Benjamin and Holly and Polly Arrive!

On the late evening of December 28th we had a great Christmas present for with the arrival of 2 of our kids and one spouse to spend 8 days with us. We have looked forward to them coming. This makes the last of our children to visit. Now all 6 children have come, one grandchild, and two spouses of our kids. We are thrilled that they all have made a great sacrifice of time and money to come and see what we do and visit the wonderful people of Cambodia and see our great missionaries. These kids arrived very tired but happy. Benjamin and Holly below.


Polly.

The very next day we were off for their first tuk tuk ride and to visit the markets.

And More Christmas activities.

After our Mission Christmas Conference on the morning of December 24th, the South District had a BIG Christmas Party. I think neighbors were coming in. It was huge. They had a talent showing and then they ate. They actually fed everyone here. I can't imagine how much curry and bread they made. We were invited to have clam chowder and rolls with the Ellingsons in their apartment. It was totally delicious and a nice way to end Christmas Eve with. Christmas Day we chose to go to the 3rd Branch which is Vietnamses. They are all so loving and kind and had us share a testimony of Christ on their roster of Christmas Day speakers.

Christmas Day, Elder Uch was set apart to be a missionary in the Australia Perth mission. He had great support from friends and fellow branch members in the North District. I think Branch 8. On December 27th we hosted all of the District Presidents and spouses from the districts in Cambodia and we also hosted all of the mission presidency. Again, I was grateful for Mama's New York Deli for pasta, green salad, coleslaw, chicken, and the rest of the Christmas cookies along with some chocolates. We appreciate these brethren and their wives so much. They are doing a marvelous work and trying hard to follow the protocol of the Church.

Dec. 23rd Christmas Conference

As part of this special FHE we not only had talents but skits. We then did the Nativity which is always a special treat. The next day we had a special conference in the chapel all focused on Christ. We had a special musical number from three missionaries that absolutely blew me away. I wish I could have gotten a picture in the chapel while they were singing. I mean a video. It was as good, and all acapella as anything the BYU men's chorus or the tabernacle choir men could do. Truly. They sang an arrangement of 3 different Christmas hymns. So beautiful. We had a great spirit. We shared supper and lunch on the special conference day. Everyone went home feeling uplifted and ready to serve with renewed spirit.
The Battambang Zone and their skit. I didnt' get a picture this year of all the skits. I got caught up in what they were doing. So sorry any parents that didnt' get to see their kids!

Kampong Thom Zone.

Siem Reap Zone. I thought their matching ties added a nice touch. They sang a Christmas hymn at the end that was very well done.


The assistants and office Elders skit showed Elder Hill catching food in his mouth just like Elder Wilcox. Elder Vanfleet is the other office Elder. They were so much help this Christmas and as Scott was making all the preparations to even out the branches and send in plans to do that and create a new District. It was alot of work, and it couldnt' have been done without any of their help. Elder Wilcox did so much work on the maps. Lucky for us, he knows alot about computers and everything they are capable of doing for good! Thanks to all of you!

This is after our special conference on Christ the 24th of December and after we ate.  This is everyone serving in Cambodia.  I have already added a separate picture of those in Vietnam. 

December 23rd Christmas Conference in Cambodia.

December 23rd we brought in all the missionaries from all of Cambodia for a special Christmas Conference. One of the things we did was have a rare talent sharing. Elder Wilcox, one of our office Elders at the time, has the unique talent of catching anything that's edible that is thrown at him and catching it in his mouth and eating it. They threw grapes, marshmellows and I can't recall what else. It was amazing.

Elder Jorgansen is awesome with his yo yo tricks. He doesnt' really practice these because he is out working, but did very well anyway.

Elder Oleson, Scott's assistant at the time, has provided Elder Kuhn with some marshmellows. I believe he got close to 20 in his mouth before he gagged and spit them all out. A very unique gift and talent, I'd say!

Several Elders were called up to see how fast they could put down Pork and rice that most of the missionaries usually eat for breakfast.

