Sister Zoe's Cambodacious Journey: Partner in Crime

Dear Family and Friends,

So to start off this email I would like to do 2 things. 1. Give a shout out to all my friends who have served the lord for 2 years or 18 months and are now at home. Mostly Megee Layton and Dalton Groen. (; They have both helped me so much on my mission and I know that they changed the lives of the people they served in Hungary and Argentina. You guys are the best. Love you!!! And 2. Give you the results of my transfer calls... I was super nervous for this transfer call. Not really sure why. I am.... staying the same in SMC 2 for another transfer, still an STL (Sister Training Leader, BUT I now have a partner in crime. Sister Soem is a co STL with me and I couldn't be happier. I was ready to leave SMC, but I am feeling good about this transfer because we got a GOLDEN investigator; more to come on her later. But all in all this week was great!!!

Monday was the first day of summer, so we celebrated with some Tex Mex and a water balloon fight. We aren't really sure if that is khoh cbab (against the rules) or not, but the Sister AP's were in charge of it, so I think it was okay. But it was super super fun. (:

Tuesday we had a great district meeting on teaching by the spirit and we talked about the need to have the spirit and ways that we can get it. We really need to take our personal study seriously and we need to make our prayers more sincere. That's something I struggle with, especially when I pray in Khmer, which is all the time, because there's only so many things I know how to say, so I tend to say the same phrases over and over. But I made sincere prayers a new years resolution, I know it's been 6 months, but I’m really trying to focus on it and make my prayers a conversation with our Heavenly Father. It’s making all the difference. I encourage everyone to try making their prayers more heart felt and more meaning. Sad news though... you guys thought we didn't have enough work to do before; Tuesday night our only investigator that could actually meet us called us and told us that she had to stop meeting until August when she finishes school. So that was a huge bummer, but it's okay because the Lord as a perfect plan for us and His work. Things will get better. Just wait. (: Also, a member made some bracelets for me and she spelled Sister wrong. she forgot the t. I just looked at it and laughed. Only in Cambodia, but it's okay because it gives it character and I’m still gonna wear it!!!

Wednesday, because we don't have very much work to do here, we went on a three-hour CBR (convert baptism record, basically just people who are less active and have been for years) hunt. It was quite fun. We found all their houses, but none of them were home... and they are apparently never home because they work all the time, which means it didn't actually help us work wise, but we know skoal (know where) their houses are. I also got a pretty good tan line. I had my hair in a bun at the base of my neck (so I could still wear my helmet) so where the hair was, it was way white and the rest of my neck was fried!!! haha i just had to laugh about it. It didn't hurt until the next day and then I was in a lot of pain. I’m just way too lazy to put sunscreen on every time we leave the house... haha the members are all worried about me because I always were short sleeved shirts.. They think I’m going to die from the sun or something. Everyone here when they go outside puts on layers and layers of LONG sleeved shirts. They are way scared of the sun. They don't like "being black" haha and somehow they still don't sweat. So unfair.

Wednesday afternoon we went to visit a less active. She is the one that sells lotus stems and flowers to Chaa (cook) and we always help her put them together and get them ready to sell because that's the only way she'll help us and she just does it on her floor, which is way nasty, but that's just what they do. so get this... she has her grandson, this is the same little boy that pooped last week and this week he peed on the floor and they either didn't see it (when you cut the lotus stem a bunch of water comes out, so they must have thought it was just water) or they just didn't care, but they were putting the lotus in it and I was freaking out, but I can't really say anything because that's just the way they live, but it almost got on me and I wasn't gonna have any of that so I quickly got up and moved. I think they think I am crazy, but I just don't like pee. Then at English class I was told that I look like a Thai movie star, Yaya. Look her up. She’s way pretty, but i don't think I look like her at all. I just took the compliment and ran with it.

Thursday was quite an interesting day. We went to find a less active's house and my tire completely popped. Like there was a huge hole in it and the weird part was I didn't even run over anything. It just kind of happened... I don't know. The lord must have been protecting us from something, but luckily it happened right by a bike place, so we just did "the walk of shame" a few feet as look pu's laughed at us... it's the worst. They always talk about me because they think I can't understand them, but I can... their reaction is priceless when they find out that I can sdaab baan (understand) and know exactly what they are saying. haha Then we met with a new investigator, not the golden one, but she's still good. Her name is Ming Sopee and she came from English class. Kind of. She actually just comes and hat brans (exercises) at the church and we contacted her. She took a selfie with us before the lesson and then recorded the whole lesson... she's really really interesting. She is also really pukae (smart) when it comes to Buddhism, so she talked about their beliefs for a good 7 minutes and used words that I had never heard of before... I’m pretty sure some Khmers wouldn't even know what she was talking about. But she asked lots and lots of questions, so when it clicks in her mind, she is going to be really good.

Friday I got to go on an exchange with Sister Larsen, who apparently knows Hayden, go figure. Even in Cambodia people know him. She is a Sister AP and is an incredible missionary!!! So good. She loves the people so much and teaches way simply. She asks lots of questions. Basically she is everything I want to be as a missionary. I learned SO much from her. She just connects with the people and they just open up to her. It has to do with her personality, but I also think I could do a better job at being more personal with people. Needless to say I’ve got a lot to work on. (:

Nothing happened on Saturday, but Sunday!!! Ready for my golden investigator?? Okay, so she came from English class, most of our investigators do. She came from Elder Thorn (tahn) and typically the referrals he gives us aren’t actually that interested, so we were kind of hesitant to call her, but we called her and she told us she could meet at 10 on Sunday. so Sunday morning we called to remind her and she said that she was busy at 10, but that she could meet us right then, so we packed our stuff up and went to the church. SHE WALKED!!!! And she walked far. No one ever does that. If they don't have anything to gee (ride) they just don't come. So cool. Then we started teaching her and she was actually involved in the lesson. She was answering our questions and everything. Not like a typical first lesson. We asked her why she wanted to learn about our church and she said that she wants happiness. Ah, so golden. After that lesson with her I really wanted to stay in SMC. She is going to be amazing!!! She just doesn't have a ton of free time to meet us, so we'll see how that goes. But she is so good. HUGE blessing from the Lord.

Just in case you were wondering, we are definitely in the middle of rainy season. It rains every night for a good 4 hours. I love it!!!!

that's all i've got. love you all!!!!

Love,

Sister Loftus

Double D