THEY WERE NOT LYING ABOUT THE RAINY SEASON!

   

HELLO BROOKLYN HOW YOU DOIN', WHERE YOU GOING CAN I COME TOO AND.... 

Sorry about that, but anyway hello everyone! 

So let me start you out with a little scenario. 

• Imagine that you are in a sauna and somehow there is a river also in that sauna and then you have to ride through that river full of poop water, on a bike, while avoiding plastic bags and other things that can get caught in your chain. 
• Now imagine that this sauna is 1/2 a mile long and you are getting buckets of water dumped on you while riding through the river. 
• Now take that whole scenario and put on missionary clothes and a bag, and go find some people to teach while managing to meander your way through this river. 
• And don't forget to toss tons of motorcycles and cars going crazy around you and maybe even add 15 miles an hour winds. Sounds like fun doesn't it?

That is kinda how our week went. It makes it pretty hard to proselyte and get things done haha, but we are trying to make the most of it and enjoy the tsunamis that come to every couple of days. 

They weren't lying when they said that it is the rainy season. 

On Wednesday after making it through the flooded streets we taught one of our investigators, however, this was no easy task because he had a tin roof. Have you ever yelled the doctrine of Christ at someone for 30 minutes at the top of your lungs right next to someone's ear, and lost your voice? I can now officially say that I have. On the real, though things are good and I really do love the rainy season. It feels like what Cambodia is all about to me.

Speaking of what Cambodia is all about it has been pretty fun to have a native Khmer companion. Things are for sure different, but most of the time everything just feels more natural. People don't treat you different because you are just two white guys. So yeah things are good with Elder Pov! Obviously, there are cultural differences and we come from different backgrounds, but I am really coming to love him, and we are good friends.

It was sad to say goodbye to Elder Tuft, but not too sad because we live in the same house. It was sadder to say goodbye to the 13 Elders that left our mission (Elder Cunningham and Herrera too). And maybe even most sad to say goodbye to President and Sister C, but life goes on and I am very excited for all the new people and changes that will be happening in the field!

The work is good! We got a solid 5-8 people to church every week, but now we just need to make sure they have enough faith maybe one of the most important decisions of their lives. A lot of teaching, and trying to help people fully embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives! 

One quick story from our week: We were teaching an older guy and his kids, and right as we were about to pray to start our lesson someone called for help from his back room. Everyone got up and rushed to the back room and his dad (a very old gentleman) had hit his head on the door and was gushing blood everywhere. They took care of him but didn't have much to stop the blood so I offered my grama (kinda like a scarf thing that everyone has here) to them to help stop the blood, and clean up the cut. They kindly accepted and we couldn't do much more to help so we went on our way. I was thinking about that experience and realized that a member had given a grama to me the week that I got to Pochentong. I realized that when you receive you have opportunities to give. If you do what is right and give with a willing heart then God will reward you and everything comes full circle. It wasn't a huge spiritual experience, but it helped me realize the importance of giving to those in need, and the Lord will reward you openly. 

ALSO, A BIG SHOUT OUR TO AMERICA! Happy Independence Day.  I hope we all take a minute to appreciate how lucky we all are to be Americans. Now living in Cambodia I love the people here but I often wish they had the chances that I had to gain like getting an education, having the ability to work, enjoying safety where they live and so many more things.  I guess I just took freedom for granted but now being so far away I can say I am so proud to be an AMERICAN. GOD BLESS THE USA!

To finish I would like to share another one of my favorite scriptures. 

1 Samuel 16:7 states 

7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

I know that the Lord truly does look upon our hearts. It is so easy to be worried about the this and that's of the world and it is so easy to get caught up in Babylon. But we must remember that at the end of the day the Lord will look upon our heart. He knows our strengths and weaknesses. He knows the situation that we are in. He knows our hearts. Do your best and have an honest and pure heart and the Lord will reward you. Simple, but true. 

I love this gospel!! The church is true and if you don't believe me then read the Book of Mormon!

Love,

Elder Gochnour