Hitting the Ground Running!

President and Sister Hammond

Mom's note: After getting up Monday morning around 1am to catch a 6am flight, there was an unexpected glitch and Sister Clement was not able to get on the plane with the rest of her district.  It was very emotional to say the least.  An MTC staff member woke up at 1am and told her husband that she felt she needed to go to work right away.  She was able to help out and get things organized and Rachael was on the next flight about 12 hrs later. So travelling for almost 30hrs on her own, on very little sleep, she arrived in Bangkok on Wednesday around 10am.  We received the following letter from the Mission President. I am so grateful that Rachael is being looked after while she is away from home.  Couldn't ask for better guardians!!  Off to work she goes:)  We are excited to learn where she will be serving.

We are happy to report that your daughter arrived safely in Bangkok this morning. She will stay this evening at the FX Hotel. She is in good spirits and is anxious to begin laboring in the Lord's vineyard in Thailand. We are thrilled to have her as a missionary in the Thailand Bangkok Mission family.

Sister Clement will join other newly arrived missionaries, together with Sister Hammond and me and the Assistants to the President, at Lumpini Park for an afternoon devotional. Lumpini Park is the site where then Elder Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the land of Thailand for the preaching of the Gospel in 1966. Sister Clement will have the opportunity to dedicate and consecrate herself to this most wonderful work.  The new missionaries will be trained by Sister Hammond and me, and later oriented by the Office Couple, Elder and Sister Cook, Sister Williams, the mission nurse, and the Assistants to the President. New missionaries will have their first experience street contacting in the area followed by dinner at the Mission Home.

Your daughter will receive her first assignment tomorrow morning. Preparation day will be on Monday and she will be able to email you and contact you each week.  I am sure she will have much to share regarding her experiences in Thailand, missionary activities, and her first Sunday in her assigned area. Your expressions of encouragement and spiritually uplifting email correspondence will be of great support.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions during your daughter's term of missionary service.

Sincerely,

President and Hammond

Thailand Bangkok Mission