This is part of the canal that goes all the way around Old Chiang Mai city.  It might look beautiful but the water is nasty.

There are little shops that sell or offer services.  The one
above also sells noodles and drinks.  The one on the right
sells all things related to Buddha.

Another shot of the canal.  The tree at the right was probably
there when I was here 45 years ago

This is a speed limit sign.
No one pays attention to them.

If you look in the background of this picture against the building, you will
see 10 machines where the motorcycle is.  These are ATMs.  They are
everywhere.  That is how everything is paid for here is with cash.

This sign was in a park.  In this park
you cannot have a dog, drink alcohol,
smoke, litter or sell anything.

This is a park to go walking and exercising in.  The bank of dirt on
the right is what is left of the outside wall of the city.  They had a
wall around the inner wall to give them more protection.  Outer wall,
canal, then the inner wall.

August 2016

An old temple on a hill buried in among the trees

The inside of this temple.  This was an old one and not kept up very well

We climbed up about 150 stairs and found this huge Buddha

the gong sounded throughout the forest

                                           

What a beautiful spot by the lake in Phayao with a beautiful lady

This is a traditional Thai instrument.  It is played with two sticks with padding on them.

The throne room.

The shower with water heater.

White Wat in Chiang Rai Thailand

I think this security guy just wanted to look tough.

There is so much beauty in all of the white, there had to be something for the kids to get their picture taken with.  Quite a contrast to the white.  Not sure what this figure represents.

                                 

7 August 2016

The Sisters came buy to make cookies.  The two Sisters on the left are Thais.  The one in the green dress is 30 years old.  She has finished school and ran a business before she came on her mission.  The one sister in the front in red is from Myanmar.  The one behind her is Korean.  She is from Canada.

We went to the mountains to see the sights.  This is a place that they grow cabbage.  Chinese cabbage and regular cabbage.  The Elder second from left is Elder Saunders.  He is the grandson of Glen and Marvetta.  Great missionary.  The back row is Elder Bunker, Orem, Elder Saunders, Elder Noyes, Syracuse, his parents just moved there, and Elder Joyem, a Thai.










This is how you shingle a roof for cheap.  Notice he is using an air gun to help.  If there is ever a problem with a leaky roof, you just take a section out and put some new in.  If you want a new roof each year so you can have a green roof, just go find some new leaves and there you go.
                                                             


Mom was practicing braking.  I ultimately would not let her go when I saw the hill they would come down.


























Swinging in the mountains in the cabbage patch.

Catching up

We had the opportunity of going to this national park for a senior missionary conference.  It was a great time to be away from all the hustle and bustle.  There are 9 missionary couples in the Thailand Bangkok Mission.  2 couples serve in Laos and one couple in Myanmar.  One couple serves in Eastern Thailand, 4 couples in the service center in Bangkok, and us in northwestern Thailand.  We stayed in a very nice hotel

This is a view of the grounds and some of the buildings that you can stay in.  It has an old English theme.  We stayed here for 2 days.  It was good to receive counsel from President Johnson and to discuss what everyone is doing and how they are doing it.  We do not get to see these couples very often.  Maybe once every few months.



























This is a view from inside the national park looking towards the valley that we stayed in.  It is very lush and green.  It is the rainy season so we are getting plenty of water right now.  We were able to go on a night safari one of the nights.  It was nice to get in the back of a pickup and go out with a spot light to see what animals could be found.  We saw a lot of deer and quite a few other animals that are hard to explain because I have never seen them before.  They were the size of raccoons and large cats.  There were elephants but they do not come out at night.

        Taking it easy in the park.  This is a bench to take a rest on the way to the waterfall.  Looks like Sister Barlow is give out in this one!

                                                                

14 July 2016

The work is going great.  It is the rainy season.  Here in Chiang Mai it is comfortable.  The surroundings are very green.  The rice is growing and the fruit is plentiful.



We have had some opportunities to go to different parts of Thailand to take care of mission business.  Recently we went to the eastern part of Thailand to reorganize a branch.  The mission president and the first counselor were at a District conference in Bangkok and the president asked me to go and take care of the reorganization.  What an experience.  It sure strengthens your testimony as to who is in charge of His work.  It was a great experience for the District president to go through this process.  It was his first time to be on the other side of the desk asking the questions.

These are some rice fields on the way to the branch that we reorganized

This is the city that we went to in eastern Thailand

This is what some of the roads looked like after a rain storm one morning.  The drainage system is not the best and when you have a massive rain storm, it just does not handle that amount of water.




This was a painting in an art museum that we went to in Khao Yai.  It had a label something to do with facebook.  It is very appropriate for Thailand.  Everyone is on a device of some kind.

 Chillin' at the waterfall

This is us swinging in the cabbage field on top of the mountain

In the gardens of the Summer Palace

At the art museum

We have been blessed to be here.  We have had our struggles but the good out weighs the bad.  We have had many opportunities to help teach and see the work grow here.  We have taught people from Iran and people from China.  We love it here!!!!

June 8

These are random pictures of things and places that you see on the way to church.  Temples and lots of little places to eat

This is during fast and testimony meeting.  There was a member from Japan that wanted to share his testimony.  He could speak English some, but there happened to be a visitor that had served her mission in Japan.  He spoke in Japanese, she translated to English, and the one in the suit translated to Thai.