Letter Sent on September 17, 2012

Dear Family,

How are things back home? I have heard about crazy fires, regional conference with Elder Oaks, and a whole bunch of other fun stuff.  I am so glad to hear that you are glad and safe.
Things in Sen Sok are going really good.  This week I got pretty sick one day and we didn't leave the house for a day and then soon after wards Elder Hem got sick so we both were feeling pretty under the weather this past week; however we are both feeling a lot better now, so that is good!
We had a baptism this past week which was great! Her name is Srei Pouv and she is the sister in law of the Branch President.  He performed the baptism for her and it was great seeing the smile on her face and just how happy she was after wards.  She is such a bright and intelligent girl and she has a sweet spirit about her. 
We had a ward council meeting with many priesthood and auxiliary leaders for the first time yesterday, it was great! It is great seeing the new branch president, Sinaet striving to work his hardest and help the work here in Sen Sok grow.
Well we had transfer calls yesterday and Elder Hem is now going to be a Zone Leader and is being transferred.  I love him a lot and he has been such a great companion and example to me.  I have learned a so much from him and am going to miss being companions with him I am sure! He is actually going to be my Zone Leader and we will be in the same District so we will still see each other every week! I am thankful for the opportunity I have had to serve with him.
I feel very blessed to be able to serve here and to have so much work to do.  There are so many people to help and to serve and I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to be involved in this the work of the Lord.  I know that this work is true.  I know that our Heavenly Father loves us each individually and answers our prayers.  I have seen His hand in my life this past week and have recognized answers to my prayers and manifestations of His love.  I love Him and our Savior Jesus Christ so much.  I want to serve them with all of my heart and truly become a disciple of Christ, tested and true.
Thank you for all of your prayers and love and encouragement.  It is so comforting to know that there are loved ones who are praying for the missionaries.  We need it and it truly does strengthen us.  I know that your prayers are answered and that the Lord is moving His great work forward.  You are examples to me and it is so great to hear about the Christ like way you live your lives.  Every day.  May the Lord bless you for all you do and all that you are.  You are Child of God.  And He loves you and is ever so anxious to help you and pick you up when you fall. Don't forget that. I am so grateful for this testimony. I love you so much!
Love,
Elder Garlick

PS.  I also heard that Elder Jensen baptized Srei Pouv in Battambang a little while ago too!  It is so great hearing about success with old investigators and members in Battambang!

Pics; I love the clouds!!!! So beautiful. We had a FHE with the 2nd Counselor in the Branch Presidency Un Jun; We ate this super yummy curry! This is Srei Pouv with her family and with us! Me and one of my favorite members here an RM whose family I knew really well in Battambang, Dina.

Letter Sent on September 10, 2012

Dear Family!

Hey I hope that things are going great for you and that life is treating you just swell!  For Elder Hem and me things are going really good.  Yesterday in Sen Sok we had two baptisms.  One was for an awesome 9 year old girl named Vicchigaa who is from a part member family and the other was a 17 year old girl named Srei Tooc who is also from a part member family.  They are both so great and it was great to see them get baptized and to see them make this special covenant with God.
We also had a couple of great less active members who came back to church that came to church on Sunday which was great to see.  They are the family members of the missionary Final (of whom I sent some pictures last week) seeing an investigator or a less active member come to church really brings such happiness.
We also have been working with some of our other investigators and we have some that are progressing great towards baptism! So we should probably be seeing some in the next couple of weeks.  Elder Hem has told me that he wants me to start taking the lead on things and to start leading planning and making sure we go to place to place and try to make sure we try to achieve our goals and plans.  It has been going really good and he is always trying to teach me new things and to push me.  I really do appreciate him.  I feel like we have been really working hard and that we are seeing some great things from our efforts.  One thing we want to do is to find a new family and we are going to pray this week and discuss together we want to do in order to find a family that the Lord has prepared for us. We are going to exercise faith and do our best to find a family here in Sen Sok.
I know that this work is true.  I know that Jesus Christ is at the head of this work.  I feel so blessed to be a representative of Him and to serve my brothers and sisters her in Sen Sok.  I know that the scriptures are really "packets of light" and I continue to feel the Spirit and an increased desire to be better as I study them. I love this gospel and I love our Savior.  I still am amazed by His love and mercy and that He was willing to suffer and die in order to help us and "succor us according to our afflictions"(Alma 7:11-13) I know that He is a God of Miracles and will continue to work miracles in our lives today.  May we all keep to the faith and stay true to Him. I love you all.
Take care and have a terrific week!
Love,
Elder Garlick

Pics, Vicchigaa, she is really pretty isn't she? Vicchigaa, Srei Tooc and Elder Hem and me. In front of the font.

 

Letter Sent on September 3, 2012

Hello Family!



