a realization I have come to.

 We visited this less-active sister named Helen from the Philippines who has been a member her whole life, been to the temple etc, but since fallen into inactivity. The spirit was so special as we talked with her and her RM son about keeping our covenants and Heavenly Father's unfailing love. Then we planned to teach Ryan, the guy from the Ivory Coast at Brother Joe's house- and right when we got there, Ryan called and said he couldn't make it. But it was perfect, cause we were able to teach Joe's daughter Ashley who had just been baptized a few months ago. As Joe's wife shared about her journey of finding the church (raised in Georgia in a strong Baptist family) and Joe shared about his (years ago would have never thought he would be associated with a church and hold a calling and be the kind of person he is today), and now Ashley is a member too, I had the most special confirmation of how much Heavenly Father loves them and loves all His children. 

And the thing that has been on my mind is this: That in the end, it doesn't really matter what our life looked like---- Maybe there were terrible, hard, awkward, sad, strange, or weird things that happened that make us think, "why me? why was this my lot?" As I have seen lots of different situations on my mission- broken families, abuse, disability, divorce, inactivity, addiction etc- where these people would be more than justified in asking those questions, I maybe have even asked them in their behalf, it has been impressed upon my mind that really the only important thing is to make covenants. That is why we are here, to make and keep covenants. Whether there was a time when we didn't keep them and painful, real repentance was necessary, ok. Whether it took us until later in life to understand the covenants we made and to keep them more fully, ok. Whether we didn't have the opportunity to make them until later in life, but we still make them nonetheless, ok. The Atonement covers it all, and as we realize that, we see why we need these covenants (baptism, temple ordinances, the sacrament) that bind us to HF and remind us of Him and His love, and we are made whole by them. We are renewed weekly and filled with peace. Those questions- the awkwardness, the terribleness, the hardness of anything we ever face dispels because of them. 

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Speaking of covenants, Sister ใจ (Jai) and her son are going to be baptized next Sunday if all goes according to plan. They just loved church yesterdayt and it is definitely so so cool to see their excitement and happiness to have found the truth. 

So that is all I have for you people....................We are happy happy and feeling renewed and refreshed for the start of SWEET SIXTEEN

xoxo SISTERMORGS

"Listen up everyone!!! This is the plan......" She had 10 missionaries aka "her children" with her...
and she is like just over 5 feet tall SOO CUTE

she is so fun

The boat tour!

fun bicycle art

i hate animals.......

hahaha this is so Thailand... from the cutest port ever, you look immediately to your left and this is what you see. twoworldsinone

SO MANY PEOPLE!!!

then on to see the COOLEST WAD!
it had this wrap around staircase through like the jungle, then these amazing views. way cool

finally, I have been looking forever, "THIS WAY TO HEAVEN"........ hahahaha

hahaha playing with this cute kid walking up the stairs behind them...... 
he turns his head, so classic. asian baby warior hairdo 
got to love it/ got to appreciate the time it took to create it HAHAHA

this is Thailand..... the restaurants at the mall look like this HOW CUTE HUH?!

Add still Christmas to the Thais........ hahaha I have no idea when they are going to take all of this down.