The battle here is coming along 2/28/16 Week #34

wut up 

The battle here is coming along. Slowly but surely ha. tough language, tough comp. tough area, tough food. Life is not easy, but missions aren't supposed to be easy. Im learning a lot. Its fun and even thought it's hard there is no place I would rather be.  I'm talking to lots of members and investigators and developing real relationships with them. In my last area I wasnt good enough with the language to do that yet. It's so cool. I'm way tight with some of the youth and investigators. It's so cool. Just looking back from day 1 its crazy to see how much i've learned. The lanugage, spiritually, and about myself. 

Mom thanks for the pics of the family. The family looks so good. It's been weird being away from you guys for so long. Seeing the kids grow up and not being here. Its kinda sad. I'd only do it for the Lord. Charlotte looks way older, so does Liv. its wierd. I miss my fam!

Everyday I ask myself why I have the life I have. I dont understand, some people have it so tough. So we have to help. I can see our family doing some really cool stuff in the future here.  I love you guys. I honestly don't think I could be doing what I'm doing every day without knowing how to push through difficult things. I wouldnt be able to do it, but you and mom taught me a lot. thank you.

Thanks for the updates on everyone. There are so many cool people in Eagle, ID. I'm definitely going to settle there with my fam, so that will be fun:) we've been blessed with some way cool people. Man i miss the peeps in Eagle. I love you a ton mom and dad. Your'e the best.

I'm so pumped for Keith. He is going to kill it in Guam!!  He's tough, so he's got it. Have an awesome week!

    

I'm learning how important trials are--they help us learn, grow, and apply 2/21/16 Week #33

When your sweat turns brown

Well this week we got the transfer call and every single companionship is staying the same except for me and 1 other companionship haha. So good ole elder chook and I are doing one more together. He will be finishing his mission in 6 weeks.

Well a lot of cool things happend this week. This week was awesome. So lately I've been really praying to get some new investigators. We've been contacting a lot and have been rejected a ton. BUT we were biking a couple days ago and we talked to this one man. He told us we could come back a different day. We came back and shared the restoration with him. Hes 30 and already has 5 kids. His name is Tine. We taught him on this little bamboo bed with coconut trees surrounding us. It was some good scenery. Anyways we got to the first vision part and I started testifying in Khmer, and honestly I've never felt the spirit like that while teaching during my whole mission. It was so cool. I like felt like a missionary right there. Testifying of what I know to be true while having the spirit. It was so incredible. I knew Tine felt it too. He accepted the Book of Mormon and told us he would read it. Man moments like those, you just hop on your bike on fire. Felt so good man.

Last night, I have never felt so cool in my entire life. Literally. So last night we were teaching and we finished and rode past our branch presidents house. They make squatter toilets and they were putting some stuff in a truck. After we helped them for a little Theng (branch president) handed each of us a huge stick of sugar cane. They were like 5 feet long. And the outside layer is like super hard. So we rode off in the night in this way far village on a sketchy dirt road. I was riding my bike one handed and my other hand was carrying this huge long sugar cane stick. Then all of the sudden i hear this pack of dogs, just mobbing towards me, with that like nasty gargle bark dogs make when they want to kill something. Anyways I could barely see them but I knew there were coming. I was about to flip out. So this like of dogs start trying to nip at my feet and then i just started beating the crap out of these dogs with my sugar cane stick. It was so cool. I hit those dogs so hard. One of them just ate it and the other one got knocked out. Ha it was awesome. Nothing like beating up dogs with sugar cane.   Service pays off.  I am grateful the Lord inspired our branch president to give us that 5 foot long sugar cane!!

One more thing,  2 weeks ago we found 3 lost members who now live in Siem Reap but were from Battambang which is like 3 hours away. Anyways one of the guys is just diving back into the gospel. Its so cool. I was riding my bike and saw him on the road sitting in a hammock just reading the Book of mormon. It felt way good knowing that we are having a little impact on him.

Something that I've been studying a lot lately is how we can have the faith and strength to endure. Becuase here in cambodia lots of people get baptized and then just dissapear. They get really upset when something bad happens in their life. Being out in the mission I've really noticed how important trials really are. Its almost why we are here--so we can grow, learn, and apply what we learn. I heard a really good poem about this

Good timber does not grow with ease
the stronger the wind, the stronger the trees
the further the sky, the greater the length
the more the storm, the more the strength
By sun and cold, by rain and snow
In trees and men good timbers grow.

kinda cheesy but i like it. we need tough stuff to grow. We become better people because of them. I love you guys so much. I hope Idaho is doing well. peace out!

