2/29/16... President Johnson sent a "Pledge to Sprint to the Finish"....... we are asked to make goals and sign the pledge then SPRINT. ..LETSGO

elevator selfies

FAM 

heyheyheyheyheyhey

ok so glad everyone is doing so well! MOM killed it with the roadshow just like I knew she would- SO PROUD!!!

Sooooooooooooooooo at the start of my last few transfers President Johnson sent a "Pledge to Sprint to the Finish"....... we are asked to make goals and sign the pledge then SPRINT.

So naturally I began to apply some of the principles taught by the ever talented track coaching duo, Jeff and Jourdan in their hit video, "Good luck at State Ellie: How to win the Race". Principles I know we all think on often and try to apply to every situation we find ourselves in- because their insights are just that good- 

I am past the stretching... "the O" has been mastered ("Not the O!")

I have made it through the jungle (also known as no mans land) and here I am...

In the final stretch of the final stretch

What do I do Jeff? Jourdan?

...........Arm Circles, really fast arm circles ("like birds")

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA OMG

So that is what we're doing people, arm circles, big fast ones just running around making every second count. This week has been one for the record books again- miracles, laughs, really dirty feet, tired arms (from the arm circles) and a nearly exploding grateful heart. 

Hereeeeeeeeeees the lo-down:

I think one of my favorite favorites of the week was teaching our new investigator ป้าง (Baang!). She is Laotian and has come to church the last few weeks with that big group that we have been working with- but she has never come to any of our lessons with the other 4. We taught her this week and she is the COOLEST/ so prepared. Her prayers (In Laotion!) are so beautiful, and when we read from the scriptures she absorbs it like a sponge. Come to find out, he dad is some sort of minister or something for a Christian church in the south of Laos (super far from our church there). Immediately I can't help but imagine the possibilities of Heavenly Father's designs: WHO KNOWS-ป้าง is the catalyst that shares the fullness of the gospel with her fam in that part of Laos- Slowly it builds and you bet ministers (who have been kept from the truth only "because they know not where to find it") make really good someday Priesthood holding Branch Presidents :):):) cheeeeeeeeeeee

Seriously, I just love working with these Laotian people- they are so fun. Sister Wii says she wishes I knew what they were saying in Laotian about me.. HAHA I think the funniest thing is how much they love my nose (Thais/Laotians think the nose bridge is the best thing ever) hahahaha!

แตงกวา (TheengGwa) is still doing so great. I can't tell you how cool it is teaching the laws of tithing and fasting and the investigator not only accepting it, but lighting up with a total excitement about it all. She is the definition of one who has yielded her heart unto God and it has been really special to be on the front lines and see how abundantly the Spirit has filled her life and testified of truth in personal ways for her. She will be baptized this coming week!

Sister เอ๋ (Aye?) our investigator with the restaurant right by our house (OMG we ate there this week- so good!) is such a rockstar. It has been way cool reading and teaching from the Book of Mormon with her, and seeing the changes she is making/ her desires to follow the Savior. We show up at church yesterday and there she was, just all ready to go in the second row listening to the prelude music. tears. Pray that she can get things in line to get a marriage certificate with her husband so she can move forward with her baptism that she is so excited about!

We had such a great lesson with แพร (Preah) one of our other investigators too. She is the referral from the Elders who just wasn't really progressing-0 all I can say is that the impressions of the Spirit have been so strong and clear as we have taught her and helped her identify her own testimony that was there all along. She is going to be baptized this week.

Then ok.... ณิชา (Nicha), Pim's little cousin is one of my top ten favorite 11 year olds ever. (I only put it that way because I don't want and of my other 11 year old friends that are just not coming to mind right now to feel slighted if I call her the favorite HA but seriously, She is so cool!) We taught about repentance in one of our lessons this week, and she just like gave the perfect definition of what it is. She just gets it. She will be baptized this week as well if all goes according to plan!

