What Happens When: "the Khmer Book of Mormon says 'y'all' "
*in the most nasally voice possible* SUISADAAY!!!! Tau soksabaay tee?
HEY! How are you doing? Hope everyone is doing well, and enjoying this fall weather (for those of you in Utah). ITS BEAUTIFUL outside. My favorite. Khnom s)rlan~ fall weather!
So, to explain the subject line. I know what you're thinking, and no there isn't a big "yall" in the middle of the script. BUT this week we memorized Moroni 10:5 in Khmer and it literally says "Preah Vinninan B)rret sot neak roal knia" all in script. This directly translates to "all you people everyone together" and our whole class was so confused until our teachers (who do not speak any english to us) blurt out the word 'y'all'. SO yes, my favorite word ,despite not being from the south, is in the Book of Mormon.
BUT only in Khmer. So I guess Khmer just is so special!
This week went by really fast again... sorry if I bore you with this email... the MTC is becoming pretty routine... nothing too big happening.
OH except on tuesday, we may or may not be having an apostle come speak to us. We don't actually know. In choir yesterday, right before rehearsal, our director says "stop and pass all your new music to the front" um... like what else are we going to sing? he then continued to tell us we will be singing in a broadcast to all the other MTCS in the WHOLE WORLD! so this must be some kind of big deal... we practiced some really special rendition of a hymn only written for the MTC. BIG DEAL? I think so :) I''m excited... but who knows this could be nothing. we'll just have to see. Keep your hopes up for us :)
This week our zone was assigned to write a talk on repentance. some really profound quotes came out of that discussion. two that i love: "Heavenly Father is NEVER disappointed in the one repenting." & "Go about doing all things knowing ALL things are reliant on God."
We as missionaries also discovered that because we have a greater capacity and more responsibility than we did before, we have more to repent for than ever before. They add up - things like not saying hi to someone in need, not helping someone open the door, or falling asleep in class. We are called to be representatives of Christ, and if we miss any opportunity to not be that representative, then it really is our fault. No one is perfect however, so it's a good thing repentace is a real healing power, especially for missionaries.
I read a talk this week because I've been working on developing more patience. The talk is "continue in patience" by Pres. Utchdorf. I invite you to read it. It is just jam-packed full of goodness. I have learned that "patience is not simply just enduring, but it is enduring WELL"
That's definitly something we as a district have decided to work on. Learning a language is hard! we just want to be fluent right now and without any work! but we know that's not our purpose and that wouldn't teach us anything. So we are striving to develop more patience in ourselves and with our companions. It's been going great so far.
I played a musical number (finally yay!!!) in my branch sacrament meeting yesterday. I have forgotten how much I LOVE playing music for people! Idk why, and this might sound bad, but there is nothing more rewarding than seeing the whole congregation crying after you play the piano... not that I love seeing people cry, becuase I promise I dont,. but I feel like I was able to touch them in some way that my words couldn't. I hope I'll be able to help the people of Cambodia the same. Music is amazing!!!! All you kids in lessons right now, (AKA KAI) work hard and learn to play with your heart. You will bless people!
So this week our zone has been playing this awfully fun and hilarious game.... It started with the elders of course, but the sisters just had to get invovled ;) We try to stick a spoon in eachother's pockets or belt loops without them knowing... their reaction when they find out "they've been spooned" is the FUNNIEST and most REWARDING thing on the planet! haha again, in this bubble we call the MTC, It's the small things that make your whole day :) Yes I was the first sister to get a spoon in my pocket... no i was not happy about it... and yes I had a great time plotting and succeeding in my revenge. SO FUNNY! hhhmmmm except the cafeteria may want their spoons back someday.
We learned how to read more in Khmer this week and HOLY COW. my dreams of coding and decyphering cryptic messages for the FBI are coming true. No joke. That is what this feels like. and I LOVE IT! I can read anything I want now... BUT the first verse of scripture 1 Nephi 1:1 took aboutttttt ohhhh an hour and half. Not. Kidding. This is the slowest, most exciting, and rewarding thing yet!
There is this AMAZING Elder in our zone with an AMAZING conversion story. He's Cambodian, from New Zeland, going to Cambodia Vietnamese speaking, and has only been a convert for 14 months. He shared his conversion story with a small group of us missionaries one night, and I haven't cried that much in my whole time being here. SO touched. He's so cool they're making a Mormon Message for him... It should be online soon. Please be on the look out for it. His name is Elder Phan. I don't know what the video will be called, but Please if you happen to come accross it, watch it and let me know.
Fun Facts of the Week:
- My sister told me there is now a Kampuchia Flag emoji #soblessed #totesjelly. use it and think of me :)
- I have become my district workout leader. Seriously. I brought this book of workouts and my district sisters make me lead them in a kick booty workout every morning. SO FUN and SO Sweaty. Eww
- Crocs save my life every single day. #comfortb4cutenes. for as dorky as they are, y'all gotta get yourself a pair. Mine are my ultimate favorite.
Have a great week everyone, I love you all!
Love,
Sister Haddock
For you that asked, I would love letters or dear elder letters (dearelder.com) from you all! they make the end of the long days a bit easier! My address is:
Sister Whtiney Haddock
Dec 01 Unit #261
Cam-ppe
2005 N 900 E
Provo UT 84604