From me to you

{editor's note: from now on, missionaries will have their real names on here, as per request of Sis. Homer.  I will eventually get around to changing old posts.  Natives, however, will continue to have nyms.}

Dear Family,

I hope Lake Powell was super fun for everyone that went!! I definitely missed being there, but at the same time, I really had hardly any time to think about it, so I really didn't miss it too much! :)

Lookpuu Jordan's family!!

Our week was definitely SUPER busy. We had one family we were really trying to prepare for baptism this week and another for next week, so that kept us busy, plus with our other investigators and recent converts and less actives, it was just busy!! So much fun!! But yes, Lookpuu Jordan's family did get baptized yesterday!! Woohoo!! It was really a stressful ordeal. I told you about how people here don't remember a lot. Well, this family is probably the top of the list of people who don't remember things. So we really reviewed so much with them. It's interesting because we have seen their faith grow, yet they can't remember hardly anything. How does it work, I don't know!! But you can just tell that they have grown so much in Christ. Anyway, they had their interviews on Saturday which was a super stressful ordeal, on the lookpuu's part, that I won't get into. But I just felt sick about it all day. But long story short it all worked out and they got baptized yesterday! They are so sweet and I'm excited to continue working with them!

This week Sister Payne and I also became the new assigned English Class teachers for the transfer. So once a week we will be teaching English at our church building. We did it our first time. It was fun! It's also hard because pretty much no one knows anything. It's super interesting how they learn english in school here. It seems to me they learn it from reading, and thats it. They can read pretty good, but they don't know what they are reading and they really can't speak it. They also have a hard time understanding when we speak to. So, sister Payne and I are going to just turn that right around. We are going to implement a TON of activities where they are just speaking and practicing. I know it will help more than anything. I'm so grateful for that class I took right before coming out here where I observed all those foreign language classes. I'm totally finding stuff to apply! It's fun!

This week I have also really been learning how to cook more. I have been helping Sister Mok make food every night. Turns out it is all super easy and all pretty much the same. Almost every dish includes: sugar, salt, oyster sauce, and chicken bouillon. And then you just through stuff in and fry it. Mmm mmm mmm, it's delicious. I'm writing a bunch of stuff down, and I will totally make you all Khmer cuisine when I return. One thing we had this week was friend mushrooms. I can't even describe how delicious this was. So good!

My RS president holding a picture that has her
missionaries in it, one of whom was my mtc teacher!

Something exciting this week happened in regards to Visiting Teaching in our branch here. Two weeks ago we met with our Relief Society president to begin trying to implement VT in our branch, we also presented on it during relief society. Earlier this week we were meeting with two of our recent converts and they showed us their visiting teaching assignment! Sister Payne and I were VERY surprised. We thought it was going to take a lot of meetings with the RS President. Turns out she just went ahead and got right on it. There are still some things that will probably needed to be sorted out, but that was definitely a miracle for us here this week! Very exciting!

Yesterday I also got to speak in church again. I'm gonna be honest, I'm really not a public speaking kinda person. But, it went well! I read some scriptures, which went smoothly! I talked about sharing the gospel, which is the sweetest fruit of all. (1 Ne. 8:12).

Something sister Payne and I are finding is that we got a little excited with a lot of our investigators and probably committed them to be baptized a little too soon. We knew that we could teach them in that amount of time, but we didn't really take into account the time they need to develop faith, to keep commitments, to start making the change. So, we are going to slow down a little bit on that. Save us some stress, save them some stress, help them be firmer rooted in Christ. haha, good stuff. Our bad. We pushed back Ellie's baptismal date just a few weeks yesterday, and she looked devastated! I felt SOOOO sad!!! But it will be best for her. She is so awesome though. She continues to amaze!

Moiraine also says she still just needs more time. She said she would feel like she would be disrespecting our church if she were baptized before she is sure. I appreciate that so much. I also told her that it will take some faith on her part and she never may be 100% sure. She totally understands. I told her we'll continue to invite her. :) She also went to church yesterday! she is super smart!

I feel like my language is getting better and better every week! I am feeling really comfortable with everything gospel related, and started to be fairly comfortable with general every day conversations. I can say almost everything I want to say, it is still hearing things though that get me. Also when you start talking in-depth specifics about any certain topic you probably lost me. :)

Super green. Yes, I had just been soaked in a rainstorm.

So yesterday we were visiting that same recent convert who lives right by the Wat, and a monk came over to their little store to buy something and he says "Hello sisters!" Hahahaha, what??? First, are you even allowed to talk to me? Second, you speak english, third, How in the world do you know I'm "sister". It was crazy and super funny. He kept trying to talk to us for a while. We closed our meeting with our RC by singing I am a Child of God. He sat and listened. haha, oh the weird things that happen here. I guess it's okay for him to talk to us in English. Just not in normal Khmer? Monks have their own special language, which of course we don't know. It was all just so bizarre.