We have had some way cool experiences with just following little promptings to call or visit LAs this week too- unbeknownst to us they were incredibly timely and needed in the very moment. How grateful and indebted I am to Heavenly Father for using us to answer the pleas of his children. 

so yeah........... sprinting.

and now some funny funnys just for you and extra news/tidbits:

-The other day Sister Wii told me I was totally laughing hysterically in my sleep for like a while.... hahahah you guys I am literally going insane.............................. no recollection at all

-Sister Wii is leaving for the Provo MTC on Saturday- so sad to see her go, it has been a literal dream working together and learning from her. I love her so much!

I was terrible at taking pics this week so this is all we've got: some elevator selfies. We love our fun condo

-เมฆ (Make!) takes his kids picture Book of Mormon to school with him everyday. YAY!

-right now we have three investigators named "Aye"-- note they are not all pronounced the same!

- I almost poisoned myself to death this week falling asleep with toothwhitening in. hahaha I am so dumb.

but never fear--- I will make it out alive, sprint whats left ahead, and win the race- remembering as Elder Holland puts it "the race we are really in is the race against sin." and even further as the Apostle Paul teaches, 

"...let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." 

I testify that this is true. As I review the goals I set in my "Pledge" I know that the Savior has strengthened me, taught me, been patient with me, and loved me as I have run the race and seen each of them come to fruition. 

So grateful for these truths taught by these two apostles- along with those taught by my trackstar Dad and his side kick with more gold medals but a little less hair (ha!)-- to lead me along, keep me laughing, and help me sprint to the very end.

LETSGO

love you guys soooooooooooooooooooo much, lets have the best week

xxxx, SISTERMORGS

Ploy Nisakorn

So I don't know what it is but we ran into celebrities and movie making more than once this week!

hahaha right in front of our condo they were using a restaurant to shoot a scene

then at lunch the other day! Sister Wii totally knew the "dolla" (celebrity)
that was at the restaurant with us!

Kristy should start making some ads like these for lilac....... isn't that a miracle what has happened to the stomach of the person wearing the jeans- it has literally changed shape and completely disappeared! hahahaha ohnophotoshop

SO people, this is a terrible pic. cause it was taken out of bus door windows while the bus was moving, but what you are witnessing in this pic is the largest/most full service SEVENELEVEN in Thailand and perhaps the world. It is right outside of PIM Business school and I was just informed that this is the case after passing it everyday for the past 2 months. OMG hahaha take that Kennewick 7/11 by Incas that always says "worlds #1 7/11"

2/22/16...This week I have felt a little overwhelmed at the realization of just how merciful, generous, patient, and kind Heavenly Father has been with this sister missionary.

I seriously cannot believe she remembered me so well.........
she just comes running up to me as soon as the meeting was over <3

famfamfam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So stoked that everyone is playing hard and working hard too--- the boys for a little weekend in Hawaii and mom and dad killing it with the singles ward. YOU GUYS ARE SO GOOD!

I will have you know that Sister Wi was especially glad to see dad's Sunday attire pic (She said tell your family your dad is หล่อมาก which is in some circles translated to "so hot" hahahaha but also can just mean "so handsome"so lets go with the second one...HA!)  

and I think she appreciated the fat booth pics of BigB almost just as much as I do................. Thank you so much for bringing those to my memory cause I then proceeded to show her the eagle court of honor ones too. OMGOMGOMG (I am making a snapfish book of those for myself when I get home)

we were crying

Crying you guys- that is all I want to do these days when I kneel down to say my prayers at night. My heart is so full in more ways than I can really explain in words for the blessings from Heavenly Father- both in the experiences we have been having, and in the understanding and clarity He has given me of His ways and designs for me, Sister Morgan. As I think of the past year and a half and especially think of this past week, I can truly say that my heart has 'felt to sing the song of redeeming love' and is full of that same joy that Ammon has that leads to boasting in Heavenly Father and His goodness. This week I have felt a little overwhelmed at the realization of just how merciful, generous, patient, and kind Heavenly Father has been with this sister missionary. I don't have tons of time to write today, so I'm just going to keep it to the real good details---------------------

my HOME-- how beautiful is the church here?!

