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:)

Letter Sent on March 26, 2012

 

Howdy!

This week has been good! Some of you have been wondering about my diet so let me tell you a little bit about it.  We have to make our own food and are not to by from street vendors or eat at members houses because of the many missionaries who were becoming ill. But I am still getting to get a taste of Cambodia; I just get to be a little more picky:) Some real yummy Cambodian food that I've tried is...these rice ball things with sesame seeds; this desert called Jake Gatii which is like banana soup; Bananas are called "jakes" so they have these fried banana chips with sugar on them-"Frosted Jakes":); good sandwiches that they make-they call them Numpang Siic or "Bread with Meat", these coconut waffle things...haha and a whole host of other stuff that I have yet to try and most I don't think I ever will;)  Seems like a lot of that stuff I listed are sugary...Usually I just make lots of sandwiches, sometimes pancakes, eggs, fruit, top roman, and we make "chaa's" with just stir fry vegetables and pork or eggs or something with a bunch of rice. Welp that just about sums up most of the food I eat everyday!  I am thankful that i am being forced to learn to cook some stuff and experiment even if it's just some very simple things.  Usually we are just way too tired and lazy to make anything other than easy stuff. But I like it and so that’s what matters right?

Oh yeah and we had a branch missionary coordination meeting and at the end they had some food and I ate this fertilized duck egg-yum. haha I had heard about them and figured I'd never get to eat one since we don't eat at members homes but hey what do you know I did and it was actually pretty yummy! Although I decided to stop after......1:)

This week we did a lot of service.  Which was pretty much just helping members move dirt-we helped like 3 different families with that. So that was fun and I enjoy the opportunity to serve the members and strive to continue to earn their trust. We have been doing good with investigators and everything they are continuing to do good although it would seem that some are struggling to come to church which is so sad because I just feel bad that they are missing out on those blessings.. But we will continue to help them and strengthen their faith so they will have that desire to go!

Probably my favorite investigator right now is Viilai.  She is 19 and is a very bright girl, she goes to school all week and is very busy so the only time she can meet is on Saturday and Sunday nights.  The reason she is so great is because she just listens and actually does what we invite her to do! That simple.  She prays sincerely and reads her scriptures consistently and it's just so cool seeing how fast she is progressing and her testimony is growing.  She said she was praying about Joseph Smith and felt prompted to read the Joseph Smith pamphlet again and she did and just felt a confirmation of truth as she did.  She says when she prays she actually feels like she is speaking to someone and you can tell that this is true when she prays.  I can't say enough good things about her and I am just amazed at the power of the basics.  I feel a greater desire to search the scriptures diligently and to strengthen my testimony and relationship with God in my prayers just from seeing all of her growth.

Our district president gave us 3 referrals this past week and we had a good talk with them and am going to start teaching them this week, what a blessing!

I did a split with Elder Oleson, my zone leader, in his area this past week and that was great! He is such an example to me and I really learned so much about missionary work from him.  We went around and did service and taught and I really just learned about trying to rely on the Spirit and keeping close to the Lord.  It was probably the hottest day so far and there was one point where Elder Oleson just said that he wasn't feeling so happy and with the Spirit and he just recommended that we say a prayer. So we just pulled over and did so and just invited the Spirit to continue to be with us.  He is very good at being organized and doing goals and things and so I learned more about that too and the importance of setting personal goals.  There are so many great Elders out here, it's humbling and inspiring; I have so much to learn.

In short, I am just learning about how powerful doing simple things really is: prayer, scripture study, goals, planning, and just doing your best.

Conference is this week for you; we have to wait a week because they show it at the church in Cambodian and they have to translate it first. Although missionaries watch it in their native language so I'll see it in English but still have to wait. I don't know about you but i am super stoked! You should send me some names of talks I ought to look out for! Enjoy.

Thanks again for everything you do for me.  I love you! Have a great week.

Love,

Elder Garlick