Mission Tour Continued: Battambang, March 2-4th.

March 2nd, we headed down to Battambang from Siem Reap. On the way to Battambang we saw some beautiful rice fields. Most are dry and not planted because the rainy season hasn't started,  but these were flourishing and a beautiful sight.  When we arrived we had a  Zone Conference and meal with all of our missionaries.  Afterwards, Sister Gong and I went out with Sisters Rytting and Mai. We visited a wonderful family where they taught 2 lessons and Sister Gong and I shared testimony.  There were some neighbors also being taught.  The whole time we could hear the neighbor's pig and I thought he was HUGE. So, he gets center attention for this group of pictures, but the highlight was meeting the family.  I love the picture of a daughter of the member sister and her little boy. 

All of our missionaries in Battambang with us and Elder and Sister Gong. Left to Right:  1st row: Sister Gong, me, Elder Khlot, Elder and Sister Yeates, Sisters Rytting and Mai. 2nd Row: Elder Gong, Scot, Elder Oleson, Elders Nebeker and Garlick, Wright and Sin.  Also pictured are members of the Sorn family with us, Elder and Sister Gong, and Yeates.  The District President Kue Bonno and his wife are pictured also.  We had the District Conference meetings starting on Saturday afternoon, March 3, after family visits. 

Saturday morning we did family visits. We visited three families and one neighborhood. The branch president wanted us to stop and meet this neighborhood where there are 4 or more families in a row who are all active members.  They all wanted us to stop and get a picture with them.  The man and his daughter in the corner picture we also had a great visit with. He hasn't been to church in years, but we were able to share testimony with him and invite him to come to the conference. He came to the evening session and the Sunday General Session.  I hope he still comes out.  The other families we also were able to visit and strengthen. The family on the lower right have many new members.  The other family needed some encouragement.  I took separate pictures of the two youngest children of the family on the lower left.  They are beautiful and also a couple of pictures of children from the LDS neighborhood. This Battambang District Conference was the first one in the Chapel since it's dedication.

The family who needed the encouragement have animals that they raise for cash.  Two pigs, both Sows, ready to deliver any day and a bunch of interesting ducks.  These were across the road from his house.  

President Loep Dy (I think) of the Battambang 2nd branch. We went visiting with him on Saturday. Beautiful family!

One of the faithful sisters with her newborn baby after the conference.

President Bunno and some of his family along with his first counselor and his wife, Elder and Sister Gong and us.

This sister is a very faithful member of the Church. She is a member of the Sorn family.  Right now she is suffering from some health issues. We pray for her.
This young woman is the one who had a snake fall on her head as she washed her hair under a tree at her home the night before the Battambang Chapel Dedication. The night before this conference she had a big spider on her leg and needed her family to come and get it off of her leg. She showed me where it was and it had left a little bruise on her leg. She thougth it looked like a dangerous spider.  She is very grateful she has a family to help protect her from Snakes and Spiders. She is very faithful and a prayerful young woman. 

Siem Reap Chapel Groundbreaking

March 1st.  This is a great piece of ground for the new chapel. It's right on the main highway. For some reason, someone, not Scott, authorized a start to the chapel without a formal ground breaking.  Therefore, because there was no need for a formal ground breaking because the first shovel full had already been dug, under the direction of Elder Gong, we held an informal groundbreaking.  This was before our Zone Conference as we came in to town.  The missionaries were invited, the branch presidency and any members who wanted to come. We had a nice little group. We had a song, prayer, some talks, and prayer and then pictures of people with shovels to signify the chapel is on the way.  We have four missionaries serving in Siem Reap. Elder Sok on the left is the Zone Leader and his companion in this picture is Elder Taylor. Elder Anderson is the District Leader and he is training Elder Sam.  The missionaries in Siem Reap had 5 baptisms Sunday, March 18th. Yeah! We now have a senior couple serving there for the next 6 months also.

The branch president is Loy, Bunseak.  (In Cambodia, they put the family name first). The branch president, his counselor, Brother Da, and the Elder's Quorum President are pictured. All the members that were in attendance also posed and those who desired, got to have pictures with the shovels.  It was a good feeling that these wonderful members will soon be able to worship in a buildling of their own. One of our former missionaries, Elder Da gets to hold a shovel too. He is second from left. 

Most of the crew came over for the picture.  They were interested in the prayers, songs, pictures, talks. All of it.  They loaned us all of their hard hats so that all the rules could be followed and they sat off a distance and waited. So, it was only fair that as we gave them their hats back, they all got to be in a picture!

