Sunday October 29, 2017 at 9:24pm
ជំរាបសួរ បងប្អូនប្រុសស្រី,
I am still currently serving in Steung Meanchey and it is by far one of the most humble of areas in the country. The poverty and the destitute souls here truly need to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Last week, we met with one of the most beautiful families. We visited them last Tuesday. Before knocking on their door, we could hear the 12 year old daughter reading out loud to her mother. We listened to her for a bit and knocked on the door. Aww, it broke my heart when I saw them for the first time. The mother was sitting up on her bed by her daughter. Both the mother and the daughter had acidic substance/juice purposely poured on them years ago, due to a mistaken cause. The mother's body and face had been completely destroyed and her daughter's face was also severely scarred. The daughter always wears a hat to cover her head and face. We asked her if she could take of the cover and she did. Man, my heart dropped. I remember how Heavenly Father truly sent His love for this little girl through out the whole time I was there. Her soul is so beautiful and she is always trying so hard to be a good student. While she was reading to her mother, she also had her math homework out. Ahh man, it was the sweetest thing for her to ask me to help her and to see if she solved the physics problem correctly. Knowing we both love math. It was so cute. Soon after, we started the lesson with the family. A few minutes later, the mother was so frail that she stopped hearing what we were saying. So she helplessly fell to her bed and slept right then and there. She was so tired and her daughter felt so helpless as well, to help her mother. I just couldn't help but to look the little girl in the eyes and almost blurted out " I want you to know I love you" " But what I actually said was"Your Father in Heaven loves you so much".
Another heartfelt experience that my companion and I had was with a young 20 year old woman of the same age as me. Her brother is a member of the church and introduced her to church very recently. We didn't see the young woman at church yesterday and thought we should check in to see if she was OK. We were direct in asking to know of she has the desire to change and to experiment on the words of the Lord, in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I remember a moment when she looked at us in the eyes and starred down at the floor and said "Sisters, I can't read". I tried reading at night in the Book of Mormon, but I want to tell you " I can't read". I want to come to church and learn of the Gospel, but I can't read. I am not smart enough! Man, it was another humbling moment for the three of us.
One of the greatest opportunities anyone can have in this life is to proclaim the truth of the Gospel to the lives that are desperately thirsting for the living water. One of the greatest opportunities anyone can have in this life is simply to know and understand their relationship with their Father in Heaven and through Jesus Christ, they can know who their Heavenly Father is for them, and with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, to know of their identity and destined glory.
With my love and gratitude,
Sister Sok
Saturday, January 27, 2018
Walking on Trash Mountain
Sunday October 22, 2017 at 8:40pm
Hello!
This week has been filled with so many humbling experiences and as well as preparation work to help the new missionaries ease into their service for the Lord here in Cambodia. There will be some more trainings this upcoming week for them. Hah, there were so many of them, but all got here safe and sound!
I think one of the humbling experiences I had occurred during one night from last week when we, hah got lost again, while trying to find a potential investigator's house. It was very dark and the areas in Stueng Meachey are some of the most poorest areas in the whole country. Well, we went around the little alley ways, but still could not find the roads that would lead to the family's house. Miraculously, my companion ( hah she is so cute) almost biked into a lady, hah oops and right away she called us, "Sisters", hah we then knew she was a member from one of the wards we are serving in. She knew the roads specifically and led us there. A few miles from getting to their house, we saw a man standing by the gate (who referred us to the pot. investigator) to the trash mountain waiting to greet us and to walk to the destined spot together. The way there looked a little wild. We were literally walking on mountains of trash and piles of trash and unidentified stuff was burning all around. It looked like the whole place was a battlefield. The interesting thing is that many people live on this mountain and have been pretty acclimated to the environment. Many of the children in the areas are being raised by organizations in the help of providing them better futures and lives of their own. It is truly inspiring to see children in this area receiving sufficient education. Another humbling experience of mine was when seeing our investigators, a family of four ( who live pretty far off from church) using one small Japanese brand bike as a a source of transportation to church. The amazing thing is that the mother just gave birth to her little infant and they were able to fit four people on a bike while biking in the hot humid Cambodian climate! The father of the family is so amazing! Ahh it amazes me the influence that Christ has in their lives. The greatest way to know of Heavenly Father's love for me, truly is through the example of His Son, Jesus Christ and His mission in the lives of all of us around the world. It is truly through sending His Son here on this earth to know our divine identity.Truly, this is the work of God.
