Christmas in Campuchia

Dear Family,
   It was so wonderful talking to all of you for Christmas!! I wish good luck to Jennifer in trying to figure out what emails I sent last week to post and which ones to circulate, if you have questions let me know, I'm only an email and a world away ;-)
   Christmas here was so special.  As I already mentioned I've spent way to much of the month of December not actively involved in the work and these last two weeks have been hard.  But last Sunday following the advice of my district leader I got down on my knees and I had a long conversation with my Heavenly Father about why I wanted to be healthy for Christmas.  I told him that Christmas is a time of so much joy for me, but I didn't know how many native missionaries would be feeling merry and I wanted the strength to share the joy of Christmas with them.  I shared that for the first time in my life I was given the opportunity to share my testimony of the savior through song and I wanted to sing and share with all of my heart.  As I ended that prayer I didn't know what would happen the next day, but I knew the Lord's will would be done and more importantly that I was okay with whatever would happen.  I was so grateful the next day when I woke up with what I needed to do the work.
  For Christmas Eve my mission president led us in painting a school in the morning and Christmas festivities at night.  I loved painting the school, but I think my favorite part came when Pres Moon came up to me and said "now you've been sick deary, remember to rest" oh I love him and his wife.  Anyhow thank you to all I love who made this Christmas away from home very special.  I received a lovely fat envelope full of pictures from Jennifer, way too many packages from the nucleus fam (the advent candy still tastes delicious) and the spaghettios from Mom and Grandma were delicious for Christmas morning.
  But my favorite part came in singing.  I was so nervous, I mean really nervous, but as I walked up to the front I remembered my prayer with Heavenly Father and knew he had given me strength for this purpose, I had better not waste it.  I thought of my savior who died for me, who knows my pains and my joys and I thought of a little baby coming to earth, God's gift to all of us.  With that in mind I poured my heart into song and I wasn't scared anymore.  I am so thankful for Heavenly Father reminding me that He loves me and that he delights to bless his children with the desires of His hearts.
  One last tender mercy.  So my comp and I haven't been out of the house very much the last week which meant we were running out of food.  In fact after lunch yesterday we didn't have anything that hadn't come from a package from the states left in the house.  But yesterday I didn't know this, all I knew was that after resting for the mid afternoon I needed to be about the work I was called to do.  So I prepared and we headed out the door so we could help an investigator.  We never made it instead we were called to a Family Home Evening.  I enjoyed the time with the members and recent converts and building relationships with them.  And then the blessing came, she served us dinner...  I know when we are about the work of our Father and when we do our best to overcome our limitations the Lord with always bless us, in ways we can't imagine. 
All my love Chi Dao,
 P.S. I hope to have a more investigator heavy email next week :-)

Christmas packages

Merry Christmas!

Dear Family,
   I have so little time and I really should skype with my family, but for all of those not able to skype I still wanted to wish a very Merry Christmas.  I am so thankful for your love and prayers, for your kindness and support for your examples and helping me feel the joy of Christmas year round.
  Christmas has been amazing here, with packages from Grandma Shirley and Mom, letters that finally caught up with me after a month or two and a dear elder that made my night.  Thank you all so much.  I am thankful that Heavenly Father shared the joy of Christmas by reminding me of his love for all His Children.  I spent the last week end flat in bed, but with a priesthood blessing and much prayer for about my motives I was given the ability to share my testimony through song.  I am thankful that Heavenly Father sends us Christmas miracles and that he shows us in many ways the love of he has for us.  Please remember the Christ child this Christmas and know God loves you!  Love Chi Dao
P.S I had Vietnamese carolers last night, oh how I love the youth here :-)
P.S.  I found out what my name means to Vietnamese people here.  When my teachers gave me my name they told that my name meant to mold or create and that is the name I claim for my own.  But the name also means something special to everyone else.  For a Chinese holiday, called Ten which is essentially a huge new year festival everyone cleans their house from top to bottom and in order to be prepared for this holiday every family must have a branch of peach blossom called Dao.  This blossom is pink and white and is considered one of the most beautiful blossoms in Vietnam.  A house must have this blossom if they are to have beauty and peace in the coming year.  I hope I can live up to the meaning of that name.  I love you all so much!

The first video is her telling us about her day in Vietnamese. The second on is her telling us how to say "hello" in "her language". The last one is her testimony in Vietnamese.
We were having a few technical difficulties while skyping. We didn't always have picture, but we heard her the whole time. I recorded a few videos for your viewing and listening enjoyment.  She asked me to save it so she can listen when she gets home and laugh at her pronunciation.

Small Country Big Stories

Dear Family,
   The phrase in the subject line comes from a thought I had as we met with Chi Hoa and Chi Huong when they were explaining branch three to us.  As we talk about the people in the branches, about their multiple wives, those with illnesses, taking care of children who aren't their children, people moving in with boy friends, people being sold as prostitutes, people overcoming so much, that truly is what I think of.  How can such a small area have people whose lives are so complex?  I don't know, only the Lord understands that.
   The three important things of this last week come in the form of a tiny bathroom (Jennifer please ask mom and dad to send you those pictures) making ginger bread houses (and sugar cookies) and a Christmas concert.
   The pictures show my first apartment where I have been living for the first four and a half months of my life here, it was a westerners dream, but now that I have moved to Branch 3 I have begun what Chi Ly calls "real missionary life". I have to say I agree with her. I went from a place where I had a mattress, room for a shower curtain and a full kitchen to a place with really steep stairs, a foam mat on a bedstead, freezing cold A/C to keep the mosquitoes away and a tiny bathroom.  But none of that matters, because I have the opportunity to work with some very special people in Branch 3.  On Friday we had our first lesson with Chu Hai, a 3 yr investigator.  Even though I didn't know quite what he was saying, the Spirit still told me what to say.  I am always amazed that if I try really hard to listen and to discern even if I don't know exactly what is going on the Spirit will always help me say something that that person needs to hear.  I am so thankful for the Spirit in missionary work.
  Next, Cambodia gives us the opportunity to work on our creative problem serving problem skills. Want to make sugar cookies, go to the Westovers, who if they don't have it, will get it.  Want to make ginger bread houses, but don't have graham crackers, talk to the Elders and you'll use wafer cookies and M&Ms which actually turned out fabulously.  I think when I get home I'm going to use wafer cookies, they taste delicious and they work quite well to build with (also talk to mom :-) ).  I am grateful for Senior Couples in the mission that do their best to bring some Christmas spirit to the holidays, even in a place where there isn't any snow. 
  Last the Christmas concert! Oh what a joy it was to have a reason to dress up, sometimes as a missionary you forget how, but I pulled out the stops for this one, I even kept my hair down, which is getting a bit long I might add and I really like it.  I'm grateful Heavenly Father sent me to a place where I wouldn't trust anyone with scissors :-).  Anyway, I think the Christmas concert more than anything else helped me feel the Christmas spirit.  It was such a joy to sing hymns of Christmas to the people I have grown to love.  I saw a now active Viet family that I worked with in Branch 6, I was grateful I could sing Silent Night for them in Vietnamese, with the choir of course, keep in mind everyone else was singing in English.  But lets face it, they all heard me, as you know my voice carries and Sis James wanted me to add some support to the higher voices of Kmer and Viet.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to sing, there is a special spirit which comes when we sing of the news of our Savior's birth.  I am so very blessed to share that message everyday.  As I did the math at the end of this last transfers I realized that in the last six weeks I contacted 61 people and shared a message of the Gospel with them, what a special blessing that is, it puts my last six weeks no matter how short they may have seemed in proper perspective.
   I am so thankful for Christmas, for the love that comes into people's hearts and for the opportunity we all have to share that joy with everyone, whether it be through speech, or singing Joy to the World in full voice in a Cambodian main street. 
All my love Chi Dao

