ktocambodia : October 2015

Week 16 - Kampung Cham

2:48 PM

Hi family and friends!!!

Sorry, I forgot to bring my journal today, so this letter might be short.

Let's see... Oon Kaa's still making progress! So people here have a really hard time understanding and remembering lessons especially lesson one. Anyways, Oon Kaa was confused about who Joseph Smith was and what he did. I guess she was getting him confused with John the Baptist (why? I have no idea). But we decided to show her The Restoration video. Some of the Young Women in branch three wanted to come and help us teach. We all watched the video and shared our testimony at the end. It was a great experience and has helped Oon Kaa progress way more than she was before. She understands things more clearly now like what Joseph Smith experienced, baptism by priesthood authority and other concepts. She is definitely more open minded in our lessons as well. Also last Sunday, Oon Kaa couldn't find a ride to church and I was worried about yesterday. But her sister and she came in late; I was super excited! We're still trying to get her Mom to come. They had to leave during Relief Society but Oon Kaa gave us both a big hug, which I thought was really sweet because I think she knows now that we really care about her.

Hoang (the 10 year old daughter of our recent convert) was interviewed this week. Her baptism is on Sunday! I love her; she is so cute. I sent a picture of her a couple weeks ago.

Our district did service on Friday; we went and moved wood for a family. It was the heaviest wood you could imagine. I took about four of us to lift one plank.

As far as studies go this week, I’ve been working on the attribute of Faith in Christ. I really like what the Bible Dictionary said: The Lord has revealed Himself and His perfect character, possessing in their fulness all the attributes of love, knowledge, justice, mercy, unchangeableness, power and every other needful thing, so as to enable the mind of man to place confidence in Him without reservation.

I ponderized this during the week. I know it's not a verse but I think it's powerful! We can place full confidence in him without reservation. I feel like when I read this I can feel him close to me and I know he's there for my investigators and everyone else as well.

Okay sorry for the short email but I love you all miss you!

Sister Semones

This is Hoang! What a cutie!

Our district service project moving HEAVY planks!

Our district (Elder Hall, Elder Hall, Elder Ros, Elder Slaven, Sister Harris, Sister Rain, Sister Kimball and me, Sister Semones.....we love to serve.

I made the best fresh pico.... so sad I had to use potato chips.... no tortilla chips.

This is a great story! We love Om Chan Tan! She loves to laugh and when Sister Harris was doping her..... there was a big fall and lots of laughter.

Week 15 - Kampung Cham - I can plant RICE! pictures in the previous 3 posts

8:53 AM

Hi family and friends,

I unfortunately don't have a ton of time today and I used most of my time to upload pictures! (I have to upload them one by one) but this week was fun!

Last Monday, we climbed a tower on the other side of the river. It was steep and kinda sketchy but it was worth the climb; the view was beautiful!

Friday was also a blast! We took a barge to an island in our area and we............ PLANTED RICE!!! They told me I planted rice very nicely; Its harder than it looks; so I took it as a big compliment. I guess my asian genes helped me out a little or maybe I just have pure talent, who knows?

As far as the work goes we are currently juggling 8 investigators and a long list of potential investigators (return appointments) so that's good. The hard part is getting people to progress. It is literally up and down with investigators. We have really good day and the next not so great. ex: we had three investigators come to a baptism (which never happens, you can hardly get members to go) progress! On Sunday none of them came to church. We were hoping 5 would come and only one did, so good for her!

Also we had our less active we work with all the time come back, so that was good! But really it's up and down, one minute a return appointment falls through then you find a new potential investigator etc. Also this week, we got transfer calls! I was nervous they'd take Sister Harris away cause she's been in Kampung Cham for 4 transfers already, meaning I'd have to lead 2 areas. Luckily she's staying for another (which is different cause 5 transfers in 1 area is rare, and she has to whitewash train next transfer). But all in all I'm glad I will not have to stare at maps to find people 's homes. We all know I stink with remembering how to get places (Mom and Rachel) so now I'll have another 6 weeks to memorize. Sadly sister Sheffield is leaving which I am so sad about! She's great, but we are getting Sister Kimball ( the sister we did an exchange with). Anyways the week was fun and hopefully this week will be even better! love and miss you guys!

