Blessings and baptisms

We had miraculous weekend in white in our mission on aug 10-11 with 52 convert baptisms across the mission, including the 27 below in Steung Mean Chey and 18 in Kampong Cham.  The Lord is providing many miracles and we are so grateful for His help in this work.

Aug 11 2013 - baptism service in Steung Mean Chey - 3 branches, 27 new convert baptisms, 5 complete families

August Zone Conferences - Aug 8, 9, 13, 14

Zone conferences were wonderful as always and we so much enjoyed being with all of our missionaries.  We went first to Kampong Cham, then Battambang, then 2 conferences in Phnom Penh.  Our focus was on working with members and real growth, and we talked about ways to strengthen members and their conversion and also how to help members be involved in missionary work.  Particular areas of focus including teaching members the meaning and importance of the atonement and the sacrament, helping recent converts get involved in family history work, and ways to work together with the branch council and branch mission leaders.

Kampong Cham and Kampong Thom Zones

Battambang and Siem Reap Zones

Above, South and East Zones

Above North and Central Zones

PEF changes

A lot is changing in the church's PEF program, including our senior couple assigned to oversee that program.  Below Elder & SIster Meiers depart after being so wonderful and effective in that role.  We will miss them.

Elder & Sister Wyler arrived to replace them, in time to see the Meiers off at the airport with us!

A trip to the island

We spent a Monday afternoon traveling to an island where one of our sister missionaries' family lives.  Her father is dying of cancer so we went to see how he is.  He is 76, but looks like he must have been a very strong man throughout his life.  Still spry at his age, except now the cancer is taking its toll.

Below on the deck of the ferry ready to depart to cross the river.  

A market near the ferry and some very fresh meat.

Sis. Kan's family at their home on the island.  None of them are members except her, but seem warm and welcoming to us.  They were very appreciative of the visit. We were able to teach a little of the plan of salvation, together with the member in the branch who went with us to help translate.

By the ferry landing.  Time to wash clothes.  Take em off.  Suds em up and rinse em.  Easy!

Sis. Moon and Sis. Phalla do some shopping to buy some fruit after the visit to the island.  

Kampong Cham District Conference Aug 2 & 3 & KC zone conference

We had a very well attended district conference in Kampong Cham August 2 & 3.  We had a visiting authority, Elder Juan from Taiwan.  We drove up with him on Saturday morning.  

Below the beautiful and well prepared district youth and young adult choir that sang for the general session.  They did a beautiful job and closed with "I Know That My Redeemer Lives"-- the spirit was so strong as they sang.

Believe it or not this young man is 11 years old.  He is so small because he has a congenital heart defect, a damaged valve.  It is life-threatening and his older brother has same thing and has already had a stroke that has left him handicapped on one side.  We are working to try and help him get a needed surgery in Vietnam-- there are no doctors in Cambodia that can do the surgery he needs.

After conference we brought Elder Juan back to Phnom Penh.  Just a couple of days later we headed back to Kampong Cham for zone conference with the missionaries.  The photos below are from a trip we made with two of the elders to a group of recent converts and investigators that live together in a beautiful area, at the base and on top of a small hill.   Most of them that are being taught or already baptized are part of a large family-- including a grandmother, a widow and already baptized, her 10 chidren (mostly daughters) and her almost 50 grandchildren.  They live quite far from the church building but are very faithful in coming to church.  They hire a truck to bring them each Sunday.  They had 30 of them dressed and ready to come to district conference but the truck broke and didn't come pick them up so they had no ride.  So when we went back for zone conference we went to visit them.  We were glad we did-- a wonderful family and beautiful area.

 Some of these photos are also from the drive to and from KC

Most of the rice fields are planted now.

Below some of the many grandchildren and neighbor friends.  They are really cute kids and so friendly.  

We sang "I am a Child of God" with the children, and said a prayer and offered some testimony.  Below the moms and children gathered under one of their homes to greet and visit with us.

Belowthe grandmother and matriarch of the family. Two of the family homes on the top of the small hill are in the background.  None of the men were there except a couple -- most were still out working.  They hire out as farm labor.  One of the dads who was home seemed really nice.  He and his wife are already members.  They seem super nice.  They have seven children-- 6 daughters and 1 son!  They were excited to find out we have exactly the same!

These guys are riding on the top of the cab of the truck!  nothing to hold onto.  Amazing.  One swerve and they would be gone.  This is going fast on a major road too.

Above workers out in the field transplanting rice-- they grow it close together as seedlings, then when the rains come and soften up all the fields they transplant it into fields, farther apart.  It looks to be very back-breaking work.

These little piglets are on their way to market!

Above, a modern day "tinker"-- they load up these moto or ox pulled carts with all kinds of pottery dishes and clay pots and drive through the villages selling them.