The Week Partying, Partying Yeah! 12/19/16

We had our branch christmas party this week and it was bumpin'. Chi ha and I got put in charge of the "game". We had everyone trace their hands and write their names and how they would be a helping hand and light the world this season. It was more successful than we thought and there were some really kind and sincere things written. I got it out of a picture I saw in the Friend. 

Sophea, the girl I told you about last week has been in Vietnam and she got a new phone number but luckily she saved our number and has been calling us! She called last minute and told us that she wouldn't be able to come to the Christmas party but that she would come to church next sunday! FINGERS CROSSED!!!!!! I figure it's better to remain hopeful than be pessimistic.

We got to sit down with Phi Nhan this week! We talked a lot about her baptismal date and she's still shooting for January and is still waiting on her boyfriend's mom to accept her. It's just a really long waiting game and is really helping me to develop patience. Anyway, we committed Phi Nhan to coming to church for all three hours because she hasn't been in a few weeks or she always leaves. Guess what? She stayed! Yay! And she even brought us some peanuts and mangoes to eat in sudnay school class. Best investigator ever. 

We went to go teach a less-active in branch 10 area. She stopped coming to church because she hasn't had good experiences with the members in the branch and says they discriminate against her and her family because of a certain disease they have. Anyway, we were sitting outside of her apartment in the hallway just sharing with her a little bit about  who Heavenly Father is and tried to commit her to come back to church. She said she would never come back. And then, one of her neighbors came out and was just watching us so we invited him to come sit down and then his brother came and sat down with us too. We contacted them and asked if they were interested in learning. We taught them how to pray and then our member went off without us asking and began testifying of the power of the gospel and how much Heavenly Father loves them and how much they need to take advantage of this learning opportunity. And then she turned to me and said "GET THE ELDERS OVER HERE NEXT WEEK. THEY NEED TO LEARN, SISTER!!" It was a really cool experience because no matter how less-active she is, she still knows how much Jesus Christ can help each of us and that is powerful knowledge. I know Heavenly Father will do everything in His own timing as long as we try our hardest. 

OK that's it. 

Hey, happy Christmas! I hope you all enjoy Christmas this year!! 

I love you! 

Love,

Sister Nguyen 

Picture #1 We tried to go contacting and then it rained....

Picture #2 WARD CHRISTMAS PARTY 

Picture #3 Lim and Roat just got married a couple months ago. This is him making her take pictures of him HAHAHAH 

Picture #4 Chi Ha and I's Christmas tree

Picture #5 Eating hot pot in the dark

The Week of the Full Circle! 12/11/16

GUYS. 

Do you believe in miracles? LISTEN!!! 

Flashback to exactly a year ago. Where was I? Kampongcham. This is an excerpt from an email from one year ago. (on Wednesday, we taught English class with the other elders and sisters from our district. I was pumped because now the Khmers had to try to understand me and I felt powerful. So this random girl comes and sits next to me and I was like alright cool. She was having trouble pronouncing some of the words and so I tried to help and decided to strike up a conversation. I asked her what her name was and stuff like that and she looked like she wasn't understanding me so I had to tell her that I didn't really know Khmer, I was Vietnamese and from America. She said something about Vietnam and I didn't really understand her so I smiled and nodded #classic. And then she asked me if I knew Vietnamese and so I asked her back just because that's what I do to everyone and she said yes! Turns out she's half Vietnamese and half Khmer and lived in Vietnam but was in Cambodia for school until the 24th. And so we talked for the rest of the time and she asked me what I was doing here and if I was scared because apparently I look terrified or something?? Not sure. But I told her we were missionaries and that we teach about Jesus Christ and that for me the Gospel of Jesus Christ has brought me so much comfort and guidance. We gave her a Book of Mormon and she said she would be interested in learning. The next day, we taught her and she asked if our church taught weird things like everyone has to be a sister. Sister Nhem told her that this was a choice because we want to share our happiness. Anyway, she had a bunch of good questions and in the end she accepted baptism!!) 

OK!!! remember that girl? well, we never continued teaching her because she was in and out of Kampongcham and so we dropped her.

A few months ago, Sister Galland and I went to Kampongcham to find vietnamese people. After a few days of not being able to find many people, I remembered about Sophea and luckily, one year later, the sisters in KC still had her number in their phone. So i took her number and called her a million times and no one picked up the phone and then I kind of just forgot about it. And Sister Galland and I left Kampongcham feeling super unsuccessful. 

A few nights ago, after Sister Galland and I got done talking about finding people to teach and then we prayed for bed and while I was praying I remembered about Sophea. The next day, I told Sister Galland and she said "CALL HER!!! THAT WAS A PROMPTING!!!" So I called. And guess what?

 📣📣📣📣📣SHE PICKED UP📣📣📣📣

I told her I was the missionary who she met in Kampongcham one year ago. And she said "Oh! Chi Nguyen, right? I miss you so much!! Are you still in Kampong Cham? I'm not there anymore. I live in Phnom Penh now" AND IT;S LITERALLY A MIRACLE. I told her I was in the city too and that I would love to see her!  Turns out she's in this new area that I'm in and really wants to meet! But then our phone spazzed out and I haven't been able to get a hold of her since! dang it. 

We are still staying super optimistic and faithful!

This email is already too long. This week was good. We biked a lot and are exhausted but still more than happy to do this work. 

Heavenly Father really does have a plan for all of us. I know for a fact that this is HIS work and He is at the helm of it. 

Have a great week!!!

love,

sister nguyen 

Picture 1 Sister Galland and a CUTE PUPPY 

 Picture 2 this is me trying to be affectionate to members and them rejecting me 

The Week "God's not fat" 12/4/16

Yesterday was fast and testimony meeting and it was probably my favorite.

Ba Xum our 88 year old member who is kind of crazy got up to bear her testimony. She wore two pairs of pants because she was legit scared she was going to poop herself. She got up and we all got really nervous but she bore a really nice testimony and then said "now i am going to sing for all of you" and she did. and it was awesome haha. 

Some of the primary go up yesterday and bore their testimony in English and had members translate. One little girl said "i don't like Michelle and (her other sisters name which i don't remember) because they're fat and God is not fat. He is normal. He does not want us to be fat" Sister Galland and I tried really hard not to die laughing. AND THEN HER sister went up and we thought they were going to start bashing each other and were so ready for a brawl, but she went up and bore her testimony about how Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to be happy and do things that make us happy. It was really sweet. 

That's probably the highlight of this week. 

Also Sister Galland and I went on exchanges this week and she went to the Khmer program hahah. 

I love this work! I am grateful for trials and challenges that help us strengthen our faith and testimonies. 

Have a GREAT week!

Love,

Sister Nguyen 

Picture "Sister Nguyen, come iron me" 

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