On The Road for Zone Conferences

We had our Zone Conferences beginning in Phnom Penh, July 26th with the South Zone, then the next day with the North and Central Zones. There we took a picture of Varci and me with the Sister Missionaries. It just so happens that all the sisters in Phnom Penh are in those two zones. L-R Sisters Vo, Harlan, Sok, Robertson, Varci, Sisters Hildenbrand, Essma, Tay, and me.
Varci is pictured with the name of the Church at the church in Siem Reap. The beautiful little lane is the road to the Church. Elders Thompson, Sweeten, then Phirun, Ross and Sweeten. After the Tuesday Zone Conference, we left early Wednesday the 28th for the Battambang Zone Conference and Interviews/Chats. We had the conference on Thursday the 29th. Right after we left for Siem Reap for a couple of Temple interviews for Scott and Missionary interviews.

We then traveled to Srah Srahng (not right spelling, but that's how you say it.), just out of Siem Reap for Scott to interview the couple above for the Temple Trip August 16th-21st. While Scott was interviewing the husband, the sister took us to where they were having seminary. These people all live in the park next to Angkor Wat. Their homes are all wooden on Stilts or palm leaf shacks with cement floors or dirt floors, sometimes wooden with some kind of covering. Seminary is usually held at the home of the sister, but since they had interviews it was moved to this member's home. The teacher is the sister in the brown, I believe, maybe the navy blue. Several of these young people work as sellers of crafts in the park. They are wonderful, wonderful humble people. Truly a bit of heaven on earth here in this community. I loved holding their baby because she is one of the few that didn't cry because I was a white person. They brought me a towel to put on my lap because most babies don't wear diapers. No accidents, in case anyone was wondering!

We then traveled to Kampong Thom for the Siem Reap And Kampong Cham Zone Conferences. We did interviews/chats one day while the branch was having their 24th celebration and the next day we had the conference. In the upper right hand corner is Sophal. She makes lots of ties and scripture covers with beautiful Cambodian materials. She has earned money to go with the temple group in August. Sister Houser is cleaning up after the conference. Varci is posing in her new cone hat she bought while shopping with Sophal on their bikes. In the background is the green van that the Kampong Cham Zone came in. The driver is the Thalman's driver, Lim. The two single Elders are Elder Vanfleet and Elder Nebeker who were enjoying their first Zone conference.

We then traveled on the road again to Kampong Cham where Scott had some more final Temple interviews.
We drove through lots of groves of rubber trees. There is a big plantation on the road that owns them. We stopped to see how the rubber comes out. It comes out white. The plant the Assistants and Varci are pointing to is one that when you put your finger on it, it closes up. They were all quite fascinated by it.

Kampong Thom with Elder Subandriyo

Some of the great members in Kampong Thom waiting for the meeting with Elder Subandriyo to begin.
The young man with Varci is one she and Scott gave a tie to. He works in the Guest House where we were staying and we found out he was an investigator and didn't have a tie. So, now he has one. He was so pleased! The left hand picture is just a well stocked vehicle we followed on the road to Kampong Thom.

Some more wonderful families and members after the Sunday meeting with Elder Subandriyo. The young family are Soka and Samnang and their oldest son. They have another one not here and the baby was expected any day. Since then, she had the baby, a little girl, I believe on Saturday morning, August 14th. They have been members for about 5 months. We helped teach them a couple of times with two different sets of missionaries and really have enjoyed their friendship. I accidentally shut the little guy's finger in the car door. He was there and I didn't know it. He is one tough kid. I gave him something to eat, and he stopped crying so fast. The Elders tell me, he is okay now. I am very relieved because I felt so bad. His Mom told me not to worry because he is all over the place and very busy.

Elder Subandriyo

While we were in Zone conferences on with the North Zone, Elder Subandriyo, our Area Seventy, wanted to work with some missionaries in the other zone. So, he got a bike and helmet and off he went with Elders Hurwitz and Kheng. He did the same thing on Friday with the North Zone while we were in some other meetings. The Elders loved working with him and he gave them some great ideas. He was here to do some training in Kampong Thom for the weekend of July 23-25. We took him up to Kampong Thom for the training. When we got back on Sunday,his plane didn't leave until later on Monday, so he decided to work again with the missionaries. We couldn't take him to the airport because we were in our first Zone Conference for the transfer. So after working with the above two Elders, he fed them at Mike's Burger Bar and then got a tuk tuk to the airport. Elder Subandriyo is from Jakarta, Indonesia and gets around himself on a moto. We love him and the Cambodian Saints love him also. We really enjoyed being with him on the road to Kampong Thom and here in our home.

Cyclos and Ties

This is called a seeclo, but spell it cyclo. I usually see older women (older than me!) riding in these bikes with their shopping bags. These men have very strong legs.


Sometimes they are used for hauling big items also.

Varci brought some ties from our ward and decided to share some of them with the male investigator's of the missionaries because many feel uncomfortable at church without a tie. So these Elders are having a great time choosing ties they think the investigator's would wear.
The above Elders are Donnelson, Meas, Conner, Christian and Haws.


Elders Haws, Christian and Meas

The missionaries have loved giving ties to their investigators. In fact, one of our Khmer missionarys, Elder Phan, decided he would give away his ties, so he took some of these ties to replace the ones he had given away to his investigators.

Welcome to the Snyders

While Scott was in Vietnam on Church business, we had a welcome dinner with the Senior Couples who could come for Elder and Sister Snyder. We are so grateful for their service. They are doing wonderful and are already making a great contribution to the mission.

Nelsons one the left front going right the Liggetts up front. Going to the back the Snyders, Petersons, Renolds, and Curtises, then me. We love all of our Senior couples. Those that are currently serving and those that have served in the past. You are all great!

My Seamstress

Chay Mom (say chae Moom) and her husband. He speaks some English. So between his English and my Cambodian, we get along just fine. This is her wonderful sewing machine. She was making a Cambodian skirt for someone. She just moves the treadle back and forth and sews fast and accurately. She is amazing.

A visit to the Olympic Market

This is a market that has material, material and material. I've never seen so much in one place. We took Varci and Kali there.

Scott has these women all enchanted! The one in the middle wanted to know if he was married! So, I claimed him!

Aren't these materials beautiful. So many choices and there are stalls just like them all over this market.

As far as you can see is just the one aisle of material. The shop on the right is my favorite place to go for suit material, or a really nice white blouse. It costs for a suit, maybe $5-8 a meter, maybe more, it depends on your negotiating skills. It usually takes 2 1/2 meters for a skirt and jacket. So, not too bad! Then of course, one must pay a seamstress to make it. The one I go to is very exact in her sewing and I like her alot. She charges $10 a skirt and blouse and $20 for a jacket or a dress. Still a good deal for tailored clothing!