ABSORBING THE CALL

What a week of learning already…..and it’s just beginning!!  I feel added alertness and excitement for learning opened up!  So renewing to feel that my “getting-older body” is not necessarily a “getting-older soul!”   

My sense of urgent priorities has instantly set in.  My life is full of more than I can possibly do even before this major addition.  I already feel the sense of “drop this,” “this will have to wait,” “this doesn’t matter in the long run.”  Priorities, priorities, priorities!!  And, on top of that, we have very recently become a household of 11 people with Jon & Em moving back from Georgia and Spencer & Kyla living here, too.  Having connecting family moments, especially as “Nana,” is definitely a very important priority!!  It is finding the right balance in making defined moments vs. just general come and go.  The timing is interesting with family because our home will now be taken care of (or at least lived in!!) while we are gone.  Lots of details being worked out.  The transition is big, but we feel very blessed in the situation and feel that it will be a big blessing in their lives, too.

We dived right into missionary focus with  a zoom meeting orientation on Tuesday with El. and Sis. Burnett from the Senior Missionary Dept.  Learned so much!  Seniors are treated very well and are allowed much more leniency in rules than young missionaries.  The church certainly wants seniors to serve and have a good experience!!  

We heard from our Mission Leaders, Pres. and Sis. Hoare and appreciated the encouraging words of bringing hope and the Lord’s love to a people who have risen from a tragic war-torn past. The Hoares are from Australia; I look forward to getting to know them!   We also heard from the mission secretary, Sis. Maureen Clark.  I have had a few interactions with her now and feel like she is already a friend, my first one in Cambodia!

Jim and I are discovering more about what the MLS (member-leader support) role might entail. The church has only been in Cambodia for 30 years, so we are quite needed!   There are a variety of possible responsibilities:  help the young missionaries, be a resource in branches, be involved in the self-reliance program, teach ESL (English as a second language), gather/record family stories and help in family history programs, strengthen young single adults, mentor new converts, assist in humanitarian projects, and work with those preparing for the temple.  There is a very good possibility we will be quite involved with temple work because Cambodia is opening their very first temple later this year!  We are so excited to be sharing this historic time with the members!

Language - a big topic!  We are called as English-speaking missionaries, but any Khmer that we learn will benefit us ten-fold.  I want to be able to express the feelings of my heart!  Apparently, a lot speak English in Cambodia and it is taught in schools, but that is not an expected communication avenue.  We will very humbly be learning what we can!  We had a language zoom orientation with Sis. Skousen from the MTC that informed us of the church’s mentoring program and the language app that we can dive into.  Incredible resources - will it stick in our senior brains?!  This is the question!   I felt a humble witness from the spirit as she talked about the doctrinal foundation of faith, repentance (change), the power of the Holy Ghost, enduring to the end, and believing in miracles and the gift of tongues. We will depend on the Savior’s enabling power.  It is more than logic can possibly account for. The Lord will definitely be our partner in our efforts.