love Kendall

fyi: whitewash- when both missionaries in the companionship are new to an area meaning they have to rely on maps to find places

oh also I ate a tofu chaa this week it was way good!

in a skillet with oil add minced garlic, add tofu, add beansprouts and green onion as well, add oyster sauce, msg....(yikes) (chicken powder), and sugar and salt

healthy? no. delicious? yes seriously you guys should all try it and make sure NOT to buy stinky tof

Week 15 - Kampung Cham - planting rice (PICTURES)

8:42 AM

Week 15 - Kampung Cham (MISC. PICTURES)

8:30 AM

Week 15 - Kampung Cham - Climbing the tower (PICTURES)

8:22 AM

Week 14 - One month in Cambodia

9:27 AM

A note from Mom:

Here are some definitions of words she uses.

oon- someone younger than you

bong- your age or about 15 yrs older

neak ming (women) / lookpuu (men)- older than a bong

om- older than a neak ming/ lookpuu

lookthaa (men)/ lookyiay (women)- this is the old of the old there aren't a ton of them around. I'll take a picture of the lookthaa in our ward.

Hi family and friends,

I’ve been in Cambodia for a month now! Time is so strange on a mission it’s so slow but fast at the same time.

I went on my first official exchange this week. It was me Sister Harris and Sister Kimball in a trio. We cleaned Om Chan Tahns house again. The piles of trash in her house were so big and old they were literally compost at the bottom. I’ve also never seen bigger cockroaches... but we love her and we were glad that we could help. By the way we are still only half way done.

Oon Kaa is progressing so much it's great! We are going through the lessons pretty fast, she reads and prays everyday, and she came to all hours of conference on Sunday and stayed for the women's broadcast! We also talked to the family she lives with and her neighbor and they said they'd be willing to listen to us after the holiday (which is today and tomorrow). We tried to visit her neighbor already but she wasn't home when she told us to come by; hopefully, they all will still want to learn. Also people here ditch out all the time.

It happened earlier this week with another contact who told us to meet with her. We biked all the way out to her house to find out she went to the market, so we started to go back home and we saw a bong (see definition below) sitting out on her porch. She invited us over and we started talking. She was so nice; She said some of her friends believed in Christ but she hadn't had time to learn (luckily she doesn't work anymore). She said she's Buddhist cause her family is and it's just a part of her (it seemed more as a cultural thing) but she said she always accepts what people give her and that she always reads part of it. So we gave her a Book of Mormon, she told us to come back after the holiday and that we could share the lessons with her. I really hope she read some of it already and I'm anxious to know what she thought. Also we'll pick up a few more investigators who also told us to wait till after the holiday, so hopefully things will get pretty busy.

We finally had conference this week! We did get to watch it in English but had to wait for the native missionaries and members to get it in khmae. So we were suppose to get a disk that had it recorded, but because were in the kites and 3 hrs out from the city no one brought us one. So Elder Brewer went to the internet shop in the morning and downloaded it on a jump drive for 2 hours. When we got to the church we found out there wasn't another screen to watch it on. We decided to watch it on a small portable DVD player (all 9 of us) but then the DVD player could only play the audio! We decided to suck it up and deal with it but then after the opening prayer on the Saturday morning session it skipped to the afternoon session. We figured we'd just listen out of order but then the afternoon session did the same thing. I was so bummed i thought we weren't going to be able to watch conference. Lucklily the great neak ming (our landlord) let us use her house and flat screen. So in the end it felt like watching conference at home minus family, but it was great. I'm so excited about the new apostles. I loved President Monson's, President Eyring's, Elder Holland's, and Elder Kim B Clark's talk. I also am excited to take the challenge to ponderize. I actually just finished memorizing my mission scripture in khmae its Alma 26:37. It was way hard but worth it and I think about it a lot. It tells us so much. God knows us one by one he takes the time to number us. He doesn't care where or who we are he loves us, and he extends mercy to us. I'm grateful to my Heavenly Father for restoring the fullness of the gospel through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know he translated the Book of Mormon and that it testifies of Christ. I know Christ suffered for me and that he understands me and I'm grateful to have him on my side. I'm grateful to my mom and family for their love and support and I want nothing more than to be with them for time and all eternity. Love you guys have a great week and share with me your scriptures you're ponderizing! (especially my little cousins! get to it!!!) 

