Sept 28, 1998

                9/28/98

I sure was glad to get this!!!!  Laura our neighbor had collected our mail and then gone out of town.  The problem with that is the Merrills our other neighbors were collecting the mail and I did not know that Laura had collected the mail.  Needless to say we have a few mail problems.  I sure was glad to find out that we had gotten a letter from Clint.

2^nd problem with this letter is that we can talk with Clint’s companions family.  We must remember that this letter is Clint’s feelings and is not written to the Brookings. Please do not share Clint’s feelings with the Brookings.

Dear family of mine,

                Word.  Thanks for the good letters this week.  Thanks to all--- Sorry I do not have time to repley to all.

                Well it is official, the past few days I have been cruzing the city with Elder Brooking.  He and I share bunk beds.

                It is different now as a senior.  Elder Brooking is struggling with the language.  He actually knows quite a few words but struggles putting them into sentences.  He is quite laid back and quiet by nature, and therefore is content not to say much.  I have been trying to give him lots of opportunities.  Sometimes when the people ask me a question about Elder Brooking I smile back and say ask him.  Or if Elder Brooking is struggling putting a sentence together I will say English words in a Cambodian sentence structure to help him put it together.  We get along well.  Like I say he is quiet but has a great sense of humor.  We had some good laughs today.  He also puts down the food.  Usually with every meal he chases it with 2 to 3 PB and J sandwiches.

                We are committed to 3 baptisms for the month of Oct. As of right now we only have one scheduled, Snaa on the 11^th.  Our goal is to keep finding and teaching and to baptize two more. 

                Yesterday Sontee was baptized.  Sontee is President White’s weekend guard whoi lives in my area.  Elder McCormick and I taught him.  He was baptized yesterday by the Branch President.  Sontee was referred by his best friend and Branch 2 Mission leader Phalla, it did not take much to get him ready to be baptized. 

                I introded a man on the street this week as we were looking for someone else.  I was asking for directions and stuff and then told him about Jesus Christ.  He kind of turned me down, wanted directions to church and said if he had time he would go, as I explained how to find the church I had the thought to ask him one more time if we could meet with him, his wife and their 6 mo.  Old baby boy.  He agreed and we will meet on Wed. I followed the thought!

                It rained every day this past week.  I am getting a good system down for shoe rotation.  The streets filled up with water today, it was like riding through a river.

                DL duties are going good.  I haven’t interviewed yet but today I paid an electric bill, went shopping for some kitchen needs, and also had a locksmith come and fix the kitchen door.  Not to mention my new wad of keys. 

                We have 5 new Elders here in Cambodia.  One for each branch.  4 Khmae specking and 1 Vietnamese speaking.

                  I have only met 3.  I live with Elder Heywood’s new companion Elder Lowman from Utah.  I go to church with Elder Pruett from Richmond Virginia, and have met the new Viet Elder once but can’t remember his name.  I am kind of at the low end -or young - of the middle now.

                I really felt the Spirit Sunday as a new member and mother of a neat family told her conversion story in church.  After she asked in prayer if the Book of Mormon was true and if Joseph Smith was true she had a dream.  In the dream Christ was standing behind Elder Daniels and Elder Heng and told her that what the Elder’s ere saying was as if the prophets taught you.  It was awesome!!!!!

                I really look up to the examples of these older missionaries.  Elders Ruden, Fortin, and Fernandez.  They will be all gone when you get this.  Elder Toleman( Viet Elder)  and Elder Daniels who I live with are spending the last month of their mission with a district missionary rotation.  These 5 Elders just hosted a 2 day mini MTC for the District Missionaries. 

                Well I am out of time. 

                Love to all of you!!  Do good. Have a good week at school, work, etc.  Thanks again.

                Love your Son, Brother, Missionary, 

              Elder Rogers

Clint mission #38                                                                 10/5/98

Dear Family,

                Is it really October?

                Another Good week with Elder Brooking.  Also another busy P-day.  This letter may be somewhat short and a little sloppy as I am short on time.  It is hard to find time even for journal writing as I am either worried about the next days plan or taking care of house stuff like locking doors, talking to the guard, or stuff.  Today I tried hard to get all my house stuff and employees taken care of so that I don’t have to worry about anything Tues.- Sun.  I like talking with them and taking care of these things it is just time.

