Letter Sent on January 28, 2013

 

Dear Family,

How are things in Utah, USA? I love America. But I also love Cambodia as well. Things are going just great here in Ta Khmau! This past week we have seen a lot of changes with the missionaries here and there is a ton of potential right now with some new and prospective investigators.
There were transfers last week and we saw a lot of changes here in Ta Khmau.  Me and Elder Jensen are still together-which I am happy about, I love it here :)  Also, Elder An-whom I have become really tight with, one of my best Cambodian friends-was transferred; I really miss him.  And they are adding another companionship here, an Elder named Elder Price and Elder Kaev, a Branch Missionary who accepted a call to serve a temporary 6 week mini mission.  They are going to take a part of my area- specifically Baku(the beautiful hour bike ride area).  So it has been great taking them around and helping them get to know the area.  Elder Price has less than 3 months left in his mission and is an amazing missionary-I have already learned a lot from him the past few days.  I am really excited for this transfer and that I still get the opportunity to learn and serve as a District Leader! This next transfer will be great!
This past week we met with Om Sambath, that saint of a lady, and she shared with us some of the great sacrifices she has made to find the Lord and of her great faith.  Her kids want her to go back home to Takeo so that she can take care of her grandkids for them; she told them that it isn't her job to do so and how she has found the Lord here in the city.  She told us how she had her son's wedding out far away in the provinces and how some of her grandchildren were begging her to stay home with them and how they were telling her how hungry they were and asking her for food because their dad doesn't take very good care of them.  She did the best that she could to take care of them and had one of her children that sends her money from Korea send the money instead to her grandkids saying that the Lord will take care of her.  She has great faith and was crying as she told us of her grand children and it was obvious that it was a big sacrifice for her.  She has such great love for the Lord and unshakable faith.  I hope I can become more like her.
We picked up a sweet new investigator, her name is Ming Neang and she is the mother of 3 recent converts-Channea and Channaet being two of them who Elder Sem and I taught.  We have been kinda pushing and inviting her to learn for a while now.  Once we did a little bit of service for her and visited with her and she agreed to meet with us that next Sunday-however, ended up being busy and pushed it off saying that to wait a little longer and she'd be ready.  We finally were able to meet with her on Sunday and she is so ready to learn.  She has a lot of support from family and has been to the church a number of times.  The persistence and the love of her family have over time really just softened her heart and grown a desire to learn in her.  Her husband as well as showed some great potential and we pray that he will start to learn as well!
Things are going great here in Ta Khmau.  This work is true.  The Lord is in charge and is very much a part of every one of our lives.  Every day, whether we recognize it or not.  I love you all and hope you have a terrific week.

Love,
Elder Garlick

Pics.1 Some sweet members I've gotten to know during exchanges in Ta Khmau 2nd Branch
2.Elder An
3.The road to Baku
4. A puppy!
5. Ming Leak at her baptism-sorry I never sent earlier.
6. Ming Leak and friends