Things Finally Hit


June 4th, 2018

1 year, 1st month
Thailand, Bangkok, Minburi Ward

samuel.montague@myldsmail.net (I would love to hear from you)
President Johnson
So very sadly, on Wednesday we had our last Zone conference with the Johnsons. In true form, they were amazing, excellent, and we got so much out of it. They have been in my opinion the best Mission presidents who have served on the world. The Hammonds, who are coming in next, have some very big shoes to fill. I am confident that they will do it though.

My companion
We have some very nicely progressing investigators, and it was awesome to be able to work with them with both missionaries from this companionship. This has been our first full week as a companionship to work in our area together! It was very exciting, and we have seen so many miracles this past week from our investigators progressing.

Not too much else really happen this week, except that I finally taught English here and I had great fun. I did come to two realizations towards the latter part of the week:

- I am a missionary! I hit my year mark on the 24th of May, so you think I would have realized it a while ago. But it just hit me full on. That I am a missionary, that I am serving in Thailand, that I am preaching the gospel. Along with that realization this week has come a very strong desire to go out and do missionary work. There is no trepidation about going out and inviting or teaching anymore, no fear of the language, just a great desire to go out and teach and preach and bring Souls unto Christ. Maybe that is why my favorite scripture is found in Doctrine and Covenants 18: 14-17,
"Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people. And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me! Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation."
Daily studies
- along with that revelation, I realized that I have not only been so much more consistently and genuinely happy on my mission, but that it probably has a very strong direct correlation with the amount of love I feel for others. I have felt just a strong love for others, for my companion, for my mission president, for other missionaries, for the people I teach, and for the Thai people overall. I felt love for my family back home (I love y'all!) , for my friends, for those involved in my BYU experience, High School, Constantine, all those time periods of my life. Coupled with this has come a little bit of nostalgia, but also an excitement for the future! For the times that are coming, and all of their potential to be amazing experiences, that I just don't know about right now. 

Looking back, I've seen the things that have made me happy, that have impacted me, and that have stayed with me in my memories. I have looked into scenarios, and the things that I like about books, the things that seem so magical and adventurous and mysterious, and I thought about how I can totally have those moments in my life. I'm going to share a story that I read from a general conference talk, that in addition to being a great story, I just really enjoyed this sense of adventure of the main character, and just how awesome of a time she had had. And then I thought, why can't I have something like that. And you know what, I totally can. I thought about how I read about all of these adventures that I had wanted to have in books and I watch them in movies and I listen to them in songs. And I would romanticize them, but I never went out and sought them. I never went out and had these feasible opportunities in adventures myself. Granted, some of harder to have than others (I ðŸ•·currently🕷 don't have the capabilities of Harry or Hermione), but I can take hold of my life and be happy and love. 
Matthew 22: 36-39
"Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

So basically that was a big spiel about how you can choose happiness now. The following story really emphasizes this, especially when you realized the eternities HAVE ALREADY STARTED. FOREVER IS NOW. Be happy with all the associated blessings now. If adventures make you happy, choose to have them now! If it's pictures, go take some. Swimming, hop in! Just know that the Gospel will always bring happiness to anyone and everyone!!!!

Love y'all. Bye. 


Our church building




Someone brought a Hoverboard of course I have to try it...


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