Letter Sent on May 7, 2012

 

Things are going good here in Battambang! This past I was on an exchange with Elder Sin and Elder Khlot for a few days while our companions were away learning how to become better leaders at a Leadership Conference in Phnom Penh.  It was a good exchange and I love these two elders very much.  It was humbling and good for me when we were in my area and taking the lead and be the senior companion for a bit.  I feel like exchanges really help me grow.  Elder Sin became really sick on Thursday and we ended up taking him to the hospital and he got some help with really bad stomach cramps he came home and rested the rest of the day.  But he was still in a lot of pain and so he went back to the hospital and it turns out he has salmonella poisoning and kidney stones...yeah not fun I felt really bad for him! But it was a good exchange and we had a lot of fun together, we went and supported the family of an incredible member who passed away this past week at the funeral. I mentioned her in my last email I believe.  It was one of the best funerals I've been to and I am so thankful for the Plan of Salvation. One of you was telling me about how precious life is and how blessed we are to have the gospel and the knowledge that we have, I couldn't agree more and that is something that has become so much more clear to me and my testimony has been strengthened a lot. Thanks pal:)

This week has been good with Viilai, we were able to finish teaching all the lessons for her and go through the baptismal questions and she is having her interview for baptism this Wednesday and her baptism is on Saturday. She is super prepared and truly is a "golden investigator" she just listens so intently and she does the simple things that we ask her to do. Pray, read the Book of Mormon every day, and go to church.  It just is so cool how as she does those things she grows so much and she has spiritual experiences.  I feel like I need to help my investigators feel the Spirit and as they do they will hopefully develop a desire to have more experiences like that. I think I remember hearing from Elder Scott in conference that desire opens the door to revelation and I feel that helping the investigators really desire to know and keep commitments will truly help them progress. She also told us that her teacher just isn't teaching on Sundays anymore because he doesn't have enough students which she figured out soon after she prayed and felt that she could keep this commandment.  Such a miracle.  There are so many simple miracles in our lives every day.
It seems like every day is a battle and so many people need to be strengthened it seems like all the members and investigators need help and sometimes it can seem overwhelming.  It is crazy going from a ward in Utah that has members that have been members for generations coming here where the church is so new.  There is a lot to be taught but the members here are incredible and I know that with the Lord all things will work out:)  I have much to learn and need to lean on Him more.  I feel like I need to do better at achieving personal goals, not just making the goals but mastering the principles of achieving goals.  I just need to learn to focus better on goals and be more committed which is what I plan to do.
The language has really taken a big click this week and I have noticed the hand of the Lord in helping me read, speak, and understand so much better,(however, I still have a long way to go!!:) I have some people that tell me I really know Khmer well and others will tell me straight up that I don't know it good at all.  So I'm not sure what to think:) The Khmer people are really super blunt which I kinda like..sometimes:)  Maybe being with 2 Cambodian companions for a few days helped a lot.  I feel so blessed and I know that the Lord has helped me so much and I can testify that I have had divine help in learning all that I have.  I still have so much to learn though..which is good though I don't want to become too "comfortable".
An amazing talk that is definitely worth checking out is "Faith-the Choice Is Yours" by Bishop Richard C. Edgley.  It is one of my favorite talks on faith.  He talks about how we have the choice to choose faith always and it is up to us.  He says, "I wish to suggest a single choice-a choice of peace and protection and a choice that is appropriate for all.  That choice is faith.  Be aware that faith is not a free gift given without thought, desire, or effort..So I say, choose faith.  Choose faith over doubt, choose faith over fear, choose faith over the unknown and the unseen, and choose faith over pessimism..Yes, faith is a choice, and it must be sought after and developed. Thus, we are responsible for our own faith.  We are also responsible for our lack of faith.  The choice is yours." I love this so much and I want to strengthen my faith even further.  I feel like I used to think, "Well I don't have a choice in my faith or I can't help it if I have a doubt.."but those thoughts are from the adversary and we can always choose faith and choose to strengthen our faith.  Something cool I have learned and am still working to apply I hope that that maybe means something to you too.
Anywho, know that I am doing great! Probably the happiest I've been so far since I've been here.  I feel that this week has been a big turn in my mission and my attitude and as I continue to move forward I know that things will keep getting better.  I love you so much and thanks for all of your love, support, emails, and most of all prayers.  It means a lot.
Love,
Elder Garlick

Pics: A monkey!! I was scared to get to close because Elder Sin was telling me that it bites...haha! When it opens it's mouth like that it means it wants to bite.. serious.  Elder Khlot, Elder Sin, and Me on a tuk tuk (pretty much a trailer welded to the back of a moto) We got poured on.  The sisters.  A picture of right now, I went and stood in the rain right outside the internet shop, in case you were wondering what it looks like right now.

