Letter Sent on July 30, 2012

Dear Family,

How are you? I hope that things are going just swell! Happy Pioneer Day!! Happy Birthday Ethan.

Things here in Battambang are going really well!  We have been preparing a Book of Mormon activity for this following Saturday.  We are doing it to strengthen the members and their resolve to read the Book of Mormon; and also to find new investigators as we are inviting lots of people to come and as friends and family of members hopefully come too.  A member of the District Presidency is going to get up and give a challenge for the members to read the whole Book of Mormon by the end of the year.  We are getting a lot the members involved and it is inspiring to see how excited and willing they are to help serve.

This past week I had the privilege of going on an exchange with Elder Oleson and Elder Nelson(He is an Assistant to the President-that guy we watched that BYU movie about his life, he is a super good missionary!)  I learned so much and it really strengthened me as a missionary.  I was with Elder Olseon just for the morning while we were waiting for the Assistants to come from the city to go on exchanges with. We were in my area for the day.  As we went out, the male member whose help we had planned on using was not available and so we had to come up with some new plans.  We said a prayer and really tried to go by the Spirit. I remember feeling that we should go visit a Less Active named Puu Chea.  We went and visited him and his family and we gave his wife a blessing who has been sick.  We told him about the Pioneer Day activity on Saturday and invited him to church.

Then later after Elder Nelson got here we were biking down the street and I remember we biked by a kinda weird guy with a cane who seemed a little lossed and I wasn't sure if he was all there.  We kept biking down the street but I felt the Spirit whisper that we needed to go back and talk to that man.  We went back and we started talking to him.  Right off the bat, the man we started talking to, knew that we were Christians and asked when we met (he got straight to the point!)  We invited him to the Pioneer Day activity and to go to church on Sunday.  He showed some interest and we told him where the church was.  The contact's name was So Sai Sim and he is from Vietnam.  He has diabetes which makes it hard for him to walk and function normally.

The Pioneer Day activity came around and it turned out that both Puu Chea and also So Sai Sim came.  Some of the members really helped them out and helped them feel welcome.  It was even greater the following day to see them both come to church. It was so neat to see Puu Chea there with his wife and kids.  Then also to see So Sai Sim come and we helped him come in with a wheelchair.  They both stayed till the end of 3rd hour.

I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost.  I know that the Lord is at the head of this work.  I believe that He is a lot more involved than we recognize.  I know that if we will live worthily and take the time to listen that he will direct us through His Holy Spirit.  I learned a lot more about following the Spirit and seeking to know what the Lord wants us to do and say.  I love the Lord and am coming to know Him better.

 Welp, thank you for your emails and everything.  I hope that you have a great week!

Love,

Elder Garlick

PS.  Stirakasourous? That is what Elder Jensen says it is called:)  Pictures from the Pioneer activity on Saturday.  We ate this rice soup stuff.  It was pretty yummy...It was made in these GIANT metal pots for everyone. And Elder Jensen found a whole chicken head in his-yum-o! I love the members here so much. The youth are the best.  And the picture with me and those two men-to left is Sarien and is a guard at the church and the Elders Quorum in the other branch he is always so nice.  And the one to the right is Bong Dat; He is really shy but super kind spirited, he is a recent convert of Elder Oleson's and has already gave a talk in church and has a calling as an Elder's Quorum teacher.

Letter Sent on July 23, 2012

 

Dear Family,

How are you doing?? Things here in Battambang are going really well right now.

This past week we worked a lot with Less actives and we have also really been working hard on getting our CBR book (missionary record for all members) updated (so that later generations can easily find and know how all the members are doing) and going and trying to find these members that are less active and have not been met in a long time.  It has
been going good and I feel like we are getting a lot of balanced work done.

One cool experience that is related to this was when we had a plan fall through we prayed about what to do and then we decided to go and look for a couple of less active families.  We went to go and find a boy named Cantaa who was baptized about 6 years ago when he was twelve.  We found his house but he wasn't home at the time, and we started talking with his father.  His dad is a super funny old man and he was telling us how he likes to read in the Book of Mormon and when we were going to leave he told us to that he was going to say the "closing prayer" for us! We invited him to come to church and on Sunday he came with his Cantaa, his LA son! He also said that he'd come again next week and we will try and get him started with learning with us this week too!  It was a very neat experience and has strengthened my testimony of working with Less Actives and going and finding these lost sheep. I know that our Heavenly Father loves all of His children and continues to lead us to them.

The family that I mentioned last week Sokcen and Srey Pouv are doing really good and they got a bike this past week! This is a big blessing because before they had no means of transportation at all.  And so they and their 3 children all came to church all together for the first time!  They are still reading the Book of Mormon very well and Srey Pouv is already in like 2 Nephi 20 and she reads the pages all 2 or 3 times in order to understand them all extra well! She talks about how her belief is growing and it is amazing seeing how the Book of Mormon is expanding her faith and her understanding. Every time we visit them it is a battle with all of their children screaming and running around! But they both try so hard to focus and understand the doctrine that we teach to them. They are a very special family. It is remarkable seeing the Lord's hand in this work and I know that we are so blessed!

