Dear Family,
Thank you so much for the delightful Christmas! It was
so great talking to you all. Serious, I loved it, probably too much:)
It seems like there was a lot more that could have been said but at the
time it is hard to think, haha. Anywho, I love you. Yeah so for
Christmas we had some great service, devotional, training, and of course
food. I definitely learned a lot and came away with a lot to do and a
desire to be better and stand taller. We learned a lot and a lot was
shared about how we can do and be better for this next year, everything I
learned and that was shared just felt so right and I was definitely
uplifted. We had a great testimony meeting and I love hearing
testimonies of other missionaries. Honestly, this was the most Christ
centered Christmas that I have ever had, not really much focus at all on
presents or tinsel; just love, service, and gratitude for Him. I
really love this Christmas time of year when we all turn our hearts and
thoughts more to Him. I hope to try and maintain that Spirit and set
goals to be better this next year.
This week was good, a pretty crazy one though! Elder Jensen has been
feeling sick ever since just a bit before he got here, and he was really
quite sick this week. We went to a health clinic and were able to get
some medicine for the big guy and now he is feeling a lot better now and
will hopefully be 100% soon.
This week I went on an exchange with one of our Zone Leaders, Elder
Kuen, and learned a lot. He came into my area and we were able to meet
with the Elders Quorum President and talk about home teaching. We are
going to start really trying to help encourage and support him in
getting home teaching off the ground more here in Ta Khmao. We had a
couple of interviews and all, and I learned a lot about teaching too. I
also received some good advice about not overdoing things and to
remember that we're human.
Then on Saturday I went on an "exchange" with our Elders Quorum
President out to Baku because Elder Jensen was still not feeling good
and so he went with Elder Jongsma and Elder An so that he could stay
close and not have to do too strenuous of biking.
Yesterday, we had a baptism! Her name is Ming Leak and she is so great!
Truly puts the word gold in golden investigator. She definitely has
prepared herself for it(we've been teaching her for 2 months and she's
read to Alma 44 already!) She said that she stopped drinking coffee and
stuff a couple of months before she even started learning. It was a
great service and she shared a sweet testimony and talked about how her
reading of the Book of Mormon well into the night, feeling a strong
desire to read it, and how it helped her come to know that God lives. I
am so thankful for the opportunity that I have to teach her and how
blessed I am to be serving here in Ta Khmao.
She was a referral and the lady, Om Ly, that referred her to us brought
another friend to church named Om Gumly who came to the baptism and now
has a strong desire to learn with us! And, she has children and grand
kids as well who have potential! We scheduled to meet her this week.
The dad from Baku and a couple of his kids were able to come to church
and they felt very happy, the mom was sick but hopefully we'll get the
rest of the gang there this next week.
There is a man named Tin that
has learned with a few sets of Elders but just has concerns and
questions that make it so he can't commit himself to be baptized, we
invited him to the baptism and afterwards had a great lesson with him
and talked about faith and the requirements for baptism-I really feel
like we have love for him and that he has changed since he learned
before and that he is going to finally learn and fully commit himself
this time.
Things are going super good here in Ta Khmao. I feel like this past
week has been so great and that we truly do see simple yet incredible
miracles everyday. I feel that is true for all of us, just being a
missionary we are more prone to recognize them and we have a full time
call to give our all to the Lord. I know that He loves us all and is
mindful of us. When I reflect on my life and my mission so far I see
how truly blessed I have been and feel a sense of love and gratitude for
it all. I love being a missionary here and I love the opportunity to
serve. Elder Jensen and I are doing real good in our companionship and
yeah, things are great!:) I know that the Lord has prepared people for
His restored gospel and is indeed hastening His work. I have got 1 year
of my mission left and I feel so blessed for it and after this
Christmas and after reflecting I feel a strong desire to just give the
Lord my all-my whole heart; I just want to serve with everything and
have a stronger resolve to have no regrets.
I just hope that if anyone is reading this letter and is thinking about
or is at the age where they can go on a mission-Do it. Especially the
young men back in Lehi 36th, Do it. I love my mission so much and it
has been the most treasured experience of my life. I love this work, I
love the people here in Cambodia, I love the hard times, I love seeing
the change the gospel makes in the lives of others and how truly
involved the Lord is in doing His work. I honestly do not know what I
would do without my mission and am so grateful for the growth that I
have been blessed with and for the short opportunity to serve full
time. I just hope that you will all continue to be the men that you
were born to be and really take preparing for a mission serious. I
promise with all my heart that you will never regret it and that it will
truly be the turning point in your life. I hope you know that I love
you, I really love my ward family so much. Especially my brothers in
the Priesthood. If I didn't care or think that it was a big deal then I
wouldn't bother with writing this. I just think of your great
potential and want you to be happy. Don't let anything hinder you or
distract you from going. I know when we sacrifice for the Lord, He
always blesses us back, tenfold. Know that this is truly the work of the
Lord. The Lord is truly hastening his work. So keep on reading your
scriptures, pray sincerely, and live so that when you serve you can give
Him your all! I love you all and can't wait to hear about your
calls(send me an email when you do!)
Anywho, I had best get going, have a fantastic week and a happy new year!
Elder Garlick
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