This morning while walking to the market, we saw like 50+ tiny itty bitty little frogs! They are like the size of a penny, but not flat, obviously. They were just hopping all over. It was the cutest thing ever! I was super worried I was going to step on them though.

Anyway, I guess that is my week!

I love you all!

Sister Homer

Panoramic view of my life

Hi Family!

Family,

I'm just going to get this off my chest to start. I know this is Lake Powell week. Pray for me.

Now to other important things, this week was SUPER busy and crazy! I LOVE IT!!!! Sister Window and I have quite a few investigators, and more potentials! Exciting stuff! Let me tell you about them:

This ice cream means more to me than you could even imagine.

Lookpuu Jordan and family: This family you have been hearing about for a while. They are supposed to be getting baptized this Sunday, and I think it all should go smoothly. They really have a hard time remember a lot, but they have the sweetest hearts. They come to church and stay as long as they can! (The mom has to go back to work after Sacrament). It is The dad, the mom and their daughter. I'm so excited for them!

Lookpuu Dora and family: Okay, this family is kinda who I was SUPER stressed about last week. They were supposed to be getting baptized this upcoming sunday as well. But long story short, we pushed their date back 2 weeks, which I feel so much peace about. They are so sweet. The family consists of Dad: Lookpuu Dora, Mom: Ming Sophie, and their two daughters: Srei June, and Srei Drey. The daughters just adore us, which is super cool. They come to church and it is fun because they live right by Lookpuu Lii's family, so they all just help eachother. Their Neighbor bong French became a member like 2 years ago, and she is what got all this started. She is awesome!! I'm so grateful for her help.

Bong Elle: She is just down the street from the first two families. She just recently started learning, but has so much faith and questions. She came to church yesterday! And she can read, and she reads! This week we got a call from her and her little sisters one night, asking if they could practice praying with us. Are you kidding me?? Yes you can!

Srie Peyton: She came from the Elders because they had a hard time getting a female member present. She is like 18 years old ish, and has a good friend who is a member. She is fun to teach and asks good questions! We have only taught her once, but I'm excited for her!

Moiraine: I've told you about Moiraine before. Let me tell you, she is often the highlight of my day. Earlier this week we went to meet with her at the church, and one of the first things she said was, "I want you to teach me everything you know about God." Haha...haha! Yeah!! So she is super fun to teach because she asks way good questions, you can tell this all really means something to her and she ponders about it. She is the one we are teaching in English. I also love it because she says she won't commit to being baptized until she is sure, because she really sees it as a commitment for the rest of her life, and with her family Buddhism complications, she wants to make sure she can commit. She understands the commitment, something I wish all of our investigators did a little more. But she has so much faith, and she wants to be baptized, she just told us she needs a little more time building her faith. She came to church yesterday though, and I think she liked it. It has totally changed from teaching her English to teaching her the gospel. I feel so blessed to be teaching her! So fun!

This is my zone from this past transfer!

So those are everyone we have been meeting with right now, there are a few more on the horizon, timing is complicated though. Exciting things! Do you know that with the new transfer came new missionaries from Provo?? I am no longer in the group of most recent missionaries. CRAZY. I have been a missionary for 5 months already... are you joking, that is crazy!! I haven't actually seen any of the new missionaries, but I assume they actually came.

Mom asked if I have to teach investigators about God and Jesus Christ, the answer is a definite yes. It's cool, because I get to introduce them to them, and it's also interesting because they really don't question it. They just are like, yeah cool. They also forget a lot. It's really neat though to see the whole process of them going from not knowing anything to having faith in Him!!!

The Sisters, none of us changed!

For random experiences this week:
(1) We went to meet with a member this week, and her house is conveniently located RIGHT next to a watt. Which is where Monks live and study, in case that isn't common vocab. I can't remember any more. ANYWAY. We sit outside and are teaching her and we practiced singing with her. We look over and probably like 20-40 monks are all just watching us out of their classroom windows. Hahaha, slightly nerve-racking. And I never told you this, but yes I see monks ALL the time. We have like 3 watts that we are regularly near and go through.
(2) I can now ride the distance of the local park with no hands on my bike. This has been a long-term goal. Just accomplished this morning. Life is good.
(3) I'm trying to build up my spice-eating capabilities. This makes for some fun meals. BUT by the time I come home, i'm totally going to be eating at least medium salsa. Have i told you all this before? I don't remember...
(4) Clearly my memory is going...
(5) Of course we all know about the usual Rootbeer Float, delicious. BUT have you ever thought of trying a pineapple Fanta float? I didn't think so. Well it's DELICIOUS. Take some raspberry sorbet ice cream and pineapple fanta, it's out of this world. More creations might be coming in the upcoming weeks.