Recently I have been reading about the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi and about their amazing testimony and attitude towards the gospel.  I love verse 19 in Alma 24 where it says, "And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin" Also the attitude of Ammon in Alma 26:8,11-12.  "Blessed be the name of our God; let us sing to his praise, yea, let us give thanks to his holy name, for he doth work righteousness forever."  I love the Lord and I am so and grateful for the opportunity to serve Him.
May we all remember Him, and have songs of praise in our hearts.

Thank you for your prayers and for all that you do! Khnom srolan neak thom thom! I love you big big!!

Love,
Elder Garlick

PS.Oh and one quick funny thing- with Cantaa's father. I was sitting next to the him in sacrament meeting and when the sacrament was coming back there was a bunch of young children sitting in the row in front of us and Cantaa's dad was sure to tell all of the kids in front of us to make sure they only take one piece of bread and he diligently reminded them as the tray was making its way toward us. And then when it was his turn to partake, with all of the young men turned back watching him, he grabbed a small handful of the bread and was sure to tell the obedient group of young men sitting in front of us that it was only "1" chewing it with a smirk on his face. Haha! He is 66 and is a very silly man!:)

Pics; Pictures from this ancient 1000 year old temple called Benon. Elder Jensen and I trying to balance on these like 6 feet tall pillar things! The ancient temple is on a mountain and it has this extremely long and steep "Kung Fu Panda" staircase going up the mountain up to it! Super neat:)

Letter Sent on July 16, 2012

Hey Family!

How are you??

I'm doing great! The 1st Branch here in Battambang is going really great right now.  We had a really could PEC meeting with the missionaries, the bishopric, ward mission leader, and Elders quorum president there.  There was a great Spirit of counsel and of order there.  Home teaching has been reorganized and has some really inspired companionship's and families to visit.  Also very exciting! It is so cool to see how the Lord's kingdom is organized and how when we do things His way, things go so well. There was 164 in Sacrament Meeting yesterday too which, for us here, is a lot.

We have been working with a less active member named Puu Sang and his family.  They were kinda wavering some when I got here and then they fell into inactivity...haha I guess I just have that effect on people:)  Elder Nebeker and I worked with them a lot and their hearts were really hardened especially the father Puu Sang.  He was not interested in being "forced" to come back and he was not praying and would act not very interested in what we had to say.  With Elder Jensen, we have been continuing to work with him and he has come to sacrament meeting for the past 3 weeks now!  The other day we were biking to an appointment and we had a prompting to go and visit Puu Sang.  So we went and we caught him sitting in a hammock reading his scriptures and he then read some out loud for us and said a prayer with us and his family too.  It is incredible seeing a member come back and seeing the change that is coming about in this family. It is probably one of the neatest experiences of my mission yet!
I think that one of the main factors that got him coming back to church was a member named Viirea who has been visiting them and encouraging them, which also has shown me the power of member missionary work as well.  I am starting to realize that members are just as important, if not more, in less active work as in investigator work!

We have a family doing well, especially the mom Srey Pouv who has really gotten into the Book of Mormon and loves to learn about the Gospel and about Christ.  She really studies the BOM thoroughly and tells us about it in vivid detail.  She has a very strong desire and it is so great to see the light in her eyes as she learns! She doesn't have a way to get to church but a member was able to help her and so her and her children came!

Elder Jensen and I are getting along really well! I was not being very mature and after just kinda holding it all in for a long time..I kinda snapped at him one day when I felt like I was having to do everything.  However later I humbled myself and apologized and ask for forgiveness, he apologized too and since we have made up and forgiven each other, things have been going a ton better between us now.  I am thankful for forgiveness and for all the lessons that the Lord is teaching me.  I am also thankful for the promptings of the Holy Ghost.  I know that when we live worthily and listen that our Heavenly Father blesses us with direction.  I know this is true for us all, whether we are full time missionaries or not.
May we all be mindful to the Lord's voice and follow the promptings that we receive daily.
I hope that you are having a great summer and that this letter finds you well! Thanks for all of your prayers and know that I pray for you too. I love you!!!