First apartment: 

Second apartment:

Transfer roi...when did that happen

Dear Family,
   I would like to start off with a thought I have been pondering on for the last few weeks, I'm not sure how it applies back home, but I feel like I should share it, and I'm learning to follow these kinds of feelings.
   I was given a commitment in district meeting to think about how virtue could help my area, help me be a better missionary and how virtue ties into faith.  As I have pondered and studied I have come to two conclusions which I hope I can apply in my missionary work.  If a person's virtue is based upon what they choose to do when no one is watching, then a missionary's virtue is based upon what they chose to think about where ever they may be.  Also as I am coming to learn if a missionary is focused on the work and helping God's children come unto Christ then they have virtue, with that virtue they have power.  Faith is a principle of power.  I hope to always have and utilize that power as God intends me to do.  As I utilize this power the Spirit is brought into the lives of those I work with everyday, with that Spirit comes love and improvement and thus a place or area is changed.
   I can't believe six weeks have already gone by, oh how quickly time has flown, I feel like just last week I was sharing how uncomfortable I felt about white washing again, now here I sit not white washing per say, but I am staying with Chi Ly we are just heading to a new branch, branch 3 the only Viet branch here where the members love the missionaries, there are investigators to teach and the branch isn't freaky dysfunctional...this could be fun.  I am afraid I will be spoiled to go back to the standard branches when I get transferred again.  It is weird to think that I haven't even been in Cambodia for six months and already I will have been to all the branches, considering I only have three places to go I am wondering how I shall fill the year left I have on my mission.  But I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for me and he has a plan for the people here, oh how excited I am to see the work unfold here in Cambodia.
  I apologize for not sending emails home full of investigators and adventures, I guess it is because my mind has been full of other things.  It is hard to be a missionary, to work so hard to help people and invite them to come unto Christ and have nothing tangible to show for your success.  It is hard to spend sleepless nights pondering what the Lord would have you do, but feel as if there is a pavilion hiding you from the Lord. It is hard to not reach certain expectations.  I have been facing these things for some weeks now and now as I contemplate being transferred I almost wonder what my purpose truly was in coming.  But God's measuring stick is different than ours, his purposes are not our purposes and the works he needs accomplished are of an eternal nature.  If we ever face uncertainty or feel that we are not reaching what others expect of us, please remember God has a plan.  My biggest concern has been how must I change to do the Lord's work better here, what must I become to do the work.  Finally one night as I laid side ways on my bed pondering I realized Heavenly Father sent me here for many reasons, but one of them was to ultimately be me.  Not the natural man me full of bad habits or selfishness (part of life is learning how to change and overcome that), but the me that is in touch with my Spirit and remembers who Heavenly Father created me to be.  Sure I'm not a serious, number oriented missionary, but I love to bring joy to others and I love testifying of my Savior and perhaps, all along, that is my purpose for being here.  Please if you feel that you have missed the boat, or aren't what others here on earth expect you to be, ponder on who you were before you came here and what you should do to become like that again. 
   I am so very thankful for the still, small, sweet voice in my life that brings true peace to our hearts, that brings rest to sleepless nights and purpose even when things don't make sense.  I am thankful for my knowledge of the Plan of Salvation, that I lived with my Heavenly Father before I came to this earth and that as we all prove worthy we can live with him again.  In this Christmas season please remember, Heavenly Father gave us His Beloved Son, because He knew we are all worth coming home to him again. 
All my love and merry Christmas,
Chi Dao
 

When you can't sleep don't count sheep talk to the shepherd

Dear Family,
   What to share?  Every week tons of things happen, but it seems like as soon as I sit down at a computer my mind goes blank.  For any of you interested in my adventures or about anything specific send word now so I make sure I have journaled all about it then we can talk when I get home. 
   First off, I did receive mom's package, I'm glad for the shirt and the hand sanitizer, but that is really all I know about...there's a fun story with that, but I sent that in a letter so you'll have to wait :-)
   Second, we had an interesting thing this last week in the Cambodia Phnom Penh mission.  So here in the capital they have the water festival, which in most years means the streets are a mess and missionaries aren't safe to go outside so we have a CBR day instead, this year because of the kings death they didn't really have much to worry about, but because of the sad state of CBRs Pres Moon told us to stay inside and get the paper work of who people are, where they live, how long they have been members, and what they do finished.  Well lets just say after day one of three we didn't have much paperwork left.  So what do two sister missionaries do to fill the time?  Well folks they greatly enjoy a mission game day by playing volleyball and jump rope and then talking with members of the Viet zone for five hours and sewing like mad.  As part of Anh Ca Hoa Minh's (district leader) suggestion to fight back my stress he told me to find a sewing project to work on.  My sewing project of choice was handkerchiefs for the elders and sisters in my zone.  It was so much fun last pday to find the material and have Chi Hoa (Sis Hayes) help me haggle the woman down).  I have now spent those CBR days and the few spare moments I have had since cutting material and hemming them.  It has helped me have a bit more excitement for Christmas because as we all know the true joy of Christmas comes in the giving and I am excited to give handkerchiefs in the hope of one day having the opportunity to use them at the temple dedication here.
   Third, have any of us ever pondered on the choice to laugh or cry?  I have taken multiple opportunities to ponder that very thing the last few days.  We truly have a choice, but sometimes it is a matter of catching it early enough in the decision making process to make the right choice. I know that no matter the stress that might come to us in this life, we are meant to have joy, I know that Heavenly Father loves us and he has prepared a way for us to have joy.  This joy and peace truly comes through living according to the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It comes as we invite others to come unto Christ.  I have experienced that joy in my life as I have invited his sons and daughters to return to him.  When I was told this mission was unlike any place in the world, they told the truth.  Sometimes I wish I could baptize many and find many families to teach, but if that is not the work the Lord has for me to do, who I am to argue.  I have known since arriving in Cambodia Heavenly Father had many families for me to help re-activate and what a joy it is to work with them.  I am thankful for the tender mercies of the Lord.  For a brother standing and sharing his testimony and gratitude of coming back to the church.  This same brother was one Chi Pham and I prayed for, served for, fasted for and loved, how worth all that effort was.  I apologize for rambling, but there are so many things in my heart.  I am thankful that a mother who at one time wanted to sell her daughter as a prostitute is now encouraging everyone in her home to read the Book of Mormon everyday and that the daughter who has only ever been depressed now has a smile on her face and can't keep from laughing because she feels the weight of sin removed from her shoulders. 
  I am thankful that God's ways are not my ways and that he sees the worth of every soul.  I am thankful for the time He is taking to teach me of that worth.  At this Christmas season please remember God loves you.  He sent a little baby who grew into a man and is our perfect exemplar.  Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer he knows and loves us, He is our mediator with the Father and with His stripes we are healed. 
        Merry Christmas!
        All my love-
        Chi Dao

