Well I really have no idea how I can put these past couple days into words, like at all, ha but im going to try.
First day in the filed was so SICK. I had a ton of fun, but I also realized that i have no idea what anybody is saying. LIKE AT ALL. They talk 100000 times an hour and use so much slang. They will just drop letters in words just cause they feel like it so nothing makes sense, and the slang they uses just changes words so im kinda like starting from ground zero agian HA. I LOVE IT, ITS AWESOME.
SO i got off the plane and grabbed our bags. It was hotter than anything I've felt before. no joke. We met the missionaries and the president. Every single missionary i've met is so awesome. Literally everyone is just so cool. 3 other missionaries and I got on a "tuk tuk"-- its like a trailer tied to a moped, and went to go meet our trainers and go contacting. My trainer is Elder Brewer. He's probably a 100/10 on the celestial being scale. He is AMAZING at Khmer. He's from South Cali and has like 3 months left so after hes done with me he leaves. LIterally we've had a ton of fun already. I'm so stoked. We work great together.
So then after Elder Brewer and I went contacting we went to the mission home and got an interview. My mission president is so awesome. So is his wife. They're just like REAL people. I love it. He assigned me to Kampong Cham and Prae Choo. It translates to standing jungle. We go to one area for 4 days and the other one for 3. We hitch hike on or buses or cars to get to our areas. Its so sick. I have two areas! Pres. Christensen said he's giving me one of the realest Cambodian areas. I'm living in like straight jungle/province stuff. It's so pretty though...like Natioal Geographic material. One of our houses we live in with 4 other elders, and our other house we live by ourself.
The culture in my areas is so awesome. Everyone is just so CHILL. Everyone is so poor so like no one cares about material things. Whenever we go to teach someone, everyone is just sitting in hammocks and chilling. All the members just sit and hang out at the church for hours. Everyone is so tight. They eat after church together usually too. Its just so diffrent than America. Its awesome.
One of my fist lessons we taught we grabbed our 1000 year old bikes and went on the dirt road into this thick jungle. We taught this Om (its what you call old people). We rode for like 20 minutes then we came to this little house. There were a bunch of naked kids walking around playing in the road and swinging on the hammock. This dude had absolutley no teeth. Like straight gums. He started to talk and I swear he wasnt speaking any language. I just smiled like an idiot and looked helplessly at my comp. We went and sat on this bamboo table (everyone has them) and started talking about the commandments. Soon enough like 15 poeple came and started listening. They were just looking at us and wondering what the heck these two white dudes were doing here. But, after we finished teaching there was a man that wanted to learn more so we're meeting with him later. Awesome.
We taught another lesson to this woman and her family who sells sugar can juice on the side of the road. I told her "When we follow the commandments we poop and can live with shoes" my comp started laughing and so did the family. As always i just smiled and looked like an idiot.
We had stake conference yesterday and Presidnet Christensen came to the group of branches. My comp was translating so i sat on the stand with all the really important people. I looked out and saw a naked babies running around, some lady breastfeeding her baby, people talking on their phones and people just talking. Then it started to POUR RAIN on the roof-- I couldn't hear anything and some guy was trying to talk to me. I literally just started laughing cause the situation was just kind of funny. Our stake conference and theirs was just so differnt. I LOVE IT. I laugh like 10000 times a day cause I never know whats going on.
Well I love being able to teach. It's the best. Everyone here is just so nice and funny. This place is going to be sick! I love you all. I love this work and I love this gospel. Missionary work is where it is at.
LOVE ELDER SMITH
Kampoeng Jam -One of my areas. National Geographic, right?
My awesome Picachu and Snoopy "bed"
Here is a letter from his mission president, President Christensen when they arrived:
Dear Parent,
We just want you to know that your missionary has arrived safe and sound! We love this picture taken right after they got off the plane and although they are jet-lagged they bring a wonderful spirit and we are excited to get to know them and begin serving together. We have had a wonderful day today, they’ve been to the market and done some contacting, eaten khmer food, and had a short interview with us. They have now gone home with their companions to begin working hard tomorrow. We are looking forward to bringing them back to the mission home next week when they can stay awake and we will spend day together in training.
Cambodia is a wonderful country and we feel the blessings of our Father in Heaven being poured out to these people as the church continues to grow here. In the next few months as your missionary’s language skills increase and he or she begins to personally know the people in their areas we are confident that their excitement and love for missionary work will only grow. We already love your missionary, we were overwhelmed with their expressions of faith and excitement today and we promise you that we will love and treat each of them as one of our own. Thank you so much for trusting our Father in Heaven enough to send your child to this part of the world and know of our confidence that God watches over his missionaries and blesses them every day.
May God bless you and your family as you continue this wonderful adventure,
Love,
President and Sister Christensen
Our quick little letter when Sam arrived...
Hey Guys!!
I just made it to Cambodia! I only have a couple seconds. Everything is swell. My area is way out in the country side. I'm super stoked. My P-day is on Monday so I'll write you then. Love you guys
ELDER SMITH
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