Letters from Cambodia Letter # 15 April 27, 1998
Well, how is everyone doing? I just read my mail and it sounds like ten days ago things were well. I’m glad that you enjoyed Easter Conference and had some good family time. The pictures from the fishing trip at Powell were fun to see. Quality time with Dad, enjoy it! Thanks for the Conference Report printouts, that’s the first we have heard of Conference besides the Church News.
Lisha and Erika, I mean Bood funk a rama, thanks for the letters. I wish I could write you a good letter each week, but I just can’t. However this is what I have to say. Life for you two is good right now. I hear about dates and driving cars. I’m so happy for you and the blessings that our family enjoys. I too remember those high school days of packing the most fun and adventure in as possible. Enjoy it but make sure you have a testimony.
How do you get a testimony? I know we all have a testimony, we have been taught well. I’m talking about the kind of testimony or belief or inner guide that will help you through all the hard times in your life. Let me see if I can use this week for an example.
We have two people committed to baptism, Bunrith ( approx. date may 10) and SophanaRith also approximate date May 10. Also this week Luu Thom committed to be baptized , ( approximate date May 24). They were all committed during the second discussion and we continue to teach them. They struggle with the commitments of reading the Book of Mormon , daily prayer, going to Church, and all the things necessary to develop a testimony and gain membership. Yet they enjoy learning and the feeling they have as we visit.
I especially learn a lot as I help teach Bunrith. He has many questions and does not want to wait as we say well we can answer that but why not wait for the 4th discussion so we can answer it correctly, etc. Yet in my heart there is an answer for everyone, and he is so worried about trying to learn the message he won’t pray and ask, and is having a hard time understanding that you can know it’s true without knowing everything. With my language skills it is very hard to say the complete answer. I understand much more that I can say, and can speak the best about religion. I sit listening to Bunrith talk about his concerns and understand yet just wish I could speak completely to help him understand.
The other day in the discussion I told him you have to have faith. “It’s hard, it’s hard for me just to believe everything”, Bunrith said something like this. I especially remember the words in Cambodian for “it’s hard”. I said your exactly right, it is hard, then I told him that I don’t even remember a point where boom, I had a testimony but I know that when I read the Book of Mormon, keep the commandments, pray, and do the little things it is a feeling that follows that helps me know that it is right and adds a little piece to my testimony. It is very hard to motivate someone to take these little steps and to do it for the right reasons and understandingly. And such a great feeling to have the Spirit there and see someone get excited about the Gospel. The ups and downs of missionary work, as you say Mom.
Okay so back to Lisha and the Bood, Vern, T, or Nick, any of you who are listening or reading about testimonies. Just do those little things, go to seminary and church, obey parents and have a good relationship with them. Then have a scheduled amount of time each day morning or night or both everyday where you read in the Book of Mormon or other scriptures or New Era or something that will help you remember “the Plan” and strengthen you for the difficult High School times. I promise as you do this that you will have a testimony, each time in your selected study you have an opportunity to feel the Spirit, and you will have that inner testimony to help you through the mission, college, temple marriage, etc. I love you all very much. I hope you don’t just say oh he sounds like a parent and turn off. Hey it’s me your bud, the same kid that played back with you, listened to tunes, and played with you at the Lake. Have fun, work hard, smile and take 10-30 minutes each day to help you remember.
Bood if you get to a place in the Book of Mormon that is hard to read or not the most interesting, skip it, and go ahead a few pages. Also, have you still got the study chair in ---the--- room, this will help a lot. ( The word ---the--- is used to avoid a debate in ownership.) And the only advice I have on the Junior Year Student Council thing: If you have any plans for Senior Year Leadership don’t take on huge responsibilities your Junior Year that will burn you out.
Lisha sounds like you’re working it with the dating thing, awesome.! How is the Senior Year? Pretty much done by the time you get this. Now watch as everyone starts to decide what they want out of life. What is it that you want?
It has been hotter than Toby here the past couple of weeks! Even the Cambodians are sweating and saying it is hot.