-We have been teaching Sister พิม's (Pim's) CUTEST younger cousin-- oh my goodness it has seriously been the coolest thing. She asked Pim if she could come to church with her (you can just tell she looks up to Pim so much/ thinks she is soo cool) and as we have taught her it has just been the most beautiful reminder of the humility, simplicity, and purity of a child and also the joy that comes when the gospel is in the family. Not a dry eye as we knelt and ณฺิชา(Nicha) said her first prayer- Especially Pim's, cause ณฺิชา is kind of her "hope" I guess you could say right now to bring the gospel to her family. Little by little, we will build eternal families!

-We have been teaching the COOLEST new investigator เอ๋ (Aye), this lady Sister Rungthip and I met on the bus as we were going to church a few weeks ago. Turns out she lives/ has a restaurant not a 5 MINUTE walk from our condo! We have been teaching her, and she is just so so prepared. As we taught her the commandments she just knew she could make the changes because it was what Heavenly Father requires. She is awesome and will be baptized next week!

-แตงกวา (TheengGwa) is doing SO great! Our lessons with her this week have been awesome, then last night when I called her and asked her how she is doing etc, she just said that she knows the church is true. MUSIC to the ears. But I can't help but attribute it partially to her attendance at the 50th Year of the Church in Thailand Celebration conference yesterday.......... it was AMAZING

Sister ก้อง and Brother บุยจัญ (Gong and Boonjan) cutest coolest people-- so fun to see them again

แม่โสภีดา (Mah Sopida) she is sooooooooo beautiful and wants the whole fam
to eat food at her house when you guys come. And she makes the best brownies (I am serious)

-In the words of another one of our investigators, ล้อม (Lom?) -She is seriously so great, the friend of another new investigators who was a referral from the Elders :)- when I asked her what her favorite part of the conference was-- and mind you, she has been an investigator for all of 3 days, so I was expecting something along the lines of "it was really fun to see lots of white people" or something like that-- she said "I loved when the Apostle entered the room and then when we got to hear him speak. I felt something I have never felt before in my entire life."

-and she is SO so spot on---Elder Gary E. Stevenson spoke at the conference and it was so special you guys. As he entered the room, not a single person could deny the tangible change. Such a powerful witness to me and to everyone of the magnitude of the calling as an Apostle of the Savior and the divinity manifest in the presence of one. The conference was so beautiful. I think my very favorite thing was the overall simplicity and humility he conveyed in both his demeanor and message. His incredibly humble witness as a newly ordained apostle of only 4 months was seriously so touching yet powerful and real at the same time. (HE IS ALSO WAY FUNNY which was cute to see his personality shine through) 

- also important to note- according to a few of the investigators and RC Sisters that we rode home with they were just going on and on about how cool it was that they got to touch his hand.... and they were all like, "THE APOSTLE'S HAND WAS SO SO SOFT!!" hahahahaaaaaaaaaaa I died................................

-Also SUCH a highlight to reunite with my BANGNA crew!!!!!!!! LOVE THEM ALL

Reunited with my BANGNA CREW!!!!!!!! The Bishop's daughters! 

Sister นิวs (News) and Sister ฃวัญ (Kwaan)  

Some other fun FAVES from the week:

-FHE at เอก at รษา's (Eek and Rasa's) or favorite Rockstar and diva duo. Seriously so fun! They are excited to come stay with us in Kennewick someday YAY

-When I told one of our new investigators that we lived in เมืองทอง (MuengThong) her eyes got all wide and she asked "WAIT are you serious?! You aren't afraid of GHOSTS??!" Thai people are way scared of ghosts (and I am learning Laotians are too.. Sister Wi talks about them a lot HA) and there must be some legend about MuengThong ghosts!

