October 22nd, 2017 SIEM REAP!

I LOVE SIEM REAP!!

This has been one of the most tiring but fun weeks ever! Sister Snooks and I get along great and we have been working hard all week.

So being in the provinces is a huge difference from being in the city. In the city you are constantly breathing exhaust and you cant see the sky because the buildings are so tall. But in the kites I breathe such clean air and it is open and so beautiful.

One of the CRAZIEST things happened this week. So we were going to visit a potential investigator that lives next door to one of our recent converts, but the girl wasn't home so we sat with our RC for a few minutes. When we were about to leave we see this lady walking down the dirt road wearing all gold and a crazy crown and walking in a weird way. She comes up to us and just stares with this smile on her face and motions for May (RC) to come over. May grabs a gold cloth and puts it down on their tuk-tuk and the lady sits down. She just stares at us for a few seconds then in this creepy monotone voice starts to speak in this very traditional way that is used for royalty. I couldn't understand half of what she said because it was so different but the only sentence I could understand her say was "I am not a person, I am an angel." We booked it out of there so fast after she was done talking and we had to ask a member who was there with us what she said. Apparently she is May's mom and her husband left her for another woman so she went a little crazy and then became possessed by a spirit. She said she goes every day to a rock that is the spirit of her father and the rock teaches her. She said she has died 6 times and this is her seventh life, and that May will also become possessed by a spirit like her. Literally so crazy. POSSESSION IS REAL. This isn't the first time I have seen it here in Cambodia. The people here are so in tune with their ancestors and with the spirit that they can either become easily converted to the Gospel because they feel the spirit of God or they can easily be possessed by a different kind of spirit. I have heard so many stories of Elders having to cast out devils on their missions here and it is just so crazy to be in the middle of it.

Other than that, we have three investigators with baptismal dates and so many others who want to learn! The work is furthering in all parts of the country and all over the world and i am so grateful to be apart of it!! The church is true, and I love being a missionary!! Love you all!

Sister Bashford

Pictures

1. Sister Snooks, my new companion!

2-4. Psaa this morning

Siem Reap apartment