Hello Hello Hello!
Sister Mcillece and I are doing well! We are working together to build unity in the church and in setting goals for the four focused key indicators for this transfer! We are really excited for this transfer and for the goals we've set. I am really happy to have her as my last companion :). I believe we really do compliment each other. Sister McIllece is an amazing and hard working missionary. We are learning more and more in being patient with certain things that are out of her control. She is an angel. Also, we recently picked up the new missionaries from the MTC at the Phnom Penh Airport last week. Man, they are glowing! We are really excited to help them adjust to the mission culture here in Cambodia and to assist and serve them with the training they need!
Recently, we are really impressed with the Steung Meanchey ward council meeting ( in Ward 1). Almost all of the leaders, representing their classes were there, with the Bishop leading the meeting. There were all participating and hah biting for the goals for this year in building up the ward. They were also offering insights to make the goals as realistic as possible, but optimistically enough to be reached. I believe the numbers in representing those priceless souls will elevate their faith and as well as their work ethics. They went on to continue to set goals of how many of members they hope to attain in each class and have totaled them up for the attendance of sacrament meeting. They followed up with visiting teaching and made sure that it becomes a regular activity for the ward members. They were thorough in discussing ways they could reach the goals. We so love the spirit of unity in the room. We also joined in another ward council meeting, except this one was specifically for the youths of the church. The leader of the meeting set up the visiting/home teaching for the young women and young men. The execution of the meeting was done well. They had the young woman and young men that represent the 3 wards of Steung Meanchey meet up together and break up into teams for the visiting teachings/home teachings on Sunday morning before their service in the afternoon. They used the CBR book as a resource for help. The leader of the meeting followed up the next Sunday ward council meeting on each of the visiting teacher's report and what they could do to continually build the relationship with the youths and LA families they visited. They were also asked to share what they had learn from the experience that personally built their faith and the miracles that came from their service. One young man shared that he inspired a LA active youth to have hope in preparing for his own mission and how the experience gave him, the ministerer, the lens into the missionary work. One also shared how the people he planned to visit fell through, but how he had pushed on to find those who needs him more that day. I have hope in the future local missionaries here and to see them as the firm link in the chain of building up the Lord's Kingdom in a land where the church is still very new here. Also the RC class in ward 1 was incredible! We got around a total number of almost 20 investigators in the room. We could barely fit in the chairs! The lord has been blessing both missionaries and ward members in Stueng Meanchey. One of our investigators even had a miracle during the sacrament meeting. She had lost her valued earring on her left ear and tried so hard to find them. She hastily ran back and forth to search for them. She had put her trust in the Lord that whatever happens, it would be up to His Will. During the sacramental service, she told us she had prayed so hard and heard her son's voice saying "Mom, your earring is attached to one of your shoes after closing her prayer and partaking of the sacrament! She was so happy and blessed to have experienced that! The ward members were so excited and supported her miraculous experience! I am really grateful for the ward members here in Steung Meanchey and for the further growth and learning curves they will value.
For ward 3, we worked together with the Bishop in ways we could bring more unity and inclusion back to the ward. We had asked all of the members to come to the ward to bring their own foods to the potluck and to eat and enjoy the food together each 2nd second Sunday of the month. It touched my heart to see how they were all sitting together, laughing, and enjoying the warmth comfort of love and charity. Ward 3 is still needing some more help in making sure people are receiving their callings and magnifying them. What we are struggling with is being patient with investigators facing different circumstances. The ward faces a lot of illnesses and struggles with financial stability. Sister McIllece and I are learning to be more understanding and learning to minister to those of diverse hardships/ trials/ circumstances, especially those destitute souls in trash mountain. I am amazed with the humble souls who are seeking to preach and at the same time, repenting to be become what the Lord shapes them to be. Missionary work truly is changing people's lives for the better. I can testify that it has brought so much light in my life.
With love and gratitude,
Sister Sok
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