Okay I think that is all I have this week! Have fun for me at Lake Powell!! I'll have fun for you here! Sharing is caring!

I love you all!

Sister Homer

This is a fairly standard house here, definitely nicer than anything I saw in the city. We teach on like this little bed frame kinda thing, I don't really know how to explain it. Everyone has it. It's made out of bamboo. Occasionally it's comfortable!

From me, to you

Hello Family!

This week has been a really fun one! We have a few new investigators, and both of our families all came to church!! That means TWO progressing families!!! Woohoo!! We have taught a ton of investigator lessons.

Two girls from the branch who I love!

One of our new investigators is Moiraine. Long story short, she is really mostly only interested in learning English, but wants to learn about God on the side. Her family is very buddhist. I told her straight up that we teach people to help them come closer to God and enter into a covenant with Him, which is baptism. And that that is our whole purpose, and that our time really is quite precious as we are always looking for people who want to learn about God. But we told her also that we would love to teach her about God and she can see what she thinks. She told us she does want to learn about God as well but that she doesn't want us to be mad if after she has learned with us she doesn't get baptized. We said deal, and that she can't be mad if after we teach her, and she has decided to not be baptized, if we stop teaching her. So game on! It is actually SO much fun teaching her actually. (1) We teach in English for the most part, which is just fun for a change. (2) She is smart, and she has A LOT of questions, which is different than every one else we teach. (3) She is a challenge! (4) It is so neat to see her begin to understand and learn about God and begin to develop a relationship with Him. She told as that although she isn't really Christian, in her hardest times she has prayed to God. :) There it is. So it will be exciting to see how this unfolds. I love her so much!

I have to clarify something I said last week, and that I kind of alluded to in the paragraph above. I think I kind of mentioned that we have to teach really slow and simple here and that people don't really get a lot of things. I want you to know though that I DO NOT think the people here are stupid or dumb or slow in anyway. What I really think it is is that people here are not accustomed to learning, especially the people we teach. Education is not required here, in fact it is a privilege if you can afford the $5.00 a month. And so for some, they can and they go consistently. For others, they go the months that their family can pay the $5. For others, they never have that opportunity. They are very smart people, but they aren't really accustomed to book type learning, which is kind of how some of our lessons go. There is a lot of information they don't know that they have to remember. But you know, that really has me thinking about our teaching style, and is there something we could do better to relate to the way they learn more? Hmmm something to think about this week.

During this week I really felt the magnitude of my calling. I was thinking of our investigators and about how much they do/do not understand about the covenant they are entering when they are baptized. I have no desire to just baptize people who are going to be inactive in a year. I want to help people understand that this is their life, not just a club they are joining temporarily. As I thought about that I really became overwhelmed at the thought. Are we teaching well enough that (1) they not only understand the covenant they are making, but (2) they are going to endure to the end. And what about if someone wants to be baptized, but from my perspective and based on our teaching and their responses, they don't really understand the covenant they are making. Should they still be baptized? Is that not something I will be held accountable for? These are just some questions that have been on my mind this week, and that I will continue prayerfully considering. Turns out being a missionary really is a big deal!

Us with Om Nebo and Om Crockett!

But speaking of baptism, we had one yesterday for Om Nebo. Let me tell you, I love this woman. I feel so blessed to know her. Her daughter is Bong Cabanna, the girl baptized when I first came to KC. When we started to teach her, I think she was really just learning because her daughter really wanted her to. She is one who has probably never had any schooling. So as we taught her we were very simple, and did a lot of reviewing. It has been so sweet to watch though how the spirit works with our investigators and the amount of knowledge they can handle. From my perspective I feel like she doesn't know very much, but as I have seen her change and seen her desire to learn change, I know that the spirit has been working in her with the things we have taught her. It is so sweet! We met with her quite a bit this past week and it was so sweet as she told us that she can't wait for us to come so that she can learn more about Christ. She loves her Savior! He has brought hope to her life that she hasn't had very much of.

Another thing we have been doing with her is helping her memorize the words to the hymn "I need thee every hour." It is the hymn sung most often here (they only have like 50 to choose from) and because she can't read, we don't want her to be left out. I can't even begin to tell you how much this brightens my day. She practices when we are gone, and then she just is so anxious to learn more. She sings just with all her spirit. And she watches me so intently as we sing together so that she can read my lips to know the words. It is just always so so sweet. Her baptism yesterday was as sweet as she is. Wow I am blessed to be here!

