Sister Jessalyn Homer: Happy America Day

Dear Folks,

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July celebrating America... I sang a whole bunch of patriotic songs to my companion. She laughed at me. Also we had zone training that day and I had pizza that was actually like REAL pizza! The first I've had since the MTC! It was the best thing ever!!!

This was a good week. It went by pretty fast... and I feel like I can hardly remember what happened. One thing is that I went on exchange with Sister Chuong to Stung Mean Chey 1st ward, which if you recall is my very first area! I was so excited and happy that I could do that. Especially because I every time I have thought back on my time in SMC 1 I have had feelings of anxiety/dread. BUT going there this week really healed up those wounds! I really like seeing old members and riding the same old streets! And now I just feel love for my first area! It really was a blessing to go there again.

This week has been raining like CRAZY! You can't imagine the rain here. It pours and pours and sometimes really stinky rivers overflow. It is crazy! And fun!

This week I was really bold with one of our members. Sasha's mom, actually. Her name is Ming Sissy. We heard from Sasha that Ming Sissy was going to stop going to church for various reasons, and we decided that was just not going to work. So we met with her and we just were direct, specific, and bold. We basically told her that she didn't have the option of not going to church, etc. So we left, and the next day we saw her and she was REALLY happy to see us! She joined in our lesson with other members. And this whole week she has liked us more than ever before. It's funny, and interesting. And I've thought a lot about it. I think it's because by being bold we actually showed how much we really do love and care about her. I think so many people here just don't have people who really care about what they do, and it means a lot to these members when we do care!

We also had another good lesson with a different recent convert who is less active about temples. Her name is Ming Ellie and I love her a lot. She is very smart and understands a lot, but doesn't go to church! But we had an amazing lesson about temples and how that needs to be her goal. She promised to go to church. She didn't actually go, BUT she has never promised to go before, so I think we are seeing progress! The temple really is amazing! And I can't wait until Cambodia has a temple, I know it will make things so much more real for members here. We are so blessed to have so many temples within 30 minutes of our house.

I think I have told you about Bong Lily a lot, but I honestly can't say enough! She is amazing! She will be baptized this week and I know she will help this ward. Also, her husband has been inactive for 10 years and he came to church for the first time yesterday!!!! That was a big deal. He is Sister Kuoch's brother. His family was so happy that he was there!

Earlier this week we were helping a recent convert clean spoons and her house is just right near trash mountain. As we were sitting there we had a few different members walk pass and they stopped and talked, and it just was really neat to see that within this community, there really is a connection between the members, despite how committed each of them actually are. It was nice for me to see that it is actually some significant part of their life! That all probably doesn't make sense to you, but if you were here I think you would get what I'm talking about!

I guess that is all I've got! This next Sunday we should be getting transfer calls. I wouldn't mind if you helped pray for me that I will have peace about where I'm called to serve. I'm not sure if I'll be going or staying, but the extras prayers will help either way. :)

I love you all!!

Sister Homer