elder smith

Our awesome branch mission leader

No time to write this week! 2/14/16 Week #32

Sorry guys i dont have time to write this week.  We have like 5 minutes until the p day ends, but i just want to say thank you for always emailing me. I honestly love it. I look forward to it every week. You guys are the best. . I cant wait until we are all united again. that will be a glorious day. thank you so much for the fasting and praying. Its helping, I know it. The comp situation is the same, ha probably a little worse, and he is finishing his mission next transfer so i am looking at another 6 wonderful weeks. I did it once, I can do another.  I have learned so much from this experience so its all worth it. Transfer calls are on Sunday. Who knows something  crazy might happen. I love all of you. I hope you guys have a sweet week. Better emials next week. PEACE

love elder smith

A Simple Heartfelt Prayer Week #31 2/7/16

Well something way cool happened this week. So a problem in Cambodia is that we have a TON of members and we have no idea where they are. There aren't really addresses here.  So they are just lost. We were riding our bikes down this random dirt path and there were these 2 thirty year old guys fixing motor bikes. One of them yelled Elders so I stopped and started talking to them. Turns out they are members who got baptized 8 years ago in Battambang. I talked to them for like 20 minutes and they were like the coolest dudes ever. They said they didnt know where the church was, but wanted to go. The next day they showed us their "house"and we met their mom who is a member too. It was so awesome. And one of the guys came to church last week. If we get these two guys active again its going to help this branch a ton. So cool.

The Cambodia language is going pretty well. I can teach all the lessons and can talk with anyone, buuuutttt once they start talking it starts getting rough. Ha the people here just have the thickest accents and speak so fast. Ha sometimes my native comp cant understand. But its getting better. Learning khmer is starting to like be way fun.

So there is this member who lives about a 5 hour bike ride away. Shes this little old lady who lives in this secluded village. We rode a tuk tuk there and it took about 2 hours. After we taught her she asked the member we took with us to pray, and Cambodian prayers are like the best thing ever, they are just so simple. heres how it went, she asked God to help her Pig be healthy, she asked for good health, enough food and a happy life, thats it. Thats all she needed. Ha it was awesome.

Thank you so much for fasting and praying. I know its helping me. There have been a couple times where I almost just about flipped out ha. Thank you so much. I know its helping.

 Our investigators our doing good. This week was chinese new year and they love that here so none of them came to church, but most of them read and follow their commitments which is good. We picked up this single 40 year old man the other day. He seems like he just wants to find out why Jesus Christ is important, but I think he has some really good potential. I think on average people are better off here, but there are still tons of super poor people. Begging and living in bad conditions. The sisters just baptized this girl who is 18, both of her parents died, she has two little siblings she takes care of and she sells eggs at the market every day.  All the  missionaries here each buy ten eggs per week-- its super fun.
Every person we talk to pretty much has only heard weird rumors about Jesus and knows nothing. Its hard for them to understand there are over 1000 different churches ha. Its fun. You just teach from the ground up.

Well the Siem Reap life is going good. Living with a native is always an adventure to say the least. Doing work and serving God. I love it. I love this Country and I love this Church and how much it helps these people to be happy. Peace out

ELDER SMITH

On our way to an investigators house

Got bit by a spider and stung by a bee--mother nature wins this week! Week #30 1/31/16

JUMRIBSUA

Good week in Cambodia. Its way hot here. BUT I love it. Not really, just trying to be positive cuz why not. The other day I got bit by a spider and then stung by a massive bee, so Mother Nature wins this week. Until the next.

So we contacted a ton this week, and we met this one dude name Mao. Super cool dude with the worst hair cut I've ever seen. Anyways we taught him the first lesson gave him a tour of the church and he was just eating it up. It was so cool. So we tried to teach him agian and then he called us and told us to never ever meet with him again. He said he saw a ghost. I dont understand why that has anything to do with us, but it was a total bummer. Hopefully Ill see him on the road again.

Yesterday we were biking and I stopped to talk to this guy. He had a shop with all these crazy different fishes in these tanks. My comp was wandering around and bent over and I heard this huge splash and the girliest scream a male could muster. This like 8 foot catfish tried to bite him. I laughed for a solid 10 minutes so did the guy i was talking too. It was laugh that was definitely needed.

So were are teaching this guy named Som Oune and his wife. He's like 50 and is way poor.  There's poor and then there is Cambodian poor. And its way sad. He has this grandchild who has this crazy burn on his foot, he himself cant walk anymore because his knees are messed up, he lives in a concrete room with like 15 of his family members. Just a way tough situation, but he still manages to smile and laugh. Its insane. Its hard for me to tell him that everything will work out if he has faith and does what God needs him to do. Thats where my faith and his faith need to be strong. Im starting to really like this guy. He's so cool. He's been loving the first couple chapters of the BOM. Cant wait for tomorrow when we teach him again.

