First Transfer

I must say, I have had a very full week. Last week on Thursday I packed up the bags that I could, and realized that I had built up quite a food storage in my stay in Kampong Cham, ha ha! So I ended up packing a fair amount of food. I was able to pack everything though, including my helmet and pillows. But it is a very good thing that I didn’t have to fly anywhere because I was surely over the 50 lb. a bag limit... ya. I’ll have to see what to do when that time comes. For now I will work on diminishing my food storage and be a little more careful with how much I build up, ha ha. At lunch time the Shelley’s took all the missionaries out to lunch because I was leaving, so that was super nice of them to do that for us. I had a good time, and I surely miss them and the other missionaries that are serving in Kampong Cham. That evening we went to a members house, and took some noodles and sauce and made spaghetti.  That was fun! Some of them liked the spaghetti, some of them didn’t, but it was still pretty fun. I had a great time serving in Kampong Cham, but the Lord has need for me in Siem Reap now!
Friday was full of bus riding! I gathered my last bits of things, and headed off on the bus to Phnom Penh with Elder Kong at 8am. We got to Phnom Penh around 11ish, and headed to the mission home. We also went to the service center and got some lunch, and then when we went back to the mission home, a lot of the missionaries started showing up for transfers. I was able to see quite a few of the Elders that I was in the MTC with, and now I have been able to see all of them since I’ve been back in the country, so that is awesome! Elder Christian came as well, and I got to meet him at the mission home, so that was cool. Then we boarded the bus and headed for Siem Reap. Oh wow... we were supposed to leave at 2:30, but didn’t leave until closer to 3, and didn’t get to Siem Reap until about 10pm. That was a long bus ride. And it was past bedtime too! Super exhausted. We got to the house, and it is super nice. This house is brand new, I think the elders have been living in it for maybe 2 months now, so not very long at all. I think basically you could call it a condo. There are a lot of stairs, and it’s a pretty big house. It goes up to a fourth level, but there isn’t much up there, just like a balcony. But the 2^nd and 3^rd levels both have a bathroom and 2 bedrooms on them. All in all 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, and only 4 elders, so tons of room cause you always share a room with your companion. But it is a super nice house.
Siem Reap is very, very different from Kampong Cham. There are tons and tons of hotels, places to eat, and lights out at night (this is all in the actual city, Sraa Sraang is pitch black at night, and so is most of the ride out there except for my bike light). I have a hard time remembering that I am actually in the same country, it’s a bit of a culture shock. But it is a really cool place, and I am excited to get to know the area and the people here. Ha ha, another difference is the people here have quite an accent. Kind of like the difference between British accents. How can such a small country have different accents?? It is different, but not to the point that I can’t understand it. But I love it here, and my companion is awesome too! 

Church was great! The branch is strong, and the branch president is really good.  They have currently set a plan, a goal to have the very first stake in Cambodia :D  They are hoping to split Siem Reap into two wards and Battambang (where they just finished the new church building out there, and they are about to start a new building here in Siem Reap- by the way, the church has been in Siem Reap for 5 years now) into three wards. This is super exciting!

Doing Great!

