Farewell to Three Hard Working Elders

Elder Murdock walks the Red Carpet before going to the airport. He worked in the office for 6 months and helped us when we didn't have an office senior couple. He has been a good example for other missionaries and a Zone Leader.

Elder Long also has been a terrific missionary and good example. He has been doing a great job as a Zone Leader.

Elder Matthews was an assistant for about 6 months and went out in the field his last transfer into the Vietnam speaking program to help out with leadership there. We love and appreciate his dedication also. I have been havings with the blogger.

We took a picture of us all before their departure. I do have to say about these Elders is that they were so focused to the end they didn't get a few things finished and one of those was departure pictures to leave with their address and e-mail for others to contact them. They thought they would be finished and left about 15 minutes before our farewell dinner to pick them up. Alas, they weren't finished and we waited until the food would get cold and had the dinner without them! They did arrive in time for their final devotional and then ate afterward. They finally got their pictures and were able to leave some to be delivered. What a group of great missionaries!

Orientation and Welcome

After a good night's sleep and a good breakfast, this group was ready for their orientation. This is a good group of missionaries and they have good language skills already! We are so grateful for them. Sister Sparks Sister Sparks Sister Bayles Elder Thomas Elder Wright They all have good attitudes, and cheerful hearts! Right now they are all out with their new companions and adjusting to biking all day, carrying water around all day, wearing a backpack all day, being hot, and adjusting to new foods! So far, so good. They are all happy and doing well. JUST A NOTE: I have tried to fix this blog so pictures and words come out and it is not cooperating! Just so you feel my pain. This is a new day and I've tried again, twice! This better work! I think this is the best that I can do for now!

Greeting New Missionaries

March 24th we welcomed four new missionaries. Two Elders in the Cambodian speaking program and two sisters in the Vietnam speaking program. In the middle pic from L to R is: Elders Thomas and Wright, President and Sister Smedley, Sisters Sparks and Bayles. We are really impressed with all four of our new missionaries and they have brought in new life as new missionaries are supposed to do! We love new missionaries!

What do Assistants do while they are waiting for arrivals at the airport?

They get DQ blizzards at the only DQ in Cambodia! If you notice very closely, they all have on ties made in Cambodia with Cambodia designs. This day was Elder Hurwitz last official full day as an assistant. He is now back out in the field. This day was Elder Schiefer's first full day as an assistant. Elder Heywood on the right has been with us for one transfer. All great teachers!

Dinner with Friends

Tuesday, March 22nd, we invited Bob and Marcia Sorenson from Logan to eat with us. We had also invited their host, Dani (say dawnee) and she brought her daughter and son-in-law. Sorry, I'm not good at names. We know the Sorensons from the time in the MTC and he works for the church and has been a mission president also. Dani did her senior year in high school in California with Marcia and her family. Her family were/are very active in the church and Dani was exposed to it and came away with kind feelings toward the church. After several years their country was in a war with Pol Pot trying to take over. She had a car and escaped with her Mom, , cousin and her husband and baby, and one more relative that I thought she said was an aunt. There is more to the story, but she had to leave her Mom with a friend and the other relative while she found a place to live and when she came back her relative and mom were gone and she never saw them again. She survived even though she stayed here in Cambodia. The same with her son-in-law. He was 9 years old and his family made it too with lots of trials. They all were hungry alot. But now, they work in the government and are trying to help rebuild their country. The son-in-law works in the foreign services office. These are very kind and gracious people. Dani is one of the ministers of the country.

We thorougly enjoyed having them. The pictures were taken with the same camera. Dani's blouse was the color in the bottom picture and her daughter's dress was the same as the top picture. I served them a potato bar and they had never had that before and all enjoyed it very much! Well, the Sorenson's had it before of course, just the Cambodian friends had not!

The Window Washerr

The hotel where we stay, had a little note saying that the hotel was going to have their windows washed between such and such a date and if we wanted privacy to keep the curtains shut. We wanted sunshine so left the curtains open, and sure enough out of the sky popped the window washer. He kept pointing to the window, he wanted us to open it and give him a bottle of water because he was so thirsty. But the window is sealed shut and we couldn't help him. He is just sitting on a little wooden seat and pushes off with his feet and the lines have a suction on one end that he hooks on to the window to help him stay in position. I wanted all to see how far up he was. In that picture he is standing on a 4 inch ledge. What a job!

Ho Chi Minh Branch-March 19-21-Waiting!