Letter Sent on April 30, 2012

How are you? I'm doing good!
This week was a good one; another good ol' week:)  Well there was a day this week were it was the hottest day of the year for Cambodia and Battambang was the hottest city and it got up to like 41 degrees Celsius, which is approximately 105.8 degrees Fahrenheit. Yeah, Khnom cong ngoab! I wanted to die! haha.  It was probably the hottest day of my life.  But it's all good I feel like I am really used to the weather here now, it's weird to think about snow or chilly weather:)
This week we have had some really great experiences with investigators.  We have an investigator named Om Sarin that we were reviewing about prophets with and talking about choosing the right and how prophets help guide us and all and in the lesson he asked us to be baptized! It was sweet we were taken by surprise but were really excited.  It was really neat seeing how prepared he is and the desire that he has to receive this sacred ordinance.  He has learned with the Elders before and just never had enough time but now he does and wants to learn.  His wife is a member but works far away in Siem Reap and he has a child that just got baptized in Phnom Penh.
Another great experience was a lesson with Viilai, who is preparing to be baptized on May 12, she goes to school on Sunday and we were teaching about the Sabbath Day.  We taught her about how on the Sabbath we are to do those things that direct our thoughts to the Lord and that we shouldn't be going to school. It was really hard for her to hear and she was struggling with it but we had a really great lesson that was filled with the Spirit and strengthened my testimony of the Sabbath and it's importance as we taught, shared experiences, and testified.  You could just see the Spirit working in her and just softening her heart..We committed her to pray about it; the next day she said she prayed about it and that after her prayer she just really felt that yes she could do it.  Then it turns out that after church she learned that there are not enough students so the teacher isn't teaching anymore(I am not sure if it was just this Sunday or forever?, I didn't understand fully?) but it was a really cool teaching experience that strengthened my testimony, especially of the importance of honoring the Sabbath day.  I believe even more firmly that when we put the Lord first that everything else will always work out. Elder J. Devon Cornish said, "One of the secrets to a joyful life is to recognize that doing things the Lord's way will make me happier than doing things my way."  I know that that is true! So I don't know why my actions don't always reflect that? But I know that when they do, that things always go good and I feel good about the things I do.  I know that our Heavenly Father has a plan for everyone of us and that its many times different than our own and that when we do things His way that we can become the person He wants us to become. And we'll be happy!
After a District Meeting this week we all went and visited a most faithful member family who has a daughter that has a heart problem and is dying.  We went and visited them and Elder Oleson and Elder Wright gave this girl a blessing and it was the most beautiful blessing of comfort and of peace.  This woman has had such a hard life and has been such a light to her family and is just the most faithful person.  I feel so blessed that I was able to be there and to witness the blessing, the Spirit was so strong and I am even more grateful for the Plan of Salvation that gives us all such hope.  I know that it is true and that we will have the opportunity to meet our loved ones again.  I am so grateful for my mission and the opportunity to serve and have these experiences, I am also grateful for all that you do for me, for your love and support thanks for all that you do. Welp, I had better get going..have a great week!
Love,
Elder Garlick
Pics; I got my new name tag! Sweet right? Our Church in Battambang, really pretty! Like 5 months old. 

Letter Sent on April 23, 1012

 

Whatsup? Hope lots of good stuff:)

Hey this week has been pretty good, I feel that things are starting to pick up more.  We made goals for different people we wanted to focus on this transfer in 4 categories; baptisms, integrating recent converts into branch, rescuing less actives, and strengthening members and helping prepare them for the temple; along with all of our other investigators and finding of course!  This week we went and visited some less actives that have been ones on our list of people to rescue during this transfer.  It was very exciting because at church almost all of the less actives who we had visited had come to church which was so great to see! We had a couple that didn't but it was very satisfying to see many who did come.  I guess the trick now is to strengthen them and help them have spiritual experiences so they will come consistently and stay active:)

Ming Siinaa is an investigator who is has a baptismal date on May 12, this week it came up that she doesn't have her marriage certificate, so her and her husband are not legally married, therefore she cannot be baptized without the said document. When we told her this she seemed to lose a lot of desire to receive baptism.  She says that it is too expensive and so maybe she'll just "wait a year" to be baptized.. However, we feel that they could definitely get the paper if they really made it a goal and tried.  But she still came to church on Sunday and we feel that we have to strengthen her faith and show her the importance of baptism and the eternal blessings that stem from it. We feel that she maybe still thinks it's just "something you do" and doesn't recognize how truly important it is.  We have an investigator, Puu Sokciat that we taught the Word of Wisdom and we are now helping to overcome some of his addictions. 

