The Week of Gold! 2/26/17

Hi. 

If you ever read any email, please just read this one. Because this was the best week ever and at the end of it, I testify that God lives and, man, is this his work or what?

I fell even more in love with Cambodia and missionary work this week.

Last Monday, we planned for a few lessons with some active members in branch 6. Sister Trinh and Davidson were still with us and all of our plans fell through and we ended up a little far from our area with so little time and so decided to head back home and just go contact in front of our house. We split up and I went to contact with Sister Trinh and our koons went to get a snack and contact as well. While we were walking, Sister Trinh suddenly stops and says "Hey, lets contact them" and turns to three neak mings/Cos and starts speaking Khmer to them.Sister Trinh told them about our free English class in Comkamorn. One of the neak mings said that her friend had just moved there and didn't know where that was. And so I turned to her friend and asked her where she just moved from and she said Kampuchea Krom!! So I asked her if she spoke Vietnamese and she said yes!!! And we said "wow! well we can come  to your house by Wednesday and take you to English class if you want!" and then she said "why don't you just come by my house now?" So we walked with her a little down the road and went up some sketchy stairs into her one room apartment where her two daughters were sitting on their bed. And we told them all about what we do and even our free English class and Co Phien (the mom) says "I am so happy I met you two. I have been looking for something like this for so long!" We came back the next day with Co Xoa and taught them about the Restoration and it was just the best thing ever. We asked them what they understood and one of the daughters, Phung, said "If I pray to God and read the Book of Mormon, then I can have light in my life just like the 14 year old boy and I don't have to live in darkness any more!". We committed them to baptism April 22 and we're so pumped and so are they!!

They also said really great stuff like...

(Our third lesson)"Sister, I was reading in the BOM yesterday about baptism by water. Why does it have to be by water?"

"I am so happy we met each other. I am so lucky!! And I'm so grateful you are here to lead us to God. I've been looking for something like this for so long and now I finally found it! "

"Ok. SO on Wednesdays and Saturdays, we go learn English and then every other day you come here and teach us about Jesus? and then on Sundays we go to church!!"

(In church. Yes they came to church!!!!!!)"Are we about to sing, Sister? I can't sing. How am I supposed to be a Sister like you if I can't sing???""

"Ever since mom met you, she's been smiling and super happy all of the time and it's for no apparent reason. It's so weird!"

"Wait. I can pray whenever I want? I don't have to wait for you to come over to pray!!"

They're literally so good and so humble and so receptive. And I find it such a privilege to be a part of their journey. God really does prepare people and I WANT EVERYONE WHO IS OUT THERE ON A MISSION OUR ABOUT TO SERVE TO KNOW THAT!!!

We also went to teach a referral from the Elders this week. Her name is Ba Ut and she lives on a boat and we had to teach her on her rocky boat. Unfortunately her boat neighbors were blasting some really loud karaoke and we had to shout to her the whole time...she is already deaf in one ear haha. She kept complaining about her cough and that she was sick. We asked her she felt in her heart knowing that she has a loving Heavenly Father. She responded, "It hurts really bad. I haven't stopped coughing. I am so sick" hahah. Her boat also kept rocking back and forth and she thought it was so funny that I was scared and so she sat there rocking it. Hahah.

Yesterday, we had our Asia area conference and I really liked what they focused on. Families. Responsibilities of mothers and fathers. Temples. Conversion. Etc. Etc. I think it was everything that our members really needed to hear. I hope they got something out of it.

Last night, Co lien, a less-active, had us and the Elders over for FHE. She said "Anh Ca, Chi Ca!! I've been a member for years and this is my first time ever doing FHE!! I'm so happy you are here!" It was a really tender moment. She's been pretty sick lately and hasn't been able to go to work and make money for food for the 6 people in her home. So we made dinner and brought it over. After sharing a message with her, we sat and ate. I watched her grandkids just swallow the food whole and asked them if it was good or not. They said "Wow! Anh ca, Chi ca!! You make really good food. This is the first delicious thing we've eaten in so long!!" I asked Co Lien what they eat every day and she said eggs and MAYBE some fish sauce. And then I looked at them and immediately lost my appetite. The food was so good but then I thought about how privileged we are to have so much food to eat every day and how much we complain to have nothing to eat and how much they struggle. And so i put aside my portion and we just left the rest of the food for them.

I learned a lot this week. So it was probably one of my favorite weeks and it made me want to go home even less. There's not much I, personally, can ever do to help anyone. But I know that that's what God is here for and He wants all of us to just go around and spread that good news. He brings us so much joy and really does help us overcome a lot of grief and sorrow. What a blessing.

Sorry that was a novel. I love you all!! Have a GREAT week!!

Love,

Sister Nguyen 

 Picture 1 A bunch of Vietnamese living on house boats

 Picture 2 Ba Ut's house? boat? 

 Picture 3 Biking Co Xoa home after a lesson 

  Picture 4 Viets

Picture 5 This is Chi Van. She is so good at everything like khmer and vietnamese and so beautiful. I want to be like her. 

