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!