March 18th, 2018

Hello Everyone!!

This week was so great! We have been working with two super awesome progressing investigators who will be baptized this upcoming week, and we could not be more excited for them and the conversion that is taking place in their lives!
This week was Zone Conference, and we focused most of our topics on The Book of Mormon and the importance of it in the lives of our investigators and in our own lives as well. It was so good to be reminded of the wonderful power the Book of Mormon has in each one of our lives. I have truly found that as I have studied it every single day, my life has completely changed for the better, even when times are tough. What gets me through my tough times is the Book of Mormon. Sometimes i have my doubts and my questions, but as I sincerely ask God and seek with real intent to find answers, I always feel the spirit so strongly tell me that everything I read is true.

Something I have seen over the last few weeks here in Cambodia with members and investigators is how much they are forgetting. They are forgetting the sweet feelings of the Spirit, and the overwhelming feelings of happiness and joy they felt at their conversion. WHat they are forgetting to remember is:
-to keep the commandments
-to follow promptings of the Spirit
-the covenants they have made with God
-the promised blessings that come when we follow Christ
-the sacrifice of our Savior's Atonement
One thing I am so grateful for is the reminder we have ever single week through he sacrament to "always remember Him, and keep his commandments" and the promised blessing is we will "always have His spirit". The Gospel is so good. I cannot describe my feelings of happiness and joy I feel from having a knowledge of my Savior and of His Gospel. I have received numerous blessings from God and seen His hand immensely in my life. A scrtipture I have read recently is this: 

6 Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good.

7 Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them.

8 And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you, which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea, that ye may have that precious gift of eternal life, which we have reason to suppose hath been given to our fathers.

9 O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world.

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

It perfectly describes how we must ALWAYS REMEMBER. I don't have enough time to count how may times this scripture says remember, but it is a lot. People who continually stay active in the Gospel are the ones who constantly remember. Remember the things that are most important, and remember who they are, a child of God.

I love being a missionary and being able to share this message of good news to the people here in Cambodia and help be a part of changing their lives. I know this gospel is true and that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. I know that this church is His Kingdom on the earth, and is the means by which we can live the Gospel and be truly converted. I love all of you and hope we can all take heed from the words of prophets of old and our latter-day prophets to REMEMBER.

Sister Bashford

Pictures:

Last P-day eating noodles

Exchange with Sister Jennings and her child, Sister Nguyen!