Visiting members this week!... totally have to walk back on this rickety dock
and for sure if you fall in you are getting leprosy HAHAHA yikes

Sister Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii is so cute

-Sunday night dinner at Wisan and Noi's...... we were totally going to teach an investigator there but last minute it didn't work out-- Wisan goes, "Well, you at least have to come over and eat then!!!" They are the best (and they totally make my favorites every time we go over there hehehe loveit)

-President Johnson called this week with the craziest little tidbit! Apparently his aunt emailed him and said that she saw her mission president this past week, DON VANSLOOTEN, and he has a granddaughter serving in Thailand! way crazy! Cause while he was her mission president he totally had a son born who would later be her nephew's mission companion as well! (trying to explain those connections in Thai last night at dinner was a little crazy hahahaha) but bottom line, she TOTALLY paid it forward having a good mission president herself then raising a nephew (raising? for lack of better word not to discredit his parents hahahah) who would also be the best of the best

-Also in that little call we got the news-- Sister Wi's VISA totally went through for Australia this week so she is heading out NEXT WEEK :)/:'( 

They grow up so fast..................... 

I love you guys so much, the church is true, the gospel is simple, and we are happy when we keep the commandments, so in the words of an apostle that I heard yesterday, "Lets keep them!!!"

as always thanks for the love, lots being sent your way in this letter BIGHUGLITTLEKISS

xoxo Sister MORGAN

then some of my ChiangMai besties.....SISTER MAGS <3

Brother ย้ง (YONG?!) 

<3

babies swimming at our condo ...omgcutecutecute 

I don't know why this was so cute to me............... just like little boys around the world are all the same. hahahah we are leaving the house so I am going to bring a bowl full of Hot Wheels yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Sister Stokers influence has reached the entire country!! We happened upon this country line dancing and you bet I took video and reminisced on the good ole days

SERIOUSLY SO FUNNY, total Billy Ray Cyrus action

can we get one of these industrial sized popcorn poppers installed at the house???
SO NECESSARY I THINK

2/15/16... This week... was just the icing on the [heart shaped, frosted in bright red] cake of everything that Heavenly Father has been teaching me so specifically in this the final stretch of my mission

Sister แชมป์ (Champ) got baptized!

FAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for so many fun updates and pics from EVERYONE! And I love that it is a full house right now with so many fun visitors. YAY!

Nothing like leaning over, "hey meet my dad Sister-- here he is dressed up as Cupid" to spread some Valentines Day cheer with the ole companion in this our usual internet cafe HAHAHA

she definitely loved it and also noted, "Wow Asians would never do that................" 

ANYWAYS

Ok seriously I can't even write this letter without just saying it- BEST WEEK EVER. We have been just running around like chickens with our legs cut off (HAAAAAAAAA please tell me someone got that reference...) 

Sons of Provo.... eww I am so gross for quoting that movie but bottom line- we have been soooo busy and seeing the COOLEST MIRACLES!

Amidst some Visa interviews and check ups, a trip to the old greenie stomping grounds to reunite with my fav guy ever, Bro พรชัย (Pawnchay) for Sister Wi's Patriarchal Blessing, we have been busy busy with our investigators- most of them fresh new ones ready and SO PREPARED to hear the good news of the Restoration. But you have to know before we get into their details, that Sister Wi totally passed her Visa interview (YAY!) and that it was so so good at her Patriarchal blessing. Not only was it an honor to be with her on her special day, but it was such a treat to reunite with พรชัย(Pawnchay)- He wanted me to tell you guys that our whole family can stay at his house when I bring you back to visit because he is redoing his downstairs room to be an extra bedroom. haha how cute is that?? WHAT A GUY!

