Fun Faithful Week in Kean Svay

Hello once again. The mission is still going on haha. This week we randomly had a lot of service. On Tuesday we cut down a bunch of banana tree leafs and on Wednesday for like four years we moved a huge pile of dirt. Moving huge piles of dirt is actually a very common service here. I even have a certain shirt that I wear for dirt moving haha. And what was super awesome! On our big dirt piling service day other missionaries from our zone came! Aka Ta Khmau!! Sister Kosal, Sister Chin, Elder Otto, Elder Khiav (Elder Justin Bieber) all came to help our district. And Sister Kosal brought three of her friends, our recent convert, SHEILLA and Srey Nooc and Sophia! Woooh! I love them all so much. They are some of my best friends. So we worked hard, got some blisters, laughed a lot. lots of laughs and lots of sweat. Also another random Ta Khmau connection this week: We were biking home for lunch and all of the sudden I hear a soft voice, "Sister.” So of course I'm like, "okay this is one of those cool Holy Ghost missionary moments" It wasn't the Holy Ghost but it was a still soft voice of one of my favorite members in Baku, Saphia! She works literally right across the street of our house. She said she always sees me but she's not allowed to leave the building but that day she had a break so I got to talk to her for a few minutes. So sweet. 

As for Kean Svay, I’m still trying to be familiar with the area. We have some awesome investigators, Bong On and her daughter, Sokia. They are truly prepared and so excited for baptism. Oh I almost forgot we had an awesome moment this week! There is this girl, Sokaroat and she has been learning with the Sisters for close to one year. She really wants to get baptized but her grandma won't let her. But this past Wednesday she came into English class and said, "Sister! Sister! My grandma told me I can get baptized!" So Sokaroat was baptized this past Sunday! So happy and excited for her. 

Also just something I've been thinking about. Missions are hard. I have felt stress and feelings that I have never before felt. This week I was just struggling with all those feelings and I so badly wanted to have Sister Pace with me. And randomly last night Sister Chhel was on the phone with Sister Pace's companion. So I asked if I could talk to Sister Pace, my mission mom. And she helped me so much. Just from a couple laughs and advice. She told me, "If Jesus walked in the room right now what do you think He would say to you? Would He say, "Yes you're a horrible missionary?”  No. He would say, "You’re doing awesome. I'm so proud of you." It's so true. And not only is it true for missionaries, it's true for you too. If we are trying to do good, He is proud. He loves you. And He is proud of all the little efforts, the attempts, the failed attempts, the successes, the wanting to be better and all the in between.  Remember God. Remember He loves you. Remember His Hand in your life and He will lift and carry you. I will try and remember too. Also shout out to Sister Pace if she reads this, you're awesome. 

Much love to you all!

Sister Mortell

Sokaroat's Baptism

 

Service with Ta Khmau

 

Saphia!
 

 

Extraordinarily Enjoyable Week in Kean Svay

Well another week in Cambodia. First of all, can I just say, I truly believe Cambodia is about the coolest place ever. This last P day we went to the Royal Palace. It's a total tourist spot but so cool. (Tourist: Khmers or anyone who looks Khmer = 25 cents, White people = $10) But it was cool so all is well. Khmer history both old and new is so so interesting. I feel privileged to be in such a cool place with the craziest, sweetest people. 

The big highlight of my week was Friday. I got to go on an exchange with Sister Kosal back to Ta Khmau! So beyond happy! I love Ta Khmau and Sister Kosal with all of my heart! And by many tender mercies I got to see all of my favorite people! I visited Bong No. She is a now a recent convert! We walked up to her little shop. She said hello to Sister Kosal and didn't look at me. Then Sister Kosal says, "I have a surprise" She looked at me and started jumping and dancing and patting my stomach. She is one of my best friends. Anyways so sweet to see her. About two months ago she walked into the church one Sunday. Her husband had just left her alone, with two kids. She was hopeless and afraid. But this past Friday she looked and was completely different. She's started going to the church's English class. She's confident. She's totally opened up. She's hilarious. She asked me to pray for her to be able to go to the temple. And she's determined to come to the Boise Temple with me...yeah we'll see. But I pray with all my heart she can endure and find a way to go to the temple in Philippines. I just want to testify that the gospel changes people. I've experienced it for myself and these past months I've experienced it with Bong No. Living a life with Christ at the center can change anyone and can give us a light that can only come from our Savior. 

