Baptisms!

Suasday!
  So last p-day I bought some chili, cheese, and tortillas at the
"Pencil" and I made some quesadillas that were rad! I felt home for a
bit! That night we went to a recent converts house to teach them how
to do family home evening and we held it with them. We taught the
lesson on love in the family and we played ghost, monk, and pretty
girl. It's like rock, paper, scissors but you act out each. If your
team lost you got baby powder to the face. My team lost 3 times in a
row before we finally won. We were all caked in powder. It was great!!
haha On Thursday I started feeling feverish and on Friday I had a
fever of 101 degrees along with diarrhea which wasn't a fun combo. We
stayed home all day on Friday but the next day I felt way better!
Saturday morning we had a service project at a member's house helping
him pull these weed plants out of his water so he can plant some
vegetables. It was very interesting and very hard work. Also on the
day I was sick the Police came over and inspected our passports and
told us that we had a Business Visa and thus we had to pay taxes. They
told us that if we gave them a hundred dollars and did this paper work
they wouldn't bother us for 5 years. As missionaries we knew this was
sketchy. We told them we can't do anything until we call our mission
office and they told us we only had 20 mins. So Elder Hang explained
the situation to the office and then had the police officer talk on
the phone with the church representative who issues our Visas in
Cambodia. During all this 2 of the officers were looking through some
of the restoration pamphlets we had on the table and started reading
them! One of them asked if he could keep it which of course I told him
yes and gave him our number if he has any questions. We are pretty
sure they were trying to scam us foreigners but they're coming back in
a month to check if we have the right visas. The mission office told
us what we had was sufficient and if they came back take a picture and
go to the U.S. Embassy. We kinda thought we might get arrested
but if we did we weren't going to worry. It would just be another cool
experience right? haha Also last night Elder Hang's chain broke. We
tried to get it fixed but then when he got on the bike it broke again
down the road, too far to go back and fix it. So i had to dope him all
the way home. Doping is when someone rides on the back of your bike or
moto. So I doped my 200 something pound companion 2 miles home while
he held onto his bike coasting next to us. I felt super alive as my
legs burned with exertion, my butt stung from the awkward sitting on
my seat, and my wrists strained to keep the bike straight. At first I
couldn't go anywhere we were laughing so hard because I couldn't keep
the bike straight but I got the hang of it and we made it home!
  The Jantraa family (the one's whose neighbors were persecuting them
for learning with the Christians) this week told us not to come over
until they talked to us at church. But they came to church this week
and want us to come over again! Chiva is still asking me when he can
get baptized but we can't do anything about it till his family is on
board but we feel confident about them progressing this week! Roong is
progressing really well and feels excited about the Gospel but he
hasn't been able to come to church because his job is really busy. So
he still doesn't have a baptismal date.
  On the other hand we taught a lesson to Janat and Odom and their
whole family with some members present (Total of 15 people in this
lesson) about tithing. I got to share my experience how I had wrecked
the company car I was using this last summer and didn't know what to
do. But at some point I remembered I hadn't paid my tithing yet that
month. So I paid it in full and the next day my friend's dad who owns
a car shop said he could fix it for way cheap! I knew it was an
immediate blessing from the Lord because I had paid my tithing. During
the course of me telling this story I somehow had the undivided
attention of every member of the group, even the little kids. Which
before and during the other parts of the lesson was unheard of. The
spirit was so strong and was truly supporting me as I shared that
incredible experience. And what's more is that I found all the words I
needed to share the experience and didn't struggle for words once.
Afterwards one of the members that was with us told me that I spoke
perfect Khmer and made no mistakes and that I usually have a few but
that time I made none. The Lord is so merciful and truly supports His
servants in His work. I will not boast in my own strength, but in the
Lord's. As for my own strength I am weak, but in the Strength of the
Lord I can do all things.
  Yesterday was Odom and Janat's baptism and it was incredible! Odom
asked me to baptize him and I was honored to. The spirit was awesome
despite the fact that I had to do the Ordinance 3 times because his
feet just wouldn't stay underwater. But afterwards they bore their
testimonies incredibly and I felt so incredibly happy to be a part of
it all. This is what Joy is. Seeing these people change their lives
with the power of repentance and receiving the joy of the Gospel. I
love this work. The Lord is so merciful and loving. I know the church
is true. Jesus Christ lives, His Atonement is central to the Plan of
Salvation and all that is good. I love you all.

All that is not Eternal too short
All that is not Infinite too small
                           -Elder Lyle Brewer

 Service project

 a strange fruit called a plae mian or in english ""fruit of having," which tasted a little like a cantaloupe. super good

 baptism group

Elder Hang, Janat, Me, Odom

                   

pineapple plant