I am doing great! I just got a haircut, and he cut my sides super short. And took a razor to my face. My forehead included... I don't even have hair there! I had a great week, I went to Phnom Penh, unexpectedly. Elder Kong and I were riding our bikes side by side together, and we got stuck together, and had a little accident. Nothing too bad at all, but I did hurt my ankle a little bit. Well, Elder Spilker had been pretty sick for a few days and it was time he went to see a doctor. So since Elder Nebeker had been in his house for a few days, and I wasn't in 100% working order, they sent me with Elder Spilker to Phnom Penh. So that was a fun 3 day trip! We left Saturday morning, and came back Monday afternoon. Elder Spilker and I are both doing great now, so no worries there. But I had a fun trip in Phnom Penh; we went and got some really good pizza, breadsticks and bbq wings at Sarpino's Pizzeria by the mission home. And I found a rolling pin, so I bought it. Ha ha, now I can make tortillas and cinnamon rolls. But we stayed at the mission home, and I have to tell you that President and Sister Smedley pretty much treat the missionaries like their own children. She invited us into their kitchen and pretty much said to help ourselves. So we had cereal (haven't had that for 4 months), and then she invited us, Sunday night, to have ham sandwiches, which I haven't had forever too, so that was awesome.  Let me tell you what, I think that the mission home is a multi-million dollar house. I heard that a member donated it, too. The kitchen was a real kitchen too. I miss kitchens! I think that they are the only people in the mission that have an oven. Ha ha! But it is just huge, and even has carpet and vacuums. Yup, Monday morning I heard a vacuum for the first time in 4 months. That was different. But things went super well in Phnom Penh, and it was really good to eat some good, American food. I had a really good bratwurst Sunday lunch, and on Saturday for lunch had a hamburger, chili dog, and some very, very good ice cream. I just thought I stepped into America for a few days. I hope one day to serve in the city! Ha ha!  things are really starting to pick up here in Kampong Cham! We have been teaching a family of six, and they are really starting to get involved in the lessons, and it is wonderful to sit down with all of them and teach them about our wonderful Father in Heaven. I know that it truly is within the family that big changes will take place, and that stronger converts will be made because they will strengthen and support one another.  We’ve also started teaching Hong’s dad, and I hope that as he changes it will make an effect on his mom, and eventually she will have a desire to learn about the gospel. So that will be awesome! So things are really picking up with teaching investigators over here, and I am super excited to see what is going to happen!

Six Months

This past week was ok, but this week is going really well! We haven't really had any investigators, and things were going kind of rough, but now we are really picking up the pace, and we are even teaching a full family! Yay! That is super awesome, and I am so excited to be able to teach an entire family. There are 4 kids, and mom and dad. We've only met them 2 times, but I am excited to see what will happen! And last night we met with the father of a boy we baptized in August, Hong. We had tried to teach his father before, and he really didn't seem too interested and was struggling to keep commitments, so we had to drop him. But he told his neighbor he wanted to learn again, and I am so happy that he has made that decision! We need more priesthood in our Branch, and right now, we have 4 potential Melchizedek Priesthood holders that we are teaching; YES! So things are going well that way. And we had 55 people at church on Sunday! That was super awesome too. It is cool that things are leveling out with church attendance. It’s really hard to get an investigator to go to church when your members don’t go. Ha ha. Not too much is new in Cambodia, just the days are getting a little bit shorter. It gets dark around 6 and light around 6 where it used to get dark around 7 and light around 5 (at least that is how it was when I first got here. Not too many adventures this week, but a few good experiences. We met with a family that lives about 25 miles away. They moved from Siem Riap and Elder Kong knows them, but they haven't been able to come to church because it's so far away. We rode in the car with the Sr. Couple to find their house. But, when we met with them, after not having any contact with the church for 6 months, they still pray as a family 3 times a day, have weekly family home evening, read their scriptures, and have personal prayers. WOW! I meet with some people close to everyday and they can’t even read their scriptures or go to church! So that was super awesome to hear that they are doing so well. But then I heard some even better news; her whole family that lives there wants to learn and get baptized. And I could tell there was a place in their house where a Buddhist shrine once was, and it was gone. That is super awesome! But because they live so far away, there is no way we can teach them. Oh, that is so hard. I don't even know what to do about that. I will just have to talk to President Smedley and ask him when I see him next time.

So things are going well here, and I am loving the work more and more everyday. I am really learning so much about service, and loving and helping others. I mean that is really what the gospel is all about. I had a thought the other day that I’d like to share. A quote that came to my mind, I guess. Definitely an inspired quote that came. “If you want Celestial glory, you will forget about yours and help others obtain theirs.” And as you help other people to come closer to God, your reward, the consequences of those decisions will bring you closer to God, and will guarantee you an entrance to the Celestial Kingdom of God. That isn’t doctrine, but I think that it may apply.

