Cambodia Phnom Penh Mission

My Testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

"She waited for me" 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Words can't even fully express how grateful I am to have your support. The strength from the support has helped me through the experiences of the mission.The mission truly is a life-changing journey. At first, I did not think that I could make it through, but through the strength of the Lord, I was able to see His hands embracing me every step of the way.  The last week of my mission, especially has been very special. I was able to share the Gospel in places where it has not been voiced before and to people who may have never heard or known of Jesus Christ. I was able to travel miles to see people of my blood and to tell them that I love them, that God loves them. The lord gave me the opportunity to see my family and to share of the Gospel beyond the veil, to do family history work. I was able to meet with my birth dad, who I have net met in years. I was able to see family members who I have never met before. One of the most special experiences was visiting both of my grandmas. 

I remember an experience of getting out of the car into the pure jungle and how nature was calling me deeper into the land of my forefathers. Before even leaving my foot prints on the ground, I saw grandma waiting for me. She couldn't walk well at all, but she abruptly stood up and tried as hard as she could to walk, in her unsteady and trudging manner,  towards me. I dropped my bags and everything else and ran towards her. Tears just started to pour out as I looked into her eyes and hugged her. Surely, the spirit testifies of God's love for her. We spent almost the entire day together and talking about our family history and all of her walks of life and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, with faith, repentance, baptism and enduring in this life. It was a miracle that grandma gave me the permission to do temple work for the family. While grandma rested, my birth dad took me to our family farm. It was surreal. I came back and served grandma until she fell asleep. It was surely difficult to say goodbye to her, a heart wrenching moment, but I had to go. She had waited to meet me for years. Oh how I wish I could take her and all of the people I've shared the Gospel with me, just to come home with me. However, God has taught me what true home means, that no matter where you are the Gospel is there.

For the last 6 months of my mission, the Lord called me to serve in one of the poorest areas in Cambodia. Truly, my heart has been touched every single day. It hit me that the suffering they had wasn't of the temporal, or of whether they had a tangible refuge to rest in or neither the suffering that comes from whether they will have food for tomorrow, but rather the suffering was that they felt far from Heavenly Father's presence and that they were hopeless. I testify that when the missionaries enter people's homes, there is much love and light. As said by Elder Neal Maxwell, within whatever is allotted to us, there is contentment,  our spiritual contentment rest on our acceptance of the Gospel, it's central power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. I can't take these humble home with me, but I know that a part of my converted heart is there in their homes even when I have left and I know that a part of their conversion is here with me, jotted down in my very heart, as well.  

For me, the meaning of home permanently became true and complete when I found the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Home became complete when I knew that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me. I learned about Heavenly Father through the Gospel of Jesus Christ I got baptized when I turned 18 years old. The Gospel of Jesus has given me the desire to help others understand their true identity and their heavenly home . A year later,  I decided to serve an LDS mission and was called to return back to serve in the land of my forefathers, Cambodia. I was able to go through experiences of spectrums of what is like to be rich and poor, to feel joy and pain. Sharing the Gospel was a way I could help others understand how to have joy in their earthly home while drawing closer to their Heavenly home. Home to me no more became a physically tangible abode, but it is a state of happiness achieved through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a state of joy that can be taken wherever I go. It is that greater light that chases the shadows and hopelessness of life. My journey in this life has given me a glimpse of what it feels to be fully embraced in the arms of my Heavenly Father when I do return back home to Him. It is the very experience of how I can turn my heart and will to God, to fully collapse in His embrace. The more I turn and return to my father, I understand more of the compassion, love, and mercy He has for me.  The Gospel is where true home is. No matter where I serve, the message of eternal hope and embrace is the same throughout the word .Home truly is where individual evolves to become themselves, in their spiritual nature. My nature has changed along with the nature of the meaning of home. No matter if I am physically separated from my family, I know that there is hope in being united eternally. The idea of family uniting together eternally  is what makes up the home. It is the very experience of how I can turn my heart and will to God, to fully collapse in His embrace.

I have given all that I can to serve the Lord and I have seen suffering and joy, all of which strengthened the purpose of God's plan for His children. Because Christ lives, I am too His living witness to the world that there is hope in the Gospel and in life here on earth and the life after. I testify that God truly is our loving Heavenly Father and that He loves us so much to send His Son here, so that I can one day be there with my family, eternally in my Heavenly home. I know the Book of Mormon is true and this church is true. I know Jesus Christ is my savior. In my utmost humility to be his disciple, I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

With Love and Gratitude,

Sophia Sok

  "I pledge my life, all that I may have. I will strive to the utmost of my ability to be what you would want me to be. I am grateful for the words of Jesus Christ, our Savior, when he said: "I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him. . . ." (Rev. 3:20.)"- President Thomas S. Monson.