Teaching with Sisters Erekson and Johnson

On March 21 I went out to proselyte with the Steung Mean Chey Branch 3 Sisters. (old 4th branch), Sisters Erekson and Johnson. Sarat, our part time housekeeper/cook's daughter went with us to our first investigator.  This sister lives in an area that had a lot of smelly garbage. Usually this doesn't bother me, but this area was strong.  The home was very small, maybe 5 x8 feet as pictured.  It is in a narrow alley with a little sliding door. The sister was so receptive and ready to learn. She loves the Book of Mormon and says she can't put it down.  Her little boy had part of a diseased finger cut off and also loved learning.  Special lady.  The neighbor came over with her little girl to see what was going on.

The sisters have an investigator in the Branch President's home. It is his daughter-in-law with the baby.  We taught her to pray.  She did pray at the end and did a good job.  The Relief Society President, who has her own story to tell, went with us after to introduce us to her friend and while there another neighbor came over and she wanted to learn. We taught about God, the Father. They want to learn and want to know about Jesus Christ and will come to Church. It was a great afternoon where I relearned several of life's lessons. One of the Branch President's daughters was selling fish and other food in front of their home. She has a brush she uses to brush away the flies.

My tuk tuk driver takes me home.

Sister Chhoeng Returns Home

 Sister Chhoeng finished her mission March 14, 2012. She walks the Red Carpet having Returned with Honor. Sister Chhoeng loved her investigators and taught with much sincerity. Great Qualities. We love her and wish her the best as she returns home.

Sister Chhoeng's Mom and brother were happy to see here.  I love their home and the setting surrounded by banana and mango trees. Her Mom gave us 6 Huge mangos. I made a mango smoothie for breakfast the next day and it was very very good.  

This is my favorite view of their home. I love the palm trees and the porch. Not many homes have an entry way like this. 

We had to park in the neighbor's yard. The children followed us. I guess not many older white people come back in that area of Takhmau.  They just kept looking at us and staring. They love Sister Chhoeng's Mom and it's obvious that she is very good to them. I couldnt' resist taking the picture of these beautiful children.

  Sister Chhoeng removed her badge and received her official release certificate.  Her family is proud of her.  Her father was at work 25 minutes away, so we waited for him to come to see her released and Scott told them of her good works. Her Mom will be baptized April 1st. We hope to go.

Here They Come, There They Go!

March 12.  Here come Elder and Sister Meir (Say it Myer) from Oregon to spend the next 18 months with PEF and CES and member leader support. What a wonderful couple who come already wanting to love Cambodia.  They are already doing a wonderful work with the students. Sister Meir was so pleased with the wonderful greeting from the Senior Couples and us of course. Wait.....we are senior too!

 L to R Elder and Sister Tuck, Elder and Sister Henderson, Elder and Sister Snyder, Meirs, Smedleys, Elder and Sister Spencer, Elder and Sister Rhynes, and Sister Ellingson. Her husband took the picture.

 Elder and Sister Ellingson from Alberta area, Canada walk the Red Carpet and return with honor having served faithfully and well with PEF, CES, and Member leader support.  We will miss them and have loved having them here with us.

 To welcome the Meirs and say Goodbye to the Ellingsons, we meet at Steve's Steakhouse.  Elder and   Sister Grimes, Sister Snyder, Us and Rhynes.

                               Ellingsons, Sister Rhyne, Meirs, Spencers

                                   Tucks, Spencers

 Shelleys who are member leader support and she the mission nurse are working in Kampong Cham.  Hendersons are our LDSC couple.

           The Yeates are member leader support in Battambang.

                        Elder Snyder, financial secretary.

                             Till We Meet Again!

A Closer View

I put this with a better view because I had it on a collage.  You can see all the towers from this vantage point. The other ways into the Angor Wat do not show all the towers our guide told us. 

                          An ancient library.

Meet Chay Mom: Tailor

 Chay Mom has made alot of my clothes for me. Since this was my last visit with them, I took pictures. She is not a member, but encouraged her to find out more. She says when she gets her new house near the Church she will go and find out about it.  She has done a good job for me these past three years.

 I told her I wanted to get a picture. She went in and changed to some of her nicest clothes.

We have developed a good friendship as she has had with other senior sisters whose clothes she has sewn.

Monkey on a Car

 We were heading down a major boulevard called Russian Boulevard and I was so absolutely surprised to see this monkey riding on top of the car.  They had him tied, but he was free to roam back and forth.  He acted like he rode a car every day.