Turkey Day

Dear Family,
  So Thanksgiving Day for me consisted of planning for four hours, eating for an hour and a half and then visiting members, but it was still a good day.  My favorite part of the day was playing Uno slap when you hit the ground for green, hit your heart for read, hit head for yellow and touch the sky for blue.  Okay so that was my second favorite, my first favorite was helping do the dishes while listening to Christmas music after we were done eating.
  When we arrived at Elder and Sister Westover's we played Uno and laughed together.  After we dished up we listened as Sister Westover shared the story of the Five Kernels of corn and the First Thanksgiving.  I loved that she shared from 1 Ne 13 and she shared her testimony of why we are grateful.  After we went around the table(s) and shared what we are grateful for.  I definitely thought of my family and loved ones and of all I have been given.  I thought about the support I receive from home and the love I feel a half a world away.  But the one that I shared was a heart full of gratitude for my Heavenly Father who is so very patient with me.  Of a love so special that Heavenly Father has my life prepared for me and now he is preparing me for my life.  I am thankful for a God who truly is in the details of my life.  We were blessed to have all the comforts and foods of home, except for turkey, the oven wasn't big enough, but the chicken was SSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOO delicious, I didn't mind.  We even had cranberry sauce and I was so very thankful because Sis Westover had it shipped from the states, apparently they don't have cranberry sauce here.  We all enjoyed square pumpkin pie with fresh whipped cream on top, the Lord truly provided a wonderful Thanksgiving for us.  I admit however that my favorite part of the day was coming home to listen to Christmas music as I pondered about the holiday ahead and how I am actually excited to have a Christmas here, I will miss home, but Heavenly Father has something beautiful in store.
  Speaking of instore, I so didn't see what was coming this week. We helped Co Nuong move houses, the service opportunity was awesome and it even helped her come to church on Sunday, I'm thankful it is easier to move in than it is to move out, I am grateful for the help of the elders and another member trying to begin coming to church again, it sped the process up quite a bit.  On Sunday it was brought to my attention that rash acts don't work out in the mission field and we must, must, must make sure we are in full understanding in our companionship.  I literally can't go into details, but I am thankful that Heavenly Father is kind and aware of us.  I am so very grateful that éveryday we can make our today beat our yesterday and make our tomorrow beat our today (quote courtesy of Anh Ca Hoa Minh and the Spirit).  I am thankful that we can learn from our mistakes, that every goof can be evaluated and improved.  I am thankful that Heavenly Father's work can't get messed up, He won't allow.  The Standard of Truth has been erected and not UnHallowed hand can stop the work from progressing.  I know that this is true, I know that no matter what we do or think we've done, no matter how far we have strayed or how long we've been gone we can always, always come back and Heavenly Father will accept us with open arms.
  I am thankful for Chi Ly for all the times we don't agree and for all the times we know exactly how we agree.  I'm thankful for the opportunity I have to be with someone 24 hours a day and work to improve my communications skills daily, what an interesting blessing that is.
  I know that are lives are about improving, learning, growing and trying.  You are never too old or too set in your ways to try something new, even when you're dead Heavenly Father sends more opportunities, it is just easier to take those opportunities here.  I love you all so much, Congrats Weyland, Celeste and soon to be to McKenzie I know you will do amazing work, may God bless and help you.
Chi Dao

 P.S. The language is a beast, it seems like as soon as I feel a bit more confident something else makes me feel like I want to give up.  But I can at least bear my testimony and extend commitments, what else do I need? Other than to understand PPC, branch meetings, life in Vietnamese, oh well I shall continue.
P.P.S Mom do you have your passport yet?

Thanksgiving meal

I'm guessing this is her helping to move Co Nuong

Spiciness

Dear Family,
 Happy Thanksgiving :-) I can't believe I have been on my mission for six months...wow!!
  I have pondered much this morning about what I wanted to share with those I love and the thing that has come to mind the most is Heavenly Father's perfect planning in our lives.  Oh also, anyone who wants to be reminded of the truthfulness of the Gospel and what faith can do please read Moroni 7-10, oh how I enjoyed reading that this last week.  I know that the Book of Mormon is true and we shall get closer to God by reading it than by any other book.  I am thankful for the Spirit confirming that to me this last week.
  Now for Heavenly Father the one who is truly in the details of our lives, he knows when we shall face ups and he knows when we shall face downs and he provides comforts for the extremes as well as when everything is normal.  Last week I felt overwhelmed by how much I couldn't do, having a mother sell her daughter off and I could only teach about how family is sacred to Heavenly Father or watching a mother treat her dogs better than her children, mothers seem to struggle in this country.  But as I sought the Lord's council and strived to say the things He would say if He were here I felt peace in my heart that I was doing enough.  But it is even more than that.  For all those who know me I love to sing and I quite enjoy Christmas, I love the count down as much as the actual day, so I continue buying different flavors of candy canes and eat one every day...anyway.  Well last Wednesday after a stressful day of feeling inadequate and not knowing if I was really doing any good I found myself at choir practice.  As I sang hymns of peace on earth and good will to all I thought how blessed I was to have the opportunity to preach the beautiful news of Christ's birth to the people of Cambodia.  I looked at the young single adults I have grown to love and I knew for whatever reason I truly am where God needs me to be.  Maybe because Heavenly Father needs a strong soprano in a Kmer choir or maybe because he needs a sister missionary who laughs at just about anything, blocked roads because of a ASEAN conference in Phnom Pehn, or crashing my bike on slippery roads or maybe because I have much to learn here, whatever the case I am thankful my Heavenly Father loves and knows me.
  I am constantly amazed by Heavenly Father's perfect planning.  Last night I realized how far reaching the choices we make in this life are.  Heavenly Father has prepared me for this mission my entire life.  Whether it was having a father in multiple bishoprics so I could have an understanding of ward structure and welfare or in choosing to go to USU and being on the institute council so I could have an understanding on how to create large group activities (the first aid night was a blast.  The elders had so much fun teaching first aid and practicing with the kids, Chi Hoa also enjoyed teaching about shock, I don't know if we'll have another, but I know that night was what Heavenly Father wanted us to do) or going to the DI and having it change my life completely.  Last night I stood before a room of branch council members (with the three other missionaries in branch 10) in order to explain the basics of the welfare system of the church.  We faced a hostile crowd of people who didn't understand and didn't want to understand.  But as I faced the chaos of people talking and arguing I felt the Spirit tell me I must say something, I know how the Lord intends his house to function.  So I faced that hostility with a testimony, that the Lord wants to help His children become independent and feel the joy of giving of themselves.  I could face them and tell them I had benefited from the Lord's storehouse and I know that it could change lives because it had changed mine.  By going to DI I learned communication skills I use everyday here, I learned about the career path Heavenly Father would have me choose and I met people who changed my life.  Deseret Industries has brought so much good into my life and because I followed a prompting two years ago to visit the career center at the institute and talk with a woman who happened to have DI's number my life is amazing. And as I bore my humble testimony (in english and Vietnamese) about God's desire to bless all of his children, the hostility left and hearts began to change.  I know that Heavenly Father knows the path we will chose, he knows how to bring blessings into our lives and how to use our lives to bless others.  If you are struggling (like I do everyday to trust Heavenly Father that he wants my happiness) remember He knew you before you came to this earth and He knows what will bring you eternal joy, He will help you find it.  Your life is a tapestry interwoven with so many and as we let our Heavenly Father do the weaving we receive a truly beautiful picture.
                        All my love
                         Chi Dao

