Garrett's Midnight Ride

Well, this week started off with a little bit of excitement and then a lot of sitting around. Last P-day, was a normal day and then we proselyted from 5-8 like usual.  Pretty much as soon as we sat down to plan, Elder Hem started complaining about his eye.  After me looking in it several times and finding nothing and him washing it out several times with no improvement, he decided he was going to just try to sleep it off.  About 20 minutes later, I was outside in the kitchen when I heard him call to me and inform me that we needed to go to the hospital because it hurt too badly, and he was positive he could not sleep.   

After getting permission, we left the house and got a tuk tuk at 9:30ish.  (See picture below). So we went on a ride to the hospital that was about 30 minutes away.  It was definitely weird to be out so late.  Even though we were allowed to do it, it was just weird.  There were actually more people out than I thought there would be.     

After getting to the hospital and getting ripped off by the tuk tuk driver, we went to the hospital.  This is the best hospital in Cambodia.  It is called Royal Rattanack and it is a sister hospital to one based in Thailand.  After checking in, a doctor (not an eye specialist) came and looked in his eye and decided to give us some eye drops and then some pills that he need to swallow.  Now I am no doctor, but I have no idea how taking pills can help a scratched eye.  It was not pain killer.   
Well, after trying to sleep in another elder's room who was at the hospital with den gene, (we were shot down by the hospital staff) we got another tuk tuk and went to an elder's apartment who lived pretty close by.  It was too far and too late to go home. Plus, district meeting was the next morning, and we would have to come back up to the city anyway.   Then Elder Hem decided that his eye hurt too much to go out on Tuesday, Wednesday and part of Thursday.  That is why I spent a lot of time just sitting around.  I hate being at home.  So boring, and all I wanted to do was go outside and teach somebody.  It was really hard actually. So that was the main excitement for the week.  It is safe to say that I am probably the first elder to be out that late in Cambodia.  

I was also very grateful that although we were not able to be outside teaching as much as I would have liked, the Lord and the Holy Ghost still prepared people to learn and listen about the gospel.  I was especially worried about one of our recent converts who we meet 3 or 4 times a week to help encourage her.  Well, because we were inside we could not meet her, but I prayed many times that the Lord would watch over her and help her to keep the commandments.  When we were finally able to meet her, she was great.  She was still doing well.  We also were able to get a few more investigators this week and help them to progress.  We were able to get another investigator at church as well.  I feel like we have some really solid investigators right now with a lot of potential investigators.

Sometimes Garrett just eats his stirfry right out of the pan to save time on washing dishes. 

I had an interesting baptismal interview.  He apparently used to be really smart but got in really bad moto accident and literally now has a dent in his forehead.  He is just not completely all there but he is smart enough to learn and to remember most things.  I admit, I went in to the interview a little harsh and judgmental.  Towards the end, I had a really strong feeling of mercy and the thought of what would Heavenly Father do?  Is it his fault that he can't remember every single thing?  I was blessed to feel the love that Heavenly Father has for that man.  I learned a lot from doing that interview.

Our branch had a Pioneer Day party.  We had some appointments we had to go to so we did not go to most of the party.  Well, it was crazy.  There were little kids everywhere.  Pretty much every little kid in the neighborhood showed up just to eat the free food.  Probably around 50 little kids and 15 or so older adult members. (See a picture below.)

Also, another mission first.  I left my companion under the direction of the Mission President.  We had an English class that we just started up in a new area to get new investigators.  Well, it was on Wednesday, and we really did not want to miss it because we just started and we wanted to gain their trust.  Well, we got permission, and a Melchezidek Priesthood holder came to sit with Elder Hem, and I went with another to teach the class then came right home.  That also felt really weird.  Even though it was not against the rules, it still felt weird.  We are always together.