Mom asked me about our District Conf, and if Pres. Moon and his wife spoke. They did indeed! President Moon actually tries to speak a lot in Khmer. I'm so impressed! His wife also spoke and then bore her testimony in Khmer. They spoke a lot about being member missionaries. I am enjoying them very much. President Moon I would say is very much a get-it-done personality more than a Let's-have-fun personality, but I think that is exactly what Cambodia needs! He is fun though, and they are super awesome! They came down this week and did zone conference with our zone as well. It was good! We talked a lot about the Sacrament and how we should emphasize that in our teaching. Sister Moon also emphasized temple and family history work, and how we should emphasize that as well. That is an interesting one because there aren't really records kept here. A lot of people don't even know their grandparents names...We'll so what we can do though. It's important! Mom asked about my weekly emails to my President. Unfortunately I would say my personality probably doesn't shine through as much. I don't write him very long emails (per request) because there are so many missionaries and unless I need something specific, I figure he has more things to worry about! I usually tell him just a brief summary of our week though: what we focused on, how our investigators are, etc. I also tell him if there is anything significant I feel like I learned personally during the week from my personal study, or our proselyting, or so on. I'll update him on our companionship if there is anything. Mostly they are probably super boring! Pore guy! Wait, Pour guy? Poar guy? How do you spell that word??? I'm losing it!

This week there was a small organization who came to give away reading glasses and they did it at our church, the reason being because the guy who is in charge served his mission in Cambodia. So Sister Window and I were asked to go and help out with that. Turns out it was the funnest thing ever!!! First, it was so nice to see Americans, and interact with them! Second, it was even more fun to interact with Cambodians and help them find their right prescription and see them get so excited. Really it was so awesome! And then during it one or our recent converts, Om Crockett, who I LOVE, was there and she just was sitting watching stuff for a while. I sat by her for a minute and she told me I have the gentleness of a Khmer Woman! Hahaha! Yes! Which is really interesting though because I have seen these women here handle meat, and let me tell you, they are anything but gentle.

Mom asked me about Stuunging, which is rice planting. The field is always flooded. I don't know though if that is necessary or just impossible to have it otherwise. With the rain, the fields just never drain. But, because stuunging season does happen during rainy season, maybe it is necessary? I don't really know the logistics of it. Maybe I will ask them about it this week as we are helping one of our investigator families with their field.

So lastly, I want to let you know that I will be staying in Kampong Cham for another transfer, with Sister Window!! woohoo!! AND Sister Smock and Sister Eekoo are staying as well, which is SUPER awesome!!!! It's crazy because Sister Kuoch also just finished training, but she will be with her trainer for another transfer. I'm so happy! I love them all!

And I love you all! Talk to you next week.

Love,

Sister Homer

p.s. I got an email today that they kinda updated our mission address. I don't think the P.O. box number was in there before? apparently it will get here faster if you add that. I know you sent packages already mom, so don't stress. This is just for future. Tianna, maybe you can update it on the blog? Maybe it is the address we already had? I don't know. K that's all, bye!

Cambodia Phnom Penh Mission
House #2B, Street 222 off Norodom
P.O. Box 165
Phnom Penh
Cambodia


So my life doesn't involve around bananas, but I'm telling you, these bananas here are crazy! The pictures last week didn't do it justice. Look at pictures (1) and (2) this week. Crazy.

This is also me in a banana tree forest. I'm pointing to a bundle of bananas. A bunch of bananas? In Khmer it is a snut of bananas. Anyway. You can't tell in the pic, but it's there.

It's me again

Dear Family,

What a crazy week! It was kind of slow numbers-wise. I don't know what the deal was but things just kept falling through daily. BUT I had some awesome experiences to make up for it!

Our service area this week, planting and pulling rice.

First of all, I've told you a bit about Bong Cabanna and Om Crockett, I think. Bong Cabanna got baptized the first week I was here. Well, they are incredible! They are both recent converts and we meet with them a couple times a week. They are so converted and want to learn so much, I always look forward to visiting them. What has been neat to see though is that we are now teaching Bong Cabanna's mother, Om Nebo. She will be getting baptized this Sunday! And it is the sweetest thing to watch them interact. Bong Cabanna reviews and teaches her mom when we aren't there, and then when we come back she helps her mom remember what they had reviewed. She cares so much about her mom learning. It touches my heart every time!

