Joyful week in CAMBODIA

HELLO EVERYONE I AM ALIVE

When I opened my mission call remember when for the first 30 seconds I could only say "woah", yep well that's how it's like every minute. It's crazy here, oh my goodness, but it's so awesome. We had a great trip. The 2 hour flight from Hong Kong to Phnom Penh seemed way longer than the 13 hour one previous. We were all freaking out and I was really nervous. But right as we landed a feeling of peace came over me. I knew it was going to be okay. Then we met our Mission President and his wife and our trainers right at the airport. We took some tuk tuks to the mission home. I already love my President and Sister Christensen so much! They are so sweet and fun! I'm excited to get to know them better.

Then we went to this park and walked around the streets contacting people. To walk across the street, you just put your hand out and walk and somehow all the billions of cars slow down or maneuver their way around you.  Then we got our bikes which kind of took a long time and that was about it for my first day. My trainer is Sister Pace. She is so sweet. I am very grateful for her example and patience. 

Our area is in the city-ish (pretty close to Phnom Penh)? haha I'm not really sure. It sounds like "stun men cay". You know you understand a lot when you can't even remember the name of where you are. Can I just share this part in my journal with you? I'm just rereading it and I think it's hilarious. This was after my first 8 hours in Cambodia, "I'm literally in shock. We went out and contacted. The traffic is crazy but somehow you don't get hit. People are driving around everywhere on their mopeds. I am still in shock and I’m really tired and somehow I haven't cried. I don't know what I’m thinking. Oh my goodness what even is a missionary?" YEP those are probably still my thoughts. But it's so so fun. 

Our days start off with running through our little neighborhood thingy. Every morning there are people walking around doing these arm exercise things. It's like walking yoga. And every morning there is a group of ladies that get together and do the dance arm exercise things together. And every morning they coordinate their shirt colors. Today it was yellow. Most of our proselyting time so far has been trying to find peoples' houses. We are white washing the area. I found out that that means both of us are new to the area so we don't know where anything is. So we try and use the maps to people's houses. Some say like "take the bridge and turn left..." or "by the smelly water". But we just stop people for directions, get to know them, give them a pamphlet, smile a lot, and go on our merry way.

There's so much to talk about that I don’t know what to say.

Sister Pace is from Utah and went to Lone Peak. She has been out almost 11 months!  We live with two other Cambodian sisters. I’m finally starting to get to know them. They are working on their English so sometimes they translate their Khmer story into English for me. They also taught me this funny little saying. "on a khval sancam, on sa'at" translates something like "I don’t care, I’m pretty." haha. 

We ride our bikes around everywhere. My bottom has never been so sore. We wear our leggings under our skirt, tie our skirt in a knot, put our masks on (yep they're surgical masks for all the dust and stuff in the air), helmets, sunglasses, crocs and we're on our way. And, oh my goodness I get so dirty. It’s kind of like the trek tan that washes off and about almost every day at around 4ish in the afternoon it pours. And oh my goodness it pours. It’s so fun though and it feels so good. 

We had English class on Saturday. There were about 18 people there. It's around 15-25 year olds and then this one old man that always comes. It was so fun! Everyone here is so nice. Sometimes we would walk around helping them pronounce certain sounds. I would say something in Khmer and then the English class turned into a Khmer class for me. I'm thankful that I can help them learn English and they can help me learn Khmer. What really was sweet about English class was the end. Sister Pace told me I would be giving the spiritual thought. So 20ish minutes of speaking Khmer. I was so nervous. So we decided to show the Restoration video and I was like “cool, I don't have to speak that much.” But then the cord for the tv was nowhere to be found so I had to wing it. And it was okay. I talked about prayer because prayer is the best thing ever. A lot of the students in the class aren't members so it was sweet to be able to teach. Everyone helped me out when I didn't know how to say something. And you know it was probably not a very good lesson and it probably didn't make sense but I felt good and I think everyone else did too. And that was an answer to my prayers. That morning I had been praying for courage, praying that I could receive help to talk to people, to love, to teach, to open my mouth and to do this whole missionary thing and I received that help. Because that wasn't me that taught that lesson because I can't do that but God helped me. He gave me courage when I needed it and I am forever grateful for the strength and courage He is happy to give. 

My first Sunday was great! We met with an awesome family. They are all so fun and sweet. Their daughters said I looked like Katy Perry. I'll take it. We had a nice lesson and a fun time with them.  I can't understand much but I feel happy and I feel the Spirit. They fed us lunch too and it was delicious. I love the food here--rice every day and everything else is delicious. What more could I ask for? Anyway, church was so fun. It's a little different here but still so happy. I am thankful for all of my piano lessons and teachers (mom and dad I know you're smirking right now) because they had me play the piano! I am not very talented at the piano but I tried my best. I tried so hard to give them some beautiful music because there's not much else I can do and I’d say it was okay. I was surprised by how many people were at church. I think there were around 60-70. There are four missionaries in our ward.

My first lesson was with a member.  She was so sweet. We (my companion) taught her about the importance of scriptures. At the end I tried my best to bear my testimony. We also taught a less active member. She was also very sweet to us and gave us some fruit. People here are so nice to us. They buy us water, give us food, and don’t let us help at all. The Khmer people are very sweet. 

Our apartment is nice. They said it's the nicest apartment in Cambodia for the missionaries. It’s very tall. I think it has four stories. It’s so skinny and tall. We wake up at 5:30 a.m. and have to be back at 7 p.m. and then go to bed at 9:30. I have never slept so well. I’m usually okay during the day but at night I just pass out. It feels so good. 

Also I don't know if I can send pictures. I forgot my cord. If you don't get pictures just imagine me on an orange bike, wearing crocs, a surgical mask, and having a sweaty, sweaty, a little shade darker face that slightly resembles Katy Perry according to Cambodians. 

It’s tough and different and hard but it’s also really sweet and special.

Love,

Sister Mortell

Day one!