Transfers, returning missionaries, and training -

Some photos of the typical chaos from transfer day!  Luggage everywhere in the courtyard...

Good business for the local tuk-tuks...

Above are pictured our finishing missionaries  - Elder Flint (health reasons), Elder Sin, Sister Perez, Elder Sam, and Elder Mao.  I should note that I am posting this a few months later and Elder Sam just announced to us yesterday that he is engaged to a wonderful member girl that he knew before his mission-- also from Svay Riang where he is from.  We are very happy for him!

Above the new district presidency in the North District, following a general priesthood meeting and some changes - Pres. Meas Sameth, Pres. Eng Bunhuoch, and Pres. But Lum Ang.

These are photos from a leadership training we held, the activity was one Sister Moon had them do to learn about the importance of clear communication, especially when you are from different backgrounds.  They have to describe a chinese character to the other companion, who can't see it, and has to draw it from the verbal instructions.

Above Elder Hem, who recently returned from his mission to Korea.  We had met him briefly in the Provo MTC before we came to Cambodia.  His sister, Sister Mariya Hem, is currently serving with us here!  She was very happy to know her brother was home.  Their parents are non-members (for now), but very wonderful and good people and have raised some wonderful children.

Out and about

Here are some various photos from travels to different places...

Above with our great missionaries in Battambang, eating on the upper floor of the White Rose restaurant, a common place for meals after zone conference training.  Good Khmer food, not too expensive.

I did a baptism interview in Siem Reap for a woman who lived near Angkor Wat.  Elder Nheoem and Elder Harris below were the missionaries who were teaching her.  We traveled to her home for the interview as she has two little ones and it is difficult for her to travel.  The only thing she has is the bicycle above.  She rigs it with a cloth wrap between the two handlebars where she lays the infant, with the toddler sitting in the basket, so she can ride the 50 minute ride to get to the chapel.  She is a wonderful new sister and full of great faith and desire in order to do what she does each Sunday to get to church.

These pictures are of the dessert bar at the hotel in Siem Reap-- lots of wonderful and very pretty to look at treats.  Actually most of them look better than they taste, but they also had a lot of delicious fruit for dessert also.  Very creative designs.

Above is a photo of President Khong Lim and his wife in Kampong Cham.  He is the new district president there, who we called and sustained end of January at the district conference.  With their two grandchildren that they care for.  The photo above was of the four of them heading home after a long Sunday at the church with us on conference Sunday.  

Above SIster Putheary Thaong who returned home to Cambodia after serving in the Australia Perth mission-- we sent her to Australia about 6 weeks after we arrived here in Cambodia.  It was fun to welcome her home.  She had a wonderful mission and will be a great strength and help to have home.  She also has a gorgeous singing voice-- something of a rarity among our members here.

Priesthood Leadership Training - Jan 16 2014

Elder Pon and Elder Gong came from Hong Kong to conduct an Area Priesthood Leadership Training with our district presidencies in the mission.  It was a very helpful training and we enjoyed being together with all our wonderful priesthood leaders.

9 new wonderful local missionaries

This is a picture of our group of 9 new wonderful local missionaries that we sent to the MTC in Manila on January 16.  They returned back to us on January 30, together with a small group from Provo MTC. 4 of the new local missionaries are from the same branch-- Kien Svay.  Also pictured in the photo below is our wonderful full time member missionary sister (or at least she says she is full time) Chun Chanthy, who was baptized our first year here and is now such an amazing help to the work in Kien Svay.

Elder Long, Elder Um, Elder Sok, Sister Kean, Sister Vinh, Sister Khim, Sister Nov, Sister Choek and Sister Khut

Here they are together with the full group, including those from Provo that arrived January 29-- Elder Nhem, Elder Brewer, Elder Eppley, Elder Gardiner, Sister Fife, and Sister Hunsaker-- all fantastic.

Here the elders and sisters are enjoying the "puzzle activity" that we often use on their first day here to teach some principles.

Baptism in Kien Svay

We are way overdue in posting to our blog. This was a baptism of a wonderful new family in Kien Svay ("Mango Corner").  We enjoyed being with them for the baptism.