Letters from Cambodia-#13 4/13/98
Remember—When you use pouch mail you can only send an envelope. It can only cost 32 cents. It can not be thick or contain any money or stamps. Clint does have a PO box, but it is real expensive. It cost about $14.00 a pound. Clint’s PO box is
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder J. Clinton Rogers
PO Box 165
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Dear Family,
Man the pouch gets slower every week.
Khmae New Year is like Christmas, it is a 3 day party I guess. The big thing to do is leave the city of Phnom Penh and go visit family out in the country. Many people have left town, Sunday as we went headed down to the South part of our area there was a big traffic jam of people leaving town. Also nobody wants to meet with us and if they do, they want us to come party with them se we will see what happens and how productive Tue- Thurs is.
Today I went bowling with 8 other Elders. It was fun. I put my game face on and bowled a 156. I also bowled in Doc Martin’s because they did not have any bowling shoes big enough. Like I say it was fun because already I’m bad. All the Elders, yet it was weird to be bowling as a missionary. And probably the weirdest thing was to be inside an air conditioned American type building bowling, when there are small houses and poverty outside. Phnom Penh is very weird that way. On the same block are shacks and campfires, and a house with a fence, guard, and BMW or Mercedes, or probably more common a decked out Land Crusier. I have kind of the same feeling with our set up. Comfortable house, clean food, AC , running water, compared to the people I see and talk too. I see lots everyday that makes me thankful for my blessings. I’m still not use to it, the Elders who have been here awhile are used to it. They don’t look around and notice things like I do. It’s kind of like that day in Tiajuanna, as we saw things and people very different from St. George, UT.
Well let me tell you about my week. The highlight for me this week has been 2 things. A) Elder Haywood and I completed our conversion retention activation (CRA) goals for our area. The hardest part of these goals is to get the required visits with active and inactive members. We did some better planning, had back up plans and got it all done. It is extra hard when we have very few actives and inactives in the area. B) We have been meeting and working with Bunrith, the man with many concerns. I have learned so much as we have gone through the second discussion and answered his concerns. He has studied much about religion, and has a busy job but one day had this wreck on the mo-ped. Well, during his recovery time he hasn’t been working and we met him one day at home. Each meeting we work hard in order to help him understand what we know to be true compared to all that he has studied. Sunday morning we finished up the 2nd and he committed to be baptized on May 10th. Four more discussions need to be completed, more concerns, and he will soon return to work. It will be difficult to help him work for this date. However the turning point came as together we read Alma 32. We talked about all that he had studied and then compared what we had talked to him about to the seed. How he first wanted to believe or believed a little bit. He really got excited as it talked about how the seed would grow if it were good and true. He said this is me as he had felt his desire and belief grow during the times we had met. It was also exciting for me as I could see where Bunrith was at in the chapter and the growth of his seed or the beginning of his testimony. Then I could see where I was at and the growth that my testimony has had in the last little while. It was a neat experiences. These can be good and not so good.
Luu Thom and Sophananrit are still coming along however we won’t meet with them until after the New Year. We continue to see good results in our area as we pray hard, be obedient, and get out and pedal the bike.
A quick story about bike riding, there is lots of smoke and dust in the air from the dirt roads, smoky trucks, cooking fires and burning trash. President has asked us to wear Doctor masks that cover our nose and mouth as we ride. So Dad, next time you wear one in surgery, I’m over in Phnom Penh wearing mine. “I’m off to surgery…..” We will see what kind of affect it has on my career choice.
I’m healthy, and doing well. As I stick to my schedule and work hard the time just zooms by. I like the saying “You gain a testimony quicker on your feet than on your knees.” There is not much time for anything else than proselyting, B. of Mormon, and language study ( I have the first memorized). It is very important to pray, and study the scriptures and things, and go out and work hard and try to put your prayers and study into reality. Hopefully you understand what I’m trying to share.
Well, I’m out of time again. I hope everyone is doing well. I’m sorry I don’t have time to write you all. I can give a full report or I can write a handful of short letters that I don’t think are as good. Know that I love each of you very much and thank you for your love and support and for your prayers. I really appreciate it and I know that Heavenly Father answers our sincere prayers. I remember you in my prayers. Next week I will try to have pictures and a few journal entries.
Love Your Son, Brother, Missionary,
Elder J. Clinton Rogers
P.S. I am working my way through Mosiah on my scripture reading. There is a lot of good stuff about Christ, and King Benjamin makes a cool “ If ye do + you will have statement in verse 11 and 12 or Chapter 4.
Love ya, Clint.