                Pres. called us in for a quick l hour meeting on Saturday.  We went over the document about “Converts at Friend, calling, Nourishment with the Word”, talked about the roles of us as Elders, the Branch Presidency, and District Missionaries.  We are trying to keep good retention of our converts.  Also talked about having us as Elders only meet once a week with new members, and have the District Missionaries visit 1 or 2 more times.  Saves us time and increased fellowship.

                Elder Brooking and I had a good time and good success showing the seminary video about the life of Christ called: “To this end was I born”.  It is the one we saw in San Diego as a family.  We invited active members to come to our house and watch the video with their non member friends.  It resulted in a younger brother of a member wanting to study about Jesus Christ, another non member agreed and came to church yesterday, and the Mom and Dad of an active member who were not members now know more about the church.  The video is in English.  There is more music and pictures than talk.  Also we use the Khmae Bible to help us translate what they say.  It is powerful!  I especially like it when Christ enters the spirit world and the scene ends with someone giving Christ a hug.  They learn about the life of Christ plus feel the Spirit.  I think I get just as much out of it as the investigator.  I especially like bearing testimony at the end, I especially help them try to remember the feelings they had as they see Christ enter the Spirit World with triumph after fulfilling his mission.  Can’t help but not be touched.  It strengthened my testimony.  I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and loves each of us.

                I want you all to know I love you.  Have a great week!

                Love your Son, Brother, Missionary ,

                Clint

Lisha and Bood- sorry I didn’t get you a return letter,  Thanks again for the goood letters!!!!! 

Sept 21 1998

Clint mission #36

                                                                                                                9/21/98

Dear Family,

                Clint starts the letter with a small paragraph in Khmae-but since I don’t have Khmae script I can’t pass that on.

                The highlight of the week was another great zone conference.  The theme was Alma 29:9-10 Remember what the Lord has done.  Our house, ( Elders McCormick, Heywood, Hoare, and I ) presented the spiritual thought.  We gave a brief overview of some of the major events from the start of the work in this country and then showed the testimony of a member from the Vietnamese branch and one from a Khmae branch that we taped on video the P-day before.  It was a hit. 

                Sister White gave a great talk about the importance of giving thanks to the Lord.  It went right with the theme, and she told a neat story about a dream Joseph Smith had after sending out some Elders to serve.  He saw them huddled around a campfire cold, tired, and miserable.  He saw Christ standing above them to help.  They wouldn’t look up or pray or give thanks for what they had.  Joseph cried.  Christ cried.  The next morning Joseph sent a letter for them to give thanks.

                Elder McCormick and I put this to work that very evening as we were out visiting an inactive in Steng Mean Chey, a ways out.  Close to six and we were cruzing down the road and Elder McCormick blew a tire.  There was no cyclos around and so we just had to start walking pushing the bike.  “ Im so grateful for that good inactive visit we just had, “ We both remembered Sister White’s lesson and tried to stay positive.  We soon found a cyclo, got home, and fixed the tire the next morning. 

                Also we wrote down on paper a compliment about each Elder and turned it into President.  We received a typed sheet of compliments that others had said about us but we didn’t know who wrote them.  It was really nice and went with how important it was to thank others and help them feel good.  I stuck my sheet in my journal. 

                New Elders will be here Thursday and I will be with Elder Brooking starting Thursday the 24^th.  Also President announced that he had sent a letter to the Area Presidency requesting the number of missionaries in our mission to be increased to 50.  It was approved.  We will be increasing our numbers and efforts here.  It is exciting but also selfishly I like the smallness of the mission.  The work is going forth in Cambodia.

                Another special moment was the departing testimonies of Elders Fernandez, Fortin, and Ruden.  It is quite a thing to see them stand up and bare their final testimony at their last zone conference.  I sit there and see my heroes, see what I hope to become, as I see their strength, confidence, and success.  The spirit was strong as we met together in Zone Conference.  We had good lessons on obedience and on use of District Missionaries.  I watched Elder Fernandez accomplish a goal.  He accompanied on the piano four elders while they sang a musical number.  He worked hard to get his song ready.  We also had a great lunch afterwards.

                Here in the Kampuchea Krom area we are working hard.  Sontee is the weekend guard for President White and lives in our area.  He has been studying with us and will be baptized on the 27^th.  We have been struggling to find people to teach.  We have  found two neat families that came from a member referral.  Raat and his wife Koontia have 2 young kids ages nine and 5 both girls, also Koontia’s mom and Raat’s older sister live together.  They all live together in a one room house.  It is slow as they are not educated, Raat reads, the rest listen.  Koontia wants to try and read the picture B of M reader.  It takes patience and faith to help nudge this family along.  However they showed us they are for real as Raat and Koontia came for sacrament meeting yesterday.  It was a surprise for Elder McCormick and I and we were happy to see them there.

