ktocambodia : March 2016

Week 38 - Teuk Thla - Let the Khmer New Year Begin

10:37 AM

This week was the slowest week of my mission and it's going to get slower...

We're approaching Khmer New Years and LITERALLY everyone leaves the city and goes to their kite. Other missionaries have told me Phnom Penh turns into a ghost town for A WHOLE MONTH......... really though. But this week was still GOOD! I got a sweet birthday package from the Reber family and I took some toys and candy to the orphanage! They loved it! I held onto some of it and told them when they memorize scriptures they can pick something else from the box. They were super excited! Also Sister Sung got her Patriarchal Blessing on Easter! We went and met with President Christensen before so he could help her prepare for it. It was neat to hear him talk about it, and review/ learn more. So needless to say I've really been studying my own patriarchal blessing and I know my Heavenly Father loves me, and I know he cares about all his children. I am so grateful for Easter and the opportunity our Savior provides us to receive all of God's blessings.
Okay so sorry that's literally all I have this week. Love you guys so much!

Love Kendall

Week 37 - Teuk Thla - Turning 20 on March 20th

2:25 PM

Okay the Golden Birthday came and went! I was thinking, hey I was born on the other side of the world and came back for my 20th birthday! I'll admit I was missing family and friends a little but I kept reminding myself how lucky I was to be in Cambodia and to be on a mission. So it was good. My companion and the other sisters in the house surprised me with a khmaer cake. The cake wasn't bad, it wasn't that sweet but the thought sure was. They really surprised me when they brought it out at lunch. Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes. It was good to see my inbox flooded and to hear from everyone and what they're up to. Sorry this email is short I used all my time to write everyone back.

Shout out to my mom. Thanks so much for everything truly everything. On my birthday I thought about so many of the blessings I've received over the years and you are absolutely at the top. Thanks for being my mom and best friend. Thank you for showing me so much Christ like love. Miss you so much!

Also I hope everyone has a fantastic Easter. I know the Plan of Salvation is real and that the Savior is truly the most important part of that plan. I know he overcame all so we could as well. I know he loves each of us and is ready to help give us strength and comfort when we need it. I love him and am so grateful for the promises he extents to us.

Love Kendall

Sister Sung and Sister Semones

Week 36 - Teuk Thla - exchanges, baptisms, birthdays, oh my!

11:29 PM

This week went by really fast; it was pretty fun aside from doing more paper work. So I'm just going to skip to the good stuff. Friday we had an exchange with Sister Ham and Sister Peng. I went with Sister Peng to Teuk L'ak. We, what do you know, did more CBR finding (finding less actives), but it was fun to see the area. When we came home Sister Peng and I made dinner (pickled spay) not my fav but hey it was fun. Then I started helping Sister Kosal and Sister Y with English, but Sister Kosal ran out of the room and came back with nail polish. So I got a mani-pedi while I was translating for them. Also I have house envy they practically live in a hotel.

Saturday was insane! Normally we never have service but that day it's literally all we did. I felt like a Jani Blocker (if you don’t know who that is I’m sure she'll find you and find some way to help you) Sister Peng and I were supposed to meet a RC but she couldn't come, so we cleaned the church (fyi the stake centers here are huge). After that we had English class. Then we switched back, and Sister Sung and I started helping members cook food for a wedding. After, we went and cleaned the font for Li Eng's baptism! We started helping our Relief Society President set up for an RS activity, when I got a call from Sister Ormax. It was Sister Souen's birthday and Sister Ormax wanted us to go buy her a birthday cake. So that's what we did. Later, we ended up joining the activity cause they literally only had 4 people there. Lastly we prepped for Li Eng's baptism. It was sooo great. Before she was so nervous to be baptized but that day she felt ready; I could tell she felt at peace. I asked her how she felt after and she said she felt so excited. She was so sweet when she expressed her gratitude for the gospel and those who helped her learn (especially her aunt). I'm so excited for her too; I'm glad she found the courage and faith to follow through.

When we got home we celebrated Sister Soeun's first birthday (really her 24th) she was way excited about it. Birthdays are not a big deal here. Most people are too poor to do anything and I feel like a lot of people don't even know their birthday. They have to look at their records. Anyways she made such a long wish I literally thought she was praying over the cake until I realized what she was doing. ha-ha

Okay that’s it. Love you guys

Kendall

Hey also shout out to my little sister Hermana Cluff. Congrats girlie you'll be a great missionary! Love you so much! It's going to be a long time till we hang out again, but that's okay Washington needs you.

Li Eng's Baptism Day!!

Sister Sung, Li Eng, and Sister Semones

Sister Soeun's Birthday

Kendall sent the following note with the picture attached: She's a member in our ward. When we were helping cook food for a wedding she was asking me questions about myself. When she found out I was adopted by a single mom and that you haven't been married yet she started getting teary eyed. She told me she was exactly like you. She's never been married but she has an adopted son. She kept saying "This is God's plan". She wanted to take pics with me to show her son that there was someone like him.

The children in the orphanage are all prepared to put on a performance at a banquet. The previous Mission President, President Moon was coming for a visit. The children love to have their pictures taken.

Week 35 - Teuk Thla

4:03 PM

Okay, not a lot going on in Tuk Thlaa. Really, hardly anything. We pretty much spent the week organizing records. Li Eng is getting baptized this week, so that's exciting. One of our investigators is moving, and one of our other investigators is still not sure about baptism yet.

Anyways I don't really have anything to share from this week, but I forgot to share a story from last week.

So pretty much the first question people ask me is, "Where are you from? Are you Korean or Japanese?" So the other week we contacted this guy, and he asked just that. I told him I was Chinese then went on to talk about English class and church. At the end of the conversation he said thank you and then I thought I heard him say "cak ciang (jake-G-iang)" which in Khmaer means fried banana. I looked at Sister Sung and asked if people in the city say that to be funny or if he was just weird. She started laughing so hard and told me he said "chay chean" (j-eye-j-E-un) which means goodbye in Chinese..... whoops, did I forget to mention I was raised America? So that's all I've got for you this week sorry. Love you guys miss you so much.

Love, Kendall

Sister Semones and Sung emailing!

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ktocambodia

Week 38 - Teuk Thla - Let the Khmer New Year Begin

Week 37 - Teuk Thla - Turning 20 on March 20th

Week 36 - Teuk Thla - exchanges, baptisms, birthdays, oh my!

Week 35 - Teuk Thla

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