At Brother พรชัย's (Pawnchay's) house for Sister Wi's patriarchal blessing- AMAZING! love him

So here we go on a few of our new investigators:

First of all, Sister แชมป์ (Champ) got baptized! Seriously she could not be any cuter, and this last week could not have been any better with her. SO much growth/ she just really opened up... While we taught her on Thursday I asked her why she wanted to be baptized, and she said "Because I know Jesus Christ is real and I want to follow Him." MONEY.... I can't even begin to say what that means, especially when it comes from a girl who has not had the ideal childhood (mom works in a different province and she lives with her alcoholic/abusive granddad) If there is one that can ease the burden and pain of heart I know she has dealt with, it is the Savior. You should have seen this girls face on Saturday at her baptism, then on Sunday after Sacrament where she got the HG. I love her so much

HOW CUTE IS SHE?! แชมป์ (Champ)

This is Sister จินตนา (Jinthna) and crew- แชมป์'s (Champ's) "family"
We have been working with them for the past month

Sister แตงกวา (ThaangGwaa aka Cucumber) is the CUTEST girl ever who we have been teaching and meeting with a lot. She is 30, and is from the South (She totally hit it off with Wisan's wife cause she is from the South too) and came to church last Sunday on her own. She said she had been thinking a lot about what was going on in her life, just feeling sad and needed relief in some way... when she woke up on Sunday she didn't have plans to go anywhere, but she just had this image of the church pop into her mind and she knew she needed to go there...... how cool is that?! She has been meeting with us lots and doing so so good. She will be baptized around the end of the month if all goes as planned!

We met with Sister หน่อย (Noi), this other way cool walk in who has been coming for about 2 weeks now. She is the cutest little career woman who drives a smart car and is so put together. She is way hard to meet with-like never free! But she LOVES everything she learns at church and had totally read way far into the BOM and highlighted stuff she liked. Way cool. But yeah, this week we walk outside to grab her for our lesson, and this other car drives up too! And this lady comes walking toward us and is just like " Hey, I am Christian and I just really felt like I should come to this church this morning to find out what you guys teach!" So we totally taught both of them together and they are both SO awesome. The Christian lady's name is ภวานา (Pahwahnah) and she knows the Bible super well. When I called her to follow up this week she had been reading the BOM and just totally gave the most perfect explanation of why the BOM was necessary in addition to the Bible. We are so excited about both of them and ภวานา(Pahwahnah) totally  has a daughter she is going to bring!

Then totally humbling/ so fun, we taught all of the Laotians this week and they are SO CUTE! We taught them at Sister เขียว's (Kiaw's) house which is so fun/ perfect when we can work through the members. Humbling in that they only kind of understand Thai so its like I am semi-useless and fun in that Sister Wi just totally SHINES. She is such a good missionary. Also some of them can't really read, but we are going to go over and read BOM for them to listen (by that I mean she will be doing all of the reading, I will just be sitting and smiling and encouraging the Spirit HA) and keep teaching them. They have a date to be baptized at the end of the month. BOOO YAAAAAAAAAA

SISTASISTAS @ Zone Training + the dress of all dresses (so many compliments on it hahahaha) 

We also had way killer Zone Training and it was just the icing on the [heart shaped, frosted in bright red] cake of everything that Heavenly Father has been teaching me so specifically in this the final stretch of my mission. Very very tender lessons about love-- because in the end that is what I came here to increase, to learn about, to feel, to give, and to someday master as He has. In our discussion of the WHY of our missionary work, one of the Elders in attendance at the training, kind of tongue and cheek/ to be a little funny pointed out, "Do you want to go home with a heart full of numbers or a heart full of love?"

We all know the answer, and the humility to have the WHY of our missionary work or literally anything and everything we do in our lives- be LOVE is wherein lies happiness and fulfillment. That cliche mission statement that every Elder or Sister hears one thousand plus times, "It's not about the numbers" could be rewritten and rebuffed to save lots of Elders and Sisters from searching and wondering, "If its not about the numbers, what on earth is it about??"