We went out to the island and it was so flooded. Sometimes it was waist deep!  I can’t imagine what it looks like now! But that was a lot of fun. We took a boat on the road that we normally ride our bikes… J Ha ha! That was fun. It was nice of the lady to give us a ride. But then we had to walk back, and that was fun, but interesting. I think that I have done more walking barefoot than I have been walking with my shoes on. Especially when I have to walk kind of far. But it’s fun! 

New Companion

I have had a great week so far, and have been working super hard.  This past week was quite interesting! I had quite a few companions, and a lot of self-planning to do, but I know that I had a really successful week because I had the help of the Lord with me. I worked and prayed super hard this past week to help our attendance at church. We have had a very low attendance for sometime now, and I just don't know why. But this Sunday 56 people came to church! We haven't had that many people at church since July. And all but 2 of the recent converts in Branch 2 were there! I know that the hand of the Lord was in all of the wonderful miracles that took place this past week.  For our recent converts and less actives, we are trying hard to help them understand the importance of coming to church. I think that in order for them to truly understand why it is important to come to church, they need to truly understand what a covenant is, and the covenant that they entered into when they were baptized. I know that through a lot of prayer, hard work, and obedience, that I can accomplish my goal for this month; that is to have 60 people come to sacrament meeting, and hopefully keep that up.
I am excited to work with Elder Kong here in Kampong Cham!  Elder Kong is from Phnom Penh. He has been out for 14 months.  He is an only child, and he doesn’t know where his mom is now. So everything that he brought with him to the house is all of his belongings. And when he gets off his mission, I don’t know what he’ll do, but he surely has given up his entire life to serve the Lord. A great example for me. It’s definitely quite humbling to serve with him. But I am loving every minute so far, and we get along great! He’s a funny guy.    We can communicate just fine, we speak probably 50/50 English and Khmer. Maybe a little bit more Khmer, but that is just fine! He has a wonderful spirit with him that I hope to emulate myself.

Success

My week has been wonderful! I’ve had some great lessons, and been able to do some fun things. Elder Connor and Elder Ballard were in Phnom Penh Tuesday through Friday, so I was companions with Elder Hall for a few days. We had a fun time, working hard trying to cover 2 areas everyday. We did a good job, and were able to be successful! Yay! Ha ha. I have to tell you of one particular lesson we had with a recent convert in Elder Hall’s area. She pulled out a mat and we sat outside on the mat and taught her about the temples. It is so wonderful to talk to the people here about the temple because it is something that they have to work very hard towards to get to Hong Kong. As we were talking about the temple, I could just feel the Spirit so strongly as I bore my testimony on the temple, and how wonderful it truly is. We are so blessed in America, and especially in Utah to have temples so close to us to help us and bless us in our lives.  On Sunday we ordained Hong, who was baptized 3 weeks ago to a Teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood! He is doing so great, and I am excited for him to be able to pass the sacrament on Sunday. He is really looking forward to the opportunity to pass the sacrament, it’s pretty awesome. And then we had the opportunity to baptize Sok Jia! After so much hard work, it finally paid off! I am also so glad that Elder Connor was able to have a baptism on his last Sunday here. I am sure that was a fantastic way to end his mission.  On Tuesday, we went to the island. It was beautiful, and I wore jeans. We had a fun time visiting the member family that lives there, and sadly didn’t have time to go and visit the other member family that lives on the island, but it was fun to go anyways. Ha ha, there were some places on the road that were really, really muddy, and when I pedaled, my bike tire would slip like a cars wheels on ice. It was crazy! But we had a really fun time. Elder Connor and I had a good last day together, and I am glad that I had the opportunity to serve with him. I am excited to meet his parents and grandparents on Sunday though! I am also excited to meet my new companion, Elder Kung (pronounced with a soft ‘k’ or a hard ‘g’ sound koong). Elder Thomas and Elder Ballard will be leaving to go to Kampong Thom and Gian Svaay, and Elder Nebeker will be getting a new missionary from the MTC. I am excited to see the new missionary to kind of see how far I’ve come since I’ve been here in the country. I know I’ve come a long ways, but I don’t exactly how much.