We have a recent convert named, Riit(probably one of my favorite Cambodians:) i love this guy.), who was really sick with a bad cough and had to go to the hospital because he didn't have enough blood in his system and had to get more. We went and visited him at the hospital.  Which compared to an American hospital was not very sanitary at all, one more thing that I am so grateful for back at home.  My gratitude for things is really growing seeing how little many people here in Cambodia have.  We are indeed so blessed! Wow! It really is so crazy how good we have it. Anywho, it was great visiting him and showing our love for him and we thought it would be good for his older brother Petkdei to give him a blessing.  So we had the opportunity to participate in the blessing with Petkdei.  Afterwards Petkdei said he felt like the Spirit was guiding him on what to say and the blessing just flowed.  It was a real neat experience! Something we are working on is helping members and investigators have spiritual experiences, which come naturally as we do those basics of sincere prayer, scripture study, church attendance, and living true to the gospel always.

Anyways, this week was good and now that the Khmer New Year is over things are coming back to normal and I feel that things are going to continue to go great! Oh and this was easily the hottest week of my life. haha, it's insane:)

I am so grateful for my mission and for all of the experiences that I am blessed to have every day.  Indeed, everyday is precious!

I hope you know that I love you and that I pray for you.  I hope you have a great week and stay safe!

Soom srolan,

Elder Tanner Garlick

Some pics: Elder Decker and Me; We had a Specialized Training conference thing up in Siem Reap and we met with some of the Elders from a couple of other kites(areas away from the city of Phnom Penh) and Elder Decker was there, he was one of my buddies in the MTC and the first member of my group I've seen since for like the past 7 or 8 weeks; that is one of the bumbers of being in a faraway kite-you don't really get to bump into anyone else-oh well I love it here!, A river, Cover for the next issue of National Geo. haha. Jk. But seriously!, a cute little frog.

Letter Sent on April 16, 2012

I hope you had a great week! This week was a good one for me; we had the Khmer New Year and so that meant that a lot people are out of town and busy.  It is the biggest holiday of the year here.  It was on Friday(the 13th, creepy) and so on Friday and Saturday we did not prosolite(spelling?) so on Friday, we had a deep house cleaning for half of the day and filling out member CBR's(Convert Baptismal Records) for the other half. And on Saturday, we had a sports day for half the day and did CBRs for the other half.  It was a lot of fun and it was nice having a short break from regular prosoliting to bond as a district and to get our bearings on members that would need some help.

Elder Oleson, my zone leader and a missionary I really look up to, and I did a split last P-Day in which he taught about his zone vision and taught me other great principles of missionary work.  I learned a great deal and the spirit was very strong and definitely guiding our efforts.  Quick experience, we were prosoliting in my area for the day and I had forgotten to grab my keys...and Elder Nebeker with his keys was at a market on the other side of Battambang, so Elder Oleson and I couldn't get into our house and had to go and leave our stuff at the District Presidents house across the street.  We were really hungry and had to go to a restaurant to eat some dinner before our preparation day was expired.  We went and I was pretty frustrated at myself and that I hadn't got some stuff done that I wanted to.. After we got done eating there was a man from England, named Johnny, at the restaurant too.  He actually spoke Cambodian and Elder Oleson asked him how he learned it; turns out Johnny teaches at a Bible school and we got talking with him about what brought him here and he wanted to know why we serve and more about our religion. He sat down by us and asked us a lot about our beliefs.  We had a great conversation that did not become contentious (which was something I was kinda worried about) we taught him some of the truths we know and shared our testimonies with him.  We gave him a Khmer Book of Mormon and got his phone number so that we can give him an English copy.  He was a very kind and sincere man and really was interested in what we believed in. The Spirit was really strong and I just felt so warm inside as we were talking and testifying to him, and afterwards I just felt so good.  We then had a couple of great lessons in which the Spirit was definitely present and was guiding us throughout the rest of the day with contacting and where we needed to go.  We taught a Less active man whom we had a great lesson with.  Elder Oleson said that it was a miracle how much he's is softening because he was not very friendly to the missionaries a few months ago.  We both felt like the hand of the Lord was definitely guiding us to go to that restaurant and to meet with Johnny; even if we didn't know it at the time.  I believe that the Hand of the Lord is in all of our lives each and every day and we sometimes just don't recognize it. (O Remember, Remember-President Eyring, good talk.)  I don't know if Johnny will join the church or anything but I do know that us meeting him definitely strengthened us and set a spiritual tone for the whole rest of the day.  For that I am very grateful.  Truly the Lord does bless us with His tender mercies every day. And I know that if we will do our best and keep our covenants, if we will be good boys and good girls, that he will guide us where we need to go.