Maybe something more like, 

"Its not about the numbers or the area or the Vietnamese Food or the transfer meetings or the thrift shop dresses or the baptisms or the pictures or the ward size or the bike riding blues or the rain or the companions or the elephants or the key indicators or the Crocs (I could go on, but you are getting the picture...) its about LOVE."

I have never really been able to pick "favorite scriptures" or anything like that (what can I say, I love them all), but the favorite scripture/new theme for my entire life that I got from this my final Zone training in this the final month of my mission (FINALLY, I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS THE LAST 18 MONTHS OR PERHAPS THE LAST 21 YEARS OF MY LIFE.....................................)

are the humble words of the Savior from the New Testament that so perfectly lay out the WHY:

"And he that sent me is with me:  the Father hath not left me alone; for I do ALWAYS those things that please Him."

I know for sure love pleases the Father, and to me this scripture makes it so apparent just how easy the choice to love is and in essence reminds us that it is the WHY. 

Love for Heavenly Father=Love for EVERYONE= HAPPINESS FOREVER

for realzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

so I feel like now it would just be fitting to say I LOVE YOU- cause I really do love you guys so much

have the best week ever and make sure dad doesn't start wearing that outfit for fun around town or anything

xoxoxoSISTER MORGAN

You know you are about to go home when you see the Area Seventy at a leadership training and he greets you then asks, "Sister this has got to be like the thirtieth month of your mission or something???.. I have been seeing you for a long time!" hahahaha Elder Funk is such a rockstar, I still remember my very first Stake Conference as a greenie where he spoke and talked about how we need to help the Saints show HF they want a temple........cheeeeeeeeeeeeeee just look how far we've come

and its not over yet homies...................... 

BAPTISM! such a special day with so many special people there <3 I LOVE THEM ALL!

Elder Curtis..............

This is GRIT-- Sister Forte&Smith's FUNNIEST investigator ever- we all love him so much
and it was SUCH a great day seeing him get baptized after a few months
(Especially the XXL baptism jumper he wore omgomgomg)

another angle- idk it was so funny/precious. he looked like an angel

pictures of people taking pictures of people............. THIS IS MY CUTE COMPANION- Sister WI

cutest chic-est Valentines Day market we invited at this week!

there is a huge strawberry celebration going on right now...... again, I have no idea why??

dinner at Sister Ging's house this week.................. this was on her wall??
Asian Cowboy art...? I DON'T EVEN KNOW?!

this is Asia............... hahahaha where did she get all of these...? I DONT KNOW?!

2/8/16... This has seriously been such a SOLID week... I am still in Don Mueng -YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYA I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!

MY GIRL PIM <3

HEY!

famfamfam

So glad to hear everyone is doing so well and that SORELLA BRUNSON made it back to the motherland....... I can hardly believe it. In that I can hardly believe the time has come, not that I can hardly believe she made it to the end of her mission hahahaha 

Seriously though, sometimes out here when I am saying my prayers and thinking of my friends serving missions I have thought of something Ty said to me about when all of his buddies were going on their missions all around the world, and he just had this peaceful feeling that someday they would experience that joy that the sons of Mosiah and Alma the younger experienced when they met up after being missionaries. Katie, that joy will be ours [soon?! what the....] and I know it is going to be oh so so sweet.

ANYWAYS, back to real life people, back to the good stuff. 

This has seriously been such a SOLID week, so jam packed crazy but honestly so great! And first things first, I am still in Don Mueng -YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYA  I LOVE THIS PLACE- and I am training a new greenie! She is an angel from Laos who is actually going to serve in Australia, but she is waiting for her visa so she is serving here before! Way fun tid bit on her-- So she and her little sister are the only members in her family, and they were introduced to the church through their Aunt who has a Thai Restaurant in SALT LAKE CITY. Apparently she had frequent customers that were members, and one thing let to another led to Wisan's wife giving their info to the Elders in Laos and now she is here today! 

