We've been working with the Relief Society presidents and
Bishops in every ward to get lists of the members who used to be in the
Cambodian branch but are now in regular family wards (at least according to the
records, because none of them are active). We drive around checking up on any
names they give us- a lot of people have moved, many others have gone back to
Buddhism, but out of 25 names or so we'll usually find one or two who will let
us come back and visit them. It was about 8:45 one night, and our curfew being
9, we only had time to check on one more name. We prayed about it and I felt
like we should go back to a name we'd already tried to visit but found that the
address as listed didn't exist anymore. So we plugged the address in to the
GPS, went where it took us (which was a parking lot) and parked and started
walking down the street. I really don't even know how this happened (well, I
do, it's called a miracle) but we found the right house. They weren't
interested.
BUT it's not over- because living in the same building as
those people was this inactive Cambodian woman in her 50s. She used to be a
relief society president back in Cambodia, and went to church once here when
she moved to the US 6 years ago. But the meetings were in English and she
couldn't understand a lick of it so she hasn't been back since. Enter McQuiv,
the Cambodian speaker for the entire WA-TAC mission- and this woman agreed to
come to church Sunday! She showed us her room which has pictures of Christ and
her Cambodian scriptures (well marked-up). She was also excited to show us her
collection of pictures and toys of "prophets" in her room, which I
had to explain to her were actually all someone named Santa Claus (much to her
confusion). I'm pretty sure she thought they were all bible prophets (Noah,
Moses, Abraham) because of the long white beards.
Anyway, so Relief Society president (hereafter to be
referred to as RSP) came to church yesterday and was so happy to have someone
who can translate the meetings for her. She held my hand the entire time. She
asked me to introduce her to the bishop and to tell her how she can pay tithing
here. She hasn't been to church in 6 years and her first Sunday back to wants
to make sure she pays tithing! What a testimony. So she's awesome and between
the miracle that allowed us to find her and the fact that she's got a whole
room of Santa/Moses dolls, I'm declaring it a Christmas Miracle.
A Sister Walker just accepted the call to serve Cambodian
speaking in the WA-TAC. She's supposed to be here in November. So granted that
I'm able to have enough Cambodian success between now and November
to necessitate a Cambodian mission here, she will be coming and I
will train her. Which means we will be working full time Cambodian! (as opposed
to about half English half Cambo, on account of my companion doesn't speak
Cambodian). That definitely puts the pressure on for the next few months,
because if there isn't enough work ready to occupy full-time Cambodian
missionaries, they won't send any (she'll get reassigned).
I've been in the WA-TAC 7 weeks, and the church is true here
too (both in Cambodian and in English)!
-Sister McQuivey
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