New Missionaries and "Self Reliance Week" in Cambodia

Today was a continued visit with Chad from the Asia Area Self Reliance office. This has been a wonderful week to visit throughout the country and see how Self Reliance is helping the saints become Self Reliant. Today Chad visited Chaktomuk Ward with us, then joined us at our apartment for a simple meal, and went with us to Steung Mean Chey Ward as well. It has been great to have the focus on seeing how much progress Cambodia has made since we have been here.

There is a new group of missionaries who arrived this week from the MTC. We were impressed with one who is new in Chaktomuk Ward. He is from Georgia, but his parents are Khmer. His time at the MTC took him from a mid-range language ability to being quite proficient. He even stepped it up and translated for us during Sunday School.

We also were able to get an update on the Oms from Battambang. They came to Sacrament Meeting in Chaktomuk before heading back home in Battambang. It was good to see them. The doctors found that the Om Srei had an aggressive bacteria in her stomach. They have given her medicines with a ten day regimen then a followup regimen for six weeks. We are hopeful this will help her health improve.

Elders Jarvis and Denkers, Sisters Young and Colloins,
and Sister and Elder Oveson at Steung Mean Chey.

This afternoon in Steung Mean Chey we found more of the new missionaries. Sister Young's new companion is Sister Collins from Orem. Elder Jarvis has a new companion as well, Elder Denkers. Elder Denkers received a great welcome to Steung Mean Chey 3rd Ward. He seemed right in his element playing piano before and during sacrament meeting. Then since he was the new missionary in the ward, Bishop Chan Po invited him to take five minutes to speak to the ward. He bore his testimony and did a marvelous job. Today was high council Sunday, but only one other speaker was there today.  After the high counselor had been speaking for about 20 minutes Elder Denkers questioned about this speaker having to take so much time. We assured him it was because he didn't speak long enough. We are confident he will have many opportunities to speak in church during the next two years. We tried to catch up to another new Elder in Steung Mean Chey, but Elder Hinds was out with his companion, Elder Hall, doing the work.

After sacrament meeting Sister Oveson was not feeling well, so Elder Oveson and Chad dropped her off at the apartment as they went to the North Stake Center for a My Path meeting.  We are continuing to see the influence of Self Reliance helping the lives of members in Cambodia.