So bottom line, everyone go eat at Thai Cafe near Temple Square and tell them you know Sister Wijithraworng!

It has been so clear that she is supposed to be here right now, we are going to learn lots together this transfer, and already we have seen super cool cool cool miracles. There is actually this whole group of khon Laos that have all gotten baptized within the past year and a half and have been somewhat/very less active and super hard to get in contact with. Well they are LOVING Sister Wii- We had 4 of them come to church yesterday, and they brought 4 additional investigators, all khon Laos that we are going to start teaching. YES!

And just like total bonus, it is the funniest thing ever for me listening to hear speak Lao...... cause it is super similar to Thai but one super distinct difference is that all of the "ch"s become "ss"s so imagine its like you are expecting to hear "Chrissy" and it comes out "Sissy" or "church" and you get "surse" ..... hahaha idk maybe I am immature but I die a little every time cause it still catches me off guard.

But aside from the khon Laos, that came to church,  yesterday was so killer! Between the 4 Lao investigators, referrals from other members, our own investigators and a few walk ins, Sister Wii and I had 13 investigators at church that we will be working with! Sister แชมป์ (Champ) was there and will be getting baptized this coming week if all goes according to plan. She is doing great. And she totally brought her boyfriend, who is a member but hasn't come in FOREVER that we have been trying to get to come thinking it would be to no avail. 

So many things this past week have reminded me and strengthened my testimony of a scripture that I love and have probably shared before from the Doctrine and Covenants:

"Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth forth that which is great."

I love that this scripture can be applied on such a personal level but it also rings so true to lots of the work we do as missionaries. We have maybe had occasion to ask questions like, "Ok is this really worth our time?" or "Are these people even getting anything from the effort we are making?" And the clear answer from this scripture is YES YES YES! Even more beautiful is the confirming reassurances that come in due time that it was so worth the time, or that yes, the people did really get something from the effort we made... We have been blessed with a few of those occasions this last week:

Sister นา (Na) bringing her family to church after we have been visiting them lots and being a little rejected (We walk in the house, all of the kids go hang out in the front yard hahaha) They totally came and little by little we will make them like us!

Sister มุก (Muug) this cutest member here that just like fell off the face of the earth about a month ago. I have been calling her everyday and she will barely answer on occasion and sounds so distant and wouldn't agree to a visit or that she would be coming to church. No idea what happened? But yesterday, she totally came! We sat together and it was way good. 

Brother ประสิทธิ์ (Brasit), our investigator who is the dad of the LA family that we LOVE. He is just progressing so slow, and sometimes it seems like they are just so busy at the gas shop that maybe he really isn't even getting anything from the visits. It was so sweet to hear each of the family members say in their own way how the dynamic of their family/ home has completely changed. Apparently ประสิทธิ์(Brasit) has started to pray while he delivers gas on the motorcycle and has just changed a lot. Who would have thought?

Sister เกด (Gate) a less active mom of 2 kids who were all baptized just over a year ago. At one point I think they were strong, but they can NEVER meet with us because the mom works every single day early early to late late. We resorted to teaching them over the phone whenever they would answer the phone (which is seldom) and have had some opportunities to pray with them and be in the scriptures. This last week when I called, Sister เกด (Gate) so excited when she answered the phone and said "Sister Morgan! HEY! I read the homework you gave me!" To my surprise, she had totally read the chapter in Alma I gave her and had a really cool experience with it. cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

teaching Make! and all of his friends this week... SO FUN!

how cute is this?!

