Madeline in Cambodia: Fantastic Fun First Week in Kampong Cham

Hello Everyone! So this week was crazy! I said goodbye to my beloved Battambang. I love that place so much. A lot of my brothers and sisters served there and live there! But all is well! So we all headed down from Battambang and bused to the city, said goodbye to missionaries leaving, saw some of my mtc sisters. I think I'm about the only one that hasn't served around any of the sisters from my group haha. I'm either in the city when they aren't or in the khets when they're in the city. Whatever, but it was still way fun to see people. So after a crazy transfer day and some meetings I headed on another bus to KC with Sister Jennings, my new companion. And can we just talk about the bus ride to KC? The bus stop is literally the best place ever. For most of my mission, since my training I have been trying to find spiders. Every p day in Kean Svay with Sister Chin we would go looking for fried spiders. And the bus stop to KC has spiders! So I bought two and when we got to KC, Sister Chin and I ate spiders while watching the stars from the most beautiful view in Cambodia. I'll send a picture of our balcony next week. Anyways but it doesn't end there. The bust stop has DR. PEPPER. What the heck! I've only seen DP in one other place in Cambodia. So it was a fantastic start to Kompong Cham. Also I still don't know how to write Kampong Cham in English so I’m just going to call it KC.

KC is great. There are two other sisters here, Sister Chin (my old companion, i've literally lived with all my Khmer companions again and have served in all of their hometowns) and Sister Sok. There are three branches here. Sister Jennings and I serve in branch 2 and 3. The area has a lot of investigators. I think our job this transfer will be finding those that are ready to progress and finding new investigators. I have faith that there are people in this area that are ready for the gospel. God truly does prepare people. There's not much else to say. I'm just really pumped about the area and Sister Jennings. I feel a new motivation and desire for missionary work. I'm trying to be more diligent and to have more faith. Sometimes as missionaries our lives are so planned I feel like sometimes we forget to include God in the work. And if God isn't in the work, nothing happens. So I'm truly going to rely on God and love and serve my best these next transfers.

As for random awesome moments this week:

1. I met Sister Chhel's mom and sister! Her aunt is our investigator. Sister Chhel really wants her mom to learn but she's pretty Buddhist but maybe this transfer!

2. I met Elder Kiav's dad and he is so preciousl. He walks, talks and laughs just like Elder Kiav. I served with Elder Kiav in Steung Mean Chey and Posat. Also Elder Kiav's dad wears a Garfield tie every Sunday.

3. We saw the most beautiful sunset last night. Literally took my breath away.

4. Our investigator Ming Tavi came in late to church and in the middle of the Sacrament she came bursting through the doors saying, "Sorry Heavenly Father I came late, my brothers and sisters are you healthy and happy?" it was amazing.

5. We then went to teach Ming Tavi and she was going on about the millennium and after this life. She knows way a lot from other previous religions. And I was literally so surprised that I understood what she was talking about and then I just told her about family history and that everyone gets a chance and she was like, "that's what I’ve been asking the whole time!!" So she is awesome.

6. ALSO across the street from the church in KC there’s a tennis court! I have never seen one in Cambodia. I asked the people and they say they have never used it for tennis but they play soccer on it. Right next to the tennis court there were these lookpuu's playing badminton. They were so good! I have never seen so talented badminton players. They invited us to play. Maybe next p day I can convince missionaries to go with us

7. I said goodbye to all my friends and បងប្អូន in Battambang. When I told Ming Chon I was leaving, which by the way she was showering when we got there. So after interrupting her shower, I said goodbye and she just started to cry. I was so privileged to introduce her to Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.

8. We probably ate like 32 bananas this week

Goodbye,

Sister Mortell