Week 24 A New Adventure Begins

My missionary son with one of the Seven Wonders of the World.  The magestic Angkor Wat temple in the city of Siem Riep.

Good bye to Steung Mian Cey aka Trash Village

 

Service work in a grandmas garden

New native companion Elder MOK  here in the jungles of Cambodia.

 Elder Phnom Penny and food... need I say more :)

Awesome family, grandma is 104 years old.

This week started with a trip to the hospital for antibiotics for his gut again before a seven hour bus ride across the country to the beautiful city of Siem Riep, home of the Angkor Wat Temple.  It was a sad good bye to the families in Trash Village.  His email this week continues to amaze me.  Even thru so much physical hardship Penny continues to grow and progress.  He is so grateful for all the small things that life has to offer.  He is HAPPY and HEALTHY and that makes me happy too.  His health is huge struggle to me.  But that smile is worth a thousand phone calls :) and I get one next week.  YIPPY!! Have a great week everyone.

Julene

Email Home: 

Wow what a week! So much has happened! The beginning of the week was a very sick time with a trip to the hospital and the realization I had stomach eating amoebas so I had to spend the next couple of days taking tons of antibiotics and having an energy level of 0. But by Thursday I had recovered and went out to say my last goodbyes to the families in Steung Mian Cey. That was a lot harder than I ever thought it would be. Even after just 3 months there I learned to love those families sooooo much and I hope the best for them. I know they have grown closer to their Savior and that is what I trust will carry them on wherever they end up going. As for the new area, after a very bumpy and exotic 7-hour bus ride through the Cambodian countryside I arrived in Siem Riep. Let's just say it is a lot different experience than in the city. A much more adventure-like and awesome one! (: I'm sooooo happy to be where I am! When I arrived I met my new companion late at night, Elder Mok, and then we hit the hay so we could hit the work hard the next day. We study in the morning and then head out, he told me it's far but like I never knew how far... Holy moly I probably bike over 20 miles everyday now... SO FAR! We head out and start hitting dirt paths in the middle of heavy jungle-like woodlands and end up in some remote village which on the way in we casually see some elephants no biggy right? But anyways we arrive in this little village and Elder Mok leads me to this little Ohm and next thing you know I'm watering her garden in blazing heat as she yells directions in Khmer to me! It was a fun little experience, then we talk them a wonderful lesson and encouraged them to go to church. We then met another Ohm who made us some delicious spring rolls and we taught her about church too and then invited her to come the next day. The last person we met that last day is a funny lookpu who is getting close to baptism. He just has to overcome his smoking addiction which he is very close. We taught about the word of wisdom and trusting in God and then invited him to church. Now don't get me wrong, he lived far far far from the church and in the middle of nowhere on his little farm so when he gave us sketchy answers about going I was a little skeptical but next thing you know he is at the church on Sunday learning and looking soooo happy (: Church was amazing btw! Siep Riep just got a new building and it's so nice inside it's beautiful! So lucky to be here! After church we had one lesson planned which I thought was odd, why only one, but then I realized, forcefully, that it was an hour ride to get there. About 15 kilos one way... So after biking for an hour in the middle of nowhere we arrive at this one remote house and have an awesome lesson with an investigator, her name is Bong Sokuan. She is awesome and has a great family, and the mother and father in law are members and helped us a bunch. The area is a blessing and has lots of strong members that are willing to help us and go to lessons with us even though it is far far away and takes a bunch of time. It's a miracle I get the opportunity to serve here and the end of my day was a miracle in itself. We found out the Church has announced two new stakes in Cambodia. The first ever! That is HUGE HUGE HUGE history! The work is moving along, the Lord blessing the work and efforts over here! Such a blessing to see such history being made while I'm here! But that's about it, life over here is amazing as ever! I love this mission, this area, the people, and my Heavenly Father. I love my Savior and His Atonement which allows me to learn and grow and become a better person everyday. Have a great week everyone,

Love the happiest missionary ever,

Elder Spencer Paul Nhem