New Year

This past week I said a lot of Goodbyes, and a lot of Hellos! Leaving Kampong Thom was not as hard as I was thinking it would be, but it was still sad to say all those goodbyes. I will surely miss all the wonderful people there, the laid back atmosphere, the beautiful scenery, Sophal and the Grimnes’, and the all around fun times. But there will be lots of fun things and experiences here in the city, too!

 

As I went throughout the week saying goodbye to the members in Kampong Thom, I was definitely reminded of the worth of each soul. I have learned how to love people since I have been on my mission. I have learned the importance of remembering that each and every person that walks the earth is a son or daughter of a Heavenly Father who loves them more than we could possibly imagine. I have gained a greater understanding of the purpose of each and every one of us, and the large role that we play in the scheme of life. Our Heavenly Father wants us to be happy, and we truly find this happiness through living the gospel; through trying our best to follow the example of our Savior, Jesus Christ and improving ourselves bit by bit, day by day.  

Sunday was a great day! We got to church, and I met a nice guy from Hong Kong whose name is Bernard Pang. I remember seeing some emails come in from him at the mission home, and he is over the financial things in the Asia area. Anyways, it was cool to meet him, and I translated for him in Sacrament meeting. Church went well overall, and afterwards we ate lunch and helped a member family move things to their new house. I have to say that it was a humbling experience to see that the heaviest thing they owned was their 20-22 inch Sony TV that could easily be carried by one person. No beds, just mattresses on the ground. No couches, only two or three chairs. Just mainly clothes, dishes and a few other life essential necessities.

The Lord truly loves us and wants us to be happy. I am so grateful for His atonement and that opportunity that we have to change and become better people. He certainly provided all that is necessary for us to complete His commandment in 3 Nephi 12:48, “Wherefore I would that ye should be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” If you translate it to Khmer and back into English it sounds more like, “With these things said, I want you to be perfect even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” And so He provided the way that we can do this through His gospel, the scriptures, the Holy Ghost, and to fill the places we fall short, His Atonement. Always remember Him.