 Picture 6 CHI QUYNH!!!! 

Picture 7 A really cute girl from FHE last night 

This Week 2/19/17

This week was great!! 

We picked up an investigator's that the old sisters were teaching. Her name is Oanh and she works for one of our members and is so eager to learn and knows so much! Her family however is part of a different church so she has been hiding the fact that she is learning with us and is too scared to get baptized. She did come to church this week though!!! 

Our other investigator, Chi Lin is in Vietnam. 

Our Sunday got a little funky because of some things that have been going on with branch 10 and so I went on exchanges to branch 10 church with Sister Oanh and it was a blast! A lot of the members were so kind but kept asking when I was going home and then sang "God be with you 'til we meet again" to Sister Leavitt and I because we are down to four Sundays now. NOOOOOOO.

Do you want to hear funny things that happened at church?

1) A less-active named Co Be never comes to church and is super catholic now or whatever but still lets us visit her and her daughter Chantha. Chantha is good and has been coming back to church every week. They asked us to talk to branch president about giving Co Be's grand daughter a baby blessing. We got everything set up and they ended up doing it in the middle of Sunday school...haha. And  check this out. President Kim Ess tried to sit the six month old baby on a chair by herself!!!1!!! HAHAH. And then Elder Leavitt came up and said nononono. We have to hold the baby. It was funny haha. 

2) This week's relief society lesson was about the Word of Wisdom. They got super side-tracked for twenty minutes (class was only like half an hour haha) and started talking about poop and how to make going to the bathroom easier. "Well, I guess it was a good solid talk" - Sister Leavitt 

3) We were talking in Sunday school about listening to the promptings of the spirit. Co Binh enthusiastically said "YES!! I have heard the Holy Ghost speak to me before!! One time a chicken walked into my home and I tied it up and was going to eat it. But then I heard 'maybe, it's not your chicken' and then i double checked and it really wasn't my chicken!!" Then she brought up that story every other ten minutes for the rest of the hour. 

Things are going great! I love the people here. They are really so special. We saw The Lord's hand a lot this week is leading us to where we needed to be at the right time. He lives! I know that for a fact. Anyway, have a great week!!!

Love,

Sister Nguyen 

 Picture 1 Our trainers are living together in house! And now we are living together too!!!

 Picture 2 We waited outside Chi Kim's house fortwenty minutes...turns out she wasn't home lol 

 Picture 3 Elder Quang who just ended his mission a few transfers ago came back to show off his beautiful fiance and bought us vietnam shirts

Picture 4 Co Be's grand daughter who only has hair on one side of her head also hahah 

The Week We Found a Family!! 2/12/17

Hello!!

I got Sister Mead this week! And it has been a blast. She is super gung ho about the work and is exactly what I need this transfer! 

We finally contacted a referral that Chu ba came us. She just came back from Vietnam. And we taught her! She has a husband and a nine year old daughter and she is so willing and excited to learn with us! We are hoping that we will be able to start teaching her whole family so soon! 

This week, I got to go back to branch three for a day and saw almost everyone and I have pictures below look!!! They're the best and they are so loving and kind. Ba Xum saw me and got really excited and then we sat down and prayed with her and she prayed, "Please bless sister... right in front of me...to the right... She left me for a while. Maybe 5-6 months. But she remembered to come back for me" It was funny because she didn't remember my name and also I've only been gone for like six weeks hahah. But it was way sweet. 

Chi Kim a super less-active came back to church finally! We had an experience where we went to visit her and found her holding her super sick one year old who was hooked up to an IV. She asked the elders to come over to bless her baby and the elders came over and we sat and pondered for a second and decided that since the baby already got proper medical care, it as really Chi Kim that needed the blessing. We were really happy she came to church and she even asked us to come back over next sunday to do FHE with her family. Her husband is not a member yet so hopefully this is going to open some doors!!

That's all. Here are some cool pictures from transfer day when our entire MTC group was there! The elders still think I smell dang it. 

Ok! Have a great week!!

love,

Sister Nguyen 

The Week of Transfers! 2/05/17

Dear Friends and Family,

Hello. We got transfer calls! Sister Galland and I are sadly being separated :,( 

My new companion is Sister Mead who has been out for one transfer! I get to finish training her here in branch 6! Also, guess what? President put Sister Luke, my MTC companion, Sister Soem, my old companion, and Sister Brown my BFF in a TRIO IN THE SAME APARTMENT AS ME!!! ITS LIKE HE GATHERED ALL OF MY BEST FRIENDS AND PUT THEM IN ONE HOUSE SO I COULD HAVE THE BEST LAST TRANSFER EVER. yayy! 

This week was good! We had zone conference with President and it was the best thing ever! We talked a lot about HOW to teach repentance and about the new schedules and stuff. And then they taught us how to exercise and the mission even made a p90x video haha 

One of our members, Co Xoa, went to go talk to Co Hien, our investigator who said wait 4 years, and Co Hien agreed to come back to church!!!1! Member help is SO GOOD AND SO POWERFUL. GUYS. GO HELP THE MISSIONARIES PLEASE. 