Something interesting here is that people often don't really learn at the same rate as I would say most people do in the states. You have to review things A LOT. And teach very simply. I don't really know the reason but I think it could be a result of most of the educated people being killed during Phol Pot era. It makes for interesting teaching. But also I just love it. These people are so humble,and they love learning!

It got SUPER stormy and we were drenched in seconds.
The rain was literally like coming down sideways. It was so cool!

Tuesday was what Sister Window and I like to call "Tipsy Tuesday". As you may suspect, that does involve alcohol. Our day was essentially sabotaged by various alcoholics. The FUNNIEST thing though happened. This member was very much intoxicated and he lives near our investigators, so he ended up coming into our lessons. The best part was that although very drunk he was spitting out doctrine like no ones business! So, it could have been worse. It was crazy though because, he was very much in Sister Window and my face. I have only had few people's faces that close to mine in my life. I felt so bad for him though because that is SO SO SO against this culture. Men and women really don't touch in public here and like they are all very sensitive about things that are offensive. So I felt so bad for him. But then yesterday, Sis Window and I ended up going to his house to teach his granddaughter. He was so nice and gave a deep apology. You could tell he felt so bad. I hope this is just what he needs to just push him back onto a good path! Fun times here!

The Liahona is probably the best literature ever published. And EFY music should probably be in the top ten regularly. Just saying, how did I ever live without them?

There is something really cool about this language that I can't remember if I've told you before. They are called infixes. You have a word that is a verb, and then you add a couple of letters in the middle (usually omn) and then it makes it a noun. It is really nice because you can figure out a lot of words that way! For example: Cua is to believe. Cumnua is a belief! How cool is that!

So, just the latest update on my freckles. The literal translation of the word for freckles is "fly poop". No wonder they think something is wrong with my face!!

These are the magic rocks I told you about.

Yesterday and Saturday we had our district conference! A member of the 70 came, Elder Ron? It was really good. President Moon and Sister Moon were there too of course. Many of our investigators and recent converts went, so it was great! Also, I did accompany I Know That My Redeemer Lives. It turned out really well! I actually had such a fun time accompanying! I'm no accompanist, but I did good!

Yesterday we had one of the best experiences. There is a less-active family in the branch who have been members for a long time. We have never met them so we went to their house to kinda see where they are at. What we found was not what I expected at all! We met with the Lookpuu and the Neakming, and can I just say, he may be the coolest person I've met so far in this country. His name is Lookpuu Shire. He has been a member for so long and he bore his testimony to us about how much he knows the gospel is true and how much he loves the church. He said he also loves all the missionaries so much and thinks of us as like children to him! He appreciates so much that he knows in our country we ride around in cars but that we come here and ride around in mud and rain all day to try and help people. The reason he hasn't been coming to church is because he has had to work, but he said he knows how important it is and will try to come back this month. Honestly, I felt the spirit so strong in that home! And they have pictures of the temple and of Christ still on the wall! I feel so blessed to have gone to that home! I hope they make it to church this week!

So the new family we teach is Lookpuu Dore, Ming Sophie, and their daughters Srei Drey and Srei June. I love them! We've only taught a little bit but they just smile the whole time and promise to follow the commandments. They were so willing to try praying in our lessons. We have them committed to be baptized on the 25th, fingers crossed! It's also so funny because when we teach these lessons, I promise it's like the whole neighborhood sits in. All these kids come and neakming's friends come. The member who referred them to us is always there. She is awesome! Her name is Bong French. And then one of our other investigators sits in. It's so funny! I love it!

So yes, our other family is Lookpuu Jordan, Neakming Sleigh and their daughter Canteen. They were scheduled for baptism this week, but we are pushing theirs back until the 25th as well. Lookpuu hasn't made it to church at all so far. He is so good though! He has actually attempted to come to church, but things always go wrong! I'm hoping he will get to church these next few weeks so he can be baptized! I love them so much!

One of the highlights of the week is that the little girls in that neighborhood told me i'm cool. YES! Validated. I proceeded to play pictionary with them and give them stickers, while Sister Window helped their mom fill out baptism forms.

This is sugar cane. You like peel it and then
chew it to get the juice and then you just like spit it back out.
Interesting experience last night.

I'm not sure what happened, but I am officially in love with cambodia. One evening I was just riding down our regular dirt road home, surrounded by green, and I just was so happy! I literally just felt love for every little part of Cambodia! And then the next day I felt it again!!! I love it here! There are so many things that or just not ideal, but my love for the people and the beauty and everything I'm doing just surpassed it all this week! I'm so happy. It's not that I didn't like it, but the jury was kinda still out. No worries though, I'm sold!

