December 17, 2017: Christmas Miracles!

This morning there was a Christmas miracle... it was actually kind of cold when I walked outside!! It felt just for a few minutes like I wasn't actually in Cambodia but now its blazing hot again. I enjoyed the feeling while it lasted!!

Another miracle, Ming Suan partook of the sacrament on her own this week! She looked so nervous the whole time but she did by her own choice, and I am so happy. She struggles with a "bad spirit" that tells her not to partake of the sacrament, so last Monday we had a lesson with her about how the power of God and the Holy Ghost is more powerful than the power of Satan. It helped her so much and really calmed her nerves. It has been something on my mind all week. God is all-powerful and can literally bring to pass miracles in this day and age. We are working with some investigators and less-actives who are expecting a huge miracle to happen to reactivate them or to know whether to be baptized or not, but most of the time, we don't receive those huge miracles like Moses parting the Red Sea. We receive little miracles in our lives that. if we are too busy or prideful to see them, will slip under our noses. We must truly humble ourselves and have full faith in God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, if we want to receive those miracles and actually recognize them.

I encourage everyone to look for the little miracles and tender mercies in your lives this week as we are preparing for Christmas. And remember what Christmas is all about! It's not about parties, shopping, and gifts. It's about showing our gratitude for the Savior of the World and celebrating His birth by serving others and being as He was.

I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be a missionary in a country that doesn't even know who Jesus Christ is. I am grateful I get to see the change that our Savior really brings in the lives of others, and how much happier we can become when we have the fullness of the Gospel and apply it in our lives. Thank our Heavenly Father every day for the blessing of knowing the way and path we must follow. Thank Him for His amazing Gift, His son, even Jesus Christ!

I love you all and hope you will be safe this upcoming week with all the Christmas festivities! Remember the real reason for the season!

Sister Bashford

Pictures:

1. Our Stake Christmas party Nativity skit; I have discovered that the only thing LDS Khmers do for any party is talent shows which is so great because I am amazed every time by their talents :)

2. Rotana, one of our investigators getting baptized next month; she is beyond excited!

 

Ward Christmas Party

December 10, 2017: 1 year to go!

Hey everyone!

Sorry if you didn't get my mass email last week. It says I sent it from my end but I guess not! I will also be attaching the same pictures because I didnt take any this week :)

This city is still crazy and bumping like always! We got two new possible investigators this week and we are super excited because they are very interested and promising!

Yesterday was Sister Thouk's (fake) birthday! So in Cambodia, no one knows what their real birthday is. Most people forget it because they don't really care or they change it so they can get into school earlier/later. So filling out baptismal records is one of the biggest struggles ever because we have to have exact information, but sometimes the best we can do is guess the year they were born. Sister Thouk's real birthday is in April and we have been joking that she is just like Jesus, because His real birthday is in April and his fake one is in December :) She "turned" 26 yesterday and we are celebrating today by going to Cold Stone with the senior couples :)

Tomorrow I hit my one-year-to-go mark! I can't believe I am over 1/3 of the way done with my mission. It's true what everyone says, the days feel like months and the months feel like days.

Other than that, things are pretty tomada ("normal" in Khmer). Oh I almost forgot that I ate chicken butt yesterday. Literally ate the butt of a chicken and didn't even know it. One of the Sisters forgot to take it out of our stir fry (chaa) yesterday and I totally ate it. So ya. Guess what? Chicken butt.

Love you all!

Sister Bashford


Letter to Dad...
 

Hi dad,

Things are really hard in this area and with my comp but I am hanging in there. We are in a house with the Sister AP's so they are always gone or sleeping over at the mission home to work on stuff so we are basically alone together 24/7. I am in the same district as Elder Tuft (the only elder in my mtc group) which is alright. the mission has this new rule where elders and sisters are not allowed to speak to each other unless at district meetings or strictly business because too many people are falling in love in our mission haha. I also have realized i like serving in the kites more than the city, and I like being a junior companion too haha. Being the senior companion in my fourth transfer is really hard and so stressful and I literally have no idea how to be a missionary or do anything. I do but I feel like I don't.

Thank you for sending this email. I've totally been bawling the whole time I've read it and been typing this. My comp was baptized almost two years ago and she is such a sweetheart but it is still hard nonetheless. This transfer has been everything I have not wanted and I have had more thoughts wanting to go home than ever because I feel so inadequate with being a missionary and speaking this insane language and I have never prayed harder in my whole life for help. I know this is what I need to be humbled and to learn to trust in God so I am grateful for it but I definitely am feeling that darkness and pain. This is one of the hardest things I have ever gone through and I have never felt so unhappy for such a long period of time but I know that everything is going to work out. I feel like once I get some grounding under my feet and get more comfortable with this area then maybe I will start to feel better. I have also just missed you guys so much lately that my heart hurts so bad. I seriously cannot wait to skype in two weeks. I hope you aren't worried after this email because I am sure you have felt what I have felt and I know that I will make it through this weird funk I am in. I just hope it is sooner than later. I love you so much and I hope you are all going to the temple Christmas lights and doing all the fun family traditions we sometimes do :) LOVE YOU DAD!

Sister Bashford