Dear family and friends,
If you plan to read this week's blog, I advise you to get a snack and find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. This one is going to be a doozy!! There are a record breaking number of photos!
You have been warned! So on we go to the pictures!
But first know that we love you and miss you and thank you for your love, support, prayers, and kind words.
Love,
Elder and Sister Brady (mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, John and Shelly, and so on)
Saturday morning, the grandchildren arrive for a breakfast of bagels, cereal, and fruit! After breakfast, the children played some games and watched a movie, while the adults went to the temple.
Gordon and Katrina in front of the Christus just outside of the temple.
After the temple, we quickly packed our bags and got in the mission van and headed down to Rayong for a 3 day weekend. After we checked in to the hotel, we headed over to the barber shop where grandpa usually gets his haircut (whenever we are in Rayong and it is time for a haircut).
Aaron got a haircut too!
So did Brady!
While the boys got haircuts, the girls roamed the Star Night Market (no picture).
Like Grandpa - like Grandsons! :)
The Platt children with Ronald wish everyone a Thai hello: Sa wat dee!
Mommy - daughter!
Waiting for the sky train!
OK! Let's sit up and smile! :)
Back down on the 4th floor, we go to the SkyVerse show! 
Friday morning, we started the day off with a Zone Conference Breakfast! Henry and Brady line up with the Elders to get some Pancakes and other yummy foods!
After breakfast, we headed out once again. On our way to catch another train, we stopped and bought some waffles in honor of cousin Jenna's love of waffles! They were delicious! Nothing like a pancake breakfast followed by Waffles! We were on our way to checkout the Asoke Sports club to see if we could book a couple of Pickleball courts because everyone wanted to play some Pickleball in Thailand! 
We booked a couple of courts for the next morning (Saturday). Then we headed off to Benchakitti Park!
After lunch walk to our next destination, we had to pause for a picture with Godzilla!
Afterwards, everyone wanted to hold the King Cobra!!
After Pickleball, the Platts went to the famous Chatuchak Weekend Market. The plan was for everyone to go, but grandpa stayed home to rest after not sleeping well and to get caught up in the office. I stayed to keep an eye on Nick and work on this blog and get caught up in the office.
Saturday late afternoon, everyone returns with their souvenirs. They picked out some things for Nick who had spent the afternoon watching a little Netflix and napping. :(
Sunday morning, we attended church in Rayong. The members loved the Platt Family!
Ma Beer gives Aaron a hug with Sister Merritt.
Henry and Charlotte talk with our brand new missionary, Sister Brown while the rest of us pose for a picture with Ma Beer! (Aaron, Brady, Katrina, me, and Nick)
Rayong Branch - Sunday, July 19, 2026 - Speakers: Katrina and Gordon Platt!
Aujima loved meeting the Platt family! And she enjoyed pinching their cheeks! Nick! :)
Brady!! :)
A hug from me!
Aaron!!
Aujima asked for permission to pinch Henry's cheeks! He was a good sport and said, "ok!" Aujima joined the church in Rayong a little over a year ago, just before her 18th birthday. We were at her baptism at the beach! She recently got her mission call to serve in the Thailand Bangkok West Mission! (We are in the East Mission.) We are so excited for her to serve! She will begin her mission at the end of October, just over a month before we leave Thailand.
Nom Tam (the first person to get baptized in Rayong a year and a half ago), Katrina, and me! I love this camera filter! We look so young! Haha!
Plus, Katrina and I brought matching dresses to wear to church! (We had not planned that! Haha!)
Katrina stands in the elevator corner - like father - like daughter!
Sunday afternoon, we took took a little drive to explore a couple of the Thai Temples (Wats) in Rayong. Katrina and Henry climb the spiral staircase to the top of the bell tower.
Aaron likes this small dragon.
Buddha.
An intricate shrine.
Grandma and Char on the bridge! I love the colorful fishing boats in the background!
Buddha.
Reclining Buddha in Rayong. The people are placing pieces of gold leaf on the Buddha. Here is what the google says:
Donating and pressing small pieces of gold leaf onto a statue creates good karma and blessings for the worshipper.
A famous cultural saying about placing gold leaf on the back of a Buddha statue encourages doing good things for others even when no one is watching or praising you.
Monday morning buffet at the Star Convention hotel where we are all staying. We are still in Rayong!
Everyone loved the breakfast! We ate lots of fruits, veggies, eggs, and desserts!
Someone loves Patongko (Thai Donuts)!
Katrina was braved and tried the pastry with a hot dog in the center. This was on the dessert table.
Katrina, you are not in Kansas anymore!!! (You never were actually!)
Back in the van after breakfast, we head to Khao Laem Ya Koh Samet National Park. We have been here with the Young Missionaries and the Calls. We thought the Platts would enjoy it!