A few cultural insights, for your pleasure:
The people here really like long nails. And I'm talking LONG nails. Especially the men. But usually it's only like one or two finger. It is beyond me.

They have very traditional values here. Like I mentioned earlier, men and women really don't touch very much in public. So I was talking to Sister Smock and Sister Eekoo last night and they said that they were definitely not going to kiss anyone until they are married. So, super different from the states!

Dad asked a lot of questions in his email that I'll answer now:

Bananas here are tiny!!

So the Cambodians I live with are Sister Eekoo and Sister Smock. I can't tell you how much I love them! They are both actually from Stung Mean Chey!! That is like 3-4 hours from where we are. They both have been members most of their lives. They are both like kinda quiet and shy but at the same time they LOVE to laugh, and if you get them going they are so funny!! Sister Smock is especially just stinkin' hilarious!! She does and says the funniest thing! She has been her for a while and is actually currently training Sister Eekoo. Sister Eekoo came in when I did. She is so so sweet! They both are great cooks and they cook for us every single meal. They insist. We all get along really well.

My companion, Sister Window, is also super awesome! She and I get along really well. We both are just like chill and don't get angry or upset or annoyed. Or if we do, we just figure it out and get over it! She loves the people and loves the gospel! I don't know what to tell you about her! What do you want to know! Haha, I'm sorry, I know that's not very helpful. She is very service-minded. We get transfer calls this Sunday and I'm just crossing my fingers that I get to stay here in KC with Sis Window for one more transfer!

The Language. I feel like at times it is good and other times I know nothing. I feel like gospel vocab I know quite well. I follow along really well in church and in lessons. No problem. But if we are talking about other things I really don't know the vocab as much. But I am studying like crazy to learn words. Reading I think I'm doing pretty good. Writing, is the last of my worries. I don't actually have opportunity to write a ton, but I do write words over and over to try to remember them. It helps! So my writing probably isn't so bad. It could definitely use improvement though. I think people usually know what I am trying to say. I think my accent is decent enough that they can tell what I'm saying. There are like 52 or something vowels in this language and many are very very similar. I try really hard to distinguish them though and say them correctly. Because it really changes the word. They sound mostly the same, but they aren't. So I try to pay close attention to the sound I'm supposed to be making. Sister Payne's language is good! I feel like in lessons we are equal at the language. At listening to other random conversations, she does so much better than me! She really catches a lot of what goes on. I really don't. Haha, oh well!

Dad also asked if it is common to have the Dad learn with the family. Truth is, it definitely isn't. There is definitely more neakmings than lookpuus in the church here. So the fact that we have TWO families with the lookpuu's learning is AWESOME! I have been praying every night for entire families that will want to learn that can be a strength to the branch. I think Heavenly Father is answering my prayers!

Every morning I have been praying in spanish. Just a random detail from my life. Haha! You can't even imagine how hard it is though. Without even thinking I just go into Khmer!

K I love you all! I miss you!

Sister Homer

A note from the editor

Hi everyone, Tianna here.  I'm the one who actually posts these blogs for our dearest Jessa.  Her mission president has asked that emails that get turned into blogs (like this here blog) should not publish real names.  Her options for me were to change names, for example, from Jessa* to J---- or to come up with a completely new nym for them.  I opted for the latter, as there are so many names and they're always changing, I think having a bunch of ---- in names would make it hard for any readers to develop a relationship (as much as one can, anyway, without knowing a person) with anyone from her mission.

I have made a key of real names and nyms in a google doc.  If anyone would like to know the real names, you are welcome to comment here with your email address (and real name if you comment with a nym), or email me at tiannahomer at gmail dot com and I will invite you.  However, as the whole point of this exercise is to keep weird creepos from finding real names through her blog, I'm going to give you fair warning: if I don't recognize your name, I'm going to ask Jessa for permission first.  Which means it will probably take a week or two to get you access to the key.

*I have made the executive decision to leave names from home, such as Jessa (obviously), Nick, Shawn, Teresa, etc. the same.  However, I am asking her her opinion about that, and if she disagrees, I will give them names like Bubba and Gertrude instead.  ;)

Meow

Hello family!!

Another week here gone. That went fast!! I finally understand the phrase "time flies when you are having fun!" And let's be honest, time drags when you aren't. So I am so glad I'm having fun!

First and foremost: HAPPY BIRTHDAY RESA ROONIE!

Happy birthday Resa, Taken about an hour or so ago!

This week was less busy with Pioneer day, which I'll tell you about and the election stuff and our service. We didn't get as much teaching done, unfortunately.

Sister Smock. She is stinking hilarious!
I love her!