With Much Love and Gratitude,
Sister Sok
Attached are some pictures in Cambodia.
Hello!
This week has been filled with so many humbling experiences and as well as preparation work to help the new missionaries ease into their service for the Lord here in Cambodia. There will be some more trainings this upcoming week for them. Hah, there were so many of them, but all got here safe and sound!
I think one of the humbling experiences I had occurred during one night from last week when we, hah got lost again, while trying to find a potential investigator's house. It was very dark and the areas in Stueng Meachey are some of the most poorest areas in the whole country. Well, we went around the little alley ways, but still could not find the roads that would lead to the family's house. Miraculously, my companion ( hah she is so cute) almost biked into a lady, hah oops and right away she called us, "Sisters", hah we then knew she was a member from one of the wards we are serving in. She knew the roads specifically and led us there. A few miles from getting to their house, we saw a man standing by the gate (who referred us to the pot. investigator) to the trash mountain waiting to greet us and to walk to the destined spot together. The way there looked a little wild. We were literally walking on mountains of trash and piles of trash and unidentified stuff was burning all around. It looked like the whole place was a battlefield. The interesting thing is that many people live on this mountain and have been pretty acclimated to the environment. Many of the children in the areas are being raised by organizations in the help of providing them better futures and lives of their own. It is truly inspiring to see children in this area receiving sufficient education. Another humbling experience of mine was when seeing our investigators, a family of four ( who live pretty far off from church) using one small Japanese brand bike as a a source of transportation to church. The amazing thing is that the mother just gave birth to her little infant and they were able to fit four people on a bike while biking in the hot humid Cambodian climate! The father of the family is so amazing! Ahh it amazes me the influence that Christ has in their lives. The greatest way to know of Heavenly Father's love for me, truly is through the example of His Son, Jesus Christ and His mission in the lives of all of us around the world. It is truly through sending His Son here on this earth to know our divine identity.Truly, this is the work of God.
With Much Love and Gratitude,
Sister Sok
Attached are some pictures in Cambodia.
Hello!
Sunday October 22, 2017 at 7:30pm
Hello!
This is a simple video of us missionaries teaching a family how to sing "I am a child of God"! Hah we are not the best singers, but they were so cute! They are so humble. Oh and sorry if the noise is unclear, it was very dark and also raining outside.
Love,
Sister Sok
Hello!
This is a simple video of us missionaries teaching a family how to sing "I am a child of God"! Hah we are not the best singers, but they were so cute! They are so humble. Oh and sorry if the noise is unclear, it was very dark and also raining outside.
Love,
Sister Sok
Hello!
Tuesday October 17, 2017 at 1:48am
Hello Brothers and Sisters,
I want to send my love to you all! I am doing well. I am healthy and always in traffic. Hah, but yes life is beautiful here and there are so many amazing and humbling children of God in the areas I am serving in. People here are so kind and so many are so receptive to change. They have been so deprived of hope and optimism due to times of oppression in the past, but what a blessing it is that they are able to receive that light, the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Last week, we went to visit a family who we met through a miracle. We got the chance to only meet with the mother, though! We saw that her room was not lit, but only her face was lit up by her phone. We called her name and right away, she turned on the light inside her house. We went in and observed her sad countenance that she had been through a lot for the past weeks or so. We spent time to listen to what had happened to her. Ah man, I remember praying to know of what I should and as well as what my companion could say to this woman, but we didn't receive any specific prompting to say what the woman needs, but just to listen . We were just speechless. However, I remember that in the Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ wept and pray unto the Father for His Children. Jesus has all power to take it away the circumstances/trials right then and there, but the the lasting memory of love you could have ever receive is one when Christ endures them with you, when He is there for you and the lifting power that comes from it even knowing that the trials are still there, yet loneliness and pain are swept away in the midst of those circumstances in life. I know this to be true! And that was what we did that night, we listened and shared of His love for her and wept and prayed with her. Ahh, it was so incredible! The Spirit was there.
I received a change of transfer assignment last Sunday night and I was not expecting it at all since I thought I would be finishing out training Sister Thouk for another transfer. I am transferred to two other areas, still in Steung Meanchey, though. I will be working with an old companion of mine, Sister Chin and working with the mission president/presidency to help missionaries receive more training in the missionary work. I look forward to the new assignment and the next journey in fulfilling it. There is so much more room for me to learn and grow. This week, we will have many missionaries coming in from the U.S and we are currently preparing training meetings for them. It is going to be very exciting for them to be welcomed to this mission.
