Notes from Garrett's Mother's Day Call to the Family

He has a lot more room in his pants and shirts since he started his mission.  He is hot all the time.  Sweats 24 x 7.  He tries to drink a lot of water to compensate. 

It takes him 45 min. to bike to the internet café and 1hr and 30 min. to the mission home. 

It takes him 10 min. to get from one end of Sen Sok to the other.  It consists of 7 neighborhoods, and they really don’t have addresses.  You just go to the neighborhood and ask around for people.  Neighborhood #7 is built on stilts about 2 feet above the sewage.  They also work in small villages spread out through the rice fields.    Many of the Sen Sok inhabitants moved to the area after their homes in Phnom Phen burnt down in 1999.  Some believe the government did it. 

Crime is not too bad in Sen Sok because there is really not anything to take locally. So that type of people would rob other areas. 

 Sleeping on the roof when the air conditioning is broken

Sometimes the rain is so strong it feels like bullets when it hits them.  It typically rains hard in the afternoon.   

Their branch has a lot of issues with gossip.  They have considerable issues with unity.  Yesterday 67 people were at church of which many were small children.  They have a lot of in-active members.  They did baptize Botum yesterday, which made Garrett very happy. 

He said, “The local kids love me.”  They like to say hello.  They try to climb on the back of their bikes.  Everyone knows who the missionaries are. 

His bike seat is uncomfortable.  His left cheek has a callus.  He also thinks he is going slightly bald. 

He gets woken up at 5 AM by the roosters.     

 Under the nets when sleeping on the roof

He believes his speaking skills are good, and he needs to work on his reading and writing in Khmer. 

Elder Hem is one of his most favorite companions so far.  He is easy going, works hard, and doesn’t like to waste time.  They have had no real arguments.  That being said, Garrett said he has not had any big problems with any of his companions.   

Garrett did remember that KG’s birthday is on May 17^th.   

There is a large group of new missionaries coming in soon – 13 of which are sisters.   

His current mission president does not know Khmer.   

His favorite things about his mission are the people, the culture, and the language (even though it is hard), and the work he is doing for the Lord. 

He has been on really strong anti-worm medication three times.  He said he has definitely had something living in his stomach.  It creates significant diarrhea issues, but after a couple days of the medication, things are much better.  It saps his energy and desire to eat.  

Machine that takes the grains of rice out of the stalk

His scriptures are much thicker now because they have gotten wet a few times. 

1 ½ hours of internet usage costs between 75 cents and $1. 

Garrett keeps in touch with his previous area’s converts.  They are doing well.   

He says time is speeding by and going way too fast.  His release date is July 13^th of 2013.  He is not looking forward to coming home, as he really loves his mission. 

He eats a lot of oatmeal in the morning now.  He eats so much he feels like a horse.  He mixes it with peanut butter.   

It worked out so Garrett could listen to Mc’s call with us.  They loved talking to each other for a few minutes.   

Temple Trip to Taipei

We went to the temple today which was so fun.  We had to get up really early, and then I thought I lost my temple recommend so we frantically looked for it for a while and said a prayer.  Then I realized that it had been in my wallet the whole time.  We had to bike really fast to the mission office, and I arrived looking like I had just taken a shower, but I look like that most days lately.  

We started teaching this Christian woman last week who this week brought her husband to her appointment.  It was an awesome and crazy lesson.  He has a lot of questions and concerns about Christianity all of which are answered by the Plan of Salvation.  We kept having to say, “Just a second. We will answer that question.”  He wanted to know why we have trials in life, why we need to come down to earth, why can't we just go straight to the Celestial Kingdom, why we need a body if we are just going to die anyway, and what happens to those people who never hear about Jesus before they die – all of which are answered by the Plan of Salvation  It was kind of like running a marathon teaching him, but by the time we got to the end, he had all of his questions resolved except for why we can't we all just go to the Celestial Kingdom no matter what we do because we are all God's children.  I gave him 2^nd Nephi 2 as a reading assignment.  Verse 13 answers that question really nicely.  He is a really cool man. I think he is kind of bitter that he doesn't' feel like he has a relationship with God like his wife and children do because he wants one.  We just kept testifying that if he wanted a relationship with God and was willing to pray and read, he would feel God's love and influence in his life.   

The gift of tongues is real.  I have found myself being able to understand so much more now that I am senior companion.  It is like the spirit has just made me able to understand what people are saying.  Truly a huge miracle!

We are having such great joy with Jiao Mei right now.  She is set to be baptized on the 16^th.  After church on Sunday, she was like “Sister Gibson, I don't feel like I am ready.”   We sat down immediately with a member and just started going over the baptismal interview questions.  She answered all of them wonderfully.  We got to the end, and I was like “Jiao Mei, this is what we need to know to be ready for baptism, and if we know this things and we have a commitment to follow Christ till the end, we don't need to fear.”  The member offered a powerful testimony.  Jiao Mei still acknowledges that there are ways she needs to prepare, but we assured her that as she kept reading, praying, and seeking, she would continue to add to the already strong testimony she has.  Her continence has totally changed since we met her.  She used to just kind of look bored and sad all of the time, and now she is happy, excited, and full of joy.  She called me on Monday just to tell me that she was so happy.  The members are being really great with her too.  They took her to a FHE on Monday with no prompting from us, and they are doing a great job of taking initiative and helping her feel loved.   

Seeing Miracles in Sen Sok

So this man has believed in Jesus Christ for many years.  He used to be a member of the Seventh Day Adventist church but was referred to us and now is doing really well.  He told us that when he was young all he cared about was money so that when he got older he could be happy.  But now that he is older, 52, he says he does not care.  All he wants is to prepare to meet God.  He also told us that he recognizes that he truly needs the Lord's help in everything.  When he has food, it is a gift.  When he rides his moto, he prays for safety.  He truly relies 100% on Heavenly Father.  I showed up that day to teach him about the Plan of Salvation, and he taught me.  I am really excited about this guy. 

