Thanksgiving 2010

I found a great turkey at one of the stores that caters to Western tastes. It is a once a year treat and there was totally NOTHING left over but 1/2 cup of turkey. Scott is the master carver and we got two big platters of turkey.

The beautifully set tables with my little favors full of nuts and seeds to remind us of our pilgrim forefathers and our many blessings. We served 19 people including the guard and the cook/housekeeper who don't eat with us. I invited, but they are very conscientious about doing their jobs. But they did come and get a good plate of food!


The clean-up crew: Sister Liggett, Elder and Sister Curtis and Sarat.

Sister Ellingson and Sister Snyder! I was so busy enjoying the delicious food that I forgot to take pictures of the good food and the great company. We had all the 5 Senior couples serving here in Phnom Penh, the Assistants, the Office Elders, Sarat, and the guard.

Water Festival 2010

This was the last day of the water festival. This is celebrated every year when the MeKong pushes the flow of the Tonle Sap up in country. So, the flow is reversed. They have boat races representing all the provinces. We were with our missionaries all day at a Sport's Day because the traffic is so bad, missionaries aren't so safe out traveling in it, and also no one, is home. As you can see from this pictures, they are all down to the waterfront. We came here to spend a couple of hours with our Senior Couples. We ate supper here at Kiwis on the river front. They have an electric boat float parade every year with beautiful lights and designs, but I didn't get pictures this year. Last years pictures are better, so anyone interested can look up my October or November blog 2009 and look for the Water Festival post. The couple in the picture on the right that you can only see their profiles, lost their pass ports. They are the Temporal Affairs representatives from out of Hong Kong here to train the Service Center staff, etc. Brother Neild walked out in the above crowd and had his pocket picked and all they got were their valuable passports, so they were stuck here in Phnom Penh with us for a day or two extra until the Embassy opened up. They said it would be a miracle to find them because they needed to be back in Hong Kong. When they called the Embassy the next day to set up an appointment to get temporary passports, the staff there said, Oh, someone from the tourist bureau turned these in! Out of the millions of people, someone honest found the disgarded passports and took them to Festival organizers! A true miracle.

Various and Assundry Pictures

The same day Sister Essma left, we went out to eat with a missionary couple serving in the area office. They were training a senior couple from our mission in Family History. The Elder, Elder Lee is from Brigham City and we figured out that he was in the same graduating class as my sister, Marsha. I remembered him, after started talking. His name is Verlin Lee and I think Sister Lee's name is Leeann, but not sure.


Another creative way to catch a ride!

Coming into Wat Phnom on Water Festival Day, there were no cars, only bikes and Tuk tuks. It was quite nice.

More of Hanoi

These should have been in the other post on Hanoi. Scott took these. In the above left, he loved how heartily our Elders ate. Plus, they were Very hungry. He had another view on coming into Cambodia. Above middle is a Vietnamese/Cambodian woman giving the typical greeting to someone in the Hanoi airport waiting to check in. She seemed so characteristic of many older people. The reason I say Cambodian, because that is the Cambodian greeting she is giving. The bottom picture is from the window we took the picture of the swimming pool. Scott likes this one, so I am sharing!

Sister Timbrell Essma Finishes

November 19th, Sister Timbrell Essma finished her mission and Returned with Honor to Twin Falls, Idaho. Sister Essma is a great sister and had much success here. We already miss her! Above she walks the Red Carpet, meaning she Returns with Honor back to her home. Above left she is with a sister in one of the branches that sewed clothes for Sister Essma. She brought to the airport 2 beautifully sewn red blouses for Sister Essma to take home. Above, are some of the Young Women along with the other sister, that Sister Essma has had an influence for good on. Good luck Sister Essma!

More Creative Pillow Arrangements

Scott has absolutely out done himself with these creative arrangements! These are two of the best yet! Notice the elephant in the above picture. Yep, upside down! What is of great importance to Scott isn't the elephant, but the art of arranging! He actually doesn't have a lot of time, but on these two days, I guess no meeting to run off to! And. . .I am grateful that he doesn't mind making the bed!

Views

From our Hotel, the Daewoo, in Hanoi. There are several beautiful parks like this in Hanoi.

From the hallway in the Hotel, you can see this beautiful pool We have stayed here quite a few times and I have never, not once seen anyone swimming in it. Of course, we leave early, and come back late. That could be the reason. But I loved the beautiful flowers at the bottom of the pool. In case you are wondering, no, missionaries don't swim!

From the taxi on the way to the airport out of Hanoi, you can see a lot of open wide spaces.

You can also see some of the outlying suburbs of Hanoi.

From the air, coming into Cambodia and Phnom Penh, you can see the Mekong River.