My New Area

Dear Family,
  In Jennifer's last letter she told me I was bereft of my duties as a missionary and was not introducing you to the people in my life.  so I thought perhaps I would share with you some of the most memorable people in my area.
  First person.  Anh Khoa.  He is 26 yrs old, a recovering drug addict who wants the priesthood so he can baptize his mother.  Three things aren't in his favor.  One he doesn't like to listen to the missionaries, he spends the whole lesson saying Yeah, yeah yeah and not hearing what we say.  second he doesn't work with men in positions of authority which makes interviewing and going to priesthood meeting almost impossible and third, he is in love with my companion, which means he is getting shipped to the elders.  this is the second time one of the people we work with falls in love with my companion, thank goodness never with me, apparently I have a big sign on my forehead that reads "stay away" in Vietnamese :-)
  Next person, is strong like an ox girl.  I don't know what her real name is, but ever since we met and I said khoe lam (very good) she always tells me she is feeling strong like an ox.  I love her and look forward to seeing her every week at the YSA activity, she always gives me a smile and a hug and I love singing by her for the Christmas choir practices.  Yes we are having a Christmas choir, it is an inter faith choir and we perform Dec 15, I am so grateful for the opportunity to sing and that I can still play the piano here.
  Next person, Co Nuong, she is our neighborhood gambling mother, I am thankful that Heavenly Father is helping me feel His love for her, because mostly I just want to give her a kick in the pants, who considers selling their daughter and grand-daughter to pimps?  It just mean she has lost truth in her life and she needs to feel it again.  I am excited to help her feel that love and truth again, in fact Chi Ly and I have already started.  Yesterday we visited her and invited her to come to church, she had a whole list of excuses, about things people had said or had done to her.   But she didn't have a response when I told her Heavenly Father had something I needed to share with her.  I love Ether 6:5-11, it tells all about how Heavenly Father sent a fierce wind to the people of Jared so their barges would arrive at the promised land. Tthis wind caused all sorts of waves and scariness, yet the barges needed it to arrive in the promised land.  As I read that scripture the spirit told me those verses were for Co Nuong and when I shared those verses and the knowledge I have that sometimes Heavenly Father allows storms to come and sometimes he sends in others to help us.  Those winds (trials, gossip, addictions) can feel overwhelming and scary, but those winds are the things that will ultimately lead us back home and help us be what Heavenly Father would have us be.  When I promised her Heavenly Father's help  and promised her that those words were from her loving Father in Heaven it was amazing to see her face change and the hope in her face.  I know Heavenly Father loves us and he will help us.
  Last person for today, Co Va.  she is a scary one, she has seven vicious dogs, made vicious from years of confusion at her moods and abuse.  Co Va is bi-polar and is quite the character.  We survived the visit and were excited to see her at church yesterday we also determined we would invite her to drink orange juice with us downstairs before we ever go to that apartment again.  In that apartment I learned two things.  I learned that I must have the spirit to do this work and that the spirit can not be where filth and contention are.  Second I learned that I always want to be a good mother, I always want to reach out in love to my children, provide a place where they can feel the spirit  and to cuddle them when they become scared or hurt.  My heart determined these things as I listened to a new born baby cry for its mother and no one moved to do a thing, all I could do was hold its hand and rub its head as I made soothing noises.  God's children are so precious and we must be careful in our stewardship of them.

 I am thankful for the stewardship God has given me for his children.  sometimes it feels so very overwhelming.  But our God is one who glories in the details, He knows us and loves us and sometimes even allows us to be the answer to another persons prayer. 
May we always be that answer.
Love Chi Dao

Yay, no day light savings time

Dear Family,
   I am alive and well here in Cambodia and guess what Cambodia actually has an autumn.  I love that all the trees have half their leaves falling and the other half are just beginning to grow.  I love that we have a thunder storm almost every night and that the clouds are sticking around for most of the day, it lessens my need for long sleeves which means I can sweat less.  I love my new area, although I was surprised to realize I miss the challenge of going over the bridge everyday, oh well new challenges and ways to grow usually present themselves.  I am so very thankful for having already white washed once, white washing well truly is a skill, now I'm not saying I've mastered it, but learning how important it is to remember streets after only going down them once, serving people so they trust you and sharing love openly are all important skills I learned the importance of last time so now I know to use them from the first day.  I am thankful for the Spirit in this work.  I am thankful that as we apply the Spirit everyday we can and are guided by that Spirit in order to help the people we need to be helped at specific times.  Take for example Chi Ly and I going contacting, having applied to the Lord to find those people who need Him.  The first time was seeing a man that looked Cambodian, but we both felt like we needed to talk to him, so we did.  We found out he is Vietnamese and travels all over the city fixing shoes.  I was surprised that I actually understood what he was saying.  In talking to him we were able to talk with a client of his as well and give a Kmer pamplet to her daughter.  I don't know how it will all turn out, but I'm thankful for the Spirit who can give us confidence to act.

I am thankful for the new opportunities that transferring brings.  Even though I didn't change apartments, only rooms and to a new bathroom (even though it only has a shower head on the wall, I actually like it more than the tub, even if it makes shaving my legs more complicated) having a new companion and new area are quite the change.  Transferring brings an opportunity to evaluate progress and find things that we want to improve on.  It brings an opportunity to set new goals and to work with the Lord in trying to progress. After being in one area and with one companion for 12 weeks I had become complacent and even realized I wasn't becoming the missionary Heavenly Father wanted me to be.  Even before transferring I was setting goals and striving to improve, but having a new companion helped me have a fresh start.  Because Chi Ly didn't know me before I could start fresh and be something completey new, what a beautiful opportunity.  If we think about it, renewing our covenants each Sunday gives us that same opportunity to evaluate and ask God's help to change.

Chi Ly is a 22 yr old from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh who has lived with her grandma for the last two years.  She is fabulous, she is a bit bolder than Chi Pham which makes talking with gossipers more fun. We are always kind and loving, but we don't mince words.  She has wanted to serve a mission for four years and has amazing understanding of the Bible, which considering one of our members teaches institute and we are helping her create lessons, I need to brush up on my new testament and my Bible Vietnamese (if I ever had it).  It is interesting not having a companion as strictly obedient as my last one, but it is giving me an opportunity to police myself and cause me to be more aware of my desires to be worthy of the Lord's blessings through obedience.

 As I close my email  I want to express my gratitude to Heavenly Father for sending the Spirit and bringing me peace, so that even when I can't do something large, if I do what the Lord wants I can know it is enough. I am thankful for the peace the Spirit brings and the comfort which comes when we know we did what the Lord wanted us to do.  This came to me full force as I sat listening to two sisters cry because their mother wants to sell them into prostitution to pay off her gambling debts.  I didn't know what to say and I knew there wasn't anything I could do.  But the Spirit came and did so much more than I could have as I testified of God's love for them and that they were not alone.  I am thankful for the priesthood and for elders who are worthy of their priesthood and could give a blessing of such power.  As we left that sad little apartment I felt the Spirit and I knew even if I couldn't do anything, the Spirit and the Lord could, all we had to do was invite the Spirit in.
   I know my Heavenly Father lives, I know he loves us.  I know Heavenly Father is a God of second chances and third chances, that as we have desires to change things, big or little, he will always help us.  We are never alone, we each of us, have a special place in His heart.  May God's love go with you this week. 

