April = Thai New Year = Songkran!!!

April is the hottest month of the year here and although it is living up to it's reputation of heat and humidity, I don't seem to be as bothered by it as I was the first time I served here in Thailand.  I thought maybe my body is adjusting to the climate, but then I realized it is probably due to the fact that I am in an air-conditioned building most of the day and an air-conditioned apartment the rest of the time!!! April was a busy month!! We had Zone Conference, then it was Songkran (Thai New Year) which is a big 3 day celebration with big neighborhood water fights!  If you venture out anywhere you will most likely get soaking wet, but in this heat that is a plus!! I also gave my first health presentation to the new missionaries.  I didn't think it would take as long as it did,  and the poor newly arrived missionaries could hardly keep their eyes open.  Needless to say I did some revisions after that and cut the presentation in half!! Hopefully May's presentation will be more tolerable!!!  May is going to be a busy month as well.  I have been asked to attend the Young Single Adult Conference as the nurse.  I will still be available to the missionaries but will also be available to any of the young single adults attending the 3 day conference.  Our mission president will be there along with some of the other senior couples.  After the conference I will be going on a tour of the hospitals in the eastern part of Thailand with our Area Medical Advisor and his wife, to make sure the missionaries in that part of the country have access to good medical care.  The trip will also include a visit to Laos and Myanmar.  The biggest news though is that I received permission from the Mission President and the Area Presidency to go home in August for a week for Monica's wedding! I am so grateful for the opportunity!  I won't have to miss seeing my baby girl get married!! What a tender mercy from my Father in Heaven!!  We had tranfers about a week ago and our district leader finished his mission and went home.  I learned so much from him.  One thing he taught us was: 1. Find out Heavenly Father loves you.  2.  Find out you love Him.  3. Serve Him because of it.  I truly work with some amazing people. I am loving every moment!!!

 Caught up with Elder Hinkson from my home ward at Zone Conference. He is in Myanmar!

 Zone Conference

 Celebrating Song Kran!!!

 Went with the sisters to a member's house to eat during Songkran!! Soaking wet and painted!!!

"Spirit Houses"

 Escalators in one of the many tall malls in Bangkok

 So happy to find this!!!

 Visiting a member family to check on their handicapped son.  Such a sweet family!

 Don't get your wires crossed!!! 5555

 Working at the Service Center.  Elder and Sister Ricks and Sister Ann (PEF)  and myself (MNS)

 Elder and Sister Christensen (family history) and Elder and Sister Ellsworth (humanitarian)

 The Elders and Sisters in our District

 Our District

 The "backyard" of our apartment building

 The plaza next to our apartment building.  There is a farmer's market here every Tues/Thurs.

A reminder! "Feed My Sheep!!"

Royal Barge Museum among other things

Last weekend was the 50th anniversary Thai Missionary Reunion in Utah.  Two years ago I was in charge of the reunion and now here I am serving another mission in Thailand!! Never would have predicted that in a million years!!  I was invited to a member's house to Skype into the reunion along with a couple other older missionaries who are living here in Thailand.  I had to leave my place at 6 in the morning to get out there, because we were Skyping at 8:30, and the house was a couple of hours away.  We were able to Skype in and see so many of the missionaries we served with back in the day!!  It was so much fun!! And we had such good Thai food!! Well actually it was a Thai and American breakfast.!!                                                                                                                       Today was a Thai holiday, so two of the senior couples invited me to take a trip to the Royal Barge Museum here in Bangkok.  I have been there before but the beauty and artistic detail never cease to amaze me.  We also went to see "The Big Swing" but there was no swing, only a frame.  We also went to Terminal 21, a large mall in Bangkok, where the most amazing discovery of the day was Haagen Dazs ice cream.  You haven't lived until you've had their Macademia Nut and their Chocolate Salted Carmel!!  I definitely needed something to help me cool down.  I've given up on any kind of hair style in this heat and humidity!! The rest of the pictures are taken from the rooftop of our apartment building at night.  This is only a fraction of the city!!! I am loving every minute of this.  I really am blessed to be able to come and do this twice.