Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Quick and Easy

Dear Family and Friends, 

So today we went to the killing fields... so we don't have very much time to email. I thought I was going to regret going because I love emailing home so much, but it was definitely the right decision. I really learned so much. I gained a deeper understanding for the Khmer people and was really really humbled. As we walked around and saw all the mass graves, all the skulls, and all the clothes, I was just overwhelmed with the Spirit and with love. I couldn't wait to get out and start serving them and showing them the love that Heavenly Father has for them. It was a very spiritual experience in the least likely of places; so grateful for moments like that. 

So a little more about our area, Toul Senguy. I love it so much, in case you guys were wondering. It's the weirdest area ever. It's just three separate areas, but we cover them all and all the streets are like back streets. There are only like 3 main roads... pretty crazy and way hard to skoal (become familiar) with them, but it's slowly coming. I'm not sure if I mentioned this last week or not, but we have 14, yes FOURTEEN investigators. Very different from my last area, but don't get too excited... only 3 of them are progressing... They are all Bong's (approximately my age or 10 ish years older) so they are all really busy with school and work and they literally have no time to meet us, or so they claim. Sister Xiong has been getting really really frustrated with it. We set up appointments and then they just don't show up. Or we go to their house and they moved without telling us and then don't answer their phones... super yap (annoying). I'm not sure if it's because I’m not leading the area or what, but it just didn't seem like a super big deal to me, but I knew how much it was bugging her, so I was trying to help her out. Each night we come home and she's just so depressed and then there's me and I’m like bouncing off the walls. I try my hardest to make her laugh and forget about the work for a couple hours. Then last night we went to the Bishop's house, miracle how that all worked out. We had two lessons with investigators fall through, go figure, and didn't have anything else planned. I felt prompted that we needed to go visit the bishop and his family. That was definitely from the Holy Ghost. We went and what he shared with us was exactly what she needed to hear. He told us that that was just a part of a mission and that we shouldn't get discouraged. We just needed to put our trust in God, the one you comprehendeth all things (D&C 88:40-41) and that's what I’ve really been trying to do. He told us to change our focus. Maybe instead of focusing on Investigators, maybe we should focus on less actives. I thought that was the best advice ever. Exactly what I’m used to. We left his house after eating delicious rice (I eat rice A LOT and love it so much!!!! Basically I’m Asian (: ) and some kind of meat, and biking home I look at sister Xiong and she is bawling. She said "Sister, that was exactly what I needed to hear. He has been called of God. I know it. We biked home in awe at how perfect Heavenly Father's plan is. 

Lately I've really been finding myself as a missionary and it is the coolest feeling. I don't get scared going into lessons, worried I won't be able to understand them or what know what to say. I'm really learning to rely on the Spirit and trust myself and the skills that I have in the language. I can usually get across what I want to say. I can explain things better from the scriptures. I find myself talking too much lately. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?? Sister Loftus has never talked too much... haha but it's happening and in Khmer too. What?? haha I love it. (: 

Just a few random things that happened this past week:
On Monday (a week ago) I ate Khmer food for every meal. That's a first on my mission and guess what... i loved it!!! (: There's a huge bridge (like a freeway over pass except it’s way bigger) in our area and I successfully crossed it for my first time on Tuesday. My legs were burning, but I did it. (: We found some less actives and were going to talk a picture of their house for our records, but there was a little boy sitting on the front steps... naked... so we decided we better not because we didn't want to get in trouble for child porn... but we just had to laugh about it. hahaha I've started taking bucket showers because our shower is koik (broken) and I love it. Maybe I’ll do it when I get home too. 
Basically I’m becoming Khmer. IT IS THE BEST THING EVER!!!! 

Love, 
Sister Loftus
Double D

P.S. I LOVE Sister Xiong with all of my heart. She is the greatest!! (: 






Successfully fixed my bike chain!



Aren't we the cutest ever?



Tuk tuk - normal transportation in Cambodia



The baby of our investigators, her name is Lake-Hanna. I love her. 

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