                Only 30 people at church yesterday and that includes 6 missionaries.  It was a holiday like our memorial day.  It is a day for meeting family which is great, gut also it is a day to go to the Buddhist temples and worship and bring food and gifts to their deceased ancestors.

                Late Sunday evening, we met with another family that has been  referred to us. (Member referrals is where its at.) The man is a writer for a French newspaper here in Cambodia, his name is Saarun.  We taught him and his wife, his daughter, and his sister the first discussion about Joseph Smith and how to pray.  Saarun said the closing prayer and we had a great discussion we meet again next Sunday to introduce the B of M.  I am exciting for this family.

                Update Elder Hoare was sick of getting his mountain bike fixed and gained a testimony of the beauty of the Japanese Red Rider.  He sold his bike and bought a Japanese Red Rider today.  That brings a total of 4 Red Riders in the mission fleet.  I’m thinking of a team picture next Zone Conference.

                President gave us a copy of the transcript from the Larry King Live Show with President Hinckley.  WOW!! King Benjamin had to build a tower…..President Hinckley goes on Larry King Live.  President Hinckley is a Prophet of God.  I especially liked how he quoted scriptures in his answers.  There is great power in quoting from the scriptures.  I remember when I went out on a split for a day with Elder Daniels, a great elder a month going home, how often the things he would say would come right from the discussions and his memorization.

                I am so grateful to be a missionary and to be over here having so many experiences and working to spread the gospel amongst these brothers and sisters of ours.  I am so grateful for you and my good parents and family.  I love you all very much.  Good Luck in school, work, and other projects.

                Love your Son, Brother, & Missionary,

                                                Elder Rogers

Jon,

                Thanks for the letter bud.  The new pool sounds fun and nice.  It will be neat to see how things have changed and what new stuff is in St. George, when I come back.  How is recess at East Elementary?  Man we played some serious ball there on the hoopes by the bike rack.  Has flag-football started yet?  I remember watching you and A.J. as I was getting ready to leave last year.  Does that seem like a year ago?  What kinds of things are you learning in school?  I bought some cheese this past week and has some cheese-on-bread sandwiches.  Good Stuff!  Have a good week.  Love your best bud!

                Clint

Word to the DMS Eagles of the family.  How is Mrs. Loe’s P.E. class?  Watch out, those tests are hard.  Hope things are going well and you are liking Junior High.

Mom & Dad,

                I sure love you, thanks for your good letters and notes from Education Week.  I felt a bit of a sore throat coming on, put myself on antibiotic for 10 days, and as good to go.  Thanks for helping me be prepared.  I have everything I need and can concentrate on the work.  Keep up the good work.  Have a good week!!

Sept 14th 1998

9/14/98

Dear Family,

                Word from Cambodia,  How is everyone? 

                I remember walking in home from the first few hours of Freshman Orientation a year ago this week and seeing that white envelope on the counter.  A little later reading the words Phnom Penh Cambodia mission.  Seems like yesterday.  Yet seems like forever ago. What a blessing to be a missionary here in Phnom Penh Cambodia.  I love it.  I also love each of you. 

                I had my interview with President White this morning.  My big goal was my language.  I really have worked hard on it.  Elder Fernandez also really helped.  Every time he talked I grabbed the pen and word book.  I had set a goal for 150 new words.  I was happy to report 200 +.  We also talked about the work in the area.  Set some new goals for the coming month.  Also I asked him how to go about working with another member who is very active in another Christian Church.  Your “name” of Christ talk also helped with this Dad.  He still believes in our Church too he says.  We need to help him understand about Priesthood Authority, Covenants, and that our church is different. 

                President also told me about my new responsibilities.  As of the 24^th when the new Elders get here, I will be Senior Companion of the St. George Companionship.  Elder Brooking and I will work together in this Kumpuchea Krom Area.  In Addition I will be the District leader of House 17.  Some of the duties of the D.L. are managing the finances and employees of the House, Responsibility for Elders in the house, prepare district development meetings and give a lesson each Tuesday night, gathering results and receiving and passing inf. up and down the chain of command. The most scary responsibility is interviewing the candidates for baptism in the district.  I knew about becoming a Senior Companion but the DL responsibilities came as a real shock.