All my love Chi Dao

Tenth Doctor Anyone

Dear Family,
     As I have gone through out the day I have pondered to myself this very significant question:  Is it possible to be informed of transfers a bit earlier in the evening?  Last night after waiting anxiously all day and finally giving up hope because no call came four anxious missionaries went to bed having not received any info about being moved around.  But at about ten o-çlock at night (keep in mind our bedtime is 9:30) we received a phone call from our zone leader.  This phone call turned our lives upside down.  Well my life will be turned upside down, again.  The longer I serve in Cambodia the more I realize that accepting the call to serve a mission is just the beginning of change, change and more change.  Have I mentioned I don't handle challenge well? I admit to feeling a bit jealous, at the end of talking with the zone leader I realized that Chi Pham gets to stay in Branch 6, with people I have grown to  love and care about so very much and I will be white washing into branch 10 with Sis Ly.

  I find myself feeling a bit like the tenth doctor at the end of "the end of time part 2".  I used to get so frustrated with David tennet and the line when he says ""but I don't want to go".  But now I feel I have a bit more empathy.  Sometimes no matter how much you want to stay, you know it is time to leave. And I shall, for hymn 270 truly applies to all of us.  We are on this earth because Heavenly Father sent us and all of our works and efforts must be according to his will if we are to arrive safely back to him, having become the person he needs us to be. I am learning how important going where he asks us to go truly is.  I don't know why I am being transferred, when usually it is the senior companion who leaves and the trainee stays to show what they can do in the area and with the people, I don't know why I am being transferred to an area where I will be white washing (again), but after a mostly sleep less night I know the Lord has a reason and I would be wise to follow.

  Many may ask themselves why being transferred is such a big deal, or why I care so much.  In fact four months ago I would have asked that same question, but now I know what it is like to love people, for the sheer fact they are God's children.  No matter that I see their faults or no matter that sometimes they just don't get it, Heavenly Father loves them and that at the end of the day is enough for me.  They, wonderful people who have experienced and over come so much more than I will ever understand, me a simple girl from Newton, have invited me into their lives and in turn they have deeply impressed my heart.  In the course of 12 weeks I have seen a family go from avoiding the missionaries, to yesterday all ten of them came to church with sparkling eyes.  I have seen women that could be so mean, show such compassion.  I have seen a 17 yr old that looked nervous inviting missionaries into a place where others would mock, but because he knew it was true he invited us anyway.  This life is so much more complicated, full, hard and beautiful than I ever used to think and the Gospel makes it all worth it. 

   I apologize if this email doesn't make sense this week, what can I say Vietnamese has scrambled my brains :-).  But there is just so much in my head and heart I don't know what I can share.  Do I share my excitement that the blessings of the temple will or have been extended to those I love?  Do I share that Anh Vu, who after his baptism forsook the spirit for drinking and smoking, only to return to church yesterday?  Do I share that I'm scared to go into a new area and have to start all over again?  Do I share that yesterday after a long night of self-deprecation I finally accepted the fact that I'm not perfect, that I still have much to do in the conversion process for myself?  I have begun to realize we are all in the conversion process, no one except for Christ is finished with that.  Elder Bednar spoke on this subject at length, so instead of pontificating upon it, I shall send you in that direction, as well as reading Jesus the Christ...but I want to share just one thing I learned yesterday...faith isn't faith unto conversion until that faith is tried.  Faith isn't life changing until we face something we wouldn't do on our own.  I have always had a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and of his Atonement.  But it wasn't until I started going to the Garden that I understood what the Atonement means to me.  It wasn't until Heavenly Father asked me to do something that scared me, that still scares me and makes me feel overwhelmed sometimes, that I realized how much I rely and need the Gospel in my life. I'm thankful for God's patience in my life, that He always tries to bless me first, I just have to accept it when it comes.  I know my Savior loves me, I know that he desires to bless me.  I am learning that the Greatest JOY in this life comes from being an instrument in the hands of our Father.  I could stay in branch six and coast or I can go to branch 10 and do the work God has prepared for me to do.  I can promise, much more joy will come from doing the work which is prepared for us.  I know we each have a work to do.  I understand that sometimes being proactive seems overwhelming, but I know as we make efforts each day to improve ourselves and do the work God has for us, we will become truly amazing servants of Him who loves us and wants to help us share that love with others.

       May you feel his love this week, love
        Chi Fabricius

Bung Chow

Dear Family,
   Sadly I don't know if bung chow means anything, because that phrase is Korean, not Vietnamese, but if I do meet any Koreans I shall try to remember to ask them.
   Well family, this is the second time only in this country when I haven't received mail on a p-day.  You know what this means...?  It means I have amazing family and friends who support me so much :-).  It also has given me time to ponder knowing that I don't have to answer too many major questions. 
  Recently I have had the un-wanted and un-prepared for opportunity of feeling much like the younger in Sabrina, you can and should watch either the old Sabrina with Humphrey Bogart or the new one with Harrison Ford, both are fabulous.  With this opportunity has come the time to ponder upon how the Lord blesses us with unexpected trials and how he always prepares us for these times in our lives.  I have finally had the opportunity to watch General Conference and I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love that as I listened to conference I received direction for my own life as well as direction and help for investigators and branch members.  As I talked to other missionaries I was also interested to hear that the things I picked up on were different and unique.  That is what is so amazing about general conference, we receive what we need because the Spirit is an individual teacher.  There were three things that stood out to me this last week end that I would like to share.  First, I love that Jesus Christ gave Peter the opportunity to affirm his faith and love of the Savior three times as if to give Peter the opportunity to make up for denying the Savior thrice, just days before.  I am thankful that my Savior knows my heart and that he understands I am human.  He knows I want to become like him and he knows I will stumble and fall, but he always waits patiently as I pick myself up and try again.  Then he gives me the opportunity to show my faith and devotion.  Next, I loved Pres. Eyring's talk about how we make the choice to cover ourselves with a pavilion.  It struck me powerfully how the Lord told Pres Eyring he would allow Pres Eyring to stay.  Sometimes in life we think we have the perfect plan for just how things should work out and so we beg for them, when if we had simply listened we would understand Heavenly Father had that to give us as well as so much more.  I know Heavenly Father has a plan for me and that the things I experience everyday are just the things I agreed to and know I need to experience in order to meet my potential.  Third I really loved Pres Uchtdorf's talk about not having regrets and about Elder Bednars talk about being truly converted.  Pres Uchtdorf's is the final, desirable state if you will and Elder Bednar's was about how to reach that state.  True conversion means constant diligence, a constant desire and striving to be better, because the standard of perfection is a journey of becoming, not a destination.
  Well dear family, I have a confession to make... I forgot my own advice and I let myself become content.  I was happy with how things with the language were coming and I felt very comfortable in my companionship and I forgot that diligence.  I am happy to report I woke up one morning pondering where the abundance of the Spirit I had grown used to had gone and what I had to do to help it return.  I had, you could say, put up a pavilion over my head and heart.  As I pondered and desired to change and continue progressing I slowly tore that pavilion down and allowed myself access to the Lord.  With that access Heavenly Father poured down blessings upon me and gave me the opportunity to see how I could change in order to receive his guidance and continue becoming the missionary, not only what I want to become, but who I must become to reach the potential only He sees.  This blessing came in the form of a minor illness that kept me off a bike for a day or two, a priesthood blessing and way too much time to think.  In that priesthood blessing I was reminded how important the work I am engaged in is and how important it is for me to be diligent in doing the work my Heavenly Father has called me to.  I am thankful for that call to be diligent, it kept me focused in conference and helped me have a humble heart to receive the messages the Lord knows I need.
   This last conference gave all of us a call to diligence.  Our contentment is really just a pavillion we use to hide ourselves from God.  He has so much for us to do, to live and to become, because conversion is a life long process.  What trials are we having or struggling with that make us feel like God is hiding from us?  What ever they may be, know that those trials are really Heavenly Father reminding you how aware of you He is.  He is simply waiting for us to come out of hiding and to feel of his guidance and love.  I know that Heavenly Father's timing is perfect.  I admit that I was shocked when the age for sisters to serve was changed to 19 and I wondered why Heavenly Father waited to change the age until I was already 21 and it didn't apply to me anymore.  But as I pondered I felt peace in my heart with this message, "this is my plan for you, this is the plan that is molding you into who you are meant to be" I pondered about my journey in choosing to serve, I thought about Chris, I thought about getting sick, I thought about family and school and everything and I realized Heavenly Father's timing truly is perfect.  He already knows we will struggle with certain things and that we can be stubborn, He has already figured that into his plan.
  As I talked with Chi Hien about life and trials and happy things too, we decided life is easy, once you have faith in Heavenly Father.  Once we have faith and live that faith we truly can live without fear.  I echo the apostles when I encourage all of us, myself included to put aside fear, to not cut off faith when reason seems to contradict it (for we don't see the whole perspective) and to live the faith that began a conversion, for what a wonderful journey it shall be.  I know God's plan is perfect and that he loves us, not matter the bumps, bruises or boils along the way.
           All my love Sister Fabricius

