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:
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