Hit the ground running!

Our home for 15-hours Cathay Pacific Boeing 777

Hong Kong airport

Must have known we were coming

Whew!  We survived the 27 hour marathon flight from SLC to Bangkok.  I think the Church forgot they were making flight arrangements for OLD people!!  But I guess they know what they're doing because we indeed arrived in Bangkok at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 15, along with all our luggage - didn't lose one piece!!  So, we were off to a good start - or should I say to a good RUNNING start, which is what it has felt like.  We did indeed hit the ground running - which is NOT what you want to do in such a hot, humid location!  Pres. & Sis. Senior and Elder and Sister Ogden met us at the airport and drove us to the hotel in downtown Bangkok that will be our home until Nov. 2, when the Ogdens leave after their mission ends and we move into the apartment.  After getting our room and storing our luggage there, we were off to the Service Center, which is what they call the Church office building here.  We were at the office until after 5, then taken to dinner by the Seniors so they could get to know us a little, and THEN allowed to go to our room and get some rest - this is after experiencing the 27 hour travel time which included a 15-hour flight and then you add a 13-hour time change.  We were up and at it bright and early the next morning, and it hasn't stopped since!

Our home for 2 years starting in Nov.

Note the overhead electrical

Thailand mission office

The Thai traffic is indescribable, but we'll try to help you understand what it's like.  First of all, they drive on the wrong side of the road (they even walk on the wrong side of the sidewalk - this is going to take some getting used to!).  The road in front of our hotel has 4 lanes, 2 each way.  But to cross that road, you not only have to pretend to be frogger to get across the road, you have to watch for motor scooters that use the sidewalks if the traffic is moving too slowly for them on the road.  It truly is important for us to pray for protection each morning, because we feel like we take our life in our hands each time we have to cross a road, but we must be doing something right (and the Lord answers our prayers) because we haven't been hit yet.  And Mike has decided they must be the best drivers in the world because they can manipulate their vehicles within inches of each other, and pedestrians, and we haven't seen one wreck or mishap yet!!  Truly miraculous!  We're praying we never have to drive while we're here.  It's bad enough to have to take a taxi - the thought of driving in this traffic is truly frightening!  We're still trying to figure out how to give instructions to a Thai taxi driver that doesn't speak English so that we arrive at our intended destination.  We will be relying on daily miracles.

The reason we agreed to begin our mission earlier than originally planned was to be able to meet with the Ogdens and have them introduce us to all their wonderful contacts here.  It has been a whirlwind week!  The Ogdens are greatly loved here so all their friends want to have them to lunch or dinner, and since the purpose is for us to meet their contacts, we've been going to some really wonderful lunches and dinners with them!!  We've GOT to find time to exercise, or we'll gain 20 pounds while we're here!  And we have met some very warm, loving people.  We are so excited to be here to serve the Thai people.

We've been assigned to the Bangken Branch of the Church here, and Mike was assigned to serve on the High Council, with his first High Council meeting being held on our first Wednesday here.  Our first Sunday brought the assignment for him to speak in church sacrament meeting and to issue a calling to a young man to serve in the Young Men presidency.  So, he's off to a good start!  He gave a wonderful talk on covenants and woke everyone up when he bore his testimony in Thai at the end of his talk - thanks to our Missionary Training Center teacher, Bro. Ritchie!!  We met some very warm, humble people in our little branch and are looking forward to serving them and getting to know and love them. 

We will try to post something each week so until next time, sawaddii kha!! (goodbye)