Sister Jessalyn Homer: Dear Family

Family,

This week I don't think I have as much to tell, but it was an awesome week!!! I told you that we had the goal of 40 lessons. We came out with about 35. BUT we worked super hard and I'm proud of our effort. Plus other things came up like a service activity that took half a day. It was awesome though!

First, I'll tell you about my birthday. It was such an awesome day! After emailing we went and grabbed our favorite banana bread muffins and small loafs of warm bread. Delicious! And then we went over the senior couple's house and played monopoly with some of the elders and members. It was really fun! They were so nice and got me a cake and bought me a snickers bar! The senior couple got me a box of butter cookies. And then that night Sister Moon called me and wished me happy birthday. What a good day! All of which was topped off by going home and opening my packages (THANK YOU MOM SO SO SO SO SO MUCH!!!) and then having rootbeer floats! Oh and Sister Kuoch and Mok got me earrings and a hair clip! Pictures will be included. Basically everyone was so nice!! What a good day!

So I think I told you that Moiseng left, but then she came back this past week! We met with her twice this week and she is doing awesome. Still not ready to commit to baptism though. I still love teaching her.

Teaching Kunthia is also going well! We taught the plan of salvation this week. You may wonder how we can do that without any form of communication. Let me tell you, very carefully. We drew paper people (one a body, one a spirit) and showed them coming together and separating and coming together again. We have this like sheet that walks through the plan of salvation in Khmer, so we used that as well. Long story short, it was awesome! She seriously understood so much. And she was so excited with how much she understood. We also taught her repentance, baptism, the gift of the holy ghost, and enduring to the end this week. Creativity is key. But I really think she understands a lot, and I KNOW that Heavenly Father is making up the difference. What a cool experience I have to be teaching her!

Lookpuu Thia is still doing well. I think he has completely stopped smoking! (fingers crossed) As well as our other recent convert lookpuu, lookpuu Lii!! They have the sweetest hearts. Another daughter in Lookpuu Lii's family just got baptized yesterday. I don't think I have talked much about her. Her name is Srei Channa. She is 16. Boy is she sassy, but super fun and cute as well. We've had fun teaching her. I'll send a picture.

Yesterday we didn't have as many people come to church. Actually that's an understatement. Last week we had around 150. Yesterday we had 104. What?? That's just like a 1/3 gone. BUT I think some of it has to do with many of our members houses are now surrounded by water. Flood. I guess it happens every year. I'm gonna get a picture and show it to you, it's crazy! Now I totally understand why all the houses are on stilts! So I'm not sure where all those people are, but that I think is partially the reason for our low numbers.

Speaking of weather. I really can't tell you when rainy season starts and ends. It has definitely been rainy this week though, which I love. I'm not sure how much longer to go. But the river just did flood over, so I'm not sure how long that lasts for. And then listen to this. After rainy season, it is COLD season. You can't even imagine how excited I am!! I think that means maybe like 80 degrees, on a regular basis! WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!

Also, let me tell you about this hilarious contact we had this week. We went to this local gas station where we regularly go, and there was a guy just sitting at the counter talking to the clerk. She was helping Sister Payne so I decided to contact him. I gave him a pamphlet, he was amazed that we could both speak the language already. He put our number in his phone right then and I invited him to church on Sunday. WELL, like 20 minutes later he calls us and asks if he can sit in on a lesson. That really wasn't an option so we said if he was interested in learning more we could teach him another day. Blah blah blah. Long story short he calls us at like 9:30 on Saturday night asking us about church the next day. Calls us again Sunday morning at 7:30 about church. And then he actually went to church! BUT the thing is... he may just be more interested in me than he actually is in the gospel...yikes. He asked if he could come have lunch at our house. I definitely was quick to tell him that was not gonna work. But, I made the elders sit by him the whole time, I think he got the hint I wasn't interested. But I was still friendly in missionary terms and asked him if he liked church, etc. I gave him a book of mormon. He is a nice guy, like 23 years old. He is super smart. He actually lives in Second branch's area, so we'll see if anything happens there. I want to assure you though, I do not take part in the "flirt to convert" style. This all just got out of hand really fast. Haha so that was funny this week.

Now, speaking of second branch. Let me tell you about transfers. As you know, Sister Payne and I have been working in first branch, and sister mok and kuoch have been in second branch. Well, transfer calls came last night, and starting on Friday, Sister Mok and Sister Payne are leaving but Sister Kuoch and I are now companions and we will now be covering both branches. Let me tell you something. This is a bit crazy. I know in Utah missionaries cover multiple wards at the same time. But let me tell you. This is not Utah. And my branch alone has been keeping us SUPER busy all the time. BUT despite how crazy it is going to be, I can't tell you how excited I am! Sister Kuoch and I are going to be working hard all the time. I will get to know all the people in second branch as well!! Also my language is going to improve a ton a think because Sister Kuoch speaks hardly any english!! BUT she is also going to improve a ton because she wants to and I am going to help her! Also, no other sisters are coming back, so it will just be Sister Kuoch and I here in Kampong Cham with a bunch of elders. We might get kind of lonely, but it will be really fun! I think president is closing down this area now because next transfer we are losing a lot of sisters. So he is probably just thinking ahead. Anyway, I'm super excited! I just love the idea of having too much work today, because I know we will never be wondering what we can do next. I will definitely miss Sister Payne. She and I get along really well, obviously. But this feels so right and I'm super excited! 6 hours of church on sunday (not including baptisms) might be a little intense, but this is going to be fun!!!!

Anyway, I guess that is all this week!! I love you all!

Sister Homer