What Happens When: Christmas in Cambodia requires glow-sticks in sacrament meeting

WOW ITS BEEN a whole 3 weeks here in Cambodia and let me tell you, it is still so hot and still so much fun!

I don't have a lot of time today, but a lot happened this week and I have a bunch to say so bear with me... Disclaimer: this PC shop is super sketch and there is something nasty under the keys so they are sticking and my spelling is going to be beautiful. Welcome to Cambodia everyone! This week went by way too fast, and lots did happen. Right now in Teuk La?ak, our area and pool of investigators kind of took a dive this week. The problem with teaching here is not having people to teach, it is communicating with the people to teach. Phones are the most unreliable source... and it's pretty much all we've got. Most times the phone calls don't go through or people just don't answer the phone, and they don't have voicemail boxes... so sometimes we don't get to talk to any of our investigators through the whole week! It maybe was a blessing in disguise this week though, because we didn't have so many appointments, we had a lot of time to do some much needed Convert Baptism Record upkeeping (like #finalsweek stress for missionaries) and I learned how to do some more contacting! all in all, it was a success and we got 4 new investigators by the end of the week. This week we went Iceskating for P-day! HOW WEIRD IS THAT? I never thought that would be on the list of things to do in this country... its like 90 degrees! We went indoor iceskating under fake snow and they played Michael Buble on repeat. No complaining. So fun! we then had an FHE lesson with the elders and their Recent Convert Piak. he's cool, his kids are crazy, and he bought us seafood pizza with hotdog crust! again, welcome to cambodia. It was actually really good!

We helped our less active Omlinaa move in with our other less actiave OmDaali. They are friends and we had a cool experience with them this week. On tuesday we were out in the area trying to find hunt down some of our CBR houses, and we had the thought to go find OmLinaa and check up on her. We decided to give her a lesson on the Holy Ghost, and as soon as we showed up, she said "oh sisters! I prayed for someone to come help me move, and look who showed up!" we were really glad we were able to help. We called the elders the next day, and we had the USA assembly line up the ladder to Omdaali's house going strong. It was so fun to help these ladies out. They both have hurt knees and feetand don't have any money for transportation, so they cannot get to church, but we hope to keep visiting them and helping them progress.

I gave my first lesson on the road in front of this lady's house to a lady with an insanely crazy child while sitting in a seat that belongs in a 12 seater van... there''s a first for everything! She's our new investigator and I can't wait to go back and teach her more!

on Thursday we had our first exchange! I got to go with Sister Y in Teulsenkae (spelling is the worst here). The area is 2 areas away and about 40 minutes from us on bike. I really liked getting to spend 24 hours fully immersed in Khmer! It was good for my language and I met some really solid people out there. We had to travel over this 3 mile long "spian" bridge to an island like place that is part of the area... it is literally called the "spian of the devil" in my brain. It goes straight up, and then straight down..... and everyone was laughing at us because no one does this bridge on a bike! it's insane! my legs will thank me later. While we went to this island like place, we started to go down this dirt road that led to the literal wilderness of cambodia.. like I think that is what the "kites" provinces might look like. anyway, we get to this wood house, and I was pretty sure I was going to break their house by stepping up the ramp, but don't worry it didn't break or anything. :) Under the wood house is a group of 8 young men singing at the top of their lungs, super duper drunk. They were singing to some ACDC raspy scream music or something... we sit down to give a lesson to this old lady and up walks this LookPu. He's like 50 probably and totally wasted... he sits in our circle and just starts rambling. the funny part is, I could actually understand his slurred drunk talk. He start by addressing us as Elders, and then he cannot keep his head up. He just keeps talking, and I don't know what to do. Sister Y just looks kinda confused, but she knew this man before and told me to just share a scripture. So we started sharing a scripture and this man interrupts and starts bearing his testimony! Apparently, he is not actually a member yet, but he was lined up to be baptized. It was really sad. He kept telling us how "sdaay" sad he was and was hoping we could invite him back to church. I did not know what to do in this situation! That was for sure one of the most odd lessons I' ve had so far...

