Monday, August 29, 2016

And Baby Makes Two!

Dear Family and Friends, 
This week was too good. I GOT ANOTHER CHILD. She is the coolest ever. You guys should all be way jealous. So the story starts way back in December. My third transfer, when I was ripped from the grasp of my loving mother, Sister Fields (my trainer), because she had another child, Sister Haddock. Sister Haddock came and talked all about her MTC group, especially one sister, Sister Luke. Sister Haddock talked her up so much and made her seem like the best person ever. Sister Luke, unfortunately had to go home at the end of her MTC stay so she didn't come to Cambodia with the rest of the group but rather went home to work through some things and all Sister Haddock said was one day Sister Luke was going to come back and serve in Cambodia. I thought to myself "one day I’ll be this Sister Luke’s companion. It’s destiny." So after that I didn't really think much about it, until I saw her picture on the transfer board and thought "holy goodness. She is coming back" and since that day, like 3 months ago, I said, "I am going to train Sister Luke." No one believed me. Thursday rolled around and guess who is training Sister Luke???? ME!!!! That’s right. I am THE LUCKIEST ever. I wish you guys could have seen me when I got the paper with her name on it. I screamed so loud and all the Elders just looked at me. I was so happy and excited that I almost peed my pants. I wish someone had gotten it on camera. She is amazing!!!! Definitely just as good, if not better, than Sister Haddock said she would be. She’s worked so hard to get here and she is so ready to start doing missionary work and loving the people. She is from Tennessee and my same age. They didn't want to make her got to the MTC again, so she came straight from normal life, so that's been a little weird, because she forgot some of the weird aspects of missionary life, like praying a million times in one day and it's weird because it's been like 8 months since she has spoken Khmer, but it's good. The words she knows she says really clearly and she is so determined to learn a ton. She’s gonna pick it up so fast!!!
Now that that's off my chest and you guys all know who THE Koon of the century is, I can now tell you about the rest of the week. (: 
The last few days with Sister Seng, my mini missionary, were pretty interesting. We played Uno on p-day and that was so fun!!! Then on Wednesday we had a little devotional for all the mini missionaries so they could bear their testimonies... her "testimony" was interesting... not really a testimony at all, just kind of her bashing on me. I don't even know what she was saying. Too embarrassed and mortified to understand her Khmer... all I know, is that after, so many people came up to me, even President, and thanked me basically for "taking one for the team" and training her. I had emailed Sister Semones, my MTC companion, the first Monday of training the mini missionaries and tried to explain to her.  Then after the testimony meeting she came up, put her arm around me, and said, "Wow, I didn't realize it was THAT HARD." I just laughed. It was way hard, but I learned so much from her, so I’m way grateful for that opportunity and now I have just way good stories and I can laugh about it. (; haha 
Thursday we went to the mission home, got a little bit of training, and then hopped in the tuk tuk and went to the airport to get our new koons (new companion, new to Cambodia).  That’s when I almost peed my pants from excitement. It was way cool while we were waiting at the airport because my entire MTC district is training so we were all at the airport together one more time. I love them all so much. We've come SO far. haha We didn't know ANYTHING when we got here... it's been a very humbling experience to see just how much the Lord helps us on these missions. It would be impossible without His help. I went from barely even being able to say a prayer in Khmer and now I can teach full lessons and make small talk with the members and people I meet on the road. OH I ALMOST FORGOT!!!!! Speaking of the language. I had a recent convert tell me on Saturday that I speak Khmer beautifully. I HAVE BEEN WAITING OVER A YEAR TO GET THAT COMPLIMENT AND I FINALLY CAME!!!!! (note from mom-she forgets how many other Khmers have told her that already) I remember getting here like a year ago and everyone talked about this sister, Sister Lindley, and that she spoke beautifully and it become a goal to get that compliment on my mission. Goal accomplished. I was SO HAPPY. I was freaking out. The lord is helping me so much!!!! I am eternally indebted and grateful for Him. The atonement is real. USE IT!!!! 
So my koon lucked out getting me as her trainer (hahaha just kidding) but she really lucked out getting born in Pochentong. She has the best members ever. We were at church and one of the recent converts came up and invited us to her house for lunch. It was so much fun. Sister Luke had no idea what was going on and EVERYONE wanted to talk to her, but it was still so fun. She got some native Khmer food and it was the funniest thing ever. We used to live with a Khmer, but on Tuesday night, she got an emergency transfer call and left the house. So now it's just Sister Luke and me living in this giant house... kind of a bummer, but it'll be good. I just wanted her to eat good Khmer food and not my knock off American Khmer food... she'll just have to keep getting it from the members. (: We ate fish, fish paste, larvas, and so much other stuff and this really good pumpkin dessert. Every time I eat it there are always ants in it. So this time I asked... they just said they crawl into it and I made a joke and said that I just thought it was one of the ingredients and they thought it was the funniest thing ever. hahahah But then our investigator, that got baptized last week was sick, so she didn't come to church to receive the Holy Ghost. So to make sure things were still good with her, we trekked out to her house and had a really really good lesson with her. She is the sweetest. I love her!
Investigator update: Zeekaa is still doing well. She will most likely get baptized in like 3 weeks. We taught her about the sacrament and the atonement and it was a really really powerful lesson. We were all bawling and I was prompted to ask her if she knew that this church was true. She shared this story how she has been to a lot of different churches and didn't believe in any of them. Even when she started learning with us; she didn't believe. But then at the end she said, "I know that this church is true." Ah, she is SO AMAZING!!!! Then Srey Moam and Bong Moam came to church. I was so happy. Bong Lida is not progressing, so we will most likely drop her this coming week. And then once Sokhiab (the one that got baptized last week) get's the holy ghost she will no longer be an investigator, but she is so good!!! I love them all so much!!!!  

Basically I love my mission and never want to leave. Hope you all have a good week. Good luck to everyone who just started or will be starting school soon!!!! 
Love, 
Sister Zoe Loftus 
Double D




Can you see the excitement on my face????



The airport with the best district ever? So blessed to have met them.




We are basically Khmer.




Our first meal.



My new baby with her her new baby.  She loves it so much!



Sunday lunch.



The phsaar where we buy our food each week.


Another photo of the phsaar.



Another photo of the phsaar; it's a miracle we don't die here.

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