Enjoying Cambodia

We were able to do Hong’s confirmation this Sunday, and I was able to be a part of that, that was a new experience; I have never been in the priesthood circle of a confirmation before. I am glad that we were able to have a confirmation on Sunday though, because church was a little grim; only 45 people came to church, and we only had one investigator at church who stayed for only the first hour. I have no idea where everyone is!  I had a fantastic week! On Thursday I did some service and pulled weeds in a like plantation where they grow beans. That was kind of fun. It was out by an old, abandoned airport. I noticed we were riding our bikes down this huge, long, open, straight road, and said, "This looks like it could be a runway for an airport," and one of the other elders told me it used to be one. Possible during the Vietnam war for the Americans. So that was super cool! By the place where we weeded was an old broken down building, and we went and checked it out. It was pretty tall and you could see forever. It's so beautiful here, so green. I love it! After that I was with Elder Thomas in his area for the rest of the day. Then we went to the rice paddies and went stoonging Friday morning. Had a ton of fun. Elder Hall and I have been busy at work too. Between 2 and 8 yesterday (covering 2 areas) we taught 7 lessons, and took 1 hour to teach English too. Super successful! It is looking like we will have a baptism for Sok Jia on Sunday! Yay! It's super exciting! He has come a long ways, and he is doing really well. I am excited for him. On Saturday we are having a fireside that we missionaries are putting on, and we are doing a play of Ammon and the king. It should be a lot of fun! I am excited.  Wow, I learned so many great things this past week in my personal study. In my studies in the Book of Mormon, I am near the beginning of Alma, and read the story of Ammon. He chooses to serve the king before he does any kind of teaching or anything else. His service that he rendered was enough to "win the hearts" of the servants of the king, and the king himself so much that they would "believe on his words." As I read this scriptures I thought back on a visit that Elder Connor and I had to a part-member family. We tried to sit down with the father, and talk a little bit about what the gospel is, and in the middle of it he started being very rude. He just walked away and was interrupting us as we tried to teach his wife. I was surprised by his reactions to us, but had hope that one day he may soften up a bit. The next day we came back to the house to help this sister move some dirt to another place in her yard. That one simple act of service changed his view on us, and while we haven't yet had an opportunity to sit down and teach the gospel to this man, he is now one of the kindest people I have ever met. I know that through our service we can truly touch the hearts of the people we are called to teach.

Continuing to Serve

District Conference was super! A great experience! I did ok on the piano in the priesthood session, and I was nervous as I could ever be! Super hard!
I have to tell you that I think I have biked about 80 kilometers since Sunday. On Sunday we went way out to visit a recent convert, and it was like a 45 minute to an hour bike ride over the bridge and out! But it was so beautiful out there, so green. And, I guess to answer your question, we passed like 3 wats. Wats are also cemetaries. We were pretty close to Vietnam! Ha ha! We think that our area goes to the border of Vietnam... interesting to think how close we are.
We went to a little wat place about a 20 to 30 minute bike ride up the road to look around this morning :)

They are super cool! I think that there are wats all over the country.  They were way cool monkeys! There are lots of monks here too, and the monks live at the wats, so it's interesting.

I HAVE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING :D I FOUND REAL MILK!!!! REAL YUMMY MILK! I bought some, but I won't buy it very often because it was $4 for 2 liters... pretty expensive. That is like 6 meals... But it's soooo good! I did find an alternative to milk, it's soy milk, and they make it sweet, and it is pretty close to real milk. Super yummy and good to drink with breakfast. And way cheaper. You buy it in 1/2 liter water bottles for 25 cents!
Did I tell you that I had to speak in church again? I spoke on the road to happiness. On the last Sunday of July. Goodness! I think we rotate through all the members in the ward every month when it comes to speakers, ha ha! When you are in a personal setting, they tell you really loudly if you read a word wrong, and you are not allowed to read anymore, cause they'll say the word over and over again until you say it right, ha ha! It's pretty funny! But it is a good thing that they help you so much.