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:

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2015/12/christmas-with-the-dombrowskis?lang=eng 

(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

11/23/15... I decided to write down all of the different nationalities I met inviting one day: People from Portugal, France, Urugway, Spain, England, China, Norway, Sweeden, Korea, Japan, Germany, Ireland, Denmark, Italy, and California. WHAT!? That is ChiangMai for you.

SISTER SIRIKWAN! <3

Family!! 

How is it already the week of Thanksgiving?!.. such a fun time. I have so many special memories of driving to Utah, sometimes in the fresh SNOW... arriving to Grandma Phyllis's perfectly festive house- cornucopia, pumpkins, pilgrim candlesticks, turkey napkin rings and all. BLISS. 

take lots of pics and eat lots of Ruth's Chris sweet potatoes in honor of this Sister! so so yummy. 

MEANWHILE, here on my side of the globe, we will be releasing our floating lanterns and maybe even eating some sweet potatoes ourselves (perks of serving with the Stokers, we are so lucky!) 

But one thing is for sure... there will be miracles, cause there always are! This last week had it's fair share, I only have a little bit of time to fill you in cause we are going to an Elephant Farm, but I have some good stuff for you!

So this week we realized... sometimes the Lord sends the elect our way, and sometimes the very elect are between the ages of 14 and 17. haha Right now we are teaching like 8 young kids and they are all SO cool! Not only are they all super interested and excited to be learning, but they are good missionaries too... They keep bringing more friends or calling to ask if we can teach their siblings or friends. UMM YES, YES WE CAN! music to our ears. Mainly we are teaching 2 little groups that just keep branching out... กัน (Gan), เม็ด (Med), and จ้า (Jah!) who came to english and have since brought other friends. They go to a Christian school, so they have been familiar with prayer and Jesus Christ etc, but there is nothing better than when someone says the closing prayer in a lesson and says "thank you for leading us to your true church and helping up know the way" YEAH! Then the other "group" are these cute friends we met in front of 7-11. One of them even brought her MOM, who asked if we could teach the little brother as well. Little by little we will build ETERNAL FAMILIES! haha it really has been cool this week as we have been able to teach some of them individually, not just with their friends where they maybe don't want to ask a question they have or share something personal. This week there were a few of those times where I am just sitting there a little in awe at the lives of these young kids (dad died when she was a baby and mom left, lives with older sister or suddenly mom has cut her off and stopped providing for her completely etc) It just confirms to me that HF is aware of these precious souls and will not leave them comfortless. How inadequate, yet honored you feel at times to be the messengers of hope and light to His children. 

this is Simon... so cute huh? Part of my mind says "so cute", the other part says "If that was Bradley and Parker's school uniform they would kill themselves..." hahaha

Brame made it to box A for the first time this week... and took on the Elders. So proud hahaha

Even more so when they are His children who literally know nothing of Him... which was the case with David, our new investigator from China! I wish you guys could meet David. I am attaching a picture of his "contact info" card that I was gifted from him... I think it is the only way to give you an adequate description of David Wu. Read it, shut your eyes and picture exactly what he described, he is AWESOME. He actually just showed up at the church, I gave him a Chinese Book of Mormon, then we met with him a few days later and he is really really good! Luckily on Sunday there were some people visiting who speak Chinese, so they translated with him and helped him clarify some things. The Lord always sends little tender mercies like that. He has a date to be baptized next week, pray for him! 

It has been so fun serving with Sister สิริขวัญ (Sirikwan), she is so cool! Honestly just so easy going and hardworking. Plus she is sooooo funny and a lot of the time it is just way unexpected what she will do or say. Like we are talking at lunch the other day and I just asked her if there was ever a time after she was baptized that she was less active or anything... and she just goes "Nope, but I think when I am done with my mission I am going to try it out for a little while..." hahahaha. Other fun perks of the native companion, anything disgusting that you do not want to eat... they will eat it! Like the skin on my ไก่ย่าง (gaiyang! like rotisserie/grilled chicken that you can get here on the streets, SO good!) plus the bones and other inedible parts. Have at it girlfriend, all yours. HAA. She says she is going to get me to eat snake before I leave ChiangMai... "Sis, it's a Northern delicacy" so she says YIKES!

Yes, Thai companions always call you "Sis" it is the cutest thing ever........ ha I love her!

Other fun tid bit from the week, I decided to write down all of the different nationalities I met inviting one day: People from Portugal, France, Urugway, Spain, England, China, Norway, Sweeden, Korea, Japan, Germany, Ireland, Denmark, Italy, and California. WHAT!? That is ChiangMai for you. But I love talking to them, smiling at them, testifying of the Restoration to them (even when they DO NOT want to hear it HA!), joking with them.. a lot of times the foreigners are not interested really- I can't tell you how many different responses I have gotten to the simple question, "Are you interested in learning about Jesus Christ? or "Do you believe in God?"... Anything from "We don't have religion, we live in Nature" or "I am God. We are all our own god." or the ones that cut the deepest along the lines of... "I promise you, whatever you've got to say, it's not for me."

walk away, just thinking to yourself,

That's just the thing, buddy, what I've got is exactly for you. It is the only thing known to mankind that is tailor made, individually and all inclusive- for every single person on the earth.

the park, we meet TONS of foreigners here, but tons of Thais too. it is one of my favorite places! 

Sister Sirikwan in action!

This week I finished memorizing the Living Christ in Thai and as I have been reciting it over and over (I think everyone around me wants to kill me... on the train, riding my bike, taking a shower, making breakfast, planking in the morning etc... HA) it has been so impressed and re-impressed on my mind and heart the importance and reality of the Savior Jesus Christ. I testify that He lives. I know Him, I love Him, and I think the reason those responses "cut" to the heart, are because as we come to know Him, love Him, feel of His love, we desire that same thing for ALL people.   

 Tears come to my eyes as I write this and reflect on the words of that inspired document that completely lays out the mission of the only Begotten, the only sinless, the reason for it all, even Jesus the Christ. I think of all things we can be thankful for in this the season of thanks, let's remember the greatest gift ever given to all of us collectively! 

And..... I think you should all give this little number a good read:

https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/36035_000_25_livingchrist.pdf 

THE BEST!!!!

You guys, I love you more than you know! Have the best week ever and give lots of loves to the cousins and grandparents from yo Sista in Thailand. 

bighuglittlekissSISTERMORGAN

ps second reminder in this letter: TAKE LOTS OF PICS!!!!!

you know my heart sings when I see the first signs of CHRISTMAS DECOR!!!!!!!!! you guys better put that tree up soon!