I AM SO EXCITED. Not only have 3/4 of my companions served there but they LOVED it there! Honestly it has such a good reputation of being an incredible area. It is still in the ESAN (so very happy about that) but only about 4 hours out of Bangkok instead of 9! I also found out I am training again so it will be interesting! I am so sad to leave, but next transfer is getting me so excited to think about!
(Take an 8 hour bus ride to Bangkok tonight, get new greenie, then 4 hour bus ride to Korat.)
BAPTISM OF DONGDA (ตอ้งตา)
So! Miracle story right here: In February we had a random walk in who spoke english and was a member in America who brought her niece to learn. We got her number and after that her niece disappeared. We called about once a week to stay in touch but she was never free, but would always talk. Sister Dem and I had a joke that we hoped she would go to church before both of us ended our mission because she didn't really have a desire to learn...
Flash forward to this transfer. Sister Curtis and I set a goal to have 3 baptisms. Every single prayer we said this transfer we prayed for our goal and 2 weeks into the transfer a miracle happened--DONGDA CAME TO CHURCH! We didn't even call her she just showed up! We started teaching her, she was a slower learner but after the second lesson she said "I did what you said and prayed about Joseph Smith and I felt so..so...good. I know it must be true." She had some struggles but due to the grace of God she was able to get baptized this last Sunday. GOALS ARE SO POWERFUL. If I have learned anything on my mission it is that. When we set goals we show God our faith and after that He just dumps so many blessings on us that we don't even deserve! GOD IS SO GOOD.
BUG FARM--Seeing our true potential
So we got to do switch off's with my old trainer (which was surreal) but while we were there we helped a member with her bug farm! She raises bugs and then sells them at the market...Thailand. Anyway she was showing us around and I realized that the containers/areas didn't have any covers. We started asking questions about them and learned that the bugs are born in the farm and don't have an example of a similar bug that can fly so therefore they never learn to fly...or in other words, they don't understand their full potential. I thought a lot about this this past week and felt so certain that God has this phenomenal (you're lucky I threw in such a big word when I'm losing so much of my english) plan..for all of us. And yet so many of us just sit in the container not knowing we can fly. It reminded me of a quote I may have shared before.. "If we could see in vision who we were destined to become, we would rise up and never be the same again"
I know that we ALL have incredible potential, and it is through Christ that we are able to see that potential, all we need to do is ask. SO challenge this week: discover your true potential!
BYE SISAKET
The past 6 months have been the most incredible, joyfully difficult, exhausting, fun months of my entire life. I love Sisaket with my whole heart. Saying goodbye has been difficult, but it's time. KORAT HERE I COME!
Love you all very very much, happy father's day to all you dad's reading this letter (which may only be my dad, but it's the thought that counts) Have an incredible week and I will talk to you in a few days on normal p-day!
รักมากมาก
ซิสเตอร์ แฮมมอน
PS. Tons of pictures this week (I got sad because I new I was leaving so I took a million) but also for p-day today we woke up at 4 again to go to the border of CAMBODIA! SO cool, super foggy this time, but in about 10 minutes we are going to some random waterfall...yay for Thailand!
PPS. ALMOST FORGOT! If we count the bus we will have to take to go to transfers tomorrow, due to switch off's this week our FINAL HOURS SPENT ON A BUS THIS TRANSFER : 72!!! Good thing I love the Lord or otherwise you couldn't pay me to do this.
Seriously love this picture Sister Curtis snapped the other day—so Thailand!
Dongda baptism!
BUG FARM! All raised to see and eat
Slightly less disgusting than expected
3 missionary generations! My mom (trainer), me, and my child!
grandma, mother, daughter
Rainy season is back!
When we have to ride home at night, in the pouring rain, in our pioneer skirts.
Officially the biggest TIM TAM SLAM in history (all of us and the bishop’s family)
GUESS WHOSE FAVORITE FRUIT IS BACK IN SEASON?!
When the neighborhood kids celebrate your birthday with you
Trip to the border of Cambodia again! This time had CRAZY fog and
couldn’t see past the cliff but it was SO COOL
Monkey monkey monkey
When I find I don’t quite understand the direction God wants me to take,
I go to the top of a mountain and meditate the meaning of life
Last picture with my child :(
Climbing down the cliff!
This little boy (my favorite) in the closing prayer prayed that he would be able to go to the bus station to send Sister Hammon off safely and I just about cried
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