Week 71 - "You are working so hard!" -Random Thai Guy

Crazy, crazy week! So I don't know if you remember but a year ago the King of Thailand passed away and it began the year of mourning. Well this last week we hit the year mark and it was crazy. All black all over again, and missionaries basically had a lock down day where we had planning/meetings all day to stay off the streets. But our days of black are (most likely) officially done tomorrow! Cannot believe it has already been a year

We had so many miracles this week but this is one of my favorites:

     White washing has been an adventure, filled with lots of canceled appointments haha. One day was a day basically all spent contacting on the streets. We went in front of a big mall and tried to contact a bunch of people there. We stayed for 45 minutes then decided to go somewhere else because we weren't having a ton of success.

     We moved locations to a neighborhood of giant apartment buildings and started talking to everyone, when a man from behind us came up and started talking. He started by saying, "wait, I just saw you, were you not at the mall a few minutes ago?" We answered him and he said, "wow, I sat and watched you for a long time. You were working so hard to talk to everyone even though no one would listen to you....why?"

     We then were able to have the most incredible talk/lesson with this random man about our purpose and why we came on missions. Honestly it was the biggest tender mercy of the day, being able to testify of the importance of this work. AH. I love being a missionary, even when the days are long and hard at the end of the day I know why I'm here! We also were telling him how it wasn't a coincidence that he happened to see us at the mall, then at his apartment within an hour, but it was God directing our paths. HE IS IN THE DETAILS!

     ALSO the random guy might be our investigator if he meets with us again! MIRACLES! 

Another example of God being in the details:

     We had an appointment with a man investigator (so we need another woman to teach with) we called everyone and no one could come! We kept praying, then left for the appointment. On the way right after I got off the bus I went straight up to a woman and flat out asked her if we could give her a tour of the church....she said YES! (WHAT?! It was the craziest miracle!) So not only were we obedient, but we got a new investigator!! I know that it was not 'random' that we got off the bus at the exact moment we passed her by and that it was not simply a 'coincidence;!! LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. Miracles everywhere:)

I love life. Pray for Don Muang and for Thailand, we gotta get this temple up and running! Challenge for the week is to notice His hand in the details... "The Lord’s hand is guiding you. By “divine design,” He is in the small details of your life as well as the major milestones" (Elder Rasband)

Much much love,

ซีสเตอร์ แฮม

PS. So in Thailand everyone loves nicknames...so they all call me Sister Ham (it's way cute) but lots of the time they call me 'hamburger' by mistake which is funny. But now I am companions with Sister McDonnell...oh man the food puns that we get are endless. Sister Hamburger and McDonalds at your service. Would you like fries with that?

BLACK.  This was our lockdown day.

We found a pretty cool wat!

Chairs = Transfers Left

Week 70 - Back in BANGKOK! So. Many. People.

I forgot how crazy life in the city is. Literally hundreds of people pass you every second of every day and they all live all around Bangkok and not everyone is from the same small town.

DON MUANG

So if I were to compare it, Roiet was like a small town in Idaho with not much going on....Asoke (where the office is/where the temple will be) is the downtown New York City....DON MUANG (where I am, northern Bangkok) is the Washington DC. It's a little fancier than Asoke, but still crazy busy and full of a bunch of government workers. 

The ward here is on FIRE. The wards in Bangkok are a lot more structured because they have been around for longer, so in our ward we have the Stake President, a bunch of some of the first members in Thailand AND a member of the Area Seventy. I am SO excited to be able to serve here! We also meet in the biggest chapel in Thailand. DON MUANG IS SO CRAZY!

Annnnyway it took a few days but I am loving it. The initial move was shocking. I have been in the countryside of Esan for the past 10 months, loving every second of it. A move to one of the busiest areas in Bangkok was a big adjustment. I was walking around a huge city getting rejected left and right (people in Bangkok are a lot more fast-paced and harsh compared to the Esan) and my thoughts all day were, "Sister Hammon you are not in the Esan anymore" I was struggling and very countryside homesick...but that night we got back to do studies and I read something that I am convinced was written for me. (Moroni 9:6)

"And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently"

That is it. It doesn't matter that the Bangkok people won't stop and talk to you like the Esan people would...but all that matters is that I TALK TO EVERYONE and labor diligently for these incredible people. 

FIRST DAY MIRACLES

So whitewashing is crazy considering you don't even know where your apartment is, let alone where the church is BUT we survived! Our first miracle happened our first day. We had just found our apartment and getting out of the taxi when we got a call from an unknown number. I was trying to get all the stuff out while talking to this random person on the phone. She called explaining she was sorry she didn't meet us yesterday. I laughed and told her how okay it was (considering it wasn't us she canceled on) but she told us that she would come on Sunday! Annnnd she came!! Her name is June and she is seriously the greatest! Yay for first day miracles!