Story time! Do you see this Monkey?? I am mad at it!!! Why, you ask? Well, on our way to the park, we stopped at a 7-11 for everyone to pick out a treat. We decided not to eat in the van so gummy bears and chocolates would not accidentally melt on the seats. When we got to the park, grandma (me!!) got out of the van with the plastic 7-11 bag, and suddenly the monkey started aggressively coming towards me. I yelled no and tried to kick my foot out (I did not kick the monkey but was trying to shoo it a way) when the monkey suddenly swiped up with his claw and tore a big hole in the bag. Candy, muffins, skittles, mentos, gummy bears, and even cough drops fell to the ground. And several monkeys ran up and picked up the treats and ran off. I wish I had taken a picture of the monkey sitting on the ground trying to figure out how to open the roll of mentos! But I was too busy scrambling to pick up the rest of the treats. And I was too shocked to think straight! Ugh! Those monkeys!!!
We promised the children we would stop at 7-11 again on our way back to the hotel and replace what was stolen! So, off we went on our hike.
The hike leads to this beautiful cliff and ocean view!
Khao Laem Ya National Park! Koh Samet Island in the background (across the bay).
Elder and Sister Brady!
Princess Charlotte!
St. Nicolas! He found this giant piece of coral!
At the end of the hike, we found this beautiful beach! No one was in sight! We thought it might be a private beach. But we saw a park ranger and asked if we could swim there and they said yes! Everyone changed into their swimsuits and headed to the beach.
I started down a very small hill and slipped on some gravel. I turned to try to stop my fall by grabbing a wooden deck to my right, but instead ended up twisting my back a bit and hitting the deck hard with my arm and scrapping and bruising myself.
There was just enough of a scrape that we did a google search and decided it might not be a good idea to get in the ocean. We didn't want to risk an infection. I was so excited to swim! :(
So grandpa and I sat in the shade and guarded all of our bags from the monkeys. Brady spied these lizard eggs tucked in the crack of the wooden picnic stool we were sitting on!
We worked up an appetite after the hike and swim, and headed to lunch at the Pizza Company!
Tuesday morning, we left Rayong and stopped at Makro on our way. I wanted the family to try the yummy 8 baht coconut ice cream cones I had the last time we went to Makro. There was no coconut flavor this time, but everyone was game to try the Classic Popcorn Flavored Soft Serve! It was a hit!
10/10 I would eat this again ... if there was not coconut flavor!! Haha!
Tuesday on the way back to Bangkok, we stopped at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi! We went here last year in July with Rikki when she visited Thailand, but I was sick that day and we were not able to stay long and see much of the zoo.
So this time, we were able to spend a few hours there and enjoy this large beautiful zoo! The grandchildren enjoyed petting the free roaming deer.
This is a large zoo! And Thailand is hot! So we took advantage of the Golf Carts available for rent! We still managed to get a lot of steps in!
This is the famous Moo Daeng!
Moo Daeng is cute little pigmy hippo that has become famous across social media channels!
I have only seen her sleeping in the little pond the two times I have visited this zoo!
I do not know the name of this gigantic Rhino!
The Platts had fun feeding the Rhino!
Photo op!
Behind the waterfall in the Aviary!
Aaron and Grandma!
Brady and Aaron and their new elephant friend!
Time to feed the elephants!
Aaron and the monkey have a stare down. From a safe difference!
The free roaming monkeys were the most entertaining part of the zoo.
We kept our bags away from them and secure!
Hello Chimpanzee!
Beautiful flowers!
Back on the road, we stopped to gas up the car and have some lunch!
Look at my bruise!
View of the skyline!
Wednesday morning, we headed out to explore some of Bangkok.
But first, we took a quick picture in front of the temple!
Our next stop was PEPPER LUNCH! But I forgot to take a picture!!
The kids liked it! Aaron was not happy about going there, but ended up liking it. He whispered to me that he actually liked it but did not want his family to know. So he asked me to pretend that he did not like it and then force him to eat it! I put my drama skills to work!
On the MRT (subway).
Next stop was Lumphini Park. This is the clock tower where President Hinkley dedicated the country of Thailand to the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Henry and Aaron found a water monitor on the grass!
Char takes a video of a water monitor doing some digging!
We don't know what he is burying or looking for!
The Dusit Thani hotel where John had lunch back in the late 70s to celebrate the halfway mark of his mission! At that time, it was the tallest building in Bangkok! You can see the trees of the Central Park Garden at the base of the hotel.
The Mahanakhon Building! This is currently the tallest building in Bangkok!
It looks like a giant Jenga Game!
Three generations!
Two Senior Missionaries!
One tired grandpa!
Glass floor - 84 feet above street level! Circle around Brady and Platt feet!!
Bangkok Skyline!
Let me see if I can pick up this building below me!
Superman flies through the sky!
Grandma and Grandpa want in on the fun!
Who is afraid of heights? Not us!
Beautiful skyline!
We look like we are in a kaleidoscope!
Platts!
This was a fun optical illusion!
Here is how it looks on the ground and projected on the screen!
We had a fun time posing!
Another room with cool lights and mirrors!
Next stop was at the Central Park Mall for some snacks and a photo op near the fancy escalators!
Outside on the terrace of the building we did a quick walk through the Central Park Rooftop Gardens!
