This was one week we were really looking forward to. Our new mission President made arrangements for all the Senior Couples in our mission to have a full day of training and fellowship. This meant that the two couples serving in Vietnam were able to join us as well as all the Senior couples that reside in the Provinces. There are at the present time 14 couples including our mission president and his wife serving in this mission. As I have written in past blogs. We all have our own unique callings.
Elder and Sister Jones serve in Hanoi, Vietnam. They are not allowed to speak about the church. They wear white name tags instead of the common black tags. These name tags do not designate them as missionaries. The government recognizes them as charity volunteers not missionaries. The church does meet in this area of Vietnam but there can be no proselyting. People that are interested in the gospel may approach members and ask questions. When this happens the questions can be answered. The person needs to be the one that seeks the church. Elder and Sister Jones say a day does not go by that they are not stopped by government officials to question them concerning what they are doing in Vietnam. They even have officers follow them into the church and sit down beside them during meetings. When they applied for their mission they requested a difficult mission. May we each learn from their experience that you should not ask for challenges unless you are serious and prepared for challenges. The Lord will bless you with your desire. Most of us have heard about people who pray to become patient. And then the trials seem to come on strong. The Jones are in their late 60's. They both ride bikes through Hanoi. Elder Jones bore his testimony of the protection they are having from the Lord as they serve. One day as they were riding their bikes through Hanoi because of the dense traffic someone brushed up against Sister Jones. Elder Jones said that he saw that Sister Jones bike was knocked. He said his bike seemed remarkably steady as he reached to his wife's bike and was able to help her become upright. Had she crashed with all the traffic she would have been injured. He bore testimony of divine intervention that day.
In contrast Elder and Sister Blinn serve in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. They are able to go about the city without being stopped at every turn. They feel much more free in their area than what the Jones' report. They too must get permission from the government for most things they do. It is also a challenging mission. A big challenge for both couples is the fact that they are totally on their own. They have no real peers to converse with. They bore their testimonies of how much they are loving the people they are serving.
Our training meeting was this past Thursday. Our day began at 8:00am. Each couple shared some of the projects they have been doing in their branches or specialty assignments. We reported on the Perpetual Education Program.
The Rhyne's reported on their experiences traveling throughout Cambodia helping members find their ancestors. They reported such findings as in one Province the family has their genealogy written on the wall of their home. They reported how one sister came with no information about her family. As she spoke with the Rhynes' and was waiting for a computer to use she was led to make phone calls. They said they looked over to where she was sitting and she was making phone calls and rapidly writing down information about her family from these contacts. They said it was amazing the information she found. Unknown to Dale, he also had part in helping a young Cambodian sister with securing the information necessary to do the temple work for her deceased mother. Her mother had died over a year ago. When she went to prepare her mothers name for the temple the computer would not allow her to do so. Knowing that Dale had computer knowledge the Family History consultant inquired of him why the program would not recognize the mother as being deceased. He knew it was not a computer problem but a branch clerk problem. The clerk had never reported her death date. A day before this young sister was to travel to the temple she was able to get this problem resolved. She was so happy to be able to serve her mother in this way.
The James' reported on their individualized calling with public relations. They have truly unique experiences. Their calling requires that they be knowledgeable on current affairs in our mission areas as well as throughout the world. Sister James in particular is finding a whole new dimension to her life. She is growing in confidence and learning that she has much to say and offer on behalf of the church and people in need. Elder James' military background has also been beneficial.
The Henderson's are the humanitarian missionaries. They have seen the church in action and have been the couple to make sure applications for projects are filled out and submitted, reports are created and that people receive the product or products promised. Examples of some of their projects are the rounding up of volunteers to work on the Mercy Ship and registering patients that needed the Mercy ship medical assistance, the distribution of dirt for community and home gardens, the distribution of supplies and securing workers to build water tanks in the Provinces and the notification to people of where they may secure free wheelchairs.
All the Senior couples do Member Leader Support. Each church branch has their own unique needs. The Senior Elders have done much to help strengthen the priesthood and to help them understand the Home Teaching program. The Senior Sisters have been working to build the Primaries, Young Women and Relief Society auxiliaries. In Cambodia many of the Primaries were not using music much. The Senior Sister Missionaries have been working with Khmer translators to translate the children's song book. They have been preparing their branches to have a Primary Sacrament meeting. They have also been trying to help the members understand that Family Home Evening can be very simple. The members often do not hold Family Home Evening because they think it needs to be a big party with food, guests and a lot of work. Sister Grimnes has created simple Family Home Evening packets hoping that the members will use them with their immediate families.It all takes time but every little bit that is done helps.