 I took this through my windshield which obviously was not too clean!

Just hauling stuff on their moto trailer. A rider and a driver!  It's fun to drive because there is always something interesting to see.  This one is right across from the North District Center.

 Elder and Sister Tuck invited us over for Supper so that we could see the home they rent in Takhmau.  It is right across from the church.  It is a 2 story home with 3 bedrooms.  This is their lovely dining room.

 Notice the picture of Mt. Timpanogas in the background.  They see that from their home in Provo, Utah near the temple every day when they are at home.

 I put the stairs in to share a story about Elder Tuck. He got up in the night and was trying to go to a certain room. He saw a light and stepped what he thought was the room he wanted. But it was these stairs and he fell down them all the way.  He called for his wife.  They checked him over good. He totally came out of it unscathed except for a deep bruise on his hip that showed up after 2 weeks.  They felt so blessed that he was okay.  They also had left a door open in their bedroom off a patio to let in a cooler breeze and what they didn't know was that a rat stopped by. It ran through the bedroom and they saw it and one other time in their room. It was probably trying to escape. He finally got it in the sticky rat traps.  They are pioneer for sure!  No more leaving the outside patio door open!

New Senior Couple and New Elders

Meet Elder and Sister Rhyne from Georgia and Elders Chan and Pham from Utah.  The  Rhynes come to us highly experiences as missionaries.  They served about 7 years ago in Russia as Mission President and Wife. They are our country family History specialists and already are working up a storm. 
Also, meet Elder Chan from North Ogden.  He lives near the Trout farm.  He was orginally assigned to Houston, Texas and the very last week of his MTC training in Vietnamse, they said he was being rerouted to the Cambodia Phnom Penh Mission!  Lucky us. He is Vietnamse heritage and can go into Vietnam and teach.  Right now he is being trained here in Phnom Penh.  Elder Pham was already serving in Houston Texas Mission since November. The mission president said he rarely used the Vietnamse speakers, so he also was rerouted to here. He had 4 days and then he was gone. It has been a bigger cultural shock to him mission wise. However, they both are doing extremely well. He too is of Vietnamse heritage and is from Sandy, Utah. He also will be able to teach in Vietnam.  We are so blessed to have these wonderful young men with us.

The young missionaries were able to travel with the Rhynes.  They had a good greeting committee.  Top picture is in Mike's Burger Bar.  A pretty good welcome to Cambodia meal. 

The Greers arrived when we were on the Mission Tour. We were delighted to get a picture with them. They were mentored by the Tucks and so stuck around here in Phnom Penh until we came back. We oriented them all together. The Greers are in Siem Reap. They are doing marvelous up there right now.  They are 6 month missionaries and will return in August, just in time for their son's wedding.

End of Mission Tour: Siem Reap Fireside, Tour of Angkor Temples.

We went from Battambang back to Siem Reap after the District Conference in time to do a member Fireside and Scott did some interviews as did Elder Gong. We had good member support, even though it was 4 1/2 hours after church!

On Monday, March 5th for our Preparation Day we took Elder and Sister Gong to the Angkor Temples. They did get to ride an elephant, but I didn't post my pictures of that.  The views above are inside the Angkor Wat Temple looking down a hallway, and two of the Gods that people even worship today.  I'm not sure, but I think the one with all the hands is called Vishnu.  The other is a female, but Pol Pot took all the heads off, and this one hasn't been replaced yet.  I'm pretty sure it is a female Goddess because of the clothing.

These are some different views of this particular Temple. We walked in on the West side instead of the East side.  Then walked over the the East side where the most popular pictures are taken. I love the pictures in the morning sun because it is more photogenic, I think. 

The Temple was originally in sandstone, but covered over with hard stone. Scott is pointing to the layers. We pose with Elder and Sister Gong in front of the Temple.

An archway that is crumbling makes a nice scene. The stairs going up to the third level of Angkor is very steep.  Our guide giving us his knowledge. They have to pay $2000 to be an official guide, so he is almost there with his savings plus they have to live, pay for rent, etc, while they pay for this liscense.  I think after it is paid they can make up the difference pretty fast.  It seems like he charged us $15.

These views are at the Ta Prom Temple Area.  Children sell souvenirs here that some of them say their parents make.  Maybe true, and maybe not true.  But still it is pretty hard to pass up a child trying to help out at home with some money.  We had a great time and this was a great ending to a busy Mission Tour with Elder and Sister Gong.  We truly enjoyed being with them.