On to Kampong Cham and Kampong Thom

 We got up very early on the 29th and headed out to Kampong Cham for their Zone Conference on the Mission Tour.  Elder Gong had a desire to see every city in the mission in both countries where we had missionaries. It was a very spiritually building experience. We loved being with the Gongs. They are very gracious and kind people.  I think this home is arrived at by wading or by small canoe. It definitely is being used.

Many of the fields are turning green again with rice in parts of the provinces.  In the background, it appears that one field is "white, ready to harvest!"  Same as Cambodian people to hear about the Gospel!

 These are our superb missionaries in Kampong Cham. L to R starting with the front row.  Sisters Taylor and Loy.  Second Row:  Us, Elder and Sister Gong, and Elder and Sister Shelley. Sister Shelley is our mission nurse advisor. They are the senior couple working in Kampong Cham and doing a great job. Second Row: Elders Michelson, Smith, Phan, Gootee, Jensen, Mao, Price, and Hill.  All wonderful missionaries and working hard.

We then went on to Kampong Thom where we ate supper that night with the whole Zone at the home of Elder and Sister Grimnes. Sophal, who works for them, fixed us a most delicious meal, which she always does anyway! We had our Zone Conference the next morning.  L to R. First Row: Us, Elder and Sister Gong, Elder and Sister Grimnes. They are the senior couple in Kampong Thom and also doing much good work helping to establish the church for real growth.
Second Row:  Elders Hill and Michelson (Assistants), Wilcox, Decker, Yem, and Sprinkle. All terrific misisonaries.

Mission Tour Continued...

February 27, after the zone conference with the Ho Chi Minh district, we flew up to Hanoi to give the zone conference to the Hanoi district. Because of distances, we only bring the whole zone together sometimes.

Scott is with Elder Tai, and Scott with Elder Kim. Elder Tai is from Vietnamse parents, but is from the Bronx, New York.  Elder Kim also has Vietnamese parentage on his Father's side and he is from Surprise, Arizona.

The sisters wanted a picture with Sister Gong. Sister Ly is from Ho Chi Minh and Sister Pham joined the church in Australia where she was going to school and is orginially from Ho Chi Minh but doesn't really know too many members there because of where she joined the Church. All four missionaries are just terrific. We always feel such a special spirit at these Zone Conferences.

We flew back to Phnom Penh the next day and held Zone Conference with 2 more combined zones: Central and North.  Here aer some of the missionaries as they eat.  We ordered Pasta from Mama's New York Deli and vegetable sticks and we had oranges.  A well rounded meal, I'd say!

Elder Frank patiently waits for his interview with Elder Gong. He is one of the district leaders in the Central Zone.

Here we all are as you can see:  Starting on the front row and going back L to R. Sisters: Holloway, Sparks, Bayles, and Yen.  2nd row:  Elder and Sister Gong, Us. 3rd Row:  Elders: Wright, Sookoo, Blocker, Lor, Den, Sister Spencer, Elder and Sister Snyder, Elders Nicosia and Warr.  4th Row: Elders: Humpherys, Phan, Frank, Barney, Gibson, Weller, Sanford, Nelson, Faught, Hill and Mickelson. The conferences were great and now we're going to head up to the Provinces.

Some Out of Sequence Posts

My posts got out of order when I got messed up with the pictures not showing up.  So, I have that fixed and had to redo my posts, so I guess we'll just have to look at the dates to get it all in order.  The Transfers should have been with the New Missionary Arrivals, but Oh Wellllll.

The Transfer.

February 24th.  Missionaries have all been assigned and we meet during the transfer with all trainees and trainers.


Sister Loy trains Sister Taylor and Sister Keo trains a parttime sister, Sister Lim. She speaks Cambodian, Vietnamse and is learning English. 

Sister Loy and Sister Keo were companions and give a parting hug.

This was a BIG transfer and all are glad to see  each other

Elder Baird says a fond farewell to Elder Nebeker and Elder Mao is a new missionary who is anxious to be on his way.  Elder Kuhn is just dropping in to say hi.


Now, where to find those shoes of mine?  At least they have left a little path. Sometimes, I have to go out and make a path  Today, they did pretty good.  All seemed to go away happy!

Departing Elders

February 24th, six Elders came in to have a final devotional, testimony and Dinner  Three of them were able to greet their families here.  Elder Elder greets his family, as does Elder Cope and Elder Ballard greets his Mother.

Following our tradition, if you return with honor, you get to walk to Red Carpet.  L to R: Elders Ballard, Elder, Conway and Christian.

Elders Baird and Cope walk the Red Carpet. All six of these elders have been hard working and diligent missionaries.  They have served well and they all held leadership positions when they left. We will miss them.  Elders Christian, Baird and Conway were all able to travel together for part of the journey until they all went to their destination cities. And they are off and up the escalator!  Love these Elders.