At our meeting we discussed the concern for reverence in the meetings. We spoke of everything from the problem of allowing children to run wild during meetings to the wearing of blue jeans or pajamas and shirts with all sorts of logos and inappropriate phrases on them. Change takes teaching and time.
I was so excited President Moon announced that the children from the Orphanage were going to entertain us after our evening meal. I got to see Yang Yang again as he did the monkey dance. That made my week!
Traditional Khmer dancing. This dancer is one of the teenage orphans.
Nothing could happen without the music. These guys, who are also orphans, make sure the show goes on.
More dancers.
The older children did most of the dancing this evening. I think because it was late they kept their program short. It was fine. We had been at the building for about twelve hours.
The grand finale was the children singing "I Am A Child of God".
President and Sister Moon at the beginning of our day. We are all very much their senior. They both are very wise and presented wonderful training for each of us. The church in Cambodia will do well under their direction.
Dale and his little buddy. This boy is not a member of the church, but was playing outside and heard the music. He decided to join us. He also got a cupcake from "Elder Meier". He told us he is 11 years old.
My Khmer of the week:
We were shopping at one of the small produce shops in our neighborhood. I needed to get apples for our lunches. There was a display of red delicious apples labeled "Washingtown Apples".
Dale has not felt well for a few days now. We needed produce. Saturday morning I took my first solo walk through the neighborhood. Dale has handled all our money transactions since we left the states. I had a twenty dollar bill and as I would get change I would use the 20,10,5, and dollar bills. I am not confident dealing with rial. Needless to say I came home with lots of "funny money". I did not want my lack of knowledge to shine forth in the community. I did have my money chart on hand if I had needed it. It was quite a pleasant walk. I had several people want to talk a little. I spoke a lot of English and a little Khmer.
I did most of our laundry Friday evening but was hoping to do some Saturday morning also. I had stripped the bed but had to remake it with the dirty sheets because the maids took over the laundry room. I really hate having to wash in the evening because then we have to wait until 10-11 at night for our sheets to air dry. I look forward to using a clothes dryer again. The towels once dry are really scratchy. They make for great exfoliation.
I am not looking forward to Monday. We have a PEF student who will visit us for a third time to try to get her school to accept her money. The first time Dale made out her payment requisition she went to the Service Center and ended up crying because it apparently was not the correct amount. (We discussed it with her before she left our office.She seemed good and happy with it.) We had her return to the office. She needed a check for tuition and a separate check for a uniform and school supplies. It usually takes 2 months to be safe to process a loan from start to finish. This girl came in at the last minute wanting a loan with a school start date within the month. We told her we would do the best we could but it would be pushing it to get it on time. She came in saying the school needed their money NOW. She had promised them she would have it. This she should not have done because we told her we did not know if we would be able to get it for her. Unfortunately this girl also speaks very little English. We did use a translator but it apparently was not enough. Dale made out a new (second) payment requisition. Saturday evening we received a call from her Institute teacher that she is all upset because her school will not accept the check the Service Center issued. We may need to go with her and a translator to the school and "jump through hoops" for them to accept our checks. There is so much corruption and money laundering here that the schools now want cash only. We can not hand over cash to our students and expect it to get from point A to point B safely.The Church does not do business in cash. We have written many checks to this particular school in the past. It is really frustrating. A month or two ago we had to visit a different University and plead for special permission to use checks. Now all students from our PEF program that go to that University must show a special letter with the schools seal on it along with their check. We will have a huge tuk tuk bill and translator bill if all the schools we deal with start wanting this special treatment. It also keeps us out of the office for hours.
I will end with a Khmer joke.
A tourist visited a museum. He came to a display where there were two skulls. A large skull and an smaller skull. The tour guide told the tourist that the large skull belonged to Queen Elizabeth. The tourist then asked about the smaller skull. The tour guide said, "Oh that was when she was little." ( Khmer think this joke is hilarious.)
Happiness is checking off one more hilarious week in Cambodia.
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