Love,
Elder Garlick

PS. Freaky statue, especially at night!, We did service and helped lift and stack super heavy concrete tubes together for "rain catchers" things; Elder Moosen/Jensen; Found this in a restaurant, in the summer, in a 95 percent Buddhist country,  Only in Cambodia:)

Letter Sent July 9, 2012

Dear Family,
How are you?? I am doing pretty great!
Things here in Battambang are going good.  This past Saturday was exciting as we had 3 investigators be baptized.  One was the Elders Quorum President's little brother, Veasna, and his wife Davwii.  We also had another named Rhity who is a friend from work of a member in our District Presidency. It was so great! The Spirit was definitely there. It really strengthened my testimony of referrals and of the importance of members in missionary work.  It was very nice when they shared their testimony after baptism and after saying thanks to us Elders; hearing them thank their family and friends that introduced them to the gospel also thanking the members that helped teach them.  It was especially neat seeing Veasna express his deep gratitude for his older brother who shared the gospel with him.  Veasna and Davii are actually newly wed as of February I believe and they are anxious to go and be sealed in the temple! I feel so blessed to have been able to be involved teaching them and seeing them embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I look forward to continue to teach them and see them continue to progress:)
I love President and Sister Smedley and am thankful for all that they taught me and have done for Cambodia.  President Smedley did so much building the up the church and strengthening and training the leadership.  From what I have heard, the mission has changed a lot-for the better- just in the few years of his service.  They went home recently and now...
We currently have a new mission president, President Moon!  He and his family are from Alpine UT.  President and Sister Moon and their two daughters are currently touring the whole mission and becoming acquainted with all of the different missionaries and meeting the members.  They came to Battambang on friday.  It was great to meet them.  They are both so kind and I love them already.  They taught us a lot and shared a lot of incredible experiences I learned a lot of things that I needed to learn and the Spirit was so strong.  My faith and my testimony was strengthened.  I know that President Moon is called of God, through revelation.  I know that this mission is in great hands and I have full confidence in the future of the Church here in Cambodia.  There is so much work to do.  And I feel incredibly blessed to be apart of it all.  I love my mission so much.  It is the greatest miracle of my life.  I don't know what I would do without it.  I always knew that it would be that way but it is so incredible going through it all.  I love the Savior and I love His work.  I know that He lives and that this is His work.  I feel so grateful to be serving here in Cambodia. I don't know how many times I will end up telling you that I love my mission; and how much my mission will mean to me at the end, but right now it means the world  to me.  I also appreciate all of you and your love and support.
I hope you have a fantastic week! Take care:)

Love,
Elder Garlick

Pics; Puu Samon and his younger brother Veasna, and his sister-in law Davwii.  Also his little son who insisted in being in just about every picture:)  Puu Samon baptized Davwii and Elder Jensen baptized Veasna and Rhity.  I cheered at the side:) Puu Samon's family.  "Baptizees": Rhity, Veasna, Davwii. Yeah! District President Bunno and me, I love this man.  His dream is to go to the Salt Lake City Temple.

Letter Sent on July 2, 2012

Dear Family,

Hi! How are you? I hope that you are loving life! Happy Birthday Aspen! 

Things here in Battambang are going good.  This past week we had 3 of our investigators pass their baptismal interviews.  So that is very exciting for us here in Battambang!  It is very great seeing their progression and the light that the Gospel gives to them! We taught them at a quicker rate and now it is going to be important to stay very close to them when they are Recent Converts and strengthen their faith and understanding. 

We are also working with trying to get some of our investigators to get to church.  We are working with a couple of young single adults in our area too in helping them prepare for missions.

The work is going well here in Battambang.  This past week we had 2 less active families who we have been working with come! So that was very exciting to see as well! One of the fathers, Puu Seng, we been working with him for a while now and it is really cool seeing his heart soften and this was a big step! I know the Spirit has been working in him and that he knows what he needs to do!  We will continue working with them.

This week was actually rather tough for me.  I often times felt very inadequate and incapable. I have been trying my best but it is still so hard when I fall short.  With Elder Jensen and me it can be kind of difficult too.  We have both grown a lot since we have been together but sometimes it is hard to have really good unity.  I usually like to talk things through and discuss things together but usually Elder Jensen doesn't like to as much and just likes to pick a topic and just go get it done when we teach.  I have learning a lot.  We are just very different from each other, so it isn't always easy.  I am so grateful for this though because I am learning to be more selfless and loving and to turn out even when it is hard.  I am going to strive to be an even better companion and to love, compliment, and serve him more.  I need to trust in the Lord and not in my own strength. But no worries I'm doing good:) I love the Lord.  I love this work, and it is work!:) I hope that you have a great week this week! As usual, thanks for all you do!  I love you.

God be with you till we meet again.

Love,

Elder Garlick

Pics: This is Elder Shieffer who came and visited after finishing his mission like a year ago, More mountain pics! Battambang Zone; Elder and Sister Yeates, Sisters Roat, Rytting, Gosal, Uor, Elders; Me, Oleson, Wright, Scott, Jensen, Gerrard.  Love these guys! This is a Buddhist wat on the mountain it was pretty...far out! I felt like I was on Avatar at an "air temple":)