With much love and gratitude,
Sister Sok
Here are some pictures from the mission!
A pic of me looking at the rink. On preparation day, I was able to go to the city and got a chance to see the first skating rink in Cambodia. Ahh, I couldn't skate at the time, but just seeing and smelling the ice again is enough!
Areas we are serving in!
Cyclo Guy
Areas we are serving in!
At the Royal palace
Ex-Comp!
Our past district!
Hello Brothers and Sisters,
I want to send my love to you all! I am doing well. I am healthy and always in traffic. Hah, but yes life is beautiful here and there are so many amazing and humbling children of God in the areas I am serving in. People here are so kind and so many are so receptive to change. They have been so deprived of hope and optimism due to times of oppression in the past, but what a blessing it is that they are able to receive that light, the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Last week, we went to visit a family who we met through a miracle. We got the chance to only meet with the mother, though! We saw that her room was not lit, but only her face was lit up by her phone. We called her name and right away, she turned on the light inside her house. We went in and observed her sad countenance that she had been through a lot for the past weeks or so. We spent time to listen to what had happened to her. Ah man, I remember praying to know of what I should and as well as what my companion could say to this woman, but we didn't receive any specific prompting to say what the woman needs, but just to listen . We were just speechless. However, I remember that in the Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ wept and pray unto the Father for His Children. Jesus has all power to take it away the circumstances/trials right then and there, but the the lasting memory of love you could have ever receive is one when Christ endures them with you, when He is there for you and the lifting power that comes from it even knowing that the trials are still there, yet loneliness and pain are swept away in the midst of those circumstances in life. I know this to be true! And that was what we did that night, we listened and shared of His love for her and wept and prayed with her. Ahh, it was so incredible! The Spirit was there.
I received a change of transfer assignment last Sunday night and I was not expecting it at all since I thought I would be finishing out training Sister Thouk for another transfer. I am transferred to two other areas, still in Steung Meanchey, though. I will be working with an old companion of mine, Sister Chin and working with the mission president/presidency to help missionaries receive more training in the missionary work. I look forward to the new assignment and the next journey in fulfilling it. There is so much more room for me to learn and grow. This week, we will have many missionaries coming in from the U.S and we are currently preparing training meetings for them. It is going to be very exciting for them to be welcomed to this mission.
With much love and gratitude,
Sister Sok
Here are some pictures from the mission!
A pic of me looking at the rink. On preparation day, I was able to go to the city and got a chance to see the first skating rink in Cambodia. Ahh, I couldn't skate at the time, but just seeing and smelling the ice again is enough!
Areas we are serving in!
Cyclo Guy
Areas we are serving in!
At the Royal palace
Ex-Comp!
Our past district!
"She Waits for Him at her Doorway"
Monday October 9, 2017 at 12:03am
Hello,
I am blessed to be in Cambodia. One of the many blessed souls to get to step back on my homeland. It is inspiring to look back at the steps I have walked along with the Native Khmer here. There is no greater joy! My heart is filled with the Love of Christ. An experience my companion and I had was witnessed from a family who is willing to give all that they have for the Lord. I was prompted to ask the family investigator what it feels like to when they have the presence of us walking into their home. The woman in the family told us"the love you gave us from God, made me feel that you are my two daughters". It was the sweetest feeling I have felt. For the many years of abandonment and hopelessness, Christ came into her family's life and they accepted his love. It was just like that! With history of despair and darkness, the power of the Lord was able to sweep it all away. A beautiful moment that we captured in our hearts was when the woman of the family sat outside awaiting for us to come back in order to be felt of and see God's light again, while in the background the house was so dim. What I have learned is that it's not the prints of our footsteps that she invited in her house, but rather they are of a greater Being. I have learned that as we teach the family how to obtain of that light of Christ through their agency and the willingness to invite him, the light will be there, whether we are there or not. To experience for themselves in the every taking of their breath and to have realized that they are a magnificent product of God's creation. For them to be agents unto themselves, in the alignment of that to the Lord's will. To be naturally inclined to face and be in the presence of His Light. The greatest joy is to share with them how to obtain that. The people we teach are so poor, yet so humble. They are so beautiful. It is so joyful to teach the simple truth of the Love that our Father in Heaven has for them!
