Elder Montague's Mission

December 11th, 2017 7 months, 1st week Thailand, Bangkok, Chaing Mai  District samuel.montague @myldsmail.net (I would love to hear from you) So we had zone conference this past week, which was a blast!  On Wednesday , we had a zone pday, hence the late email. As a zone, we went up to Mon Jam and took pictures and shopped a little bit. We came back and got our phones.  As an activity we also exchanged white elephant gifts, which is always fun with the "stealing" that goes on.  I ended up walking away with some treats and a framed picture of President and Sister Johnson. A fun little thing of the night: I was chosen to play Santa, so I dressed up, entered the room after everyone finished the white elephant activity, amidst them singing Jingle Bells for me.  I had a blast giving everybody little goodie bags with their phones from the mission. Afterwards we received training on setting up and using phone. Thursday  was the actual zone conference and we started with co

December 11th, 2017 6 months, 3rd week Thailand, Bangkok, Chaing Mai  District samuel.montague @myldsmail.net (I would love to hear from you) We started the week with a switch, and I was with my น้อง (the MTC group below me), Elder Thornock. It was SO much fun, and I was  actually  the senior missionary (I've had a few similar experiences when I led the area, but this was created more responsibility for me and I enjoyed the experience taking me out of my comfort zone). We had a blast together! So the email title. Even though I have been in Chiang Mai for 3 transfers, and this is my second time leading the area, I managed to get us terribly lost 6 times this past week. I don't know how, and I don't know where I went wrong, but I just kept taking the wrong turn and putting us way out of the way.  This caused us to do a lot more biking than we would've needed to. You know how much I love biking in a tie and pants - so I frustrated myself. BUT, we must've be

December 4th, 2017 6 months, 2nd week Thailand, Bangkok, Chaing Mai  District samuel.montague @myldsmail.net (I would love to hear from you) Still here in Chiang Mai! My Wednesday  evening and Thursday  consisted of getting down to Bangkok, picking up my new companion, and returning to Chiang Mai. It took literally so long, but that provided ample time to begin getting to know my new companion and district members. I feel bad but I really don't have too much to talk about. Between the travels, shortened time between Pdays, and the fact that we spent a lot of time getting to know the area through weekly planning and some appointments. We've had lots of good meetings and another hospital visit (to a member). I had an interesting experience where we went on splits where I helped with tithing and my comp went to the hospital to give the sacrament. My new companion is Elder Joseph "Joe" Holland from Tigard, Oregon. He will be reaching his year mark in country

November 28th, 2017 6 months, 1st week Thailand, Bangkok, Chaing Mai  District samuel.montague @myldsmail.net (I would love to hear from you) Finding Joy I had a really cool experience last Pday after reading  Finding Joy in the Journey  by Thomas S. Monson and watching a few videos. This extended to  Tuesday  in District meeting where we discussed the talk. It was just a change of heart and perspective shift for me on things that bother me and my struggles to something greater.  Focus on love for the people and my happiness along the way. It was super cool.  For our advanced English class, our activity was to have them haggle and barter random things to "attend" English Class.  There responses were so hilarious. "Oh you're so handsome, will you lower the price for me?", "My father is in the hospital with cancer. Buy these for more so I can pay for him", "New from Korea! Come get some!". Just their tone and rhythm in talking made i

November 20th, 2017 5 months, 4th week Thailand, Bangkok, Chaing Mai  District samuel.montague @myldsmail.net (I would love to hear from you) Last Pday, we just went back up to Doi Suthep and did some shopping, then biked back down. Our FHE was with 2 relief society sisters and the other 2 sisters in our district (it changed a bunch last minute and worked out this way). It was a great evening, and the sisters left the spiritual thought. This week has been filled with hospital visits. We visited two member referrals in the hospital on separate days, which was great! We also met up with an LA next to a hospital. It was crazy, and they were all different hospitals, so we've been biking like crazy. President Johnson came up on Wednesday and we had interviews! I love President Johnson, and I love interviews. I try my hardest to be as open and honest as I can, and as a result I feel like they are very productive! We talked about some of my concerns and trials, about obedien

November 11th, 2017 5 months, 3 weeks Thailand, Bangkok, Chaing Mai  District samuel.montague @myldsmail.net (I would love to hear from you) So I've definitely had a few challenging moments this past week when people have been trying my patience. It's been difficult to not engage and stay positive and hopeful, as is my goal, but I've managed. I've seen how it impacts my mission work, success and enjoyment.  In just this week- situations that could and would easily escalate don't. They just dissipate which is good. I just focus on my goal and on being Christlike. Sometimes I just have to fake a smile until it is real; if I keep my focus on Christ, it becomes real fast. We had mission conference in Bangkok with Elder Evans of the 70 (He spoke during Priesthood session of conference this year, and I believe he's in our Area Asia Presidency) this past week. We went down a day early to do visa stuff for my companion, and so had an excellent opportunity to vi

November 6th, 2017 5 months, 2 weeks Thailand, Bangkok, Chaing Mai  District samuel.montague @myldsmail.net (I would love to hear from you) So last week for Pday, we found a super nice internet place that we can load up on time that won't expire.  We will definitely use this place each week. We went shopping and I got fabrics for ties and for a suit.  Now I just need to go get it custom made - I think I may miss doing this after my mission.   Our big activity was going up to Doi Suthep. We checked out the wat up there, did a little more shopping, then biked down the mountain. That was an experience for me, I'm not gonna lie, I was way scared. I'm not a huge fan of biking to begin with and my bike seems a little sketch to me, for instance the brakes seem sketchy. But there were enough people that wanted to do it that we all went for it. WOW. Fear. It was fast (someone's speedometer said our speed was 38 mph).  Did I mention that the cars don't really follow the

October 29th, 2017 5 months, 1 week Thailand, Bangkok, Chaing Mai  District samuel.montague @myldsmail.net (I would love to hear from you) Family Home Evening was fantastic.  We visited our Filipino Relief Society President and family, aka Mom. She always loads us UP with great food every time we visit. After dinner, we played a game where their two kids had to draw a gospel picture with their eyes closed while someone else guesses. One of the budding artists had my companion, Elder Fylgare, helping him ("guiding" his hand). We turned this around into an object lesson and related it to having member fellow shippers involved while teaching investigators.   As I mentioned last week, we've decided to keep a focus on less active members.  So for this week, we've visited at least one a day. It's been great to really get to know the members and to discuss the gospel and bring people back. Each transfer I choose a Christlike attribute to work on and become bet

October 23th, 2017 5 months Thailand, Bangkok, Chaing Mai  District samuel.montague @myldsmail.net (I would love to hear from you) The start of a new transfer! My new companion is Elder Michael (Dane) Flygare, hailing from Provo, Utah. He's been in Esan his whole mission, and he's now bringing the fire to Chiang Mai! I'm so pumped to work with him.  Our focus during our weekly planning and what we've already done this week has been on member and Less Active work.  I've been impressed to push on these two things for a bit now.  Starting at the beginning of the week, after dropping off my companion at the church on Transfer day, all the departing missionaries from our area (2 elders, 2 sisters) left for the bus station. I began my switch off with Elder Hoopes, the Zone Leader. We went to visit and teach lesson 5 (laws and ordinances) to his investigator who is about to be baptized. The problem for me is that I've taught lesson 5 the least amount and it