                The biggest struggle in our area right now is finding new people to teach after the group of people Elder McCormick and Folsom just baptized in the area.  It has been a struggle.  Right now we are teaching a poor family.  Raat his wife Kontea, Kontea’s Mom and Raat’s sister.  Raat also has two daughters.  They live in a one room house about the size of the dinning room.  They sell a dessert made of rice mixed with molasses or something rolled up in balls.  It looks like a Chocolate rice krispies treat.  They are so unconfident about themselves.  Raat is the only one who know how to read.  The woman listen to him read the scriptures.  We spent most of a week just teaching them to pray. 

Sept 7, 1998

Clint Mission #34                                                                9/7/98

Notes from a letter to Lisha:

A mission is the best thing.  It has helped me so much and I am just starting.  Just like Elder Wells said in one of his letters the first part of the mission the missionary gains strength, help and testimony.  Then later can really help the people.  It has helped me to want to be strong in the gospel for the rest of my life.  I also want to help the people here!

My mission President told me in one of my interviews to try and pray with the intensity of a crisis situation each time we pray. Which means really try hard to have good prayers. I have tried to do this and also try to pray in my heart like it says in Alma 34:27.

                Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.

Also when we pray we should use 3 Nephi 18:20 and also remember that it has to be according to the will of the Father.

             And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given you.

                Elder Brooking gave me this quote:

                No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted.  It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility.  All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God and it is through sorrow and suffering toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in Heaven.   ( Orson F. Whitney)

Dear Family,

                I live at House 17 near Olympic Stadium of Nehru Road, with Elders Heywood, Hoare, and McCormick.  Elder McCormick and I attend the 2^nd Branch at House 30 in the North part of the city.  On your map there is a big radio tower at the North East Corner of the city.  The church ( house 30) is near that tower.  The Johnson’s live at house 30.  Brother Johnson is the District President and oversees the cannery.  Sister Johnson does Genealogy.  My area is the Kampuchea Krom Area.

                There are 7 Elders coming in on the 24^th.  2 Viet. And 5 Khmae.  With that huge load President White asked the 3 Elders who didn’t have parents coming to go home early ( however it was a choice) so the church didn’t have to rent another home for a month.  Elder Fernandez returns to Seattle Washington, excited to go home to 2 younger brothers and a father after his Mom died 8 or 9 months ago.  He wants to help his family join the church.  Elder Raden to Oregon will now see his little brother for a few weeks before he leaves on a mission.  Elder Fartin returns to Canada.  I’ll try to get Elder Fernandez’s E-mail Address.

                I will not have one of the newest Elders, but will have a new companion later this month. 

                Our maid’s name is Vanee, she had to work extra hard today—she took Saturday off.  She is a little slower paced compared to super maid 2000 at 43233.  However still very good to us. She has a great fruit tray prepared every night. 

                Chanee sewed a patch on my shirt and you can barely see the rip now.  Everything is on the inside.  I have a little scare of thread on the outside.

 

                My first real full week in my new area.  We have a bunch of new members and inactives to keep us busy, but shy on new people to teach.  We had an awesome first discussion with a family earlier in the week and then heard later through the person that referred them that they no longer wanted to study.  That was disappointing, but we aren’t going to let them slip away that easy. 

                Yesterday at church we baptized an awesome young man Sovannaa, 17.  I helped teach him from about half way through the 4^th discussion through the 6^th.  He really knew his stuff and was excited to be baptized.  He has a best friend in the branch named Raet who referred him.  They came with us today to play basketball.  It was the first time I’ve played ball since tearing it up with Elder Hoare in the MTC.  Elders Daniels, Heng, McCormick and I plus Sovannaa and Reet.  The court was not very nice but it was fun!  Also we broke a pretty good sweat. 

                This week I met a lot of new people and am learning my way around the area.  It is still hard as it is city and so flat.  There is a shortage of landmarks to keep me oriented, but I almost got it. 

                It still rains here for 3 or 4 days in a row and rest for a day or 2 and then again.  Most rain comes in the late afternoon or night.  It is usually not too wet  we just have muddy feet.  There are also a lot of puddles.  However yesterday , Sunday Night, we got caught in a downpour.  We were about 15 mins from home and it was 20 mins before six ( curfew).  We had to go.  It was pouring and had been for about 45 min.  The roads were rivers and every now and then you would drop into a pot hole and be pedaling through 3 ft of water.  About 2 and ½ blocks from home I blew a tire.  I just walked my bike home the rest of the way as it was Sunday and almost 6:00 p.m.  I pulled my bike into the garage at 5:59:30, soaked. 