P.S I have heard rumors that Chelsey, Genevieve and Chris are all still alive, is this true?
P.S.S Congratulations to Kenzie Cooley! Good choice my friend
P.S.S.S Andrea Dunn your letter will shortly be in the mail.
P.SSSSS I promise to tell you more about being a missionary next week
P.S.SSSS The king died last week, so the whole country is in mourning, everyone wears white shirts with black ribbons, interesting.  The city smells a bit because of all the incense they are burning for the king and the major festivals are cancelled as they mourn the king for three months.  I kind of like how seriously this country takes the death of a leader, they truly love him.
ppppppppsssssss  We hopefully have some new investigators to work with this week.  We've spent our time only visiting less actives and recent converts so I am excited to begin teaching the lessons again!

First picture is from a random sunburn I got because the sleeves were only 3/4 length.  The next is a random ice cream parlor in Phnom Pehn, the ice cream is good, but the cost is really for the pillows and men in suits.  Third picture is CHi Pham and I in matching pj's from Ba Tu.  the other pictures are a bowl of hot pot shrimp and Chi Pham and I waiting for the elders. 

I'm alive...and I'm a missionary

Dear Family,
   Sometimes it feels so surreal that I am a missionary in Cambodia, that now even if I can't follow everything a member says I can get up in the morning and the first words out of my mouth are Vietnamese.  That when I get on my bike and I am praying for members I can only pray for them in Vietnamese.  This last week I struggled understanding members and not letting myself get overwhelmed because I couldn't say everything I wanted to and of course I know I have such a long way to go, but when I look at the fact I am speaking Vietnamese better than any other language I have learned (that's three by the way) I realize how much the Lord is helping me and how far I have come.  I am thankful for the Lord's help and blessings in my life.  I am thankful for His tender mercies, like having people send me letters or emails that covered just my concerns or not sending things when I really want them, but instead when I need them :-).
  Everyday I have the opportunity to meet members and hopeful investigators and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them, what a wonderful blessing.  Last night we visited a referral, who after meeting with her the first time we found out was actually a less active whose records had gotten lost, at first she didn't want anything to do we us.  But after multiple visits she finally let us in.  As I sat in shock at the fact I was actually sitting on her floor I realized neither Chi Pham or I knew what we wanted to say, but Heavenly Father knew what he wanted to say.  As I prayed to know he told me to share with her that He loves her, that the Gospel he sent into her life is true that Joseph Smith is the Prophet of the Restoration.  But mainly He told her that He wants her back, that it doesn't matter how far she goes or how long she stays away Heavenly Father always, always wants her back.
   The members here scare me, most of the time, they have so many grudges and have forgotten, if they ever knew, that this is a Gospel of love.  I love meeting with the members individually, however, whether Chi Khia, a woman with a young family who made roast chicken for us and put food into bowl for me or Ba Tu who made an awesome pair of pajamas for me (those pictures are still to come, but my computer is struggling at the moment) or Anh Vu who laughs at my Vietnamese, but knows exactly what I want to say.  These people are so amazing, loving and caring, they just forget it sometimes when they get in large groups.  But in the coming weeks Chi Pham and I will have the opportunity to share with them God's love for them individually and as a branch.  The more I ponder and learn about the atonement the more I realize, more people will be in the Celestial Kingdom then I ever realized.  We will all be there because Heavenly Father loves us so much.  There is so much to overcome in this life, and the Atonement is here simply to help us live life with a bit less sorrow.  I learned that yesterday.  Yes we need to use the Atonement to become what He wants us to be and yes we need to keep our covenants and the commandments, but sometimes we forget the simple message of the Atonement is that we are not alone and that we have someone to bear our sorrows and our burdens.  I testify that our Savior is the perfect redeemer he knows what we need when we need it and he is always there to lift us up and invite us back to live with our Father.
   I know my Heavenly Father loves me, that my Savior lives and that Jesus is the Christ.  May we all trust our Savior with our grudges, our burdens, our worries and our fears.  For when we can give those up, He has so much joy to share with us.
 May we all feel that joy is my hope and prayer,
Chi Dao
P.S Congratulations to Natalie, I am so proud of you and so very excited!
And Dad I'm glad you like the idea, now I have another wonderful thing to look forward to!

October, wow!

