Absolutely Amazing Christmas in Ta Khmau

Dear everyone,

Just a quick little email. Such a great Christmas. This week turned out being such a joyous, fun, merry Christmas. I will forever remember this Christmas. What a blessing to be a missionary during Christmas!

So this week I had two big performances.

1. In Baku I was turned into a little short man Elder. My arms became my legs, hands feet and Sister Kosal's arms my arms. Try your hardest to envision it. I’m too lazy to type it all out. Dang it Cambodian keyboards. Anyways so I ended up having peanut butter, hair gel, toothpaste all over my face and hair. Take a bullet for the joy of the Cambodians I guess.

2. I sang a solo in front of 800 people not knowing beforehand that we were singing. I didn’t know until I saw it on the program! How awesome is that! haha. And it was actually horrible. I was laughing all the way through it. It was probably the most embarrassing moment of my life so far. So awesome.

Such a fun time talking to my family. I have the best one, no doubt about it. A Merry Christmas and a happy new year!!! Much love! He is the Gift!!! Share His light!!

Love always,

Sister Mortell

 

Reading a scripture to my family

Zestful Week in Ta Khmau

Hello everyone!

First let me tell you how awesome Cambodians are at Christmas. On Saturday we had our branch Christmas party. So much fun. Curry was enjoyed, crazy romantic Cambodian ballads were a booming and Cambodian dancing was a happening (not missionaries sadly). Anyways, so much fun. Christmas time is awesome in Cambodia. Yes sometimes I wouldn't mind some snow, Christmas lights and an Elf movie night with my family, but Christmas in Cambodia is very special. It's fun to be in a country where the culture of Christmas hasn't been changed. Christmas is about our Savior. It's about Him. It's about saying "thank you" to Heavenly Father for our Savior. Also you better believe it I sang a most horrible solo with all of the missionaries at the party. Everyone just expects all white people to be good at singing. It's quite false. 

So our investigator, "Sheilla" is still awesome. She brings a lot of light into my life. She wants to follow Christ with all of her heart. She is one of my great friends and we've only known each other for a few weeks. I feel blessed to know her. We gave her a Book of Mormon a week and a half ago and she's already read to Mosiah 15. Crazy. She wants to meet with us every day. Sadly we can't but it's so joyous when we do. I feel like she's one of those people that you would leave your family for 18 months and travel to a country half way around the world just to meet. 

I would like to bear my testimony of our Savior. He loves us. He will carry us. He knows what’s best. He is our Brother. He is our friend. He is the GIFT. The greatest gift of all. Because of Him, we can have eternal life. How awesome is that? Because of Him, this life can be happy and after this life can be joyous. I hope all of you have a Merry Merry Christmas. Eat some spaghetti and syrup for me ;)

LOVE always and Merry Christmas and happy holidays and all else that is joyful, 

Sister Mortell

P.S. Vienna Woods Ward--thank you for the video! It’s awesome.

Sheila

Merry Christmas from Ta Khmau. Thank you to the Thurstons for the tree and Grobergs and Mortells for the ornaments.

pretending I'm a weird European tourist in Siem Reap

Fun fun fun last pday :)

We went to this place that is basically a ghost town amusement park. We were the only ones there. It gets busy at night with good old karaoke. haha

Yuletide Blessings in Ta Khmau

This week was so good! Such a happy week! Sorry no pictures this week. I’m in this sketchy internet cafe with computer software from like 2004. Anyways it was a great week this week! Let me first just tell you my mission president is awesome! He is so good! I had my 3 month interview with him. I am in good hands. 

So being a missionary during Christmastime is actually awesome! I bought a nativity set from Sister Kosal's little sister in Steung Mean Chey a couple months ago. So we teach about the birth of the Savior with this cute little nativity set. It's so fun! We were teaching this member. She's about 55 years old. She's so faithful. She's been sick for about 20 years. She doesn't have any strength. Anyways we taught her the nativity and afterwards she slowly gets up, limps to her dresser and pulls out two beautiful Christmas colored kramas (scarves everyone wears) for us. Cambodian people are the sweetest most generous, sharing people I have ever met. 

Also we have a new investigator. Oh my goodness she is awesome! Her name is SiiLa. She's 18 years old, half Filipino (shout out to Ally). She is awesome. She came up to us during English class and told us "I want to learn. I’m free every day at 4. Here is my number". During the first lesson she asked "is there anything I can read at home?" BOOK OF MORMON. Then we taught her about the Plan of Salvation another day and she asked "so what do I need to do to go to the Celestial Kingdom?" THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. So awesome. She came to church all three hours and stayed for Christmas choir practice. She is so cute! I have gained a great friend this week. 

It was just a really happy, busy, tiring week. The happiest days and weeks are when you work your hardest. I'm thankful for my Savior. For His life, mercy, compassion, birth, death, Atonement, Resurrection, example and love. The most perfect, loving person that has ever walked this earth, loves us. He is our friend and our Brother. And all He asks of us in return is to follow Him. He will give us strength and even more. Much love to everyone this fine day. Merry Christmas. Enjoy the snow and watching Elf. (Don’t laugh too hard dad)  

Love always, 

Sister Mortell 

Dad, keep singing proudly! I think you actually sing better than most lookpuus. Cambodian singing is quite something. Also they are obsessed with "Onward Christian Soldiers."

Sister Pace said Ming Rut (the lady I gave my persons to) calls me "sistee dak dai" which means "sister hold hands."

X-tra Prayers in Ta Khmau

Hello Soosday!

So another week of being a missionary!! Wooh hoo! I can't believe I’ve almost been gone for six months! Crazy! Let's see what happened this week... let me tell you I am so pumped about Christmas. Christmas music all the time and we've been teaching about Christ's birth every chance we get. So so fun. It's actually so fantastic to be in a country where Christmas isn't a thing. No one except for church members celebrate Christmas. This is the first Christmas season where I've really just been excited about the true meaning of Christmas. The Savior!! His Birth. His Life. His Love! It's so awesome. I have felt so close to Him. And we all can too. 

We have pretty awesome new investigators. Last Sunday I saw this neakming (woman) who I swear I knew. I thought "in Steung Mean Chey" or "did we contact her?" Finally I figured out that she had come to English class! Anyways she came again to church this Sunday. I sat by her and she said, "I want to join." How awesome is that.  She found it through a simple little English class flyer. Anyways I'm excited for her. This Sunday we had six of our investigators come to church! So awesome! 

I just want to tell everyone right now reading this email that Heavenly Father answers prayers! This week was pretty hard for me. It’s easy to feel alone, stressed, not good enough. So I decided to pray and tell my Heavenly Father all my feelings. Those were some of the most sincere, heartfelt prayers I have ever offered. He is our Father. We are His children. He is proud of us. He sees in us potential that we cannot. He wants to hear our voice. And He loves us. So pray to your Father in Heaven! I promise He will listen, give you an answer, help and extra! So happy week this week!

Happy Holidays! Enjoy the snow, I will be sweating. 

Much love and luck and prayers, 

Sister Mortell

Beautiful Bakou with an even more beautiful little Sister Mortell ;)