I feel like the past few weeks have been rough and we have done a lot of planning, learning, and goal setting.  Now that they Khmer New Year is over we should be able to meet a lot of our investigators who have been out of town and busy.  I think a lot of great stuff is coming up ahead and that as we work our hardest and trust the Lord some incredible things are definitely going to happen.

Welp, folks that's it for today. Thanks for everything and I love reading your emails! Most of all thanks for your prayers.  Have a great week! I love you. a lot.

Love,

Elder Garlick

Pics;Lizard, This statue thing is made of pieces of guns it is really cool!, a nice view by the river.

Letter Sent on April 9, 2012

 

Cumreapsua! Hey how's it going?

I hope that all is well. Thanks for the emails and all, love reading them, I always get really excited for Pdays for that reason, probably too much haha!:)

Welp, this week was pretty rough with trying to meet investigators, a lot are just super busy right now and out of town.  It is actually Cole Chnam Khmer, The Khmer New Year, this friday. And it's like a huge deal so everyone goes to their hometowns and everything to celebrate with their family and it seems like it takes up a couple of weeks leading up to the day that people are celebrating and not wanting to meet and stuff. So the holiday is actually this week and so it might be another rough one..haha we'll see! But we'll do our best, so know worries:) But yeah anywho..

We went and visited Dei this week just to see how she and Daro are doing and she actually said that they want to start learning again (after Cole Chnam, imagine that?haha) But this was really exciting and such a miracle, they are almost finished with the lessons and I will sure hope and pray that they will continue to progress.

We did a lot of contacting this week when plans and lessons fell through and saw miracles there too. We had visited a member family and asked for any referrals, they told us of a former investigator who lived nearby and that worked at a wood shop, so we went to the woodshop and we actually were talking to the head guy and asking about this former investigator and it turns out the boss was a former investigator too! Crazy. The boss, he went and grabbed his BOM and he told us that he actually reads it everynight, so we actually sat there and talked with him for a while and it turns out he is really busy and his wife doesn't like him learning at all...so we actually prayed with him and challenged him to pray that his wife's heart might be softened. Really cool it would be incredible to start teaching him.  He is a pretty strange man, kinda odd. But hey I guess that means we'd get along well right?:)

Also we got a referral from a member about a neighbor that moved in and who she has just been being friendly to.  We went and contacted her and it turns out she believes in Jesus Christ and has for a year now.  She says she was baptized and stuff in a different church but she just got married a while ago and her husband doesn't believe and so she hasn't been going to church. We made an appointment with her for this week but she actually called us before we came to email and told us that she can't learn right now because her husband doesn't want her to..she is super nice and I feel like she is very prepared for the message! I have faith that things will work out and that with prayer and persistence his heart will be softened.  We actually met another family when we were talking to her that are from Thailand and are here for the holiday, we made an appointment with them all for next week! It's just so cool seeing the miracles of the Lord and how these people are put in our path.

Conference. Wow wasn't it amazing?? I have never experienced conference like that before.  I don't know did it just have a different feel to it this time? Or maybe I was just seeing it differently. I just learned so much, and just felt so uplifted during it.  My testimony was really strengthened and I feel that it was just what I needed.  Something that I love hit me with a lot of power was in Dallin H. Oaks talk when he related that story about a young man who was knew that he was forsaking everything he knew for the gospel and when asked if he was willing to do that said, "It's true, isn't it?"..."Then what else matters?"  I am so thankful for latter-day prophets and I know that they are called of God to share with us what He would have us hear.  I know that this work is true and that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to true and lasting happiness.  I am so thankful for my mission, my testimony has grown so much and continues to.  I am so grateful for prayer.

It's true, isn't it? Then what else matters?

I hope you have a great week, love you tons!

