March 26, 2013

CUMRIABSUA!!!!

Wow, okay, i'm going to be writing like a madman to get everything in! First off, that is how you say hello in cambodian! It's pronounced like chum-reeab-sua. More or less. The language is coming so well!! It is like the funnest thing in the world! It's weird. And it sounds nuts, but it's really fun! I feel really blessed that I have experience with languages, because I think it has helped me develop the skills to learn languages... obviously. Haha. But yeah, so I think I am lucky that I pick up on some things just a little bit quicker than most in my district. It is the funnest thing. And it's nice that I understand because I can then help my companion and those around me to understand.

So far I can say really simple prayers in Cambodian!! I can also bear my testimony. About like two things. Here is how you say prophet (in romanized text): Pyiakaarei, pronounced psh-yee-uh-kah-ray. Kinda. I wish I could explain more. My Khmae teacher is SO SO SO SO SO AWESOME! His name is Lookruu (teacher) MickeyMouse*. Lookruu pronounced Low-crew. He just got back from Cambodia about 6 months ago. We have also already started teaching lessons to a "investigator" named Bong-some-nop. At least, that is how you would pronounce it. It has different letters that don't exist in our alphabet. OH MY GOSH. In the romanized text, which is how we learn it now, there are question marks in the middle of words... all the time. What?? It's like that time we were in Canada.

My district is AWESOME!!! I love these people. So, our district is basically our classroom. There are 5 sisters learning cambodian (that is so many!) and there are 7 elders. The 5 sisters and I share a room together, along with one other sister who is also going to Cambodia, but speaking Vietnamese. I LOVE LOVE LOVE THESE SISTERS. We all get along so well. It is such a blessing! We all feel like it was definitely God's hand that brought us all together. It's funny because we are all so different, but we get along so well. 

Sister Hearts is my companion. I told you in the letter I wrote home that she is 19 years old. She is from Far West, Utah. (I had never heard of that place...) She is not the daughter/granddaugther of a King of Hearts. Sorry Dad. We got along very well. We are both just really laid back and not dramatic. THANK GOODNESS. I think my age might intimidate her just a little bit, and so she lets me take the lead a lot. But I'm trying to build her confidence and I ask for her opinions and ideas a lot! 

There is also Sister Melting and Sister Cocoa. Sister Cocoa is the one going to Vietnam. Sister Melting is HILARIOUS. There is also sister McGonagall and sister Horton. Sister McGonagall is actually going to Tacoma, Washington, speaking Khmae. Crazy huh! I love all these sisters!

The elders in my district are so fun! All of them are 18 except for one - he's 19. One elder is going to Long Beach, California speaking Khmae. The rest are going to Cambodia! I seriously love them all! We all just get along so well, and I think of them as the little brothers I never had. They are super funny and make class really fun.

The food here isn't so bad. I've stuck to my goal of eating a lot of fruit and vegetables and drinking a lot of water! I basically only drink water! And I eat a lot of salad. My companion (daikuu, pronounced die-koo) is hilarious, she drinks Orange Fanta soda for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Hahaha! I try to make her drink water... It hasn't gone so well. But last night I made her drink a glass of water before she could have any fanta. She is going to die from fanta overdose. 

I think i'm coming on with a cold today. :( but i'm taking medicine and drinking a TON of water. So, hopefully I can kick it. 

It's fun living in a room with 6 girls, but also kinda crazy. The bathroom situation is kinda crazy, but it works! The showers are the worst part. You just have to carefully plan when you are going to take a shower. It works out fine though.

Ugh, I wish I knew what to tell you about! I just feel frantically rushed! The pictures attached are of my district, the sisters, my companion, our classroom (which is super cramped and we are in there ALL THE TIME. But it's fun), oh and my nametag!!!! CHECK OUT MY NAMETAG!! It's so so cool! Wow, someday i'll read that! This week i'm supposed to memorize the letters of the alphabet. This will be fun!

I've gotten letters from some of my friends, they seriously make my day! Elder Quinn, Emily, a friend from school named Abbie, and Sam Ruggles! They actually have written to me on dearelder.com. Okay, here's the thing. I love dearelder. Basically I get a print out of a letter the same day they sent it, so I don't have to wait until I get to my email to read it. It's really really nice. So, if you feel like it, use dear elder. :) But email from family is actually just as good. :) I also got a package today from Elder Denos!!! It's a dear elder package. I haven't opened it, so i'm not sure what is inside, but that made me really happy. 

Okay, I think that's all I have time to say. I hope I didn't forget anything! Happy Easter this Sunday! I'M SO EXCITED FOR EASTER HERE! I really love it here! The first few days were kinda up and down, but since Sunday, I love love love it here! I miss you all, but i'm never coming back! Muahahaha! Okay, in a long time I will. I love you I love you I love you. I love this gospel!! I wish you could all live at the MTC!

I'll talk to you soon!

Cumriablia!

Sister Homer.

*Names have been changed

The Beginning

Since I was 12 years old I have wanted to serve a mission. I think the desire began when I saw the excitement surrounding my oldest brother BJ preparing to serve his mission. Two years later Nick began preparing for a mission, and my interest in serving a mission turned into a definite goal. I wanted so badly to have the experiences that my brothers had had. I especially wanted to experience the changes that we all saw happening in Nick as he served in Brazil. Then again a few years later my last brother Shawn served his mission. Around that time I was really beginning to develop my own testimony. As that part of me grew, my desire to serve grew even more.

When I turned 20, I suddenly became aware of how close serving a mission was. It really freaked me out! Suddenly serving a mission meant something - it wasn't just empty words. Serving a mission meant not rooming with my best friend. It meant saying goodbye to my family. It meant leaving school for a while. It meant leaving the job I loved. It meant not seeing my nieces. It meant something really scary. Suddenly I wasn't so sure.

But then I realized that serving a mission meant something. It meant sharing a special part of me with other people. It meant bringing joy into other people's lives - joy that I experienced every day. It meant growing closer to my savior. It meant introducing my savior to others. It meant the most fulfilling thing I could do at this point in my life. It meant everything to me. Suddenly I knew that what I had always wanted was what I still wanted.

So, long story short, I turned 21! (Which a few weeks later became insignificant... oh well!) After a bit I got my papers all in and not soon after, this was the result:

This week I will be entering the MTC, and I couldn't be more excited! I am so full of love for this gospel and for my Heavenly Father. I am very humbled to have the opportunity to serve the people of Cambodia. I can't wait to fall in love with them and to share with them the most important thing in my life.

Hurrah for Israel!!