How are you? I am doing terrific here in Sen Sok! We saw some really great things happen this past week.  We have some investigators that are really progressing well. Our investigator Om Gum Tii is doing really well and like always comes to church for the full 3 hours and prays.  She watches her two grandchildren and is very busy so the hard thing for her has been making time to get into the Book of Mormon.  She said that she would like to read at night but that she has a hard time reading because the characters are too small and it's too dark.  We were able to get a really big Book of Mormon from the Senior Couple, the Spencers, for her and she said she can read it.  This is really exciting because she is doing so great and we know that as she does the Spirit will touch her and her testimony and conviction will grow even deeper.
We also have another investigator named Ming Sophiap whose next door neighbor is a member. They are good friends and the member was able to tell us some concerns that Sophiap had about not worshiping ancestors and not using little shrines in her home.  We were able to have a really good lesson with her talking about the 10 commandments and doing work for the dead in the Temple and were able to help answer her questions and concerns.  I am very grateful for Elder Hem, he really knows how big of a deal ancestors are and all about the culture so we were able to approach it in a good way.  I am learning more about Cambodian culture and about respect from him. It also strengthened my testimony of member missionary work/friendship!
Things are going really great in our companionship!  I have learned a lot from my mission so far about getting along with others and being submissive I am very grateful for and continue to learn more with Elder Hem.  I have been trying to be selfless and serve him.  I have also learned that doing little things like speaking English and trying to help teach him English really helps us get along and we have much greater unity.  I am really learning that the more you put into it the greater things go.  I want to really have genuine charity and love.
We had a good lesson with the Relief Society President yesterday about prayer and receiving guidance in our lives.  Afterwards we asked her if she knew of anyone that she felt prayer and heavenly guidance could help and would have an interest in learning.  She gave us 2 referrals that she is going to talk with about learning with us! It was fantastic!
We were surprised yesterday when the Branch Presidency changed!  However, we have a really great relationship with the new Branch President Sii Knight and he has some great ideas to help the branch and a strong desire to help missionary work.  We look forward to working with him and to continue to see the work here grow.
Things are going great here the work is going forward and we are learning and growing lots.  I feel that the Lord is much more involved in this work than we realize.
Thanks for your prayers, fasting, love and emails.  Even really simple things they really mean so much to me.  More than you know.  I love you!!!

Love,
Elder Garlick

Letter Sent on August 27, 2012

Dear Family!

Hey hey! How are you? I hope that things are swell!

Things here in Sen Sok are going really well.  This week we had the opportunity to do a bunch of service and earn more trust from the members. We helped the 2nd Counselor pull nails out of boards to build a bed, we helped a recent convert grind salt stuff into limes, and we helped a member fix his metal door, fence, and clean up his yard.  We were excited to have another investigator named Ming Sophiap accept the invitation to be baptized.  We had almost all of our investigators with baptismal dates come to church and saw some less actives come too which was great.  Elder Hem and I are getting along great! I love him a lot.  I feel that us really trying to help each other with both English and Khmer really helps us have more unity and love in our companionship.  We also helped another future missionary fill out his paperwork. It is so great seeing all of the youth preparing for missions here.  Inspiring and nostalgic. Time goes by way too fast!
Thanks things are going good.  We are going to work our hardest this next week and be diligent in reaching our goals and helping the work progress.  Thanks for everything!  I love you so much. Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Garlick

Ps. Sorry I don't really have much time at all today. Elder Hem and I are in a hurry! I promise a better email next week! Toodles! Take care.

Letter Sent August 20. 2012

Hey there family!!

I hope you are doing so good! I am doing pretty swell here in Sen Sok!
This past week has been good.  Elder Hem and I have been super busy and have been doing a ton of teaching.  We have had a lot to do and it is real nice to be keeping busy.  I like how Elder Hem is teaching me to teach faster.  I feel like it is important that when we teach the investigator or member really feel the Spirit and then try and get out of there soon afterwards, because I have seen that when we just continue to talk and socialize too long afterwards the strong Spirit starts to dissipate and it isn't as powerful.  I am really grateful for Elder Hem and for all that he is teaching me.
It is really humbling being with a Cambodian companion and I'm really grateful for this opportunity the Lord has blessed me with.  It is helping me to grow a lot.  It is definitely different being companions with Elder Hem and learning more about the culture and language of Cambodia.  It is humbling with the language since now I am recognizing just how many words I don't know and such as I try to help translate things and explain things.  In all of this I feel blessed and I feel a greater desire to rely on the Lord.
I am so grateful for Him.  I know that through Christ and His Atonement our weaknesses really can become strengths.  I am so humbled to serve Him.  I know that He lives.  I cannot wait for the day when He will come again. What a happy day that shall be! How blessed we are to be builders in His Kingdom and to help prepare the world for His Second Coming.
I really hope you know that I love you.  I don't really know who all receives this here email, but I hope you know that I love you all.  I love all of you whether you be my mom, dad, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, ward members, or friends! Thank you for all of your prayers and love.  It means the world to me. I love you tons.
Have a great week! Talk to you soon. Take Care!
Love,
Elder Garlick

Pics: Picture of sunrise in Sen Sok from our rooftop! Some of the beautiful landscape we get to bike past when we embark on our trek to the city. Super Pretty! Good ol' Elder Hem and me:)