Still kind of crazy considering neither of us know almost anything about the area, but there is no question that God's hand has been in every action we have made these past few days. I am loving being in such a crazy busy place...BANGKOK. Love you all, keep up the prayers for Northern Bangkok, it is currently exploding and I am so blessed to be apart of it! Also read the Book of Mormon. It is honestly the most incredible book. I finished it again this week and WOW. It is SO TRUE. Love you all and have a grand week! :)

รักมากมากเลย

Sister Hammon

Bye Roiet! 😔

Bangkok!

[The population of Bangkok is 8.281 million people]

Back to Bangkok! Food off the streets and

 running out of inviting cards every 2 seconds.

Likin’ the views from our amazing apartment!

Our massive church

My cute new companion! Sister McDonnell!

Week 69 - The Harvest of RICE--er I mean SOULS

Time is going by fast and I it is starting to scare me, but these last 10 days have been INCREDIBLE.

Background: One of the main missionary scriptures in Doctrine and Covenants invites missionaries to "thrust in their sickle with all their might" because the field is "ready to harvest." President Johnson recently told us that our 'sickle' is The Book of Mormon, and if we want any harvest we need to USE IT! So...

HARVEST OF RICE

Last Monday we were able to harvest rice!! Brother Gawi knew someone who needed help and it was definitely not a sacrifice on our part to help out. It was such a crazy amazing experience I will never forget. So many missionary analogies, but my favorite had to do with the SICKLE that President Johnson taught us. Without the sickle the harvest could not be accomplished... and that kept running through my mind the entire time (and comparing it to the Book of Mormon)

POWER OF THE BOOK

     The next day we had a second lesson planned with a man named Oouin (อ้วน) I originally invited him outside of a small market and at first I thought he was a little creepy (because he was a little drunk) but the first lesson was good and we were excited to meet him again. 

     He showed up looking very well put together in a collared shirt tucked in which was weird, but we didn't think too much of it. We started the lesson with following up on his Book of Mormon reading and what he told us almost made my mouth drop..."I read the assigned chapters you gave me twice. I felt really good reading them and felt like I should stop drinking alcohol, so I did." We had not mentioned anything about the law of health but he did it entirely on his own!! He kept explaining that since he stopped drinking (he used to drink 5-6 bottles a day) he and his wife have stopped fighting and he has more money to buy the things he needs. 

     He readily accepted a date for baptism saying he would do anything to be a member of this church and to feel this way all the time.... There is NO other explanation for his quitting alcohol other than one thing--THE BOOK OF MORMON. It is the sickle of the Restoration. I testify of its power and spirit, and I have witnessed firsthand the change that it can make in the lives of anyone who opens its pages. We are so beyond blessed to have this book in our lives and it is my hope and prayer that we may follow President Monson's invitation and use its strength each and everyday of our lives.

79 YEAR OLD GEM

Just a last minute story..on switch offs last week we had planned to visit a cute family (kind of less active) that lives pretty far away. We almost didn't go, but I felt like we should, so we swung by last minute...and what a blessing! We found THE CUTEST older woman. She was the members' grandma and had just moved in to their house the day before! She has always been scared of ghosts and weird things like that, but we were able to sit down and teach her that she was indeed a child of God and that He loved her. The spirit was so strong, and in that moment I felt the purest love for her.

Now for the sad news...I just found out I will be leaving Roiet! My heart was torn out of my chest when I found this out...Sadly I won't be here to watch these incredible people progress, but God is taking me back to BANGKOK! Haven't been there since last year so it'll be an adventure. I'm 'whitewashing' (meaning my new companion and I will both be new to the area) and it will be a crazy few weeks but here it goes!

I love Roiet...way sad to leave. The saying is true that when you are a missionary the goodbyes just get harder...ah. I love these people. 

The next email you get from me will be from Don Muang in northern Bangkok--here we go!

Much much love,

Sister Hammon

Our 79 year old gem

Man I love this place

Required getup for any rice harvester

I am officially a rice harvester…look at my sickle

Grains of rice

 Hahaha this picture…Brother Gawi forced me to go on the side of the road 

and try to catch him a fish…I failed

Memorial for the King

Week 68 - Spiritual Tsunami of Spiritual-ness

If I were to describe this week I would compare myself to a person walking along the beach of mission life, when all of a sudden a giant tsunami of spiritual knowledge, encouragement, and incredible-ness hits me so hard I drown in commitments/goals/personal revelation. (That is drown in a good way)

Explanation: 

Tuesday: Normal miracle-filled day

Wednesday: MLC training from President in Bangkok

Thursday: Personal Interview with President in Ubon

Friday: Zone Conference in Ubon

Saturday: General Conference

Sunday: Baptism AND General Conference

By the last Sunday meeting my mind was so full to the brim of personal goals and revelation I didn't know what to do with myself haha BUT IT WAS ALL INCREDIBLE THINGS. 

I loved how many of the apostles added their witness to President Monson's challenge 6 months ago and how they all told of their experience with reading the Book of Mormon. And how seriously they took the prophet's word into their daily lives. I just hope that I can continue to take his challenge and see the blessings in my life like they did.