But yes, pioneer day. They do indeed celebrate that here! It was so funny! They had a combined thing on Wednesday with all three branches. They had a few speakers and then some of the young adults did some pioneer dancing, Reel thing that the Senior Couple taught them. They wore some pioneer-ish clothes. It was so funny!! And it was so weird in this culture!! Haha oh man. Then they fed everyone traditional Cambodian food. it was fun! These members here in Cambodia right now really know what it is to be a pioneer. They are paving the way for the gospel here right now. I can't wait to see when it has flourished!!

Something I thought a lot about with Pioneer day is so much how our church really isn't just a church. It is a culture! And I feel so like overwhelmed for our investigators. They have no idea about pioneers and mission presidents and general conference and all these things. How essential is it for them to have a testimony founded in Christ and a good member friend to help them through those first months! It's crazy!

The rice fields!

This week we got a new investigator family!! It was a member referral. We met with the mom and 2 daughters once, but they dad wants to learn too, so we have to find a time they can meet all together! I'm excited about them! Honestly, member referrals is the way to go. These are the people who are ready and prepared. It's so fun! I've been asking everyone we meet with for referrals because I just know that this is the ideal way for missionary work. Hopefully it will start paying off. It already has!

So, it turns out that Asians don't really have freckles. They don't really get them. They don't understand what is wrong with my face..... This is slightly uncomfortable....

Sister Window and Me

Another fun fact about Cambodians is that they are SO blunt. "Oh sister, you look kinda fat today!" "Look at those fat American's exercising!" HAHAHA It's literally the funniest thing! They are especially blunt with Sister Window, it makes me laugh so so much! Ugh I love it! Hopefully I don't come home that way. I feel like that could be offensive.

Speaking of habits I might bring home. Something they do here is like... point with their lips...? I don't know how to demonstrate that with words. Basically yeah, they point with their lips. Anyway, I'm kinda picking it up. I think that's going to be weird when I get home. ALSO everyone always gives these like non-committal grunts as answers to questions. You just go with it. But it really is super annoying goes half your questions go unanswered. Despite how ridiculous it is, I'm starting to do it! Haha ugh! That one definitely will get on peoples nerves. Fortunately I have another year where I have free reign with it!

The Duo

This week we did another service thing. It was like all day friday, and boy was it crazy! We went and worked in the rice fields planting rice. It's crazy! It's fun. It's exhausting. But, the craziest thing happened. I was just standing there with my bundle of rice stuff planting it in the ground, when I notice there is a worm in my little bundle. So I look at it closer and realize it has a head. Snake. No go. Drop my bundle. The snake swims away across the water really fast. Well, that was all fine, it was really a small small snake. But the Cambodian Elder next to me was asking me if I was okay and he was acting kind of funny. He started to tell me something about that snake but then said he'd tell me later. He did indeed. Turns out that snake I had been holding was ONE OF THE DEADLIEST SNAKES IN THE WORLD! What????? Apparently if it bites you, you will start getting really sleepy and if you actually fall asleep, you are gone. Crazy! It really didn't seem all that scary cause really, the snake was the size of a pencil! Anyway, crazy! Thank goodness I lived!

Neakming Crockett who we were serving

But yes, the service was fun! And halfway through the neakming we were serving wanted to take us to show us this really pretty river area. So we did and I ended up in waist-high water! Fun! See pictures.

We taught a lesson this week. I told her that Christ had 12 horses. Not 12 disciples. Yep. Luckily she is already a member! I love it!

I found out Saturday night that I was going to be speaking in Church the next morning. So I quickly prepared a talk on Enduring to the End. I ended up reading 3 scriptures! It was probably kind of short, but I tried my hardest! Who knows if anyone understood anything. But it also worked out cause most of the branch didn't show up because it was election day! How cute, Teresa and I spoke on the same sunday!

The sisters

Sister Window and I both came down with a rough sore throat/cold over the weekend. let me tell you, these Cambodian sore throats are not ideal! But it looks like we are coming out of it. The work still goes on!

We also attempted to make cookies yesterday. At first they tasted okay... and then they really just weren't very good. Fail. Maybe we'll try again another week. I can't tell you how much I miss baked goods. BUT I have found a place that sales the must scrumptious banana muffins. Just like banana bread. I will be going there shortly after email. :)

Part of our zone. I am not in fact a midget here.
I just was in the deepest water.

That's about all I have this week. Sorry it's not super exciting! I love you all!

Love,

Sister Homer

Suasdei

Cumriapsua,

Sok Sabbay tee teang ah knia? Khnom sralan krom kruasaa khnom! Hauy khnom nuk kromkruasaa khlang meen teen!!! Try and figure that one out. :) Muahahaha.

 sister Window's Birthday! sister Smock and Eekoo bought her a cake!

