Splash Zone

Well, it was another fantastic week under the sun in paradise! I officially have given up keeping a journal for right now so not really sure what happened but I DO REMEMBER it being fantastic!

On Wednesday we had a chance to meet with President and Sister Lewis during our interviews. My whole mission I have struggled with finding a balance between having so much fun and joking around, while still keeping in mind the importance of my calling and the magnitude of the work. Obviously, there is a very fine line, but I have just always struggled to find a way to walk that line. 

Anyway I voiced my concern to President and he referenced a general conference talk where a new apostle was called and felt very overwhelmed with his calling. The prophet at that time (forgot who it was sorry) told him to not worry about it and to just BE YOURSELF! You were called for a reason. That was exactly the advice I needed to hear. I think we all just need to be ourselves in our life.      We often worry about trying to be too much like someone else, or envying (which is something else I studied this week. Go read "The Other Prodigal Son" by Elder Holland. You will thank me later) others that we forget about all the amazing gifts that God gave to us individually! Of course, I must do everything I can to be perfectly obedient, and we must all push ourselves to be the best us that we can, but at the end of the day, I don't have to change to be some other certain type of missionary, or try to be someone I am not. President closed by saying, "This mission needs an Elder Gochnour." Now I don't say that to praise myself, but it just really showed me that this world all needs one of each of us, individually. We were sent to this Earth by a loving and powerful God who knows us and created us for a reason. The reason is to help and bless the lives of others. Don't have envy and don't try to be someone you aren't.   Just let your OWN personal light shine.

I also had a chance to go on an exchange with the AP's this week! It was a way fun time and Elder St. Clair is a good guy. Lot's of kinda funny, but weird stuff happened. We saw some random white guy who was just walking along some random road in Cambodia with his wife, who happened to be a member in Hawaii!!!  He came to do Visa work with his wife. It was way fun to talk to him and to see how God prepares our path. It was a cool experience to do exchanges but it also helped me realize that being AP truly is not more important than any other missionary. We are all called here to do the work. 

We also had SO SO many miracles in finding people to teach this week. I don't have time to talk about them all, but I can testify that the Lord prepares our path to find those in need of the gospel.

To close, my boy Vuen was baptized this week!!!!!!! It was amazing. I love that guy so much. About two weeks ago we asked if he believed in God and he responded that he probably believed about 50%. Well after conference he said that his faith increased to 70% and by the time his interview came, he felt completely ready to go. He said, "I thought about it and I don't know why I would keep doing all these things if I didn't believe." He is probably one of the most humble people I have ever met. His childhood was filled with a father who always drank a little too much and couldn't control himself, leaving him with scars both physically and mentally. His current life is filled with paying for his younger brother and sisters schooling, to help them have a better future than he does. He cares so much about what the beggars on the street eat and doesn't worry enough that he lives off of $50 a month. He epitomizes Christ-like charity and would give anything just to make others happy. He may not be the most educated guy, but shows to me that the world doesn't bring us happiness, the gospel does. Elder Chytraus had the chance to baptize him and it was a very special day!

All is well in the kingdom of Cambodia. I know that God lives and loves us. Every single one of us. Don't forget that! And I love you all too.

Elder Gochnour