I don't really remember anything else that happened. Sorry haha.

Here are some fun pictures! 

HAVE A GREAT WEEK! 

LOVE,

SISTER NGUYEN

 

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The Week of Change 1/30/17

CHUC MUNG NAM MOI!!!!!!!!1!!
This week, was chinese/vietnamese new year. Who started the trend? I don't know and I try not to get into that.

This week, a lot of people went back to Vietnam to celebrate with their families. Also a lot of them also went to go sell stuff on the streets because they apparently make more money around this time of year. BUT, we still managed to meet a few people and it was good! 

Sister Cheney and I sat inside and helped Sister Christensen put together the new stuff for english class and so we sent out our companions to go proselyte. Sister Mead has only been out for a transfer and so Sister Galland was super nervous, but ended up doing so well! She is SO good and so capable and is a superstar and I just really wish she would see that. 

We had branch council and told them about our investigator, Co Hien who dropped us. Co Xoa, a super active member, looked at us and said "I'll go see her for you, Sister. Let me take care of that. She just doesn't understand yet" and we were so happy because that's the first time anyone every volunteered to actually help! We also set new goals as a branch and district and are aiming for 18 baptisms this year from the Vietnamese district which means 6 baptisms per branch! We are gonna work so hard to get that and our branch council is working right behind us as well!! 

We watched the missionary broadcast and got a few new changes in the mission field! We are all really excited and have been trying it out. Apparently it's going to help us transition better into going home and use our agency more. So woot. And also, now we only measure our key indicators of Baptism, Confirmations, Investigators at Sacrament Meeting and New Investigators! The Brethren want us focusing more and better on teaching repentance and baptizing conevrts (last years theme).

On Saturday, when no one was home, we had a party at the Leavitt (our senior couple) to celebrate new year. I had two bowls of Pho and have never been happier. 

A lot of good things are happening and I am so excited to get to work! I love this country. I love these people. They make me so happy. 

I love it here! I love the restored gospel! I love Jesus! 

love,

Sister Nguyen 

I'm really bad at pictures. Here is our party. We got red envelopes filled with kit kats. best day ever. 

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The Week of Angkor 1/23/17

Hello. 

This week was GREAT! 

I was gone Mon and Tues. and then Wednesday, we had district meeting and English class and so we didn't have any lessons and ended up having to bust our butts to see everyone we needed to see! It was a miracle and blessing. The Lord provides. 

We saw Co Hien, our investigator, on the side of the road and she totally tried to dodge us and said "maybe in four years..." and then busted a move and left. We are devastated but know that one day, her heart will be softened and she'll be so blessed when she accepts the gospel. 

We had a combined New Year party down in Branch 6 and I saw a lot of people from Branch 3 and was so happy I cried. I got lots of mom hugs and it was the best day ever. 

Yesterday, in sunday school, the members sat and argued about satan for like 15 minutes. The topic was the Book of Mormon...the saints here aren't quite there yet but they are working so hard and their hearts are in the right place and they mean well!!! 

The members are finally opening up to us! So we are excited to get to work and be able to actually work with them! Plus they tell me all the time that my vietnamese is so rough and so now it's like starting ALL over again and it's actually really exciting! 

I love this work! I love these people with all of my heart! I can't believe it is going by so fast. 

Have a great week!!

love,

Sister Nguyen 

Pictures from Angkor Wat. I have a ton more but do not have time to upload hehe 

The Week of Change 1/15/17

Hello! I have not much time. We are getting ready to go to Siem Reap today and have to catch a bus soon! This week was good! We were very busy. A lot of people turned us down.

Our investigator Co Hien stood us up twice and told her friends that she doesn't want to learn anymore and didn't come to church today. we will go see her this week to see what the heck is up.

Yesterday, we went to see Co Kim Ly, who is a Khmer native but like to go to the Vietnamese branch because she says she loves Vietnamese people so much. She speaks super broken Vietnamese and blinks her eyes a million times and is super cute haha. She had some problems with getting to the temple so we taught her about the Plan of Salvation and tied it in to going to the temple. We asked her if this time she would prepare herself to go to the temple. She stood up went to grab and envelope, opened it, and pulled out a stack of name cards. And then she said, "there are still 10 people who names I haven't submitted yet. But I'm going to do that and get baptized by proxy for them in June" I might have cried or something. Yeah I did cry. So what.  

One day, while Sister Galland and I were biking, my water bottle flew out of my bike basket and so we had to stop. Sister Galland picked it up for me and tried to hand it to me from a distance. Then this random guy grabbed it form her and gave it to me. The first thing he said was  "I don't have parents and I have a really hard life but can I still join your church? Im free when you are free" Cool. We took his number and gave him to the elders. And hopefully he becomes a progressing investigator!!!1!!

That's all. I love you. bye.

Sister Nguyen

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