Sister Jessalyn Homer: The Latest

Hey family,

So yes, another good week. I don't think I ever told you that this is actually Sister Mok's LAST transfer. How sad is that?? But she is awesome and we are going to hit it hard til the end.

Also Sister Kacher now has a new companion, a Khmer! And she actually just got in the mission, but she is awesome, and super funny, and totally fits right in with the rest of us. We have good times.

This morning I remembered Vacuums! What an incredible invention!!!!

So I was thinking about contacting here, and I'm not sure I've ever really explained my approach to you. Well first off, we aren't allowed to go door to door, but we can talk to people on the street and stuff . But so often when we contact people it goes like this.

*They are starring at me cause I'm white*

Me: Hey, have you ever seen us before?

Them: No

Me: Oh really? We are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Have you ever learned about Jesus?

Them: No.

Me: *slight gasp for affect* Really? That is so sad! Do you want to learn?

Them: I'm too busy. *while they are sitting on their little thing outside their house doing nothing.*

It really works like a charm. But actually, I do better contacting than that, but it's the general frame work. Just thought you'd like to hear that.

Sometimes I'm actually sad that I never will have the door-to-door stories that everyone has. And honestly, that might even be affective here because there are a ton of people always at home. But at the same time, maybe I'm grateful I'll never do that.

This week we had a super cool experience. We went and found this less-active neakming. She actually let us in to teach her, but she really wasn't excited about it. But then, she called her daughter out, and her daughter was so happy to talk to us! They haven't been to church in years, but the daughter still remembers and still does pray often. And she was telling us about all her good memories from going to church and how she loved the friendships she had there. So we invited her to go to an activity on Saturday that the branch was doing. Fast forward to Saturday, we went to pick her up, but her mom wouldn't let her go. We think her mom is probably kinda offended about something. Anyway Bananaboat (the girl) was really really sad she couldn't go. But we left without her. And then like an hour or so later, she just showed up at the church! And she was hanging out with her old friends and she was so happy! It was really cool, but it's also obviously kinda touchy cause her mom obviously isn't a big fan. We're going to keep trying to go over there and hopefully work our way into neakming's heart!

Also another success story, there is this other neakming, named Ming Tara, and she is a relatively more recent member. Well, she got offended about like 1 month ago, and she was kinda not coming to church. So we've been visiting her and such. And then on last sunday she came to church, woohoo! Well then we went to visit her Monday night, and come to find out, that was the first time she ever stayed at church for all three hours, and she couldn't get over how much of a difference that made and how much she learned in relief society! And then she was telling us how she has been trying hard to read the scriptures every day now. And then yesterday she came for three hours again! let me just say, it was a miracle! And it was so exciting!! I LOVE seeing the magic happen. There is nothing better than when people just "get" it. So incredible!

So, here is an update on being sister training leader. Sister Mok and I are still STL, but we are now it for all of Phnom Penh. I'm not even sure how many sisters that is over. Maybe like 10 companionships? I'm not sure. But, I don't think we are going to be doing exchanges with all of them. I guess we'll see. I have a big training meeting all day tomorrow at the mission home.

This week was Chinese New Year. So happy Chinese New Year! A lot of places closed down, but we still stayed pretty busy. Also, the best part was, we made a cake. From real cake mix. and we had real frosting. We just popped it in the crockpot. IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!! But also it was SOOO sweet. How do Americans eat so much sugar??

Dad asked some questions that I'll answer now.

I do miss Kampong Cham. Because transfers were this week, I sent a ton of pictures of members down there to them and I wrote notes to them. That made me miss it. Also a sister is going down there and I drew a map for her of all the wonderful things you can buy there, that made me homesick for KC.

The work is kinda different here in the city. We do teach a lot more educated people, which is cool. But we have a lot less referrals. I don't know if that is a problem of people now really being as close to their neighbors or just that people are busier here in the city. The other thing is, in KC everyone lives by their relatives, so the gospel is easier to share that way. Here people don't necessarily live by their relatives as much.

We still ride our bikes every where. No public transportation. I guess I do see president and Sister moon more. I see them if we go to the mission home on mondays. they also came to my branch yesterday because we got a new branch president. I do know the couple in the office from Riverton. They are the Westovers! They are THE office couple. But they actually just moved to riverton right before they left, so they don't really know it as much. They are super cool though!

Also I forgot to mention that Sister Davis got transferred up here to the area right next to mine, so I see her like 4 times a week!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woohoo!!!!!

Anyway, that's a long email! Wow!

Love you all!

Sister Homer