Next up, Elder Edmunds has the rare gift and talent of juggling apples and taking a bite and eating one while he did it. He ate most of it and as I recall did NOT drop any apples. This is a talent that has not been tried since he left on his mission. It was a lot of fun to watch.

These Elders all are trying to see who can last with the most pushups. They had a spotter and had to touch their chest to the fist of their companions. Elder Snyder agreed to out do any Elder on these pushups. Elder Hill, one of Scott's current Assistants is his spotter. The Elder that one did 69. Elder Snyder did 70. What a man. One must remember that Elder Snyder is a former Marine and Marine's are tough! Way to go Elder Snyder!

Christmas in Phnom Penh

Sister Snyder and I arrange Santa packages for some of our missionaries (mainly Khmer) who do not receive any packages from home, ever. Sister Snyder's family sent $100 and we got alot for the money. We bought a pair of socks for the guys and lotion for the girls along with some Christmas treats and other things I totally cannot recall. But, trust me, it was fun!

The Service Center (kind of the temporal affairs office of the church in Cambodia) invited us over to their Christmas dinner on December 23rd, which was delicious and we left as they started to play some kind of Bingo game. These are all great people to work with. Suy Len, the second from left is now on his own working in Real Estate.

Scott's special Christmas arrangement of pillows. Notice the center pillow is a picture of the Nativity. A four point arrangement.  Very clever Scott!

Christmas Celebrations in Phnom Penh

We had our paid staff to a Christmas dinner of pasta, green salad,  and cookies, candy cane on December 22nd. We got home from Vietnam on the 20th! So I had to do fast work. Thank goodness for Mama's New York Deli and that the Cambodians love pasta and salad. Top pictures LtoRight going around the table: Mun Horl and his fiance. Mun is one of our guards and also one of our returned missionaries. Brother Kosal and his wife and child. Brother Kosal delivers some of the letters to our city missionaries and he also delivers and goes other places for the mission. Next is Rahdi, a guard. He also is a police officer over 150 other officers. Then Sarat, mission home part-time housekeeper and cook with her husband, and Kunthea Chhoeun, also a guard and one of our returned missionaries. All great to work with and we love them all.

Continuing on l to r. Saret (also known as Charlie by the staff, but not by me) and his fiance, Mon Davy. Saret is Scott's administrative assistant. Try Son, one of our guards and his youngest son and wife and last but not least is Sotee who cleans the mission office

Scott and I.

Sarat and her husband. I thought she looked so pretty. They came in their finest because they considered this their Christmas meal.

The whole group.

I got a picture of Sarat in her special outfit. She looks great! We do love her and appreciate all that she does for us.

Hanoi District Conference Vists and Baptisms

District Conference visits were Saturday, December 17th, the day after our Christmas Conference with the Vietnam Zone. We visited President Tung and his wife. They pose in front of a picture they had painted where one of them grew up. We also visited one of the sister's recent convert who is a wonderful and sweet lady. Elder Kim received a Christmas tie from home. We brought it over from the mission home and he loved it so much he wore it every day we were there.

After the District Conference, we had a baptism of two people. One the sister's investigator and the other the Elder's investigator.
Quang's Mom received baptism. She is a woman who rarely smiles even though she is happy. She had us come to her home after and she had prepared lots of fruit which we couldnt' eat because we had just eaten at the church, so she sent it back to Cambodia with us.

In order for a baptism in this rented building, a portable baptismal font needs to be set up and taken down after each baptismal service. They set this up before the District Conference. The Relief Society Sisters are preparing a meal to celebrate District Conference (members come from a long ways, and for special events bring a type of potluck because they are all so hungry!). The sisters had to prepare around the font. The Elders are seen taking it down and water got all over the floor from some little children,and Elder Kim wipes it up.

A few of the Young Adults and Quong's Mom play a game after all the festivities while they wait for a special meeting.We had a wonderful conference for the district members, a wonderful conference for the Vietnam Zone, and a wonderful time with a great spirit in Vietnam.