Our week began as usual. This is an important month to set up appointments with our students needing loan renewals for their classes that begin in August. I was able to notify most of them to come into the office. Several of our students have fallen behind in their loan payments and their institute attendance, I was the bearer of this news. All I can do is encourage them to do what they need to do to catch up in those areas. They can not claim that they do not know the requirements. We make them accountable in keeping their promises. When they keep their promises they receive the blessings. When they do not keep their promises they must face the consequences.
Tuesday we were preparing for our early morning Church Education System meeting. While reviewing our morning E-mail, Dale was surprised to receive a message from the Senior couple who will replace us in PEF. Their names are Ken and LeNora Wyler from Idaho Falls. They recently retired from being teachers and are very excited about coming to Cambodia. We are excited to be able to pass the baton on. According to their message they will begin their training at the Mission Training Center on July 22. They believe their flight to Cambodia will be August 5. We figure that giving them three solid days of in country hands on training should allow the Wylers to have a good handle on how PEF functions in Cambodia. We anticipate that our own flight home will be sooner than the original August 27th date. The date has not been changed yet.
The Wyler's asked several questions in their E-mail to us.We decided it would be easiest to answers their questions by phone. We figured that one question leads to more. Dale found their phone number thru the Internet. We talked with them for over an hour. I told them about our apartment. They decided they want a two bedroom apartment. They also want a washing machine in their apartment. We recommended to Elder Westover to look into renting an apartment unit in the complex the Rhynes had lived in. It is a reasonable distance from the office and has a nice floor plan.
We are anxiously waiting to receive a confirmation date for our departure trip to the USA.
I am highly motivated to cleanup the office files. The office shredder is getting quite a work out. I'm clearing out one large file drawer filled with outdated BYU Hawaii pamphlets, enrollment applications, and files of students that have disappeared from planet earth. Some are deceased but the majority went to BYU Hawaii and simply did not return to Cambodia.
Thursday Dale received a phone call from Elder Westover who works at the Mission Home. He was pleading for help. Sister Westover's computer was inoperable. Unfortunately the "young" office staff decided they could set up a scanner to her computer. They thought they knew what they were doing. They did not. As a result, Sister Westover's computer got majorly messed up. Everyone basically put their hands in the air and said, "OOPS! Sorry". And then they walked away. Poor Sister Westover was pretty sad. Fortunately a backup was made of her information. At first Dale thought she had lost everything. Friday we went to the Mission Home. Dale spent about 4 hours talking with the technical support groups in Salt Lake and Hong Kong to repair the damage. This story has a happy ending. Her computer is up and running, She still has no scanner capability but she does not care. The information she has on her computer is super important. She is the only one with access to the Visa and passport files. She is also the only person authorized to make travel requests for incoming and outgoing missionaries. We all are glad Dale was able to do his trouble shooting magic. And what did I do? Prayed a lot.
Dale finished working on the computer about 1:00. We were all hungry so we went to Magnolia, a Vietnamese restaurant. We all had Vietnamese pancakes. They were good, but I did get sick the next day. I think the sprouts and I did not get along. As far as I know no one else got sick.
Saturday morning we taught our final institute class. Since it was our last class we wanted to have a treat. We bought USA Doughnut Holes. Mackenzie Moon surprised the class with homemade cinnamon rolls. She made a huge pan of rolls. Mm..mm..good!
Sunday we attended the International Branch. Several families and individuals will be leaving Cambodia in July and August. The International Branch is a very transient branch.
Eight year old Mary Rust was baptized Sunday. Her family is from Virginia and has been in living in Cambodia for about a year. Mary's mother is a scientist and works at the US Embassy. Mary and her older brother and sister have been attending school in Cambodia. Her father has been a stay at home dad. Everyone except for Mary's mom will move back to the states at the first of July. Mary's mom will join them three weeks later. After Mary's baptism the International Branch had a pot luck lunch. Most of the food was recognizable. We stayed for the pot luck.
Photo Time...
We are planning to hike in the Grand Canyon when we get home. We decided we ought to get into shape. Sitting all day in an office has taken its toll.
Exercise+Cambodia= Unbelievable Sweat
Dale trouble shooting with technical support in Salt Lake and Hong Kong. Sister Westover hoping her information will return.
Mission Home Secretary Vey Somber is one of our PEF students. He got married this past November. He and his wife are great. His wife actually took upon her Somber's surname, Vey. This is a rare thing to do in Cambodia. Women usually keep their maiden name. Children take the father's surname.
Somber and his wife Kakada were married in the Hong Kong Temple. They did not have a big Khmer wedding. They chose a reception at the church instead.
After fixing Sister Westover's computer and eating lunch we went to the Service Center to deliver mail to the Branch Presidents.
House 31 Street 228
Directly across the street from the Service Center is The Jewish Center.
While waiting for our tuk tuk I decided to take a picture of ants climbing a tree. Lucky for the ants I was no longer hungry!
This is the same tree the ants are climbing. In Cambodia if there is a hole of any kind you will find garbage stuffed in it. They have few garbage cans. I guess the more tidy people feel they are littering less by stashing trash in the nooks and crannies they find in their neighborhood.
San Sovan our second favorite tuk tuk driver picked us up from the Service Center. It was way too hot to walk back to the office.
When Dale asked him how much the ride costs he said, "Fifty dollas" and giggled.
Our final institute class.
Not all our students were present, but these are the "cream of the crop".
Seated: Sophy, Sony, SiPeng
Standing: Sarorng, Sophea, Mackenzie, Me, Somaly, Chantha, Vannarith, Rek Smey
International Branch Pot Luck
THE CUTE FACTOR.
Just came home from our last PEF Fireside. Next week will be our last CES fireside. In the next few weeks we will experience many lasts. And now for the last sentence in this blog entry. Have a fabulous week.
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