Anyway, how are you all?? I had another AWESOME week. Seriously, Kampong Cham has saved me. I found out the secret this week to loving the work so much. It is actually DOING the work and working HARD! Sister Window and I have really been working hard and I am loving it! Friday this week was especially good! We taught 4 member present lessons to investigators and then we taught 5 less-active and recent convert lessons! 9 lessons! AND we had 13 contacts! I want you to know that that is not a normal day! It was so awesome! And one of the Less actives was a lady who has been a member for like a decade, but she is super inactive. We hunted her down and retaught her how to pray. It was hilarious! we are going to try to revisit her again this week. Woohoo! Love this work!

Om French and her birthday cake!

Something else awesome that happened this week was one Tuesday. We have this other less-active lady, Om French. She is the one I bore my testimony to about the Plan of Salvation. We knew it was her birthday on Tuesday, so we bought her a little cake and went and surprised her with it. She was SO surprised! She was also so happy! She didn't even know it was her birthday because she hasn't celebrated it since she was little. You can tell it meant so much to her! Ugh I love her! I am going to get her to come back to church!!

I re-found a scripture this week that I really like. D&C 136:31. Basically we have to experience hard things, and in the long run it helps us! I love that!

So I'm accompanying a youth choir for our district conference that is coming up. They are singing a really pretty version of I stand all amazed. It is kinda stressful because I'm not really an accompanist, but it is working out okay! And it is fun to play the piano! I'm so grateful for all those years of lessons! Haha

This is sister Smock in our Kitchen.
Basically this is the funniest picture ever.
good timing on my part. Bad timing on hers.
And you can see our kitchen in the background

I love the rain!! It seriously cools down the air and you don't even know how much I love that. And yesterday I even experienced what i think people call "cold". It was super weird! and then I took a warm shower at night, which still blows my mind that we have here and that I would actually want to use it! wow!

So I have told you a little bit about Lookpuu Jordan and his wife Neakming Sleigh. They are doing so good! This week we've really seen them progress! Initially like whole lessons they would just be like "yeah...yeah...yeah" but now they are like adding their input and answering questions!! And they are praying! And their prayers are getting so much more heartfelt! We committed them to baptism for August 11th. I hope it goes smoothly! they are so funny and so sweet!

My shower and my toilet! Together!
also that little box thing is what heats my water!
It's magical!
I think this may be what nick had on his mission

Something I really realized the importance of this week (again) was how important it is to teach so that your investigators FEEL something. We can tell them anything we want, but unless they feel it they are going to act on it. We had some really good lessons this week and some less goods ones. And the results were obvious, some came to church, some didn't. Go figure! I'm going to work so much harder on that this week!

So a really big election is happening here and the voting day is this Sunday. All the American missionaries can only go to church and then we have to go right back home. All the Khmer missionaries have the opportunity to go back to their home towns to vote though. It is really exciting for them! This election is a big deal.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO TERESA ON SUNDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are just growing up you little kitty you!

Okay brothers, did any of you start having really weird dreams on your missions, or is that just me? I have the WEIRDEST dreams all the time!

A regular street in downtown Kampong Cham

We have these rocks on our bathroom that like eat/drink water... I don't understand. We give them water and then the water just slowly disappears. It's not evaporating either. I think that goes against a law of science. The water can't just disappear. The rocks aren't getting bigger. The rocks also aren't going to the bathroom. Can someone research this for me?

I want you to know that the people here are such a strong people. They are so resilient. And they know how to work so hard. They also know how to relax hard. They are such a good people!

Me, like an hour ago! woohoo!
This is a new Cambodian skirt i'm wearing. So cute!
Also yes, as you have probably guessed,
I don't do my hair. I just let it go.

Someday I'm going to explain what it is like going to the market here. It is such a different planet experience. Pig heads. Alive fish swimming in nets. The most disgusting ground you've ever walked on. It's magically disgusting. An experience every one should have once. Mom, you would be dying.

Last but not least. I want to tell you about my evening last night. We found this baby baby mouse alien thing just lying in the middle of our front room. We don't know where it came from but it is SO creepy. We think we killed it's mom a few days ago... but it just came out of no where. I attempted to take pictures, but they are kinda blurry. I'll send them anyway. Basically the creatures here are just too much to handle. I can't even tell you. Lizards also share are house. That was totally okay because they are kinda cute... until I found lizard poop on my bed last night when I went to bed. Basically I hope I make it out of this place sane. Or alive. either one.

Alien mouse

I love you all!!!! I miss you!

Love,

sister Homer