Love love love Kendall

deeper than it looks....this is the time you walk through water to find out the person you tried to see was not home!

Our house is squeezed in there, you can't see it in the pic, it took me forever to find it just standing there.

This is our investigator oon hoang bong pov's (the bong pov I mentioned in my last email)daughter. She is 12 and flippin cute!!!!

Bong pov she's the great neak ming daughter she wanted to do my nails. This isn't a mission appropriate color but in Cambodia....

Oon Kaa is the one in the checkered shirt. Bong Nite is a RC and the most awesome member. We do all our member teaching at their home.

This in in pum tahnang this little girl will run up to you and cling to you until you leave the village.

Pum tahnang

I love the HAIR!

Week 13 - Gotcha Day in Kampung Cham

1:10 PM

A quick note from Mom: What is Gotcha Day? It is better than a Birthday for our family. October 2nd, is the day that Kendall was handed to me in China. It is the day I GOT her. We have traditions that we do every year! Kendall's Chinese name means spring flower. Our tradition always includes flowers, going to eat Chinese food and expressing our love for the blessing of having each other. So this is a Special Day!

Hi family and friends,
This week was hard for me. Homesickness is settling in especially because it was "Gotcha Day" this week. Missionary work wise this week was good. I really want to talk about two people though. The First we came across after a rough morning. Our plans for the day fell through and we literally had no idea what to do. We decided to bike over to an inactives house in hopes her family would want to learn. Along the way Sister Harris kept saying hey let’s turn around and talk with this person. We did this for a good chunk of time and we were practically driving in circles slowly progressing to this person’s house. Needless to say were getting tired of the pattern. Finally, we were on our way again when we passed to women standing outside of a house. I had the thought that one of them looked so familiar. I told Sister Harris and she asked if I wanted to turn around. At first I said no because they were in the middle of a conversation, but then I had the thought what if I don't stop and this is the answer to our prayers (to find new investigators). I told Sister Harris "actually yeah let’s turn back". We started talking to them and it was obvious they weren't really interested, but then two girls came out of the house the two women were standing in front of. It turns out the women didn't even live there. They were just talking, but the older of the two girls wanted to talk to us. She really interested in what we had to say and let us teach her and the younger girl right on the spot. Oon Kaa is so sweet. She is actually Christian already. Our second visit with her she told us she read 1 Nephi 1 and we discussed it with her a little. It turns out she's an orphan; because she turned 18 though she had to leave the orphanage. She currently lives with a family but she's not super close to them (the younger girl who sat in the first discussion was one of the daughters). I realized how ironic the situation was at that moment. It was October 2nd, Gotcha Day, the day I was adopted, and here is this girl in front of me that is living a life that could've been mine. It made me appreciate my mom that much more. I miss her so much, and I'm so grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving her to me. I really want the best for Oon Kaa and I was so excited when she and the younger girl came to Church on Sunday. Hopefully, we will continue to make progress with both of them. I'm really glad I "recognized" one of those women outside of their house. The other person I wanted to mention is named Bong Bo. She is so awesome she just had problems with getting time off work to come to church. She eventually stopped working and she told us she knew she needed to come back to church. She also told us she wanted us to teach her children as well, so that's exciting. Unfortunately she was in desperate need of a job and was hired at a gas station. She told us she was trying so hard to find someone to swap her shifts but everyone said they were busy. We prayed with so much faith for her Saturday night. On Sunday, we went by the gas station to see if she was there and she wasn't! Excited, we swung by where she lived and she said that someone ended up filling in for her and she promised she'd be at church! She stayed for all three hours and brought her daughter! We're hoping and praying that the time swap will be permanent. That's all I have for this week.
With much love, Kendall

Other side notes, I finally fell off my bike and scraped my leg up and we don’t get to watch conference till this Saturday and Sunday. I did just look up who was called to be the new apostles though.