Sister Jai's house where we teach them

The little miracles slowly but surely make the big ones. Other fun stuff from this week/ tid bits you need to know/ things on the mind of sistamorgsssssssssss:

-At the command of Sister Johnson we put together the best 72 hour kits as a district to stash at our houses.... hahaha it kind of reminded me of what mom said to me when I got my ultra expensive optional rabies shot before coming on the mission.... "You dang well better get bit by a dog for the price of that one..." hahaha we are all hoping there is a natural disaster or something so we can pull out our packs............... HEEEEEEEEEEEE 

but not.........

-Lunch at Elder Kanikam's house! He was so cute and made it all himself and was just so gracious/ fun with us. And I am not going to lie mom, way to go on the Funfetti Muddy buddies getting me in with the member of the Quorum of the Seventy hahaha everything was "Sister Morgan say the prayer Sister Morgan come taste test this..." omgomg 

Elder Kannikam's centerpiece at lunch...
We are to be "a light unto the world" haaaaaaaaa how cute is that????????

-We are just seriously so spoiled here because Sister Wii and I had the funnest lunch at President Wisans house this week too-- always a treat. What will I do without the Wisanbanawit family in my life???

-So for those of you wondering "What are the ins and outs of Chinese New Year, how could we make this celebration a part of our lives?" Basically what it comes down to, from two years of sideline observance, just get yourself one of those Mulan dragons and parade around town, especially your local mall, all day long for a few days in a row playing a super loud drum. THAT IS CHINESE NEW YEAR IN A NUTSHELL hahahaha seriously 

THE ESSENCE OF CHINESE NEW YEAR

the kick off celebrations of Chinese New Year..........

-Eternal Families are the best thing that ever happened to this world. Yesterday at church was the first day back for this lady who just gave birth to the cutest baby boy (their oldest son is serving in the TBM right now!)  and they named and blessed the baby, but then both she and the husband bore their testimonies on just how they have no idea how they could receive such great blessings at the hand of the Lord to be an Eternal Family and have these joys. I died.

-And to finish, another one of my cultural faux paux.................. seriously you guys, I am so dumb. This goes in the book next to that one time I totally went to the ancestral offering of popcorn thinking it was a "sample cup" hahahaha 

So in Thailand the head is super sacred and the feet are super "unsacred" for lack of better word. As in don't even think about patting someone older than you on the head or ruffling their hair like you are old pals... or forget pointing your foot at someone or showing them the bottom of your foot or pointing to something foot level with your foot. You get it. So we are at this market and there is this lady selling socks, and on the top of the pile are these socks with the American flag on them........ Immediately I am overwhelmed with memories of the joy the British flag socks brought our entire family when Ty sent them home to us...... hahahah don't even act like we didn't take foot selfies with those things and just relish in the fact that they were from him. Well I am just like yes, I need to bring that happiness to my family once again, THEY NEED THAI FLAG SOCKS! 

So I ask her, "Hey do you have any of these with the Thai flag?" and all the people around just give me this look of disgust like.......... "YOU WOULDN'T DARE"... and she shakes her head and the man next to me quietly/shameful on behalf of me says, "Thailand forbids it........"

hahahahaha I am such an idiot. Of course they do not print the beloved symbol of freedom culture and all that is THAILAND on the lowly, disgraceful appendage that is the foot. never

So- sorry to get your hopes up guys, but you will NOT be getting any Thai flag socks from me when I come home...

and on that note, love you guys sooooooooooooo much, hope this week is the best!

xoxo SISTER MORGAN

Elder Curtis  Elder Davenport Sister Smith and Sister Forte totally did the TBM food challenge- 1 large pizza 8 scoops of ice cream and SLAMMED a pack of authentic Tim Tams--- SO SO CRAZY

they were all doing so well-- then they got to the TIM TAMS

the stairs at Bangkok Hospital where Sister Wii got her visa medical check ups....... YAY

"transfer meeting" hahaha 6 am at the mission office, grab your companion and GO!

how cool is this building..... can you tell what it is??

kind of crazy, the other day traffic was totally stopped for a royal person passing through---
 haha those red lights are the brigade of royalty (the king???!)