Dear Family,
  If any of what I write today seems to apply to you, it does.  Because I either intended it to or because the Spirit intends it to, do with that what you will. 
  First off though, Happy Birthday Natalie and Mom, I'm glad to hear the pumpkin cheese cake was good and I find myself wondering how well Cheesecake does traveling over an ocean :-).
  This week the Lord has taught me about trust.  First He has spent the last few weeks showing and kindly teaching me that when I feel like something is or should be a certain way, it should be that way.  I am learning that even if I don't really know about something or even if I don't have tangible proof, the Lord through His spirit can still and will confirm truth.  That is why pondering is so important, as we take the time to ponder and open our minds the Lord can show us truth and give us a sublime sense of peace.  I am learning how much I crave that peace.  Heavenly Father is so willing to give us that peace, but we have to put our worries, logic, frettings and freak outs aside before we can receive the peace only the Lord can give.  In a packet of letters Jennifer sent me before I left the MTC, I found a message that continues to speak to me daily.  The Spirit is always there to give comfort and guidance, but we must put all our fears and worries aside in order to allow the Spirit to give us comfort.  This last week I have felt like I needed to receive a blessing.  I didn't know why and I didn't know understand what good I would receive from it.  As I studied each morning and pondered I felt I already knew what the Lord would tell me.  But as I trusted the Lord and asked for that blessing, I did receive a beautiful gift.  No the heavens did not open and no angels appeared, and I can't even say that it was the most eloquent, but it held power.  As I sat in the middle of a circle of Melchezidek Priesthood holders I felt the powers of heaven, I felt protected.  The words that were said, had already been said and I already knew what I must do, but as that humble 19 year old spoke the words from my Heavenly Father I felt their power and I received a clarity of thought I didn't have before.  I realized the reason I felt so confused and overwhelmed is that somewhere in the last week I had tried to take all of Cambodia on shoulders that I knew were weak.  I knew I couldn't speak the language, I knew my body gets tired faster than I would like it too and I knew my temper is shorter than I want it to be.  But in that blessing Heavenly Father reminded me that He is always there, He knows the trials we will go through before we ever see them in the road.  He has promised me, and all of us in fact, the Holy Ghost the third member of the God as our constant, guide and protection, if we will seek for that help.  Somehow I had forgotten to ask for that help.  I was so focused on myself I had forgotten the tools the Lord had given me to succeed.
  Today in personal study as I read an article from July 2011 ( suggest you read it) called something like "Be of Good Cheer" the Lord reminded me how patient he is with all of us.  This life isn't for us to test the patience of God, He already has it.  This life is to help us develop our faith and our patience.  Heavenly Father does already know all that will come to us.  He knows we will struggle to follow his guidance, he knows that sometimes we will fight to have our way, even when we both know his way is the right way, the way to all happiness in this life and in eternity.  He knows if i focus on listening to the Spirit and to my companion when the Spirit speaks through her I will accomplish the work he has sent me here to do.  I testify that Heavenly Father is always patient with us.  He knows that sometimes we are afraid, He knows that sometimes we just feel like we want our way, just little bit.  But I know that when we finally say "here's my heart oh take seal it" Heavenly Father will seal it up to him for our eternal happiness.  Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ we are forgiven of everything and can accomplish anything, if we will ask for the enabling power of Christ.  Please ask for that power, I know I do everyday.  It is the only way I can preach the gospel or teach a lesson in Relief Society in a language I didn't know six months ago.  Perhaps in six months time I will write another email just like this one, and I'll wonder why I'm repeating myself.  But I already know why trusting the Lord is something we have to do everyday and learning to trust Him in every aspect of our lives is a life long process.  I'm thankful for the Lord's patience as we strive to become better.    I love you all so much.  The work moves forward here and what a joy to feel God's love and help in my life as I strive to help his children.  May we all receive renewed strength and joy because as Elder Holland said in "Laborer's of the Vineyard" the thing God loves most about being God is giving mercy to those who don't feel like they deserve it.  I love you and what is more God loves you.  Have a fabulous week :-)

Love Chi Dao

Please know I didn't say what I intended to say, but I learned a lot :-)

Durian anyone?

Dear Family,
   Well I finally did it, I ate durian!!!!!!!! So I have a video of it, but it won't load so you won't be able to see it for about a year, so wait patiently and don't let me forget about it. I admit the texture truly is disgusting and so is the smell, but once you go through the four steps of eating durian you don''t notice the smell anymore and it actually tastes pretty good.  I think you have to be part Asian to actually crave it, but I can eat it now with some pleasure.
   I wish I knew what to say this week, I keep praying that something I say might inspire someone, like myself to be a better person.  I was promised once that if I would bear my testimony as often as I could that testimony would sink deep into the hearts of the hearers.  I hope I always have the Spirit to use that gift as well as I can.  Being so far from home I realize how much value I have for those hearts and how much I love all of you.  When you serve a mission the Lord truly can and does multiple your love.  You love people you don't know and love the people you do know even more.  Now in a land so far away from the one I knew (and believe every time I go out on the street and see how big just Phnom Pehn is I am overwhelmed by how big this city is and how small the place I left was) I see how much love I have and have had my entire life.  I also come to see how much you need that love.  Here in a place where it seems the members don't love each other and where the rain definitely doesn't like you (the pictures this week were taken in an alley after a nasty rain storm).  I am learning you don't have to have love extended to you in order to love someone else.  For example we met a man on a street corner almost our first week here.  We visited him a couple times and found out he was actually Kmer, but he learned Vietnamese during the war.  After a couple visits he told us he was too busy and didn't want to come to church.  We kept trying to visit and when we found out he was in the hospital we called to check up on him.  He has no family and other than a friend on that street corner who told us he was sick I don't know that anyone really knew Chu Mot had a place in this world.  But when this last week we found out he had died last Sunday I realized what a part he had in my heart.  When his friend told us he had died my heart dropped a bit.  I felt bad that Chu Mot had no family to mourn his passing and that Chu Mot was not prepared to meet his maker.  As the sons of Mosiah my heart ached for him who didn't know enough to enter the next life.  I wished that we could have taught him more, that we could have shared the love of the Lord more in his life and that he could understand more about eternity and know that the Gospel is not just about going to church on Sunday, but that it is about preparing to meet God.  As we left I prayed that Heavenly Father could send to really amazing men and missionaries to his door on the other side of the veil.  That perhaps my grandfather's could visit him and remind him of the testimony of their grand daughter who met him on a street corner and shared her testimony of God's love in broken Vietnamese.
  I'm thankful for this work that the Lord has called me to.  Whether it be going contacting in a random street because I felt we needed to and only met one Vietnamese family who told us they were too busy.  But as I walked away I knew I had to go back, so I did.  I don't even remember what I said exactly and I'm sure my tones were horrible, but as I told them of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith's first Vision I felt in my heart what I shared was true.  I know Joseph Smith saw God the Father and our Savior Jesus Christ.  I know that Joseph Smith Restored the holy priesthood with the power to seal on earth and in Heaven.  I have been thinking a lot about temples and the ordinances of salvation we perform there.  When was the last time we went?  I know for me it has been two months and I miss it so much.  The temples which are built through sacrifice are sanctified by the Lord and we truly are endowed with power when we enter that house.  I would invite everyone (including myself, I'm already reading it in preparation of helping the members here prepare for the temple) to read the special Ensign about temples, the pictures are beautiful and I feel the power of the Lord's house just by looking at them.  We are all so blessed to have the Gospel in our lives.  To know that this life isn't the end and that as we keep our covenants we will live with our family for eternity.  I love you all so much my family and all of my brothers and sisters in God's family I look forward for the day when I will see us all in God's kingdom, may we live in such a way we are prepared and worthy to enter his presence is my humble desire, Sister Fabricius
Thank you all so much for your love.  I am thankful for the temple in my life and for the blessings that await me there so that I may spend eternity with those I love.

