Precious Week in Steung Mean Chey

This week was so long but also awesome. Who knows, time is so confusing. This week was super fun because in missionary life, general conference is kind of like Christmas. We invited everyone to conference! So so fun! We also biked so so much this week. We had transfers, meetings, general conference, training all in the city. We had a few sweet tender mercies and miracles this week.

First, let me just tell you that houses in Cambodia are impossible to find. We were attempting to find this less active's house and we accidentally entered into a Watt (a Buddhist, sacred temple area). After being chased by crazy Cambodian children, we were left hopeless so we decided to contact for English (hold a "free English class" sign in front the church, also most of the tuk tuk drivers decide to go to the bathroom in that general area, yay) anyways we were just kind of down a bit. And then we went inside the church and one of our recent converts was there. She said, "Sistee can we meet now?" Her name is Danae. Wooh! We had a super sweet time talking with her and THEN right after we finished that lesson there was a girl in the church that come up to us and said, "I would like to come to English class and learn about Jesus Christ" Woah! Okay. That's so awesome! The plans of God, let me tell you!! We are meeting with her tonight. Her name is Srey Line (like Madeline kind of, but Khmer).

Okay second miracle. I think this was Friday? All of our plans fell through with our investigators and we were again hopeless. I said a sincere prayer in my heart. I really prayed with faith, it took some heart. I asked Heavenly Father to help us follow His plan. I asked for a miracle. We then pulled out our backup backup plan and visited this less active family. They were so awesome! So sweet and kind. As we were biking from their house this lady stopped me, grabbed my arm and starting rattling off in excited Khmer. I understood some of it. She said she had seen people with those tags about three weeks ago. She said that some boys with tags like that helped her carry her wagon through knee length rainy flood water. Then I remembered Elder Walker (in our district) talk about that experience. So we found the lady they helped. She took my arm and hurried us to her house. She and her daughter want to learn with us. We are meeting them later this week. So so cool. While we were walking to her house I just though "God is so so good. He is so loving and merciful and just so good." God answers prayers. I know it.

Another miracle. We called sweet Ming tiikhia a few days ago and asked if we could meet her. She's been having a hard time keeping commitments and really having faith. She told us that she doesn't think she can come to church. She says that Buddhism is her country's religion and she doesn't think she can change that. BUT, on Sunday morning we got a call from Ming Tiikhia. She said, "Sistee I want to come to church, what time is it again?" We told her that it was general conference this week, so Ming Tiikhia most definitely went to general conference. So happy! I love her so much even though I’m still kind of an awkward lump of an American that is trying to speak Khmer.

So Saturday and Sunday we biked to the South Stake Center in Phnom Penh (a 40 minute bike ride away) and watched General Conference! So so good! I especially loved President Uchtdorf and Nelson. I just felt such an inspiring feeling of joy. We can have joy now. Through Christ, we can have joy today. I love that. Also the Plan of Happiness. It is so joyful! How can we not be excited? Also after conference we biked through the most intense rain storm yet. Bring it on.

It was a good week. Life as a missionary and life in Cambodia is definitely strange, hard, awesome, comfort zone-less, and so so sweet. I have felt God's love for me and for others so much in just a quick, long six weeks. I know God loves you too! And He wants you to have JOY.

Much love,
Sister Mortell

Random thoughts:

Before we can email, we have to clean, go to the market, study and clean the food. To clean the food we wash it, then bleach it, then dry it. It surprisingly takes a long time. Sister Y just skinned some fish and cut the guts out of some frogs.

That kid that told me I looked like a boy said I look prettier than before.

We made snails. They were delicious. I am so excited to cook you all Khmer food when I come home.