A picture of the family:
A pic of the senior sister missionary and us sisters (From left to right: Sister Thurston, Sister Chin, Sister Thouk, Me, and Sister Benson)
One of the Zone Conference Pics back in Battambang: I am the one in the middle)
(The sisters in the front from left to right: Sister Winters, Me, Sister Sung, and Sister Hom)
I hope you have a great rest of your week!
With much love and gratitude,
Sister Sok
Hello,
I am blessed to be in Cambodia. One of the many blessed souls to get to step back on my homeland. It is inspiring to look back at the steps I have walked along with the Native Khmer here. There is no greater joy! My heart is filled with the Love of Christ. An experience my companion and I had was witnessed from a family who is willing to give all that they have for the Lord. I was prompted to ask the family investigator what it feels like to when they have the presence of us walking into their home. The woman in the family told us"the love you gave us from God, made me feel that you are my two daughters". It was the sweetest feeling I have felt. For the many years of abandonment and hopelessness, Christ came into her family's life and they accepted his love. It was just like that! With history of despair and darkness, the power of the Lord was able to sweep it all away. A beautiful moment that we captured in our hearts was when the woman of the family sat outside awaiting for us to come back in order to be felt of and see God's light again, while in the background the house was so dim. What I have learned is that it's not the prints of our footsteps that she invited in her house, but rather they are of a greater Being. I have learned that as we teach the family how to obtain of that light of Christ through their agency and the willingness to invite him, the light will be there, whether we are there or not. To experience for themselves in the every taking of their breath and to have realized that they are a magnificent product of God's creation. For them to be agents unto themselves, in the alignment of that to the Lord's will. To be naturally inclined to face and be in the presence of His Light. The greatest joy is to share with them how to obtain that. The people we teach are so poor, yet so humble. They are so beautiful. It is so joyful to teach the simple truth of the Love that our Father in Heaven has for them!
A picture of the family:
A pic of the senior sister missionary and us sisters (From left to right: Sister Thurston, Sister Chin, Sister Thouk, Me, and Sister Benson)
One of the Zone Conference Pics back in Battambang: I am the one in the middle)
(The sisters in the front from left to right: Sister Winters, Me, Sister Sung, and Sister Hom)
I hope you have a great rest of your week!
With much love and gratitude,
Sister Sok
Friday, September 29, 2017
"For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole"
Sunday September 24, 2017 at 9:11PM
We had a sweet miracle that happened yesterday. We tried to meet up with the investigators we planned, however our plans feel through. As we were leaving the area, this huge chunk of fish jerky fell almost on me. I looked up and saw a young girl saying "Dang it, my fish jerky fell! Hah it was hilarious. I picked it up for her but then dropped it again because it was so slippery! I dropped it in the mud and man I felt so bad! Well she came down to get it from me and I remembered how we both laughed so hard. I spoke with her more and introduced ourselves. We had asked if we could meet with her mother and visit her apartment right then. She replied with such an inviting yes! We got in the room, and saw her mother sitting in the hammock. We spent a while listening to the stories of life and the burdens that she has been carrying. We spoke and shared the love that God has for her! We taught the truth of divinity of our living Godhead. As times passes by, she had set aside the things she had on her lap and even lowered herself to come down and sit with us! It was then when I felt most of her heart opening to receive our message! Her daughter listened intently while holding the Book of Mormon. The mother had told us that she had been looking for "plans" in her life and seeking to understand what it is she needed to do. The house was just only her daughter and her and she had been trying to make ends meet. I realized how in the midst of listening I started to feel this sincere love for her daughter. These are complete strangers we came across with but to listen to her and how open her heart was to the message of the Gospel. We invited her to church that very day and her daughter and her came! It was so sweet.
"For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole" -Mark 5
I remember reading a talk about drawing the power of the Savior in our lives by Elder Nelson and how sweet the message that was embedded in the talk was. The healing that Christ has performed wasn't just specifically for that woman, but it is a power that transcends and resonates to even today. For the woman who has been seeking to be healed for years, in her hopeless state, it is her last resort to seek for healing, or evermore so as stated, she reached for the savior's power of healing. I know this work to be true, there is such joy if we give our hearts to the Lord. I am, like those around me, realizing more about the Nature of God and as well as realizing how my own nature is changing in the act of giving my heart to those around me.