Also in Ta Khmau I got to see Sheilla! So awesome! She helps the missionaries, two of her friends are now learning and her mom is going to start learning! Awesome! Sheilla is one of my people! Talk about golden! Also Hand of God. I was about to leave the Ta Khmau church to go home when all of the sudden Ming Sokha walks through the doors. She was an English student in Ta Khmau. Sister Kosal and I started teaching her but we found out she lived in the other branch's boundaries. She was only free at our branch's time so I sat with her every Sunday. Anyways she walked through the doors and started doing this crazy dance and started hugging me and crying and sniff kissing me (picture below). My heart was so touched. She is so awesome, sassy and sweet. 

So such a great week. Love it here in my home, Cambodia. Thinking of all of you home back home. Wish all of you the best wherever you may be. Good luck!

Love always, Sister Mortell



the Chin Sisters :)

Sister Chin 2, Sister Chill

Royal Palace

Ming San, Bannat, Srey Na, Liza, Srey Nat! Cuties in Ta Khmau

Bong No!

Sheilla, Srey Nooc (English student and friend of Sheilla, I love Sheilla so much), Sophia and Sister Kosal:)



haha Ming Sokha

 

Delightful Digritty Week in Kean Svay

Hello friends and family!

Well it was another week in good old Cambodia. Well let me just tell you about some of our members here in Kean Svay. First, Ming Tii. She is one of those people that could change your life. She's awesome and hilarious and has had quite a life. When she was ten years old her parents were taken away and killed during the Khmer Rouge. She's been an orphan ever since. She was forced to marry. Her husband didn't treat her very well. About 12 years ago, her husband committed suicide. She's been alone most of her life. And 3 years ago she found the church. She is a faithful faithful member. Since then she's been saving up all of her money to go to the temple in the Philippines. Last week she got to go! She was sealed to her parents! How awesome is that? 

That's how most Cambodians are. They amaze me. Also their lives are crazy too. For example, this less active member lives in this house that you literally have to boat to because of all the water. (Yes, we did in fact walk through all of that nasty water that I don't want to think about to get to her house). She boated us back. Also another example of the sweetness of Cambodians. We were biking and saw this skinny old wrinkled grandma sawing some wood with absolutely no progress. We stopped and insisted to help. She of course said no. But we helped anyways. After we were done she grabbed my hand so hard and pulled me into her house to feed us food. She's totally 100% Buddhist but we had a swell time. 

This Sunday was busy for me. We have two branches to cover so we switch off every Sunday. This Sunday we were in Chbaa Ambou. I played the piano, gave a talk about faith and translated for a Senior Couple (Elder and Sister Jones). So that was fun. 

Nothing much else happened this week. The work is still going on and it's great. I just want to bear my testimony of love and joy. Because of Christ, we can be joyful no matter the day or the circumstance. If we follow Him and turn outside of ourselves we can feel His indescribable joy. Also the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is so true. So awesome. 

Much love to all of you and much luck. Have a great week full of snow or sun wherever you may be. 

Love always, 

Sister Mortell

P.S. Everyone always yells, "Hello borrang!” It means Hello French person.

Digritty is a motto of our mission. It means Dignity while being a little Gritty.

 

the house on water

the boat on water

Chinese New Year is next month!

Hunting for mangoes with Rebecca. She's so cute!

 

Cute Cambodian Week in Kean Svay

Hello Everyone!