Our investigators Ming Liang and Mei Kiim are progressing now and I feel like they are going to go far. We met them on friday straight after exchanging back and we just had a lesson on how to sing hymns. Cambodian hymn singing is my favorite and I cannot make my voice sound like theirs. I will keep working on it so I can show you all when I get home haha. thank goodness our teachers made us sing in khmer in the MTC. I had to teach them the words to the hymns and I can barely read!

The language is getting better. After 2 weeks, I'm actually able to understand most of what is going on. I can't get too excited though, I still got a longggg way to go! I'm glad I've been reading khmer everyday because yesterday in church I got asked to read aloud from the gospel principles book... good thing all I know are gospel words! haha I tried to pass the reading to someone else who can read, but of course they all had to torture me into trying anyway. So I did. I read it, all in script! wooohooo this is seriously a triumph of a life time! I can't wait for the day when I can just whip out my book of mormon and start reading in the lessons. It's close. I can feel it!

Ok. finallly, the moment you've all been waiting for: Christmas in Cambodia.

1). It doesn't actually exist here besides in our church building

2). the Teuk La?ak ward takes this very seriously

Church yesterday may have been the most interesting and entertaining thing of my whole life. We get to church early in hopes to meet one of our recent converts and out walks our 10 year old investigator with loads of makeup on. Pink makeup. full on eyes and lipstick and all. I was just kinda like, "oh she;s just having one of those days" but then we turn the corner and there is a full on makeup hair party in the primary room and all the little girls are running around with eyeshadow up to their eyebrows and lipstick. and matching santa hair pins and the boys have sparkly reindeer headbands on... what? apparently that is so normal for a church program by the primary...

Sacrament starts and all the kids are up on the stand. I got asked to play the piano for the hymns so I got to sit up by them and watch their sparkly hats and headbands all of the meeting! then it is time for their musical number and they start breaking glowsticks in the row in front of me... Did i mention all the kids and their teachers are wearing matching t-shirts tucked into their skirts that say "how are you?" haha, back to the story, they stand up and start singing Away in a Manger and all is good... BUT THEN. The lights in the chapel turn off. and the bishops daughter and her friend start singing solo Silent Night in their 5 year old Cambodian voices in the microphone and the rest of the kids are oohing in the background waving around their neon glow sticks.... dooc avei??? eh? Weirdest Christmas program by far! and then they announce church will end 30 minutes early for a meeting upstairs. We go upstairs to the gym and there was a huge table full of KFC hamburgers and presents! the missionaries get asked to sing a song on the spot, so naturally Elder Slavens comes up with "we wish you a merry Christmas" for us all to sing. The whole ward just thinks it's Cambodian idol or something. Funniest thing ever. then we eat our KFC and everyone starts giving out presents! keep in mind this all happened during the last hour of church.. what? All we could do was laugh so hard at everything... it was the weirdest day ever. and that my friends, is Christmas in Cambodia.

I love and miss you all. I know this Christmas season is going to be so different being so far away from home, but I know it is still the same in that Christ is the reason for the season! Please give the gift of service and love this Christmas. I can now say I have seen what kindness and love can do in a place of sadness. The light of Christ is in all of you and I invite you to share it! I love you all! Merry Christmas!

Love,

Sister Haddock

P.S. Mom we 4 sisters are moving houses for Christmas Eve. Out of our area, but to a neighboring area not far from where we are. and the house is seriously a party. and wayyyy too nice to even exist in cambodia. I'm so excited. they have a pool. which is torturous to missionaries... but it's happening! I'll send pics when I can. Love you!

Ice Skating on P-day. Who even does that in Cambodia????

Engrish.... gotta love asia

Me and Makraa. He's a recent convert and he is the cutest. We help each other read the scriptures during the lessons. I taught him the word "minion". This kid needs to see Despicable Me.

Christmas presents with my companion from the ward christams party. KFC hamburgers. Not even chicken. what??

The children at the in-church christmas party

Moving houses with omLinaa and omDaali