Week 14: When In Cambo...

WHEN IN CAMBO and it starts lightening, what's the first thing Khmers do? They turn off their phone, of course, so they won't get struck by the lightning... HAHA. We were in a lesson with this om (om means older lady) and she got up sooo fast and ran to her phone to turn it off once she saw the lightning. It's the little things like that that keep me entertained everyday:)

Guess who had to give a talk at church in Khmer last minute because the speaker fell through??? ME. I actually enjoy giving talks... but preferably in English... It was the scariest thing I've ever done, but I did it! AND... I included reading a scripture! When they announced my name in church to speak they called me Sister Snoookie (in a Cambo accent. So cute). The Elders think they're so funny. They told the Bishopric that's how you say my name... It does has a nice ring to it though. So everyone in the ward calls me that now. The people have a hard time saying my name for some reason, until you add "ie" at the end. Maybe I should change it to Sister Snookie for the next year? Hey Dad, Bishop Snookie has a nice tone to it too :)

So on Wednesday we were trying to schedule with our investigator a time she could get baptized but the next four weekends are holidays or general conference and it was not working. She didn't want to wait another whole month. I made a joke by saying "What about this Sunday!" and she said, "Perfect!" Sooo WE GOT A BAPTISM! It was so fun! She was a golden investigator! She is the bishop's mom! At her baptism he shared that 30 years ago he was baptized. He was all by himself. Every night since then he has prayed in faith that God will help him be sealed to his family. Since that time, all of his siblings have been baptized and now his mom. He then turned to his mom and said, "Mom, we are going to be able to have an eternal family now." I loved how he said that he prayed in faith, even though at the time it seemed hopeless, that the rest of his family would join the church-- BUT with God, all things are possible! 

**​Ming Sokleems Baptism!

All in all, everything is GOOD. I love it here! I love the people. I seriously love being a missionary. I told my little brother today that I love being a missionary so much that if I had to pick between being at BYU and being on a mission, I would pick mission. HANDS DOWN. Crazy right? 

Love you all! 

**When you do duck lips to this baby, she does them back! Haha! SOOO CUTE! Sorry I'm so sweaty... eewwww

**Lunch with my roomies.

Week 13: Three Reasons Why I Love Cambodia

Three reasons why I LOVE Cambodia:

1) No matter where I am, everyone says, "Helloooooo" to me! It is the cutest thing when you hear a bunch of little kids say it with their accent. It is also kinda creepy when older men say it too... hahhaha

2) It's not weird to just stop on the road and teach someone and ask about their family and kids. Everyone here is so willing to have a real personal conversation!

3) The way people exercise here. HAHA I have no idea how to explain it but hopefully one day I will get a video of it for you.

This week was slow but full of surprises, like always.  I ran into Botevy and Yaya! (When I came to Cambodia a year ago we stayed at their CICFO home!) It was so fun to talk to her in english AND KHMER. They are the cutest! Also, during english class Kasy and Ma walked in (two of the kids from CICFO home) and I freaked out! They are like my Cambodian Family. So fun to see them. 

We have a bapstimal date! It is the bishops mom, Ming Sokleem, who is a golden investigator. We taught her about tithing and fasting and she explained to us that she started doing these a couple months ago. Easy. So she should be gettting baptized on Oct 9! So excited for her! I know her son is also.

We have been working with the Young Women in the ward a lot with doing their Personal Progress! It has been helping us get the less active girls to come to church and get to know each other better the in the YW program. So, since I am helping them out, Sister Haddock and I are earning our YW Beehive Award! Yay!!

Something random that I don't think I've mentioned before is Sister Haddock and I teach piano class! We were both piano teachers before the mission which has made it really easy! Who knew that teaching piano before the mission was preparing me for this! (Shout out to my piano students!!)

I live with the Nam Sisters and I love them to death! They are both full Vietnamese but one is from Nam and the other is from America. The one from Nam is learning English and everyday she asks for a new word to learn. She knows a ton so I taught her the world metamorphosis. I'm super proud of her. <3 

 

Yesterday I saw my first baptism in Cambo! It was the elder's investigator in my ward! She is 15 and her name is PeeNaa. She was introduced to the church through a friend who was a member and is the first one in her family to join the church. After she was baptized she had an opportubity to tell us how she felt. She explained the peace that she felt and also the love from the members. She was sad that no one from her family had attended her baptism (she is the only member) but she was overwhelmed by the love and support from the ward and the young women. Almost the whole ward showed up to her baptism and supported this young girl!! I was overwhelmed from the love and support that these members have for each other. You don't realize how important member helps is!!! It makes such a big difference to feel loved and know that you have a ward family. Joining the church is a huge change in their life that will bring soo many blessings but it's hard! To have a friend to help make the adjustment easier makes all the difference.

I love this gospel so much and I LOVE  being a missionary. I have never been happier.
Sister Snooks

Week 12: Let The Rain Fall Down

This week we started having a cockroach problem... Please keep me in your prayers....