So not much happened this week. I’m just getting used to the new area. So update from Ta Khmau, Sheilla and Bong No were baptized. Sheilla wants to serve a mission. I miss them both so much. Sometimes I meet people and think, "Yeah I was sent to Cambodia to meet you." They both fall in that category. So that's exciting for them. As for Kean Svay... so much biking. We have two areas and bike and bike and bike. But Kean Svay and Chbaa Ambou (second area) is beautiful. The members are so so good and so so crazy. This week we received two referrals! They are both awesome. Bong Tooc and Bong Som On. They are neighbors and love to come to church together. We just started teaching them this past week. I'm excited for them. 

So I know why I learned French for four years. Cambodia is heavily influenced by the French. Lots of times we are contacting people and they just start speaking French to me. But anyways we were biking and I saw the cutest lady ever get out of a tuk tuk. I thought, "Yeah I could go talk to her." So I stopped and starting talking to her. She smiled so big and started rattling off in French. And I understood a lot of what she said. When I started to speak French only Khmer came out but I thought that little experience was cute. Anyways she's full on Buddhist but I made a new friend. 

This week we hunted for mangoes. So fun! One of our recent converts, BoPha, has a ton of mango, banana and all sorts of yummy fruit trees. Her house is about an hour and 30 minute bike ride from our house. Ah so crazy and far and dusty but so worth it! Sometimes I’m biking and I just think, "Ahhh….my cute little Cambodia."

In Kean Svay we have lots of great members and two really solid investigators, Bong Tooc and Bong Som On. I'm really excited for them. 

Anyways all is well. Cambodia is great. Good luck with all the snow in good old Idaho :)

Sister Mortell

Maddy didn't send any pictures this week, but I found this picture in my "research" of all things Cambodia. (Thanks to the Oveson's mission blog)

Beautiful Blissful Week in Kean Svay

Happy New Year!!

So I have been transferred to Kean Svay! My new companion is Sister Chhil. She is what her name is, chill. She's Khmer and has been serving for two months. She's been a member for about 2 years! So cool! Leaving Ta Khmau was hard. I'm not going to lie, it felt like another punch to the heart. I love Ta Khmau. But I know just like Steung Mean Chey and Ta Khmau I will love Kean Svay! I will miss Ta Khmau so much especially Sheilla and Sister Kosal but all is well! Exciting news for our investigators in Ta Khmau. Sheilla and Bong No are getting baptized January 7th! Sister Kosal and I taught them all the way through. They are both so excited. They both have such a big part of my heart. 

So Kean Svay is not as city-ish as Ta Khmau. No American store and more bucket toilets. But all is well haha!! Kean Svay has this huge big highway that we bike everyday. It's like the big highway from Phnom Penh I think. But when you get off the big road it's super beautiful. I'm a little scared for April because apparently in Kean Svay it gets especially hot. Oh well. But April is also mango season. But as for now, things are great.  The members are really awesome, some are super crazy but so much fun!

I would just like to bear my testimony of charity. Charity truly never faileth. I have felt so much love in my heart towards the people in Ta Kkhmau.  Love that I have never felt before. It took a lot of prayers, work, humbling and service, but it worked. Charity is the key. It's that simple, love never faileth. I'm going to try my hardest to take that love to the people of Kean Svay too. 

Also tidbit I ate "special meat" this week. (aka DOG MEAT). ah. It was actually delicious. Okay a happy new year! Good luck with all of your goals and such. 

Love always,
Sister Mortell

These pictures are for Papa. Happy New year Papa! But usually people just buy these old Pepsi bottles filled with gasoline that are sold on the side of the street.

Sister Kosal and Sheila

Bong No!! I love her so much! So sad to say good bye.

Ba Ku for Christmas. Our happy district and Saphia! Sister Kosal, me Saphia, Elder Grimaud, Elder Hale

Ming Nari. I love her so so much. She's one of my people!!