We did a quick walk because it started to rain! Speaking of the rain! We are on the edge of the rainy season and expected to see a fair amount of rain this week! We have been so grateful for the amazing weather! Other than this little storm that blew over us (with a little thunder and lightening), we have had sun and/or overcast days (which is actually nice and helped us stay cooler). I mean as cool as you can be in 90 plus degree weather and 70% humidity . . .
Wednesday evening dinner at EAT AM ARE! No, John does not look different. He opted to stay home because his feet were sore. This is Carter, a fellow foreign service friend and coworker! He was in town on a business trip and joined us for dinner! Their two families were good friends in D.C..
Thursday morning, we stopped in the county office so Katrina and Gordon could say hello to Art! He was in the choir and in some of the musicals with Katrina. Art knew them when they were first married!
We hopped on the Sky Train to head to the water front. Grandpa stayed back at the Annex to get caught up on some work in the office.
Here we are on the Hop on Hop off Boat!
First stop was Icon Siam! Smile Platts!
I told them how Drew bought some Crocodile meat on a stick when we came to Icon Siam in April and convinced Michelle and the children to try it! If the Vernons could taste some Crocodile meat, then the Platts could too! And they did! Everyone agreed it tasted like chicken! Sort of . . .
After Icon Siam, we hopped back on the boat and floated over to Wat Arun. This was a beautiful group of Buddhas.
This woman from Malaysia was taking pictures and she pulled me next to her and wanted to take several pictures with me! She was so sweet!
Platts at Wat Arun.
Heading back to the boat.
On the boat!
The Grand Palace! John took a picture by these giant statues back when he was a missionary in the 70s.
Mother and daughter!
This colorful statue is helping to hold up the building!
Platts in front of the Grand Palace.
Brady and the gong!
Nick and the gong!
Last stop - Wat Pho! The Reclining Buddha and the Platts!
Thursday afternoon, Aaron made it clear that he was done with the heat and the markets! So we took Aaron, Brady, and Nick back to the apartment to have some lunch, play games, and watch a movie with grandpa, while Katrina, Gordon, Henry, and Charlotte came to the Market for lunch. Most of the stalls were already closed because it was 3pm, but we got my favorite foods!
Pad Thai and some chicken wraps!
Aaron and Elder Dodini smile for a photo! Elder Dodini is from the D.C. area and Katrina knows his mother! It is a small world!
Elder Brady and the Calls in the kitchen - finishing up the pancakes on our new mission griddles!
Elder and Sister Call did all of the shopping and planning for this Zone Conference Breakfast because we were out playing with our children all week! And it is good practice to start handing over more of the responsibilities to Sister Call because we are down to our last few transfers in Thailand! They did a great job!! All we did was mix and flip some pancakes and help a little bit with some of the set up! We know the office will be in good hands when we leave!
Missionaries and Platts enjoying the Pancake (and yogurt and granola and fruit and juice and milk) breakfast! I spy some Sisters - Sister Malquist, Sister Peterson, Sister Brown, and Sister Merritt!
I love Bougainvillea!
I am sure the family is tired of me asking everyone to stop for another picture!
Thankfully, they are kind to Grandma and her desire for a million pictures!
Friday midday break for lunch! We all enjoyed some salad and wraps at "Jones Salad!"
Destination - Snake Farm!! We enjoyed the Venomous Snake Show!!
Aaron!
Brady! 
Nick!
Char!
Henry!
Gordon!
Katrina!
Grandma!
Mother and Daughter!
No pictures of grandpa and the snack because he was our self-designated photographer!
After snake holding and hand washing, it was time for a snack!
We finally tried those Cheezu Oreos!
The jury is in . . .
Gordon's face says it all!
The chocolate on the outside saves it from being a complete FAIL!
I mean it was OK, but I would probably not buy it again!
Grandpa and the boys check out the funny Thai advertisements!
Three generations! After the Snake Farm, Gordon and the older boys headed to a Jewelry/precious Gems Mall, Grandpa and the little boys headed to the apartment, and Grandma and the girls went to a different mall ...
To get pedicures!
Saturday morning, we headed over to play pickleball at 8am! We had 2 courts for an hour and we had fun switching up our teams and getting a good workout. Nick was sick all night and ended up not being able to come :(. Gordon stayed home with Nick.
They enjoyed the gigantic market and stopped for smoothies to cool off!
They also had some "questionable" meat! :)!
Aaron wanted to spend his souvenir money on himself and his oldest brother, Henry.
He bought them some matching rings!
Well, that concludes this week's blog!
I will be amazed if anyone makes it this far!
But if you did, thank you for reading!
Stay tuned for next week! We have the Platts here for a couple of more days and then they will head to Chiang Mai while John and I attend the YSA event. Platts will return late in the evening, Saturday. We will be together for a final Sunday, August 2nd. We will enjoy that day with them before they head off to their final destination, Beijing, where they will be living for the next 3 - 4 years!
Love you all!
Bye!
I just skipped to the end. It's too bad you never have family visit you, and that you never do anything interesting. Just work, work, work...
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