                This week the major thing has been the big battle we are seeing between good and evil here.  The hardest part is the hate, poverty, and problems that we see.  There is a hate between the Khmae and Vietnamese.  Even our own members are caught up in the hating of Viets and blaming them for problems.  This is hard to see, and even harder to change something that has been a part of these people’s culture and history.  I wonder Dad if you found similar things in Germany, a country that has suffered from war.  We are urging and encouraging  our members to be examples of good and Christlike love, In their families and with their neighbors.  Each day we try to go out and do the same, smile, talk with people, show that we care, and invite them to learn more about Jesus Christ.  I’ve seen the gospel change people and also change their lifestyle.

                We have some more member referrals to meet for the first time tomorrow.  Elder McCormick and I also try to speak Khmae as much as possible.  Today at Lucky’s a lady got mad at us and told us not to speak Khmae if we couldn’t speak it clearly.  ( All righty then.)

                I hope things are good for everyone at work and school.  I love you all and think of you.  I sometimes talk with you and want to show you things in my head as I am out and about.  It is still kind of like a big dream still sometimes.  It is awesome, especially when teaching and procelyting is successful.  I haven’t received any mail yet this week so I am going to answer Mom and Lisha quick. 

                I love you all.  Good luck and do good.  Smile and help others!

                Love your Son, Brother and Missionary.

Journal Entry 8/17/98

                At the first of the month we were told to leave this day open on our planners.  They ( AP’s and President) have kept it a secret too.  We knew that we were going on a mission activity of sorts but we didn’t know if we were going to do a service activity or what.  We wore P-day clothes and rented a tour bus with AC.   We drove for about an hour North out of Phnom Penh, to a place called Oudong- ( U Don) I did not hear to much about the history other than the area was an older capital city to Cambodia.  ( like Filmore is to Utah ) Also heard that Pol Pot and the Khmae Rouge hung out there.  It is two small hills that stick up out of the flat landscape.  They are very wooded like jungle and have many old Buddahist temples and things.  Not to mention the great view from the top.  I enjoyed looking out the window of the bus, as we drove north along Sap River, at the people and the scenery. 

                Oudong is two hills that stick up out of the flat Cambodia rice field and palm tree landscape.  On top of these hills is several old Buddhist sites and temples, and Cambodians selling pop to hot sweaty tourist.  The most impressive was a big What ( temple) that used to be big and nice and had a huge Buddha statue.  The Wat was hit by a bomb in 1979.  The columns that once held the roof still stand also the outer walls and part of the big Buddha.  There were several other small Wats and small religious tower on the mountains.  We looked at all of these and also talked with a few of the people there.  I would have been cool and more educational had there been a tour guide or monk or someone to go with us and explain what we saw.  On the far hill they were building a brand new What. On this construction site we met an old English student who was working there, coincidence to meet him there.  After about 2 hours of hill climbing and picture taking we had sandwiches, chips, carrot slices, an apple, cookies, kit kat on the bus.  We are very spoiled  and do not have it too rough, here in Cambodia.  We are so blessed and enjoyed so many things compared to the people around us here in Cambodia.  Also from the trip we saw how much in terms of area and people here in this country have yet been reached by the gospel.

                After Oudong we went up the road a little farther to a Wat recently built by Hun Sen near the site of an old palace of Cambodian past.  The old palace was just a hole in the ground, again with no tour guide, or sign, or anybody who had studied enough to tell us.  Most of the people do not know much about the history.  Those who sold us pops and worked and lived in the area theses areas just as clueless as us.  The best part here was we were let into the Wat and allowed to take pictures.  It is a big room with a Buddha statute at one end and lots of paintings on the wall that tell stories.  For us the most interesting is the paintings of Buddha with marks on the palms of his hands and on his feet.  Buddha taught these marks were the marks of a God.  One who would come later and be greater than Buddha.  We talked about Buddha was as prophet who taught laws that are very close to the commandments and said, “Do not worship me later another greater will come.”

                After this a slight stop to look for the house of a silver smith but really just caused a big commotion in a neighborhood as all these white people.

                Back in Phnom Penh, President White treated us to dinner at the Wagon Wheel Restaurant.  The day was very fun, although it felt kind of weird not to be prosyleting.  Just not the same feeling.  The best part of the trip was the opportunity to spend time with each of the missionaries, the couples, and our dear President and his wife as a mission family.