Nong Khai Across the Mekong River from Laos

As mentioned in my previous post, we also visited Nong Khai thailand during our visit to Northeastern Thailand.  On Saturday morning, we drove to NongKhai to visit the Missionaries there. I also wanted to see the Mekong River. We first stopped at the Elders house.  It is 1/2 block from the Mekong River on a very small street.  Elders have lived in this house for a long time. 




Nong Khai ELders home

 



Wall in the elders house with pictures of all of the Elders that have
served there in the recent past

Elders hat have lived in Nong Khai have a tradition of taking a picture with their companion at the Mekong River near their home in front a sign.  They have enhanced this tradition by positing the pictures on the wall in their home.   There was a period of time where some Elders were not following this tradition.  There is a piece of paper on the wall declaring this as the great falling away (aposotasy).  When the tradition was restored they referred to this as the restoration.  Leave it to Mormon missionaries to be creative.



Front View of Nong Khai Sisters home (4 plex)




Dredge at work in the middle of the Mekong River

The NongKhai Sisters live very close to the Mekong River.  At the end of their building to the left < 100 feet is a walking promenade that is the edge f the river. Marvelous view from there. 

Sisters just began to serve in Nong Khai beginning in February. Prior to that only Elders have served in this area of Thailand.


Sister Maughn and Sister Downs

After visiting with the Missionaries we met up with Elder and Sister Brown at the Thai Lao Friendship bridge.

Opened on April 8, 1994, it was the first bridge across the lower Mekong, and the second on the full course of the Mekong. The cost was about £19 million, funded by the Australian government as development aid for Laos.

The official name of the bridge was changed by the addition of "First" after the Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge further south at Savannakhet opened in January 2007.

Mekong River - view from Nong Khai Thailand looking across at Laos



View from the Highway department park underneath the Friendship Bridge

Sister Moleff, Sister Meeker, Sister Brown and Elder Meeker

Elder Meeker conversing in Thai

We met this Buddhist Monk who was touring Nong Khai from Bangkok. No the motorcycle was not his.  But he did bring his wife and granddaughter along.  You may ask - How does he have a wife?  I thought Monks were celibate.  Monks are celibate.  He recently entered the Monkhood and simply stopped living with his wife to qualify to become a Monk.  But he did not disassociate himself from his wife.  Interesting concept.