The good investigator (what Elder Hem and I call him) is still doing well.  We were getting worried about him because he was not really reading the scriptures and coming to church for all 3 hours.  In order to help him, we planned to teach him about the importance of reading the scriptures, but much to our surprise and as an answer to many prayers, he had already read when we met him.  And he remembered everything about the chapter.  He also came to church for all 3 hours, which was a big step for him.  He always tells us that he feels really happy when he comes to church and that yesterday he learned a lot.  

Like I said before, we saw a lot of miracles this week.  Heavenly Father really answered my prayers as I completely put all of my trust in Him.  I know that I cannot do anything without him.  I feel very grateful today for what we were able to see this week.  

So obviously Sen Sok is very poor.  Well, believe it or not there are rich people in Cambodia.  There is an extremely rich international neighborhood close to Sen Sok.  It is called Grand Phnom Penh International City.  I talked to a lady from Thailand there.  Everyone there is extremely rich.  It is crazy to ride my bike  for less than 10 minutes from complete poverty to a paved road next to a personal golf course with a driving range into a lake, etc.  

We have 2 investigators who we met Saturday morning.  They told us that afternoon that they were going to cut and collect sticks and wood to sell and that they were going to do it outside of the Grand Phnom Penh.  After lunch we rode through Grand Phnom Penh to get to an area where we have an investigator.  We left the city and went outside their massive 100 foot gate.  We were riding our bikes on the road back to the other side where regular people live.  We saw our two investigators, their mom and their young brother off in the marshy field to our left.  We decided to help them.  For the next hour or so we cut down dead sticks and gathered them up so that they could then sell them.  I was sweating profusely.  It was seriously hot.  All the sticks and branches had little thorns that were not enough to be a lot of damage but definitely were not comfortable.  It was a little painful, but it was amazing to help them.  They are so poor, and it was great to help them.  We are also hoping that that will maybe build bridges with their mom who is not learning but was very grateful for our help. 

I am amazed with the examples of some of the young men and young women in our branch.  Two in particular are seriously just amazing.  There is one 21 year old whose parents are both members but now are both heavy drinkers.  Both Elder Hem and I are amazed with her faith and her resolve to continue on.  This 21 year old helps us teach all the time.  She teaches the Sunday School class at church.  All of this and her parents are living very far from the standards of the Church.   

Another young man about Tanner's age helps us all the time.  His mom is a member, but is inactive because she is offended with someone at church.  Even though he is kind of a typical 16 year old, his faith is amazing.  The fact that he will sacrifice time to help us and will still follow Jesus Christ despite not having his parents to lead him is amazing.   

First off, I am so grateful for Mom and Dad. Through their faith, patience, and teachings, I have a testimony and love the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I continually am amazed with the young members in this branch.  Their faith and desire to follow Jesus Christ is inspiring.  We do not need others to be active and to go to church. 

I have a very strong testimony of the power of prayer this week.  I know that the Lord helped me to see miracles.  I feel excited to start this next week.

Coming Back to Church in Taiwan

This week was a great week.  We are still working to build up our investigator pool.   I am trying to have the right attitude because we do have investigators, and there are so many wonderful things going on; however, I just feel frustrated because I feel like I have seen the area soar and do so much better than it is doing right now.  I just want it to soar again.  I don't want to be ungrateful for all of the people that we do have right now, but I just wonder why I can't get things back up to the way they were before.  I know I need to have patience.  Every area goes through its low points, and this point isn't even that low.  I just don't want to be satisfied with mediocrity. With that being said, we have been extremely blessed this week and have seen a lot of miracles.   

I also had a really cool experience with a less active this week.  Her name is Ruby Chen, and we have been working with her for quite a few weeks now. She has acknowledged that she has felt this Church is true and that the doctrine and spirit is stronger here than anywhere else.  However, about 10 years ago when she was a new member, she decided to leave the church and go back to her old Christian church.  She has a teenage son that at the time didn't want to go to church at our church but was willing to go to church at the other church.  She also talked about how she came to church, and all of the hymns were unfamiliar the scriptures we used were unfamiliar.  She didn't really feel like she had friends or any responsibility, and eventually, she just went back to that which was familiar - where she felt like she had a purpose and was loved.  As she was telling me all of this, I was sad. She and I both knew that except for the church being true, she had every reason in the world to just stay at her current church.   

Our invitation to come back to church is basically an invitation to change her whole life, which she feels the weight of very acutely.  I told her that the only reason that I was willing to ask her to do this is because I know that the Church is true and because I want to help her go to the Celestial Kingdom.  I testified that this is why God wants her to do it.  She told me that she was just so afraid that it would all be the same and that she would be lonely at church again.  I sadly couldn't promise her that she wouldn't feel lonely.   I hope that it will not be the same, and I will do all I can to make sure it is not the same.  However, there are many members of the church who feel lonely at church, but we need to keep going because it is the right thing to do.   

At the end of the lesson, I asked her to pray and ask Heavenly Father what He wanted her to do.  We knelt down, and she said a very humble, very sincere prayer.  We got up, and wiping tears from her eyes, she said, "I think Heavenly Father wants me to go down the harder path."  Almost immediately all of her fears and legitimate concerns started to come out again, so we got out a piece of paper and wrote down the revelation so that she could always look back and remember her answer.  It was a huge miracle.  There is still a long way to go.   We right now are focusing on setting small weekly goals because the thought of switching churches all at once is just too huge.  She really is a special woman.   

The Hsaio family is doing well this week.  They went to the temple to do baptisms for the dead this week and Hsiao Dixiong's older sister got baptized this week.