Christmas Decorations in the Mission Home/Office

A view of where I had to put our socks. I brought the ones we used on our first missions when we were single! Awww, sentimentality!


This is our little tree. I am still in the process of decorating it. But it adds warmth to our living room.

One of my favorite Christmas Decorations from Home. Our Nativity from Israel. The gold cloth is something I bought in Vietnam. I am going to hem it eventually! It is silk.

This is in the mission office right in front of Scott's office.

This looks like we've got a throne for Mr. and Mrs. Santa. The little missionary nutcracker people were already here. I put them out yesterday and today as the missionaries came in for Preparation Day, they got a big kick out of them.

A visit with Elder Perkins and Elder Ho to the Chheum Family

On our way to the airport with Elder Perkins and Elder Ho. We stopped at the Chheum's home to visit. They were very gracious and kind to us and gave us water! They were waiting for us the day before and we ran out of time, so we visited on Sunday, November 22nd.


The Chheum family except the young man in front is a famly friend. He is a returned missionary and speaks English really well, so he was our interpreter.

The family listening to Elder Perkins share a scripture. Notice how they gave us the chairs and they sat on the floor. This is so typical of the Cambodian people that are members and those being taught. So sweet and kind.

President and Sister Chheum have 8 children. They all joined the Church 5 years ago. He is now Branch President and she is a Relief Society teacher. Three of their children have served or are serving missions and one is going as soon as his brother, who is one of our missionaries, comes home. This is in their main meeting room.

This is the whole family. We are on the bottom floor. The young man in the green is going to serve a mission as soon as his brother gets home from his. The brother right behind him got sick and almost died right before they joined the Church. He was almost unconscious and the sister missionaries came by, and they got the Elders to administer to him. The next day, he was well!His wife and little boy are in front. The young woman on the right to me, in the black dress has also been on a mission and is now the district YW President.

Elder Perkins and President and Sister Chheum. We had a hard time getting her to smile!

This is our newest building going up. It is in Tacamao and President Chheum is the Branch President here.

Calderwoods leave, and South District Conference with Elder Perkins

South District Presidency with Elder Ho, an area Seventy, Scott , and Elder Perkins. The District Presidentis the brother with the glasses on. President Am Thom.

Elder And Sister Calderwood walk the Red Carpet after working hard as the Service Center Managers for 23 months. Sister Calderwood had some health issues, but through her great Faith was able to finish their full assignment. We will miss them greatly!

Zone Conference and a District Conference

Our Senior couple in Kampong Cham, Elder and Sister Richards. We are in front of their home after the District Conference. Sister Richards fixed us a most delicious meal. On the left is Elder Chung, our visiting Area Seventy. We were there on November 13-15th.


This is part of the leadership of one of the branches in Kampong Cham and their families.

On our way to Kampong Cham from Battambang you see this site quite often. I love it because it brings the scriptures to life when you talk about being yoked and maybe even Adam's Off Ox!

Zone Conference in Phnom Penh is over. After cupcakes and ice-cream, it's time to gather the jackets and backpacks and head back out to work!

Elders Hawkins, Haem, and Sweeten. They are in a threesome until tomorrow, Nov. 24th when Elder Hawkins companion comes in from the MTC. Elder Phivises. He broke his ankle in Provo and had to stay an extra 2 weeks. Elder Sweeten is training Elder Haem.

Another threesome. These are our three Viet speaking sisters. Sister Mai on the right is the Trainer for Sisters Vo (say VWaa), and Harlan. They are also on their way out to the field after Zone Conference.

Bishop Burton came to visit inbetween Zone Conferences. We were honored to have a visit here from him and his wife and two other brethren. We then went out to eat. Bishop Burton and his wife graciously consented to speak at our Phnom Penh Zone Conference. We had 3 Zones joined. They were all delighted and thrilled to hear him speak. For many of them, it is a first time opportunity to meet a General Authority or a first and last time to meet a Presiding Bishop of the Church.

We took Elders Miller, Shipley, and Howell to the airport. I just put Elder Miller's picture in here.

This is the group of seasoned missionaries that went home after the transfer. From L-R Elders Miller, Heder, Jensen, Shipley, Black and Howell. Elder Roberts isn't in this one, he had already left with his family, so I have him above walking on the Red Carpet. When all of our missionaries go home honorably (which all of them do!), they get to have the red carpet treatment.

New missionaries and transfers.

Off go the missionaries, new and old out to their assignments. This is a gombay they are riding in.

Transfer day comes the day after the missionaries arrive. This is not only their luggage, but the luggage of missionaries coming in to receive transfers.

Two of our fine missionaries. Elder Stevens on the left and his companion Elder Zabriskie. They came in on the transfer and Elder Stevens received a new companion and Elder Zabriskie got sent up country to Battambang.

A group of new arrivals from the MTC. They were all enthused and ready to serve. A great group of missionaries. Our assistants: Elder Miles and Elder Jenkins are on the Right. The new missionaries from L to R. Elder Draper, Sister Harlan, Elder Conner (in front), Elder Schiefer, Elder Swindlehurst, Elder Wood (by President Smedley) and Elder Jensen.

November 2 Water Festival

At night there were 9 electric floats. They silently glide up the river after the races is over for the day.

There are probably at least 2 million people who come to watch this festival.

This is the water festival. The boats in the middle of the above picture are racing and the one on the bottom of the picture is trying to go against the flow of the water. The water festival is usually in November sometime. This was on November 2nd. The racers are usually from the Provinces and they practice all year. They have a winner and runners up etc. They hold this when the Mekong River somehow makes the Tonle Sap flow the opposite way and it pushes the water up country and many people get their fish to live on from this time. It furnishes I think Scott said 65% of the fish for Cambodia. Then later in the season the flow reverses and goes back to normal.