The Buddhist Conspiracy

"Let's go grumpy-gills"

^ thats sister Fife's new nickname for me (just in case you thought i had changed super a lot and my personality was all sunshine and rainbows...sorry to break the news. Im still a grumpy gills. especially at 5:30 am). One of my favorite conversations that transpired with us this past week went a little bit like this:

"Sister Davis, you need to stop being a so pessimistic."

"Sister Fife, I've been a pessimist my entire life. Soom sdap khnom, optimism just doesnt suit me."

"Well, you're from New York so thats okay."

Tae ponnung. Obviously, I'm from Connecticut, but to everyone else not from the east coast, all of New England is the same thing....New York. Luckily, Elder Garrow hails from NY too so our conversations often revolve and trees and real bagels, cuz these ricky-bobbies from Southern Utah just don't get it.

Anyway...other funny moments from this week. Well apparently its no longer rainy season. Cambodia just decided to go back in time a couple months and we're stuck right back in the middle of hot season. Hasnt rained in weeks and its super nasty hot outside. Like Satan's oven kind of hot. (thats an exaggeration, the hot season was actually worse, but you know I have zero patience for anything above 75 degrees). So one night, I was lying on my bed, hanging upside down off the side, "doing language study" (aka holding a Liahona magazine in Khmer in my hand). and I was alone because sister fife was in the bathroom. So talking to myself (obviously) I just said "I'm hot." That was quickly followed by "Your cold" and soon I was on my own rendition of Jonas Brothers. Sister Fife walked in to find me singing JoBros upside down and instead of questioning it, just started dancing in her robe. We went through the whole song like that (yes, including Big Rob's rap portion) and called it good. It was a good companionship unity moment. (PS "Companionship unity" is a phrase often thrown around the mission and I actually hate it. Its inexplicable). 

Other companionship moments: we had a good conversation about a little something called the "mingamorphosis" (will explain later). And also yesterday at church, I was trying to scratch my back with my pencil, but it got stuck on the tag of my cardigan and I had to let go. So I whispered to sister fife that my pencil was stuck down my back.

"what?"

"my pencil is stuck down my back."

"What?!"

"MY PENCIL IS STUCK DOWN MY BACK!"

So for the next five minutes I had Sister Fifes hand down the back of my cardigan rummaging around for my pencil and trying to get it detached. LUCKILY, we were sitting up on the stand yesterday so the whole congregation got a nice view of it, as well as Sister fife and I laughing so hard we were crying. Thats all for this week on my companionship. Up next week: A brief monologue on why missionaries should be allowed to have segways. (Sis Fife and discussed that one at length).

Lets talk about my area and missionary work and stuff: three new investigators this week! Not sure they'll get baptized before I leave Battambang (im not sure whats gonna happen at transfers in the next couple weeks) but they are all pretty great investigators. First, Bong Chanthaa. She was a referral from  less-active member. Apparently she learned with sister missionaries from our church a looooong time ago and has the desire to learn again. She still prays (perfectly, too. You dont know how awesome it is to hear a good prayer from an investigator the first time you meet them. Pretty sure ive described how hard it is for people here to learn about christianity and such. Oftentimes, i will be explaining the concept of prayer to them for the first time in their lives). So her prayer was stellar and I almost cried. Also, during the lesson she was like "I've been to the other christian churches and I dont like them. I dont understand why they all teach differently from one another and I dont like how they teach. I know that your church is the right one." (shoutout to the Resotration....hollaaaa). She's super sweet. Shes handicapped and lives really far away. Plus she plays basketball (for people in wheelchairs) on sunday but we're hoping we can get her to church. 

Second, Srei Nit. She works at a Bubble Tea shop across from one of the members in our branch. The member brought her to church and so she had already been twice before we started teaching her. She's great - really cute. about 24 years old, half chinese. Her whole family is in australia. Shes smart, asks questions and has a real desire and curiosity about our church. Shes great (and gives us free passionfruit juice, which is awesome).

Three, Bong Srei Mom. She was actually a non-progressing investigator that Sister Fife, SIster Ky and I taught while we were in a trio in third branch. She just moved into a members house in first branch and still wants to learn with us. And she has improved so much saince the last time we saw her. She is SO excited to see us and to learn and I think she is really committed to this. Only problem is shes waiting to get married in January and wants her baptism to coincide with the marriage...its a weird situation. But shes so cute. Love her.

Anyway, I;ve decided that missions are completely bipolar ALL THE TIME. This week has been really frustrating for me, just because my branch and area really arent progressing. The hard part about Cambodia (I like to call it the Bung Snaay Curse) is when you have a bunch of investiogators that DO NOT PROGRESS. At all. Thats where Im at. And its super frustrating when they wont just help themselves. Plus attendance at church is way down in first branch. To tell you the truth, first branch has been struggling a lot since last year, around month 9, month 10. BUT then you get moments with new investigators and you get cool contacts and you get to bike around Cambodia and youre like.....this is cool. My mission is cool. I love it. 

Sometimes I'm like...I'm gonna be in the less-active areas for my whole mission. BUT I'm not totally upset by that. We actually went to visit a less-active girl this week who is in the process of coming back and during the lesson, she was just sitting in her hammock and started giving us all this advice and one thing that she said was: "Don't forget about the less-active members. they need the missionaries too. They need to know that you remember them and love them. Its good and fine when missionaries baptize people, but please dont forget about the less-active members. I used to be less-active too, and this is the first time ive felt comfortable talking to the missionaries in a long time. Don't forget about the people who are already in God's fold." and I was sitting there like.....preach it gurl.  I'm on it.

The most important news this week though is that sister pterson found a card that has a bunch of pandas with party hats on. I pasted it on my wall. It helps me have good days. Thats all.

Love you all so so so much!!!! Peace out from Cambodia!!

Love, Sister Davis

John 21:14-16

 ​Family Home Evening for the whole branch at the church last monday. Om Samay, Bong Pheap, us, Om Sombath, Ming Banha

 ​Sister Fife and I found a recently opened mexican restaurant in our area. its like a bad version of cafe rio. but its a GIGANTIC burrito for 4 dollars so im down.

​#futureinstagram just the everyday view from my balcony.

 ​Om Sam Thork, one of my favorite members, shows me the snakes she just bought at the phsaa. gonna fry em. Chaa puah. chngainh mleh.

 ​Om Muni and the branch president made the missionaries dinner at their house and I was seriously so full it was gross. but super yummy. some sort of mashed fish soup and slaw mchou (one of my favorites that i still need to learn how to cook).

​Seila, my golden investigator. shes the one who really cant ever come to church except for these random weeks where she shows up at church. she told us "i didnt call you to tell you that i was coming because i wanted to surprise you!" She is probably my favorite investigator ever. Probably wont ever see her get baptized because she learns on sundays for the next 3 years, but i know she will one day and i love her to pieces.