On March 19th we flew down to Ho Chi Minh for Scott to preside and speak at the first District Priesthood Meeting. It was skyped up to Hanoi. We didn't stay in Hanoi because it was Ho Chi Minh's turn to have the main meeting there. We barely made it because our plane had a 2 hour delay. Scott dropped me off at the hotel and he went on his way in the taxi to the church. On Sunday, we both gave talks. Afterwards Scott interviewed for 4 hours different people and I did a one hour Relief Society training on the lst chapter in the new handbook and then we waited for what we thought would be a two hour wait, but it was a four hour wait! The above people also waited because the two girls were being dropped off at the Relief Society President's home to eat, Sister Svolboda, pictured above with one of her sons was waiting for a ride and Vera, a member wanted to visit with Scott. We were waiting for Scott and his translator, Ryan Bird for a ride back to the subdivision where they lived. We ate dinner at the Birds and dessert at the Svolbodas. All so good to us.

The above family is the family of the branch president. They wait for him while he does his Church business. There is a kitchen there and they cook their rice and eat lunch while they wait. They live 1 1/2 hours away from the church, one way! His wife passes the time with her needlepoint.

Elder Thinh, a former missionary and his future wife. She just returned from BYU Provo I believe. They are saving to go to the Temple in Manila ! She was my translator that day.

Such a good looking couple! What a great strength they will be in helping to build the church in Vietnam!

March 18-YSA Fireside

The same day we had the zone conference and visit to the shelter, in the evening we had a fireside for the YSA and other members. They wanted Scott and I to speak. As you can see, there was a cold spell there. I brought two sweaters and at some point had them both on. I never wear sweaters in Cambodia. But Hanoi is in Northern Vietnam and it does get chilly sometimes and there is a little heater, but it doesn't cover all the floor. The Relief Society President arranged for food because she knew we hadn't eaten. We had some great sandwiches and desserts and Sister Michel brought her most delcious German potato salad with apples. It was sooo good!

This little sister, Perveena Pillapalem had just received an interview from Scott for a temple recommend. She is 25 years old and works for a few more months in Hanoi, then she will return to her branch in India. She is in the Bangladore mission and her whole family are members of the church. They are meeting her, I think next month, and all going to the Manila Temple. She will receive her endowment and also be sealed to her parents. They have been saving and working for this day for quite a while now. She is a very strong and devout member of the Church.

March 17-19 Visit To Hanoi

Our newest Senior Couple, Elder and Sister Michel (say more like mishel) from Sandy, Utah are the LDSC directors for Vietnam. They also work in the branch as a leadership couple. The branch has them teaching an institute class and being YSA advisors. They also go out and visit less actives and help missionaries with investigators if the investigator or less active invite them to come. That is the law for us there. They are a great couple and actually ride bikes to go alot of places because sometimes you get stuck in a taxi in a traffic jam and the bike is faster. They are quite an amazing couple and doing a lot of good work.

We held a Zone conference with our Elders and the Michels at the Church. Afterwards the Michels took Scott and I to a sewing shelter for handicapped that LDSC is going to help make a better/safer place to work. We went down a bunch of narrow alleys to get there. They will work with the NGO of the shelter. Also many people try to come to this location to find work. It's also kind of like an employment center. There is a basement there, that I didnt' get a picture of where girls are also sewing and working on pillows, embroidery and sewing bags. This basement always floods every rainy season and there is mold, etc there and it doesn't look too pleasant and safe. So they will fix it up and also some floors and roofing on the other levels.

This level is working on wedding dresses. The basement level sews purses and pillows.

This level is working on children's clothing. Mainly short outfits.

They were all friendly and sweet kids. They also live here and I didn't take picture of their living quarters. It isn't the most pleasant situation, but...they are off the street, warm and work in a friendly loving environment. And they get paid for their work and can improve their lives.

Farewells and Passing of the Senior Senior Baton

Farewell to Elder Isabell on March 14th. He left about a week before his group because his dad was in Asia and could come by and meet him to take him home. So we had his farewell devotional and dinner that evening, and his farewell walk on the Red Carpet. He has been a great missionary and leader. The next night the Curtises from Riverton, Utah came into the mission home for their final interview and a walk on the Red Carpet. They originally came as country directors for LDSC, but got a change in call after their arrival as the directors for the service center. Their ecclesiastical assignment was a leadership couple to the Vietnamse branches. All of their assignments they did with excellence. We will sorely miss them too.