Any who....... Guess who I finally saw? Elder Smith! I pulled up to the mission home and he was there! Crazy! Last time I saw him was when he opened his call to Cambodia. Look at us now.

So we have one of the biggest areas in the mission which means we bike a ton! Super fun since biking on the streets is insane! Right now in our mission our focus isn't so much on finding people but more on reactivating. There are sooo many less actives in our area. So one day we decided to go find a less active who lives sooo far away. We had to bike 16 miles just to get to her house (I got wrecked by the sun... At least I have a cool watch tan line/burn line now..). We got there and were asking around if anyone knew of this girl. This guy came out and told us that he was related to her and we asked if she is a member of our church and he says,"yes!" Perfect! He said he would show us where her house is and we followed him down the road. We get to the house and this Om ("Om'' is the title of an older person) and he talk for a bit. She then turns to us and smiles and without saying anything she invites us in. We sit down and it's kinda awkward at first. We start talking about Jesus Christ and start teaching this less active and it's great. She loves Jesus! We ask her why she isn't coming to church and she responds she goes every week. What?? Turns out she was part of a different Christian church and we were in the wrong house teaching the wrong person... opps. But it turned out alright. She liked talking to us. 

*This was the longest bike ride of my life!

This week had some CRAZY rain storms. So apparently it is a thing to shower in the rain here! hahah it's hilarious! People just buy shampoo and conditioner wherever they are and start washing their hair! Pretty hilarious. We tried to keep biking through the rain but by the time the water was covering half of my tire we had to stop. When cars would drive past us the waves would knock me over or knock my shoes off. hahah SO FUN!  With all the cars plowing through the water I just kept thinking about how fun it would be to connect a tube to the back of a car and just ride down the road.  As we were walking our bikes (since the water was too high to ride now) I was trying to stay collected and not panic because the water was so dirty I couldn't see what I was stepping in.  I suddenly felt something furry hit my leg and I FREAKED out. I had a mini melt down in the middle of the street. Turns out it was only a coconut and not a rabid rat....... but it felt a lot scarier than that.

Last week we met a Boong ("Boong" is the title for a younger adult) while we were contacting and decided to swing by the house again and see if there was anything we could help her with. She invited us in and had a ton of questions for us about the gospel. She was so interested and wanted to know how to pray, what happens after death, and church. SO COOL. We are going back today. Wish us luck!

The gas to our stove has been out for like 3 days so all I've had is cereal. Living the College Life in Cambo.

I taught my companion and another sister in the house how to do the Rubiks Cube! They love it so much. Dallin, can you do it yet? If not, I'll teach you when I get home!!

*These are the Nam sisters I live with.

I love you all! Thank you for everything! I love this Gospel so much and I am so happy to have this opportunity in this amazing country to be sharing it 24/7.

Sister Snooks

* Hiding from the sun....always

Week 11 Transfer 1: Want to Know Your Destiny?

Hello..or Bonjour?

  

Everyone thinks I'm French here. I don't know why. We will be riding our bikes and someone will ride by and say the word "French" in Khmer thinking I don't know Khmer (which is somewhat true) but I I respond back to them in Khmer and it always surprises them! They love it so much. A very white Redhead, biking in a skirt, speaking Khmer in a thick America accent. It is a sight to see! 

We had a big training meeting with all the new missionaries at the mission home. I got to see all my MTC buddies! So fun! Some of the Elders have lost so much weight already! One elder is down 10 pounds and he's not even sick! haha

Reunited!! My MTC Sisters!

Guess what? I sang in our meeting for all the new missionaries. Weird huh? But it was fun. It was a duet and they needed someone to sing with her, so I volunteered. Remember when I didn't make the Sonous choir? Good times.....

Best part of week was when we got asked to go see a less active member with the elders. The less active was the granddaughter in the house that was taking care of her grandpa. He was so cool and soooo old! He was hilarious! He knows 6 languages and would switch between English to Khmer to Vietnamese to French to Spanish and some other language we couldn't figure out. When he saw me the first thing he said was, "Nice to see you again." I asked if he recongized me and he said yes. I have gotten that comment so much! Three people that are Vietnamese have told me they have seen me before... Maybe it is a sign that I'm going to be switched the the Vietnamese program in Cambodia. I'm sure Sister Graviet would love that. :) Anyways, he looked over at me and reached out his hand and said, "Want to know your destiny?" HE READS PALMS! So funny! We all got our palms read. He told my companion that she is going to have 2 husbands and one of them will be from Vietnam. One of the Elders was told he was going to be bankrupt by age 30 HAHA. He told me that if I take too long to pick my husband then I will never get married. Good times.

This last week was rough finding people but I know it will be better this week! I hope you all have a great week! 

Love you all!

Sister Snooks

**I can read that. Hollaa

**Sister Soem!!

 (I am soo sweaty! This was taken after a 30 min bike ride in the blazing sun!)

**This is where our investigator lives.