TENDER MERCIES AND MISSION MIRACLES (Jan. 2026)

                            "DO NOT MISS

                                     THE MAJESTY 

                                            OF THIS MOMENT......"

-One night I went to bed and miraculousy did not fall right to sleep, like I usually do.  I was starting to dose when I suddenly remembered I hadn't read in the Book of Mormon that day.  Does it matter to miss a day?  No, BUT I haven't missed a day since 2012!!  (after going to an Education Week class by Merrilee Boyack that really motivated me in the right direction.)  I got right up, was full alert, and had an exceptionally good study time.  

-Jim's feet started swelling again, and he had worries of gout returning like he had last January.  This is a bigger indication of kidney issues.  Would he need to go in for specialized treatment?  Then the pain and swelling subsided just as quickly as it came. So very grateful.

-We were able to find a locksmith for copies of Kamboul church keys.  They are more unusual, and the first two places were not able to do it.  Where do you go when you're on your own and with limited communication ability to figure it out?  Fortunately, at the last place, a girl spoke English and was very happy to help.  She pointed us in the right direction.  Some wandering around, but we found the place, and it worked!

-Second time miracle with Jim's phone!  It suddenly went completely black.  Because of Jim's love for wandering around :), he had discovered a little shop tucked in the very back of a market in Kamboul.  Without any verbal language, only Google translate and pointing, they were able to fix his phone in 2 hours for just $40.  Amazing!

-Best highlight of the month!!  Our first baptism happened in Kampong Speu!!  Ouk Titchya was contacted, taught, and brought to baptism by our wonderful Elder Draper and Elder Madrid. It was such a tender mercy to hear Titchya bear a sincere testimony about the great happiness he felt, and he advised the many teaching friends in attendance that they, too, could get baptized, just like he did, and make covenants with God.

-Peab, one of the wonderful teaching friends from the Kearb village, came with clothes to change into on Titchya's baptism day just in case the missionaries asked her to be baptized that day, too! Ohhh, so tender!  She has such a strong desire to be baptized, and it will happen in it's own right time!

-A big tender mercy to me personally is when I have an opportunity to bear testimony of the Book of Mormon in lessons.  I feel such a passion to share because it runs deep to my core about the spiritual strength that can come.  I am especially grateful to the elders when they are able to include us in those lessons.

-On our way home from a lesson, we stopped at a mini-shopping area for a treat with the elders.  A lady at one outdoor vendor called the elders over.  She had learned with missionaries before!  She had a Book of Mormon and knew right where it was on a shelf at home. The elders were teaching her before but then stopped coming (probably with a transfer transition).  She wants to continue!!  Right place, right time, right people.

-Jim was able to give a blessing to a member's mother who lives in a remote village quite far away.  He felt deeply inspired on the words in the blessings.  It was amazing to think that many of the people in the village may not have ever seen a white person before!  

-In our driving time, we are able to listen to "Saints" together, and just finished volume 1.  It is a tender mercy to have more uninterrupted attention to feel it more deeply.  I have had an appreciation for the restoration beginnings in deeper ways than ever.

-One of our favorite evening pasttimes is to watch "The Chosen."  We just finished all the produced seasons so far.  Again. Every time we watch it, it seems better than the time before!  So inspired and inspiring.  That production causes me to think what His earthly ministry may have been like and has helped me feel significantly closer to the Savior.  I find the lessons so applicable to my personal life.  

-We took the Kamboul district to the rehabilation zoo.  We accidentally ended up on a back route on a very narrow direct road.  Fortunately, we did not get stuck or have to turn around (no room!).  Very fun day that really built group unity.  Always grateful when a big group makes it home safe and sound, without incident!  It is a weight of responsibility!

-One of the Elders' many miracles worth noting here.  They ran into Om Lee (a teaching friend) who had been looking for his lost cow for several hours.  They said a prayer with him and then continued onto their next appointment in the village.  When they got there, they saw a cow and asked who it belonged to.  (How in the world do they distinguish between these cows?!  They all look the same to me, and they are not branded or collared!)  It was Om Lee's!!  With the help of a lot of neighborhood children, they were able to guide it home.  

-Gathering the right food items for cooking is always a challenge for me - one store has this, another has that, many don't have what I'm looking for.  All our in Phnom Penh, not a convenient drive for us. This time I was making almond chicken casserole for the senior missionary dinner, and we had one shot enroute for two final ingredients.  We were running behind, and did not have any extra time to look elsewhere.  Thai Huot came through!  Big tender mercy!

-Jim had to meet up with Elder Phal and an exchange companion who is also Khmer at nighttime in Phnom Penh. Language communication was limited, and distances were far.  The meeting place was hard to coordinate, but all felt greatly relieved when they connected.  Many prayers said!

-We had a wonderful visit with Kanha Dimich, a recent convert in our area.  What a beautiful experience feeling of her joy at a personal visit!  She was so proud to introduce us to her family.  We helped her feel honored.  This was "All About the One."  

-Jim and I took two days to go explore a different part of our mission called Shinoukville, a seaport town.  It ended up being much like a Las Vegas feel, with it's many casinos and accompanying lifestyle.  Disappointing.  But then we drove along the coastline, which was very beautiful, and headed towards a national park.  Out in the remote areas of nowhere, we drove down dusty roads, past tin shack homes, and ended up finding the best villa/hotel we have EVER stayed in! We even had our own private swimming pool with a waterfall feature. (Yes, senior missionaries have different rules and can go swimming!)  What a world of contrasts!  We were totally surprised and could hardly believe it.  We walked away from the "nicest" hotel in Shinoukville (Howard Johnson Wyndham), feeling like we had left the worldliness of the great and spacious building, and ended up at a place of pure heaven.  We were definitely led there!  And the next day out in nature was refreshing and renewing.  Beautiful area!