One last shot of us with the Curtises! :)

Because their plane left at 11:40 p.m. that night, there was time to do a farewell dinner at one of their favorite restaurants with some of the other Senior couples. They like this restaurant because everyone pretty much gets served at the same time. In many restaurants, they bring out one meal at a time and by the time the first person gets finished the last one is just starting! But this restaurant we all finished about the same time!

One of our former senior missionaries, Elder Nelson, started a tradition of having a "baton" to pass on to the Senior Senior as he called it. Meaning the Senior couple who have been out the longest, not the oldest in age. :) At the dinner the Curtises passed this on to Elder Liggett. Every couple has improved upon this in "some" way. The Curtises added a kind of handle/knob at the top.

Elder Curtis had made a comment to one of the other couples that because his wife has changed alot on the mission his family would only see their mother and he was wondering what he could do so that his family would notice a change in him. So, he was given a wig, because that would be a big change in him. His wife, by her choice has let her hair go white and has lost weight. I want to make it clear that it wasn't because of the mission!:) So, that's why he got the wig! It was pretty fun and I guess it's one of those things that you had to be here to appreciate! Good luck to Elder Isabell and the Curtises. We will miss you all!

Some old Some new

These Elders have all worked in the office. L to R: Elder Baird, fairly new as an Office Elder, Elder Heywood, newer Assistant, Elder Pinvises leaving as an Office Elder to go back out in the field, Elder Isabell, former office staff last year and now going home, Elder Hurwitz, former Assistant now going back out in the field. We have enjoyed and are enjoying them all. I will put up pictures of the newest Assistant, Elder Schiefer and the newest office Elder, Elder Sanford.

Siem Reap Sunrise

Back in Siem Reap March 14th I caught this picture of the sunrise before we flew home to Phnom Penh!

Members and Baptisms after Battambang Conference

After the Battambang conference March 13th we posed with a sister being baptized and her family are with her. I had made a Cambodian outfit which I wore to Church that Sunday. Many women wear their best Cambodian skirt to special events such as a conference. This is the second counselor in the District Presidency, President Vorin and his wife and boys. His little boy just loves him and when he would try to give him bac to his wife, he just cried. Finally when conference started he just had to give him to his wife.

Just posing with some members. The sister standing is the District Relief Society President.

I finally caught the district presidency altogether after conference It took two take sto get a partial smile out of the district president. L to right First counselor: President Sophea (i think thats right), then President Bunno and 2nd counseor President Vorin.

March 12 Battambang District Conference Visits

Elder Watson and the District President Bunno went together in a van to visit less active members. We went in a tuk tuk with President and Sister Saphon, Elder Long, and a Branch President and the Elders quorum president of the 2nd branch. President Saphon thought he was too crowded, so he got out of the Tuk tuk and rode with the branch president, Thy (say tie). On my side of the Tuk tuk is the branch Relief Society President and Sister Saphon. Our first visit was on the edge of town to this little home. The wife in the home had been baptized last year. Right after that her husband got sick and they were running out of money to come to church, plus he felt too weak to come. The branch president, the sick husband who is not a member, his wife and a neighbor who is good enough to come and help the sister take care of him. The hospital didnt want to operate because they thought he would die and his wife wouldnt have enough money to come and bury him. We asked him about his faith in Jesus Christ. He said that he believed. So it was explained to him about blessings and he wanted one. He was to church the next day! A really sweet man and I hope he heals from his ailments.

President and Sister Saphon outside the home.

Our second visit was to a home in better condition than the previous. She even had this nice little flower garden in front of her home with a fence. It was surprising to see this for me. I haven't seen too many little gardens like this.

She has had a knee ailment. She also received a blessing and the branch president arranged for members to help her and the other family get to church. They came the next day also. The girl in yellow is her daughter.

This brother is the Elders Quorum president in the other branch,but he went with us and followed on his moto. He got picked up for not having a license, so President Saphon went back to where the police picked him up and paid the $2.50 fine. This brother has not had the money to pay his license. I think he now has it.

Our third and final visit was to this sister whose home the member's helped build. She lived in a little palm leafed home that was just a lean to. It was located where we are standing. Now she has a bigger home that she can actually stand up in. Her kitchen area is behind us at the foot of the stairs leading to her home. Her three children are pictured here with all of us.

Our very patient tuk tuk driver. He is also a member. Our visits were rewarding as usual. Its always wonderful to meet the members and help any way we can with the challenges in life that they are experiencing.