With love and gratitude,
Sis. Sok
We had a sweet miracle that happened yesterday. We tried to meet up with the investigators we planned, however our plans feel through. As we were leaving the area, this huge chunk of fish jerky fell almost on me. I looked up and saw a young girl saying "Dang it, my fish jerky fell! Hah it was hilarious. I picked it up for her but then dropped it again because it was so slippery! I dropped it in the mud and man I felt so bad! Well she came down to get it from me and I remembered how we both laughed so hard. I spoke with her more and introduced ourselves. We had asked if we could meet with her mother and visit her apartment right then. She replied with such an inviting yes! We got in the room, and saw her mother sitting in the hammock. We spent a while listening to the stories of life and the burdens that she has been carrying. We spoke and shared the love that God has for her! We taught the truth of divinity of our living Godhead. As times passes by, she had set aside the things she had on her lap and even lowered herself to come down and sit with us! It was then when I felt most of her heart opening to receive our message! Her daughter listened intently while holding the Book of Mormon. The mother had told us that she had been looking for "plans" in her life and seeking to understand what it is she needed to do. The house was just only her daughter and her and she had been trying to make ends meet. I realized how in the midst of listening I started to feel this sincere love for her daughter. These are complete strangers we came across with but to listen to her and how open her heart was to the message of the Gospel. We invited her to church that very day and her daughter and her came! It was so sweet.
"For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole" -Mark 5
I remember reading a talk about drawing the power of the Savior in our lives by Elder Nelson and how sweet the message that was embedded in the talk was. The healing that Christ has performed wasn't just specifically for that woman, but it is a power that transcends and resonates to even today. For the woman who has been seeking to be healed for years, in her hopeless state, it is her last resort to seek for healing, or evermore so as stated, she reached for the savior's power of healing. I know this work to be true, there is such joy if we give our hearts to the Lord. I am, like those around me, realizing more about the Nature of God and as well as realizing how my own nature is changing in the act of giving my heart to those around me.
With love and gratitude,
Sis. Sok
The Miles to Church
Sunday September 17, 2017 at 11:09PM
Hello Brothers and Sisters,
I hope you are all doing well. I send my love to you all! Steung Meachey is a great area. We have been witnessing a few miracles here and there and much humbling experiences that touched many hearts all around. I just wanted to share a short but sweet testimony that Christ lives, everyday of my life, He truly does. I get to witness His living divinity everyday through the sacrifices of others and how their lives have changed! With my utmost conviction, lives are changing and it is a blessing to be a part of the experiences. There is nothing better than to share the Love I have for Christ and to spend this 1 year and half serving Christ each and everyday. It is a blessing that is so absolutely raw and natural, the blessing of being loved and being full of His love, the blessing of giving all of your heart and wanting nothing back, but the pure joy of those who received of His love. My companion and I were able to witness an experience where 3 groups of our family investigators, 2 walked miles to church after having one of the children experienced a painful accident in the morning and the other family still sacrificed to come even knowing that they are very sick. It brings me much tears of joy as we saw them crossing the road and us running to greet them and crossing the road with them. Christ's atonement and His absolute strength inspire many lives in this world! Truly, I was able to experience the verse in the scriptures "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. "-John 15:13.
1) A family we are teaching.
2) My new comp, Sister Thouk.
3) Saying goodbye to my old area in Toul Tompong.
Sorry if it is out of order.
With much love and gratitude,
Sister Sok
Hello Brothers and Sisters,
I hope you are all doing well. I send my love to you all! Steung Meachey is a great area. We have been witnessing a few miracles here and there and much humbling experiences that touched many hearts all around. I just wanted to share a short but sweet testimony that Christ lives, everyday of my life, He truly does. I get to witness His living divinity everyday through the sacrifices of others and how their lives have changed! With my utmost conviction, lives are changing and it is a blessing to be a part of the experiences. There is nothing better than to share the Love I have for Christ and to spend this 1 year and half serving Christ each and everyday. It is a blessing that is so absolutely raw and natural, the blessing of being loved and being full of His love, the blessing of giving all of your heart and wanting nothing back, but the pure joy of those who received of His love. My companion and I were able to witness an experience where 3 groups of our family investigators, 2 walked miles to church after having one of the children experienced a painful accident in the morning and the other family still sacrificed to come even knowing that they are very sick. It brings me much tears of joy as we saw them crossing the road and us running to greet them and crossing the road with them. Christ's atonement and His absolute strength inspire many lives in this world! Truly, I was able to experience the verse in the scriptures "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. "-John 15:13.
1) A family we are teaching.
2) My new comp, Sister Thouk.
3) Saying goodbye to my old area in Toul Tompong.
Sorry if it is out of order.
With much love and gratitude,
Sister Sok
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