Madeline in Cambodia: Just a Joyful Jewel of a week in Kampong Cham

Hello Everyone!

CAMBODIA CAMBODIA THE LAND I CALL MY HOME: happy one year in Cambodia to me

Also I probably had the coolest one year mark in country. We did exchanges on the 25th (year mark) with the senior sister training leaders in STEUNG MEAN CHEY (aka where I was born exactly a year ago) just super fun.

So do you remember the nurses we started teaching?? Their names are Bong Nirut, Bong Sinan and Bong Sokun. So last Monday we taught them about the Plan of Salvation... aka one of the actually probably the best lesson I've ever been a part of. We started off teaching about the Book of Mormon, read the introduction and testified that the Book of Mormon teaches us about God's Plan. We can learn and become more like Jesus Christ and use His Atonement by applying the principle in the Book of Mormon. cue Joseph Smith, “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” So after we read a little of the introduction with them, Bong Nirut was like "I want to know more. I want to read more.” So we taught them the plan of salvation out of the Book of Mormon. We testified of the Atonement, of Christ's suffering and death for us so that we could return to our Father in Heaven. We testified that because of Jesus Christ, Bong Nirut's husband is not gone forever no. But through repentance and partaking of the saving ordinances of the gospel, families are forever! So we read Alma 7: 11-13, and then Bong Nirut wanted to read like the whole chapter so she continued to verse 14. 14 Now I say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness. After Bong Sokun read "baptism" they all were like, "Wait, what is baptism?" SO... we were actually teaching them in the church and so we happened to be in the baptismal font room place so we showed them the baptismal font and explained the sacredness and necessity of baptism. They all accepted to be baptized! THEN get this. Bong Sinan was like, "so does God have commandments or like rules because I want to follow them so i can live with Him again." WHAT THE HECK. The room was just filled with the Spirit. It was one of those lessons where I felt like I was looking from the outside. We testified of truth and promised sacred blessings to these three Bongs. Now we have a little problem because they can't go to church. They live like two hours of way and spend only two days, Saturday and Sunday at home with their kids... and then learn from Monday to Thursday here in KC. But I don't care. They know the Plan of Salvation. They now know who their Savior is. And they have the most correct book on earth, a book that if a man would abide by its precepts they would know their God, in their hands.

It was a good week. Bong Line is having kind of a crisis but she is staying strong. Hopefully she can be baptized this next week. ALSO this week we have 5 baptisms, Soka, Sokcia, Camraun (three kids of Bong Kom, super cute and so awesome) and Ming Sok and Thela (my favorite people ever they make me so sabbay and we laugh so much together). So a fun week ahead and a lot of work.

Also we biked to Phnom Penh three days in a row because funeral and Ming Sok and Thela so my legs are hurting but no big deal. Love it!! ALSO cute litttle Srey Ka from Battambang was baptized!! My heart is so warm!

Much love to you all and love always,

Sister Mortell