BAPTISM of JEET (จิต) and NUE (่หนู)

These two are my absolute favorite!!! Brother Gawi (the one who held the umbrella for me) got baptized about 3 months ago right before I came and is the best member missionary! I have been working with his friends ever since I got to Roiet (3 months) and there was a period where we definitely thought they were not getting baptized... but we really studied hard for their needs and eventually the things they needed to know were revealed unto us (miracles) and yesterday was an incredible day! Brother Gawi baptized them (his very first) and he was so nervous he stared at me the entire time while I mouthed the words to the prayer..ahh I love that man. But they were baptized and they couldn't be happier! (even if the pictures show otherwise...#nosmiles) 

LAST MINUTE MIRACLES

So due to our crazy week of spiritual-ness it meant fewer than 2 working days in our area this week, but nonetheless, God prepares the way for us when we don't have the chance and we somehow achieved mission excellency this week! (we were working right up until 8:59 Sunday night to do that!) To quote Elder Hallstrom from conference, 

"...Defining a miracle as 'a beneficial event brought about through divine power that mortals do not understand'...Today I testify of miracles.' " 

It is so true! When we see the everyday miracles that God has placed in our lives we open the possibility to receive so many more and to open the widows of heaven upon our lives.

I love being a missionary. Despite crazy weeks like this past one there is no other time in life like this! I testify that Christ lives and His words can be found in the recent conference that we all watched--go back and review talks then apply them in your life to experience the true power behind it!

รักมากเลย

Sister Hammon

Plane travelllll

MLC!

Zone Conference!

Sisters in the Roiet Zone!

Roiet district

I love/miss Sister Dem so much!

Our cute recent converts 😃 

Good day for Roiet district!

My FAVORITE member always helps us teach but she doesn’t have a motorcycle

 so this is our form of transportation to get to lessons.

Week 67 - Lost Wallet = Found (4 MONTHS LATER)

Hello hello from the beautiful 101, life is oh so good so I decided to do a highlight list:

-We no longer have to wear skirts that cover our ankles!!!!! For the past 4 months we have had to wear pioneer skirts due to mosquitoes, but the rainy season is officially over and let me tell you, freedom feels good.

-We randomly had a European man walk up to us and tell us that he wanted to 'test out a religion' so HEYYY miracles! Let's hope this guy is better than Bernie the Baptist (from the good old Korat days)

-We successfully made a round trip to Bangkok in 18 hours (we had to renew Sister Morganti's visa...nights spent on a bus will not be missed after the mission)

-We rode elephants for Sister Morganti's birthday! Hahaha and the poor greenie in our district fell off one (long story but he's all good)

-I was running around at sports night on Friday (getting more competitive that I should have) and as I went to sit down my foot slid down a little weird so I looked down to see my foot bleeding with skin missing. Haha I hopped to the bathroom to clean it up and had my foot in the sink. Sister Morganti walked in and I turned to her and said "I'm an idiot" haha she died laughing... this is why missionaries aren't supposed to play too many games, but on the bright side modern medicine kept the wound uninfected! Woohoo!

And finally

-CRAZIEST MIRACLE: Don't know if you remember, but back in July my wallet fell out of my bag on a bus and I lost everything (money, credit cards, insurance cards, identification, and temple recommend) So while we were in Bangkok updating Visas a missionary comes up to me and hands me an envelope....WITH ALL OF THE CONTENTS OF MY WALLET! (besides money) I lost it in Korat...a 5 hour bus ride into the Esan. Apparently someone found it on the side of the road in BANGKOK and took it to the closest church (I have no idea how in the world they knew to take it to a church! The only thing 'churchy' in my wallet was my temple recommend!) So yes. Miracles happen people! (especially if you have a current temple recommend with you--challenge for the email. That and to believe in miracles! Even ones that happen 4 months late)

Other than that life has been incredibly wonderful. A few weeks ago Sister Morganti and I decided we needed to use the Lord's time more wisely and stop spending our time visiting our investigators with dates for baptism that didn't take those dates seriously. For a few weeks it was a struggle as we felt like we hadn't reaped the rewards form that act of faith, but this week was different. WE FOUND THE ELECT. SO many prepared people have been put in our path and I know it is because we chose to spend our time with those who are truly ready. I just want to testify that I know God prepares His children to receive this restored gospel. I know it because I have seen it over and over again and I pray for it daily. God wants this temple in Thailand and I am so blessed that He uses normal missionaries to accomplish this task! 

I LOVE MIRACLES. I love the Lord. I love found wallets after 4 months. I love elephants. I love skirts that don't touch my ankles. I love general conference- (6 more days people!) I love modern medicine #skinnedfoot I love being a missionary so very much, life is good :)

รักมากเลย

ซิสเตอร์ แฮมมอน

Sister Hammon

PROOF OF FOUND WALLET!

Switch offs with my old MTC companion Sister Nixon!  So so so fun!

Just getting aboard the coolest transportation of my life

We’re on an elephant!

Right before said greenie fell off the elephant…haha poor kid.

Yay for monkeys!

Hey there little guy (luckily he didn’t bite me)

Right after the skinned foot incident