Love,

Elder Garlick

Pics, Guy that fixes our bikes-cool guy! Doing some fun service for a member (there was originally water in them :)

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Letter Sent on April 1, 2012

 

It's been a good week;(I think I say that in every letter, haha:)

This week has been pretty rough, not gonna lie, but I also feel that I have grown a lot.  We had a lot of fall throughs on appointments and things and it's been hard with some investigators.  We actually had 2 investigators that we dropped this week; their names are Dei and Daro.  They are boyfriend and girlfriend and they had been being taught for a while now since before I got here and had baptismal dates and all; they just have not been going to church and it's been for the past 3 or 4 weeks and we have the hardest time getting a hold of them, they are really super busy right now, and we had a lesson where we just sat down with them and asked if they still wanted to learn.  They told us that they did and we talked about how they needed to make it a priority and set a new baptismal date and all and then the next Sunday they didn't show up to church again and then we had an appointment and they didn't show up to that either even though the morning of we called to remind and Dei said that they'd be there.. So we went and had a talk with them and went to Dei's house and told about the situation and that we can't keep doing this, and they just said that they are super busy right now and we mutually decided to stop teaching them.  Hopefully they will have a desire to make the gospel more of a priority! They are real great and we are going to visit them occasionally still.  It's just sad. I feel like I didn't stress the importance of the gospel as much as I should have.. But we can try and help them learn again.

We have another investigator, Tiavii's family and she said that they need to take a break for the week because she just has a lot of things to take care of and financial stuff. But we called her this morning and she said that she is cool to start meeting with us again this week!

We did a special fast for our District and Branch with all of us missionaries and the branch and district leaders; because there has been a lot of contention and members being offended and everything.  Battambang is really growing a ton right now and we are on the verge of having a third branch here and it just seems like Satan is working harder than ever to crush the growth here because it's now or never.  And we just have noticed that it's been really rough the past while and that there are a lot of people struggling and having their faith tested.  So we all united in our fast on Sunday to help us overcome the efforts of the adversary and that the members might be strengthened and unified.  I feel so blessed to be here, there is definitely no shortage of work and things to do; so much to do and only so much time, isn't that what life is like?  There is a lot of work to do and even though this past week has been rough with some investigators and appointments falling through I am confident that as we move forward with faith things will continue to progress and all will work out.

I have been working on setting goals for my personal development this week too; which has been great! I guess that before my mission I thought that when I was a missionary I'd be a super righteous person who feels strong all of the time and has the Spirit all of the time as well.  In reality I feel that I have come to learn so much about my weaknesses and about myself.  It seems like on a mission the Lord stretches you as far as you can go; you really start to see all of the many things that you have to work on and all of my many weaknesses and it's tough.  It's hard to face your weaknesses and try to overcome them.  I feel like I was good before my mission but that I definitely was not perfect and had a lot of rough spots.  I feel like a mission is polishing me, which isn't always the funniest, and that the past few months have been very humbling.  I feel like the Lord is stretching me to the max so and showing me all of my weaknesses so that I will recognize my dependence on Him and rely on Him in order to change and become who He wants me to be.  Something that I've done and my zone leader committed me to do during our exchange together last week was think of the person I want to be at the end my mission and set goals to help me become that person, so I'm going to set goals for every transfer on Christ like attributes and things I feel that I need to work on in order to become the missionary that the Lord wants me to be. So we'll see in 20 months if I've become that person! I'll do my best! Ether 12:27 comes to mind.  I can say hands down that a mission is the hardest thing I have done, hands down.  But I can say that I have grown more than ever I just feel myself and my priorities changing.  It just seems like family and the gospel are just becoming so important to me, of course they were before too!..but I just can see myself changing for the better.. I've just learned and grown so much, and it's only been 4 months!, and I am sure that things are going to just get better and better, I am excited for what the future has to offer.

Anywho, sorry I feel like my emails are very confusing; I need to try and express my thoughts more simply.. but I just get on here and type away; it's almost like my "backup journal"!  I hope and pray that some of my experiences and things on my mission will be of benefit to you.

I'm more excited than ever for conference thanks for the heads up on talks to look out for; Thanks for all of your emails! They lift me and tell me things that I exactly needed to hear.  I love hearing about how life is treating you  and your words of encouragement cheer me up, make me laugh, and just inspire me. Thanks, I love you so fetching much! :)

Have a super week!

Love,

Elder "Katumsaw"

(that is the khmer word for Garlic and what many members call me:)

Some Pics! We went on the famous Battambang bamboo train! Fun seeing the country side, really dry right now but the rainy season starts in a month or two...the District President, President Buuno; wanted me to take his picture for something. This is the District President's grandson, one of the cutest Cambodians; his name is Banuvwatt but he also goes by Josep:)