Madeline in Cambodia: Yadda Yadda Week in Battambang

Hello Everyone!

Battambang is great! And I’m going to be staying here for another transfer in Battambang! So this week was super super fun and exciting! This past Tuesday we had an English class party at this super fun park in Battambang. We had efy music and David Archuleta, pamphlets, candy, balloons, flyers. It was super fun and I think a success. The next day on Wednesday was also way fun. We did service for these members. Not moving dirt, but rocks! We moved this big pile of rocks and made it into a path for their house. And it poured. It poured. It was the hardest rain I've ever seen. And it felt so good. This mission is the closest swimming non-swimming mission there is.

So this week was great for Battambang. We have an investigator Bong Tii. She is super awesome and loves learning with the sisters. Hopefully she will be baptized in the next couple weeks. She told us, "My neighbors make fun of me for learning about Jesus, but I don't care. I believe it." So awesome!! We also have Ming Kiang. She lives kind of far away but we bike out to see her. I think she's really lonely. She’s a little hard on the outside but this week we got to know her a little more and found that she has a really sweet heart. She confided in us and just cried and cried. She wants to be baptized. She wants to follow Him. We had a crazy but spiritual, really good lesson with her. It’s such a privilege to testify of Christ. I really loved what my companion Sister Lunsford told her (Shout out to her, she was totally inspired by the Spirit) Ming Kiang was telling us that everyone just treats her badly, she's been alone most of her life, she's been people's servants and maids and no one shows any love to her. She said, "I just want to help everyone but I can't ,"and then Sister Lunsford said, "Maybe you can't do it, but Christ can." And that is something that I've remembered ever since. Maybe we can't do it with our own hands but Christ will put us on His shoulders and carry us home. (Shout out to President Uchtdorf). And Ming Kiang thanked us. The little bit of love we have shown to her is about the only love she's ever received. What a privilege.

Also something cool happened this past Sunday. So, no teacher showed up for Sunday school Gospel Principles class or Relief Society so I taught both of them. In Relief Society the President was sick so she didn't come and there were no teachers. Everyone was at a loss. I just sat there hoping they'd find a solution but also knowing that I would probably have to teach haha. So I ended up teaching. So I just straight up asked them, "What do you want to learn about? What’s hard in your life? What do you need help with?” and they answered, “I don't have any money," "I don't have a job," "I’m sick," "I want my children to go to school and be happy," so then I thought for a second and President Nelson popped into my head. Fall conference, he said, "And our purpose is to have Joy? What?" So then we talked about joy and what brings us joy. They answered quickly, "The gospel", "God", "Family.” So then we concluded that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings us true joy. So then I read Alma 7: 11-13. I asked them what Christ has suffered for us from those verses. And it was everything they answered the first question. Christ has literally suffered everything unfair, bad, and worse and heartbreaking because He loves us. He's already suffered for us. So what do we need to do? Ming Cam Raun answered, "Repent." So with a group of about 20 Cambodian neakmings and bongs we found the answer to joy. Repentance. Mosiah 3:19. So awesome. Okay I’m out of time but I’m definitely pumped about the gospel and the scriptures.

Love always,

Sister Mortell

ស៊ីស្ទើរ ម៉ូរធែល

We had a wedding this week in Battambang. Here we are with some of the youth in Battambang. Guess what? I played the piano for the wedding, musical number and when the bride walked down the aisle. haha