What Happens When: It's New Years #3
SUISADAAY and HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!
No really, it is New Years AGAIN! In Janurary, we had International New Year, In February we had Chinese New Year, and now in April we had the biggest one, Khmer New Year! Basically New Year is the biggest party in Cambodia, like think about Christmas in America.. Kinda like that. And 3 days long! Everyone in the city supposedly goes to their province, but everyone in this province left and went to another province, so this week was really slow... we did manage to get in a few good lessons with our investigators Jariyaa and Ming Ravii and her son Hiang.
We had a great service project last monday at the Branch President's house. They live in a BEAUTIFUL flower farm with mango trees and coconuts and bananas lining the fences. It's so pretty. We pulled leaves off flower stems and at mangos for a few hours. Not complaining, that is my kinda service! :)
For the week of Cool Chnam Kmher (New Year) we had a luncheon with the senior couples at a resturant on the river front and had a whole day to clean our house real good. Then, for the next few days we mostly just tried to go to every house possible until we found someone that was home and wanted to meet us on their holiday.. oh boy people go crazy for new years. They do lots of dancing and singing, and signing (burn incense and leave food for the ancestors) and go to a wat. the Wat (pagoda) next to our house was going crazy with buddha music at like 4 am everyday.
We did have a good lesson with Jariyaa. She is 17 and so close to baptism, but we had to get permission from her mom first before we could interview her. We sat down with her and asked her mom but she was super hesitant to us at first. She wouldn't give us an answer, she would just sit and smile.... but then Jariyaa bore her testimony of the gospel and the need for repentance and baptism. The spirit was so strong and I really loved to hear her sincere testimony and asking for permission. Her mom softened up a little bit and she agreed that if this is what it takes for Jariyaa to be happy and to "get rid of her sins" than it was ok. YAY! Hopefully soon Jariyaa will be ready. I'm way excited for her. She's super solid with church attendance. We don't even tell her when the church has conference or activities in other branches but she somehow always knows and always shows up!
There's a super yummy treat we like to get here. It's like a sour fruit buffet. You go through the line and pick all the sour mangos, pineapple, grapefruit, jicama, and lots of other fruits that I don't know in english and they plop it all in a big bowl and through in dried shrimps and lots of creepy looking sauces and mix it all together. It's super spicy and fishy and yummy!
Yesterday, I gave my first talk in church in Cambodia.... I know that should've happened so long ago, like the first week here, but for some reason in my past two areas I played the piano every week instead so they gave me a break. But yesterday we show up to church and the branch presidency is like rongayroongae "chaos" and they're like Elders and Sisters will now share with us for the rest of sacrament meeting.... uh.... good thing I had a thought, maybe inspiration if you will, to write down some thoughts during personal study right before church so I shared that and even read a scripture in Khmer about the love of our savior. Not bad for no prep, but It all went fine. Good thing I've been practicing reading a lot lately. Reading Khmer script is a story of it's own :) And then in sunday school I got handed a little card with a Jesus picture on it telling me to speak again for sacrament next week.... ahhh yap mong. ah well, it's a good thing to have to write a talk. I think the speaker learns most. I'm excited and better get practicing my verses I want to share.
Yesterday we had a lesson with Bong Bov, she's less active and has 2 super cute but crazy girls. We taught them on a wood bench thing under the shade of huge mango and coconut trees in their backyard. That is the life! For as hot as it is, Cambodia is still beautful!
Happy New Year's Everyone! Love you all and miss you lots.
Have a great week!
love,
Sister Haddock
flower fields!