This appears to be a tiny banana

If you have to follow a food item with rice and spice, it isn't meant for the belly

Dear Family,
   I apologize from the get go for not having much to say today, it isn't that this week hasn't been full or busy, I am just so tired my brain isn't focusing on what I want it too.
   So first things first, I survived my first transfer...WWWOOOHHHHHHOOOOOO!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep and I loved.  I can't say I loved every minute of it, but I loved most of it and am learning to love the rest of it!  I am with Chi Pham for another six weeks so we can finish the rest of our 12 week in-field training and I am so thankful she is my trainer, she is so fabulous. Our district leader told us to expect to stay in branch 6 for a while because of all the people we are finding and helping (and I really hope we do, even with a struggling branch I love it here) but I have learned and continue to learn that my life goes so much smoother when I trust the Lord and I follow his plan for my life.
   Second things second, I can't believe it will be my half birthday on Thursday, I am so not old enough to be 21 and a half, but there you have it, no one asked me how old I should be.  Now if we based my age on how I act, which between you and Chi Pham it can be quite a riot sometimes, I most definitly be 21, but I won't dwell on that right now.
   Third thing third,  life is amazing, anyone who disagrees isn't paying attention to all the many blessings Heavenly Father gives to us daily.  The very fact we have air to breath tells us our Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to succeed.  I would encourage everyone to pull out your patriarchal blessings (and if you don't have one prepare to get one) and see the gifts and blessings God has promised you, then think about how you are using them.  I did that this morning and was amazed by all the things the Lord has given me and all the amazing things he has planned for me, if I will be obedient and strive to do his work.  Also make time to read "The Holy temple, a beacon to the World" from May 2011 conference.  It is such an amazing talks and tells us about the wonderful blessings God has for his children, it also reminds us we have not accomplished the purpose of the Church if we do not enter into God's holy house.
  Last thing last, I had my first baptism yesterday-which put to rest the fear I wouldn't have any baptisms in Cambodia-and as I watched Co Kim Ly enter the waters of baptism I was reminded how much she wasn't mine.  I did help perhaps by explaining Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden and the Fall and perhaps I helped her as I testified about Christ and our loving Heavenly Father's plan for us, but all along she came pre-prepared.  She had a desire to believe before we even started teaching her.  As I struggle with the language (which I'm incorporating more and more into my everyday, I even now know the word for finger nail and almost) and can't communicate with people I realize how special the lessons I teach are.  Lessons are the only place where I can communicate freely in another language and I am understood.  I am so thankful for the Spirit of the Lord, for His helping me as I try to do his work and for the enabling power of the Atonement.  this is His Gospel and it is true.  
   May the Lord bless you all, Chi Dao Fabricius
P.S I look forward to reading all the letters about priesthood I'll be receiving soon :-)

She told me they eat KFC for lunch just about everyday. I'm not sure if this is KFC, but the round container in the background has that familiar red ring around it.

I plan on asking her why there is a "Merry Christmas" sign hanging on their wall

Her first baptism! Chi Dao with her companion (Chi Pham) and the new member Co Kim Ly

HHHMMM Cambodia Hunh

Hello Family!
   I have actually made or attempted to make western food for the sisters in the apartment, let's just say taco salad doesn't work with out chips, cheese and salsa and we don't have sour cream so most of the other things don't work.  But I am adapting to cooking with the ingredients here, I make a mean sweet n sour chicken now and can make chicken noodles really well.  For my weekly mail update, sadly not much this week.  But I was grateful to get a letter from Krystal from last week (the fair and rodeo sounded like great fun) and from Amanda Siler, yes I remember who you are :-).  It is interesting hearing from home in real physical letters, sometimes I think this is all one big dream and I'm going to wake up and realized everything was just imagined in my own head, but then I receive a letter (which considering the letters that arrived for Chi Pham and Chi Hien took 3 months and 1 month respectively, wow, am I really that far away from home?) and I am reminded that my mind might be good at fiction, but not this good :-).
  I am truly coming to love it here in this country.  After getting over the initial shock you realize how beautiful the sunrises, the flowers, the rain-storms, the sun sets and everything in between is.  There has been many nights when I have come home simply saying thank you to my Heavenly Father for sending me to this country.  I love the people, even Anh Hoang who has disappeared on us and we can't seem to meet with him anymore.  But that is okay, Co Kim Ly is doing so well, I am so excited her baptism is this Sunday.  Her faith is amazing, she has received so many miracles since meeting with us and she knows right where they are coming from.  I love my companion, Chi Pham is eternally patient with me and she laughs at all my jokes, which is a wonderful blessing.  I have come to love a quote from Pres Monson in last conference:

I slept and dreamt

That life was joy

I awoke and saw

That life was duty

I acted and behold

Duty was joy.  Now don't think that everything is perfect, because my heart still aches over people we could help, but they won't let us or all the ants that still give me a bit of the willies or etc. etc, but with a grateful heart all of those things really do fade away.  Even on the hard days like Saturday morning when I had a bit of a break down about the language ( our district leader had called the night before telling Chi Pham she needed to help me with my Vietnamese.  I was devastated, yes I know I'm not perfect, yes I know my use of the language has so far to go, but Friday I felt like I was getting the hang of just opening my mouth and saying what I needed to say.  Also I was feeling discouraged about various other stuff, but the two of us talked it out and I felt I could cope with the day.  That night was District Conference for the Vietnamese branches, Elder Wong (of the Asia Area 70 I believe) came for the conference.  And as a very dear, wonderful friend of mine once said "Heavenly Father sent me a special delivery Alison Fabricius", and indeed Heavenly Father did.  Elder Wong took a moment and had all the missionaries stand, he told us we were individually called by an Apostle of the Lord and we were in Cambodia for a reason.  He told us we had already made the choice to be on the path to eternity and we should make no other choices which would divert us from that path.  Finally after we sat down he told his own conversion story and how even though he didn't understand what the missionary was saying he knew because of the Spirit that the message was true.  The Spirit came into my heart and I knew the Lord was speaking just to me in that moment "don't give up, don't get down, I know you, my daughter and I love you and you are doing just the work I have called you to do' that is the power of the Spirit, that is the power of asking for help.  In the New Mission President training seminar Pres. Eyring told mission presidents to teach their missionaries that the only sure source of true accolade comes from the Lord.  I know I am not a perfect missionary, I still have distractions or discouragements I am trying to overcome (we all have them), but as we strive to do the Lord's will and strive to become what he needs us to be, when we pray to him for direction or just the knowledge we are doing the right things, the Lord will always answer.  On Saturday Heavenly Father gave me new vigor for the work and helped me see the joy in the work.
   We are working with a family right now who is struggling to come back into full activity in the church.  The father has the Aaronic Priesthood as does the sons, but they don't see the power of that priesthood or the blessings that come from the Melchezidek priesthood.  We all have had blessings or helps from the priesthood, could some who feel so directed send me their testimony of the priesthood or some insight about the priesthood that they could share with me that I might understand it more fully and share with this family.  They are so precious to the Lord, as are we all, and Chi Pham and I are trying to find the best way to help them. 
   As I ponder of my adventure here I have sometimes wondered, how did I get here?  What strange twist of fate brought me here to a country where it rains A LOT, the families are starving, where they don't have an F in the alphabet and the church is so young ( apparently part of my calling is to help the branches here, I'm only 21) but the more I ponder the more I know what brought me here.  The Spirit directed me to go on a mission and so I put in my papers.  The Lord has a plan for us and has things that only we can do.  I hope that we can all follow that Spirit (and gain strength from it) so that when we come to a bend in the road we look back and know we made the right choice, in fact we will know, we couldn't have made any other choice.  The Lord loves us SO MUCH, he has so much for us to do and is delighted when we help Him in his work.  Know the Spirit will always guide us if we will ask and obey.
    I love you all so much and hope you are blessed beyond measure this week.  Love Sister Fabricius
P.S I apologize if any of you feel I harp or dwell on letters too much, even with being so busy and having a good work to do, all missionaries need a link to home and country, if any of you have a missionary out there (me or someone else) write them, and tell them you know they are doing good work.  I never realized how much missionaries love to hear from home. 
P.PS You can always write to my companion, she is pretty awesome! Sister Loan Pham, Cambodia Phnom Pehn          
                         I love you all!!!!!!!!
P.P.PS I forgot to mention Silent Sundays, well actually not so silent.  Now every Sunday Sis Pham and I can only speak in Vietnamese, I have already seen the blessings!