This week was a lot about charity and I'm grateful for that because I never thought of myself as an unloving person. I always thought I had a great capacity to love, but this week alone has shown me how much more I can develop that gift and learn more of Christ as I do so.
On Tuesday, we got to teach Lookruu Oleson as Makaraa who is a genius and knows like ten languages and is in charge of our department or something like that. During the lesson, I was getting so frustrated because he knew that the Book of Mormon was important and that Christ was important but he was doubting himself so much and asking questions that didn't matter. So, I just told him straight up none of that mattered and that all that mattered was Jesus Christ because I couldn't understand what he was going through because I'm Sister Nguyen, not Makaraa, but Christ understands. After our lesson, he came to say goodbye to our district and told us how much we helped remind him of his love for the Khmer people and the importance of the Book of Mormon. It was a very tender moment and the Spirit was incredible.
Everything this week just made me more and more excited to leave already. I love the MTC but let's be real, it's time to go.
Everything this week just made me more and more excited to leave already. I love the MTC but let's be real, it's time to go.
During Bong Radii's lesson on Friday, we taught about the Law of Chastity and instead if saying refrain from sexual relationships before marriage, I accidentally said refrain from relationships with doctors. And so he thought I was telling him to not go to the doctor. First language oopsie, only 9999 more until I can say I'm good with the language. We laughed for a little and then clarified things up. How embarrassing.
On Wednesday, we went to in-field orientation for the entire day and it was helpful here and there and got me super pumped to get to work.
Thursday was Thanksgiving! I hope you all had an amazing time with family and were able to reflect on what you're truly grateful for, I know I did! This Thanksgiving felt like the first REAL Thanksgiving to me. I am so blessed to be here doing this work. We got to do a service project and broke a record! We made over 300,000 bags of food for children in the Salt Lake area. They told us that if they would've known how efficient we were, they would've provided more supplies and we could've made 500,000 bags! And then we went to a bunch of devotionals. In one of them, we got to watch 17 Miracles! Which is a fantastic movie. And we reflect a lot on the Savior and His gift of redemption to us. ALSO WAIT. ELDER DALLIN H OAKS CAME. HOW BLESSED. His family came and they sang together and it was way cute and made me so very very grateful for my family! I love you all so very much!
On Saturday, we did our last TRC Skype. We taught Phalla Mey again! She has a sister living in Columbus, OH! What a small world. I am so impressed by her faith and willingness to mett with us each week. Now we're about to teach real life Khmer people face to face.
WE LEAVE FOR CAMBODIA TOMORROW. I can't explain the mixed emotions that I have right now. I am so excited to finally get to meet and serve the people that I have been praying for for so long. Lookruu Mickelson showed us a PowerPoint of his mission and I was so incredibly touched. When he was talking about the people, you could just feel the love he had and how special his mission was to him. He talked about teaching so many families and so many individuals who had huge impacts on those around them. And by golly, I want that too! We heard in a devotional to make the decision to love your mission now. So I am deciding now to love the people, to endure the tarantulas and no toilet paper, and to serve with my whole heart, might, mind and strength. I know it's going to be hard but, Elder Holland taught that, "if they're unresponsive, maybe you can't teach them but you can love them. And if you can love them today, maybe you can teach them tomorrow." I absolutely love that because it's incredibly important to have love for the people before we even serve them because if we don't, what's it all for? The gospel of Jesus Christ is literally based on Heavenly Father's love and I just want to help them see that. It can get discouraging sometimes because I feel like I don't know much but Sister Penrod said something that really hit me. She said it doesn't matter how much knowledge you have because you have 100 times more knowledge of God than these people. They're completely new to this and as we help them learn more of God and Jesus Christ, we will learn with them.
WE LEAVE FOR CAMBODIA TOMORROW. I can't explain the mixed emotions that I have right now. I am so excited to finally get to meet and serve the people that I have been praying for for so long. Lookruu Mickelson showed us a PowerPoint of his mission and I was so incredibly touched. When he was talking about the people, you could just feel the love he had and how special his mission was to him. He talked about teaching so many families and so many individuals who had huge impacts on those around them. And by golly, I want that too! We heard in a devotional to make the decision to love your mission now. So I am deciding now to love the people, to endure the tarantulas and no toilet paper, and to serve with my whole heart, might, mind and strength. I know it's going to be hard but, Elder Holland taught that, "if they're unresponsive, maybe you can't teach them but you can love them. And if you can love them today, maybe you can teach them tomorrow." I absolutely love that because it's incredibly important to have love for the people before we even serve them because if we don't, what's it all for? The gospel of Jesus Christ is literally based on Heavenly Father's love and I just want to help them see that. It can get discouraging sometimes because I feel like I don't know much but Sister Penrod said something that really hit me. She said it doesn't matter how much knowledge you have because you have 100 times more knowledge of God than these people. They're completely new to this and as we help them learn more of God and Jesus Christ, we will learn with them.
I think today is our last day with our teachers and I'm a little sad but so grateful for them always. They're literally so patient with me haha. I'm a very slow learner sometimes. So I'm grateful they put up with that.
All in all, I'm grateful for the time spent here at the MTC BUT CAMBODIA IS JUST WAITING. Ahh, I cannot wait to go and share this message of love, peace, purpose, redemption, and eternal families with them. They need the power of the Atonement so much in their life to help heal their past and I really pray that they will accept it. If not, at least I can say I tried my best and did what Heavenly Father wanted me to do. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and that love has grown exponentially these past two months. I know that the Book of Mormon is a book of truth and light and can help bring so much happiness into your lives. So I invite you all to READ IT or please please study it diligently -- ponder, ask questions, and trust that Heavenly Father will answer.
Well this is it! The next email will be from some rinky-dinky cafe shop in Cambodia. I love you all and miss you terribly, but honestly there's no time to think of myself anymore. On to the Cambodians!!!
Well this is it! The next email will be from some rinky-dinky cafe shop in Cambodia. I love you all and miss you terribly, but honestly there's no time to think of myself anymore. On to the Cambodians!!!
Love,
Sister Nguyen
Picture 1 WE LOVE LOOKRUU MICKELSON. Our last day with him. I cried #baby
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