Comings and goings

September 28 was transfer day and we had 5 finishing missionaries-- all returning home to the States.  Here with these wonderful group of elders - Elder Nam (Pham), Elder Phan, Elder Smith, Elder Chan, and Elder Gootee.

Sister Amina Set, below, returned from her mission in the U.S.  It was wonderful to welcome her home.

Senior Couples Conference September 24-25 2013

We enjoyed a wonderful training and conference with our senior couples on Sep 24-25.  The 24th we went on a sunset river cruise together, followed by dinner at a restaurant.  Then a full day of training and discussion on the 25th.

All aboard...

Stopping for a photo together...  which obviously I didn't get when we were all posed!

the Tonle Sap river and riverfront of Phnom Penh

The royal palace from the river...

It was beautiful and quite pleasant weather that evening, with clouds keeping the hot sun at bay, but no rain to spoil our trip... we were grateful for such a relaxing evening together-- everyone had such a wonderful time...

The pride of the Cambodia navy!  Honestly, this gun ship (which really is from their navy) had its gun pointed at the open windows of a half finished huge resort building-- an abandoned construction project near the river.  I think they must practice their aim by trying to shoot the windows!

Sunset in Phnom Penh...

Sister Moon and Sister Westover... a pretty pair!

Other boats on the river-- and the abandoned building the gun ship was pointing at in the background...

Dinner at the Titanic Restaurant.  Luckily it is moored to the dock so it can't sink!

Not a great photo, but a traditional dancer entertained the crowd after dinner...

Our wonderful senior couples-- we are so grateful for them!  We were only sorry the Hollenzer's flight to Cambodia was delayed by 3 days so they just missed the conference... 

A dinner catered by Khmer Surin... mostly Thai dishes-- it was delicious...

Sister Moon had some fun and creative cupcakes made for the centerpieces-- it nice to be able to eat the decorations for dessert!

Central District Conference - September 21-22 2013

We enjoyed a wonderful district conference with the members of the Central District (our Vietnamese branches in Phnom Penh).  Due to the protests and disruption of traffic in the city we held the conference in a rented building in one of the 3 branches, to avoid some of the areas that were often blocked off.  Turns out the streets were open that day but we didn't dare take the chance.  Elder Gong and his wife came to preside, and also Elder Juan from Taiwan came and joined also. 

Central District President Trieu on left, with his father and brother-- the father is a member who lives in Vietnam, and was visiting here-- he lives many hours from the church in Vietnam.  His wife passed away this past year.  He is a wonderful brother and faithful in the gospel.

Dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant in Phnom Penh with some visitors from church headquarters Public Affairs department - and Elder & Sister Verhaaren our public affairs senior couple.  It was a fun dinner together.  Brother Rosen on right served as a young missionary in Thailand too.

Breakfast with the missionaries and Elder & Sister Gong.  We enjoyed a gospel study session together discussing the doctrine of conversion.

Members of Central District presidency and branch presidents for a leadership training meeting...

This wonderful choir is made up entirely of returned missionaries and currently serving missionaries in the Vietnamese branches.  Our hearts were very full listening to them sing "I'll Go Where you Want Me to Go" in Vietnamese...  the choir director was wonderful-- a recently reactivated brother.

Elder Gong with members of Central District and returned and future missionaries in the district... many of these sisters are returned missionaries that have served with us and they are so dear to our hearts...  it was wonderful to be with them in district conference.

Siem Reap chapel

We joined the branch president and contractor for a "substantially completed" inspection of the beautiful new building in Siem Reap.. almost done!

Had to take a picture of this van.  Talk about luggage space!

Hong Kong MP seminar

 First week of September we traveled to Hong Kong for an interim mission president seminar.  We didn't end up with a lot of photos, the ones below are taken at the temple just after we went through a session there.

Elder & Sister Jackson are amazing-- they will finish their mission soon as executive secretary and "hostess extradinaire" for the Area Presidency-- we will miss them.

Sister Moon with some of the mission president's wives and wives in the Area Presidency

Enjoying the journey to Battambang

At the very end of August and early September we traveled to Battambang for a district conference.  We decided to take a "preparation day" of sorts and take our time traveling this time, try and take some photos of the many interesting things we always see traveling to and from the provinces.  It was beautiful weather and lots of rice harvesting going on, so we were able to take some fun pictures below.

Bagging the rice after it has dried in the sun...

These young girls coming home from school looked so happy and joyful...

This is a wonderful family in Battambang-- we arrived there just in time to attend a baptism service for their son-in-law (far left) who was being baptized that evening.  We were glad we could join them for the service.  This family has been to the temple, and one of the sons recently returned from a mission in the States.

We had a chance to go visiting to some member families in Battambang with the elders-- this was a wonderful recent convert family that we enjoyed visiting.  Such a wonderful spirit in their home.  The children are bright, intelligent, and happy.

This is another wonderful family in Battambang, actually about 12 kilometers out of town-- I went visiting with a member of the district presidency and a counselor in the branch presidency to see them.  The grandmother and grandfather in the family recently went to the temple in the Phillipines.  We had a nice visit sitting out in the open near their home and felt the Spirit as we talked with them.  The children are adorable.

Walking on the path to their home...

A beautiful bed of "weeds" essentially on a pond near their home... I asked if the plants were edible.  The counselor in the district presidency turned up his nose and was adamant they are not, they are a nuisance, and if they infest a pond they immediately take it over.  Sounds like some weeds we have back home!  I told him at least it looked very pretty!

These children were so adorable.  From a very poor family, either no clothes or very dirty clothes, but so happy and talkative.  The little girl without a shirt insisted on holding my finger in her hand and leading me along the path both to and from her home-- she kept pulling me along excitedly.  She is about 4, the older girl about 8.

This beautiful Primary children's choir sang at the district conference on Sunday-- they wanted to take their picture with us afterwards.  The sister on the right is the district president's wife, amazing and faithful Saint, and the district primary president who helped with the choir.

I love this picture!

Rice after it has been separated...

Rice still growing in bunches before it is separated and spread out in the fields...

Typical house in the country...

The sky was so beautiful that day...

Separating and replanting the rice is hard work-- but more enjoyable when you have friends to help!

Back-breaking work if you ask me...

This little tractor is quite typical in the countryside, and pulls whatever you need it to pull, including this trailer full of handmade wooden lacquered baskets.

Fishing with dad Khmer style...

Ox drawn carts... heading home for the day...

Water seems everywhere this time of year...

A humble home on the side of the main highway and near the river area... typical of the homes along the riversides...