Wednesday the 22nd was one of the most special days of my mission so far. Every appointment was great and we had the Spirit there, for every appointment. It started with SophanaRith as we went through 2 Nephi 31 about baptism: entering “the gate” and following the example of Christ. I had both my Cambodian Book of Mormon and English opened up, as we read down through the chapter stopping to discuss the verses. It just jumped off the page and I saw a neat thing how we receive truth. I pulled out my flip chart, that shows the method which God uses to reveal truth and compared it to verses 11-13: Commandment of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ follows and bears Testimony, Nephi is shown all this (verse 17) and bears Testimony to us, and finally we receive the Holy Ghost if we follow. It just jumped off the page at me.
Elder Heywood and I had an awesome experience with the Priest hood this week, on that same Wednesday. We met a guy one day as my bag fell off my bike rack and was hanging by a bungee cord. I stopped and was fixing it and this guy came out from his house. He said he had seen us drive by before and wanted to know what we are up to. So we scheduled to come back, we met on Wed 22nd. We went next door and met with his brothers family. Close to 10 people were there. They were very nice, they gave us coconuts to drink, and we started the first discussion. The Brother is a doctor and there was a Mother and her son ( approx. 20 years old ) the son was sick. They had come to Phnom Penh to get good medical help. The Son was sick and was laying there pretty miserable. Coughing. Also they said he would cough up blood. TB? As we were leaving the Mom asked if there was anything we could do, and actually said can you bless him? I anointed in English and Elder Heywood gave the blessing in Cambodian. I really felt the Spirit as I laid my hands on his head and did the anointing. Elder Heywood had similar feelings and told him in the blessing that he would be healed. Friday we saw Cung Rit again, walking around with a smile. He looks like a different person. “Do you recognize who that is?”, I said to Elder Heywood. They are very grateful, the Mom and the Son, and also everyone that was there saw us bless him and how he has gained much strength. We are still meeting with them. However there is another problem. The Mom and the Son have spent all of their money and have no way to get back to the countryside to rejoin their family. Which also means all we can do for them Church wise is give a Book of Mormon and say well, look for us outside of Phnom Penh in a few years. However we have a few ideas to help them raise money without just giving it to them. The family of the Doctor also sells coconuts and if he will give us some coconuts we will go sell them to some members in the area and help them home.
So much happens each day. It is difficult to stay awake sometimes during my nightly prayers, I am so exhausted. It is difficult hard work and kind of reminds me of the construction days as I come home dirty and sweaty, probably stink a bit too. However when we are teaching the Gospel and they are excited, I get excited and we feel the Spirit and it is all worth it.
I appreciate all of your good letters. I even got a letter from Montrue this week. Awesome lady! Also good to hear that Sugar ( the neighbor’s dog) made it back from the pound and also that Perot ( our dog ) is well.
Thanks Mom and Dad for your letters and support. Lisha and Bood thanks for the write. Jon word up thanks for your letter. Ang Hi. Annie Word. I enjoyed the Snow Family letter. Thanks Grandma Hafen. I also enjoy Grandma Talbot’s letters each week. I eat a lot of bananas here, and it reminds me of Grandpa and eating bananas with him.
Mom I hope some of your questions were answered in my big stack of mail last week. I ride my bike everyday and enjoy the exercise. Also after rice and stir fry each night this week I have made a fruit shake out of Thai yogurt and mangos and bananas, and the main ingredient is ice. Just like Zuka. Kind of.
Church is just a house with folding chairs. However yesterday 104 in attendance so we pack them in but could squeeze in more. If you have more questions write them down for the upcoming phone call. I look forward to it and remembered about your trip. Harry I took care of it.
I love you all very much. I love you Mom and Dad. Dad the section on 2 Nephi 31 was especially for you also I really like reading about when Alma asked the Lord what to do about those who had sinned in the Church. Mosiah 26. Fun to hear about yours and Mom’s missionary experiences.
Love ya, your Son, Brother and Missionary , Elder J Clinton Rogers
Dad if you want to set a service trip or mini mission in 2 yrs this is who you talk to: Gary Flake SLC In charge of things like this for the Church: Work 240-1417, Home 292-8787.