Well for me, Im doing good. Im trying do find some more people to teach, and figure out how to live with a cambodian comp. It's fun. The cultures are way different, but thats what makes it fun. love all you guys.

BIG SHOUTOUT TO HUNTER FOR COMING HOME! LOVE YOU BROTHA! CANT WAIT TO SEE YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACE!!

Swiss Family Robinson Style

Mango and Bananas galore

This Cambodian got his call to Cambodia which is where he wanted to go. He is super excited!

Teaching by candlelight Week #29 1/24/16

Missionaries in my new area

My new area Siem Riep

new companion Elder Choke

What a week. Well to start it off a couple of days ago we had a way cool lesson with the family we are teaching. First off, this family has it rough. Their dad has one leg but every day he goes and works construction to get enough money for food.  I've got high hopes for them. They live day to day. He works so hard for his family to take care of his 4 kids. Its amazing. Our new branch president came and helped us teach. The car battery they use for power was out, so they brought out these candles. We had a prayer and started teaching and reading from the Book of Mormon. We were sitting outside teaching on a homemade table and chairs, with the moon and candlelight helping us see each our scriptures. Just seeing this new member (our branch president) and the father of this home read the promises of the Word of Wisdom together was the coolest thing ever. The branch president testified about how much happiness he and his family have because of the Gospel and how much God wants to bless him and his family. It was just so cool. I'm super stoked for this family. 

We found 2 new investigators this week. I'm way excited for them. Its an older couple who have some real problems. They live in this rented housing that is like 12 feet by 15 feet-just a cement box with like 10 people living there. But they are grateful for shelter.

This area is way sad.  Its hard for me sometimes.  Theres always like 30 naked little kids just playing outside, tons of sick people, and drunk dads. Super rough area and when we roll in with our white shirts it looks a little out of the ordinary. Maybe because we're like the only people wearing clothes,  but if they keep learing and keep their commitments God is going to help them so much. I want to help them not to lose hope.  All in all it was a good week.

Well on thursday we have Zone Conference. So we get to go to Battambong. Those elders are in our zone so we're going over there. I've heard its way pretty, I'm way pumped. 

Love all of you guys. thanks for the birthday wishes. 

Elder Smith

I am being transferred to Siem Riep! Week #28 1/17/16

Deep fried tarantula snacks!

Hey guys so we had to move houses yesterday so we didnt get to email or do anything so thats why this is late.

Well this week has been a little kray kray as my main woman Ke$ha would say. Leaving Prae Choo was tough. When i got the call to go to Siem Riep i was way stoked, but then the last day hit and i realized I had to say goodbye. It was a lot harder than i thought it was going to be.

So my new comp is elder Choke. He's Cambodian. He's a little different and quiet. Ha i havent quiet figured him out yet so this transfer will be fun. But speaking khmer all day is fun. The language barrier isn't too bad so its all good. He just cant speak any English ha. 

ha the birthday was interesting. it was the first day with my new comp so it wasnt really a birthday. I struggled a litle bit not going to lie. I wanted some flippin cake ha. BUT i did buy some ice cream with oreos which was amazing.

So our area is MASSIVE. It got split i think a couple transfers ago. Its kinda like the armpit of this whole area ha. Not going to lie its tough. This week has just been tons of contacting and no lessons ha. I dont really have a whole lot to work with but its going to be good. I'm going to learn a ton BUT we do have this amazing family we are teaching. They have 5 kids and they really are considering getting baptized. I'm so pumped for them. The dad is named Luat. Super cool guy. He has one leg bytheway. He and his family came to church on Sunday and he was anserweing questions during sunday school, its was awesome.  Our area consists partly of village stuff and partly some factory/big buildings. So we're kinda just starting from scratch here. I'm excited. But I'm not going to be able to teach as much which kinda of a bummer.

FOOD wise i had some way good stuff this week. I had the beautiful opportunity to eat a 5 inch tarantula. It was big. Now its inside me. last night was a night to remember. This guy took me and my comp out for "soup". So we get to this place and this lady hands me this bowl and the meat looks like beef. So i began. Ha after a couple minutes of trying to understand this dude explain what I was eating in cambodian i finally understood, they took the brain of a cow and squezzed the brain juices out into the soup, chunks of brain, and then the took the knee of a cow and took the tendons and cut them. So i had cow brain juice with Cow ACL soup last night. Ha it was dope. At the end he had a surprise for us, he bought this massive leg bone of a cow and cracked it in half and started eating the bone marrow. He made me put my chopsticks in the bone and i pulled my hand out and it looked like a big bugger. Tasted like one too. Ha it was a ton of fun. Lots of laughs and a couple dry heaves too. 

A bag full of cockroach

Saying goodbye to this family was tough

One of the coolest member families!

With my man Om June--it was hard to say goodbye to him.  I hope he can continue to progress