hi hi hi

this was another great week! actually, it was super great because it wasn't too hot. it rained a lot-but not enough to flood-so were kinda in the perfect medium and im crossing my fingers it'll last for a little while longer. 

probably the funniest thing that happened this week was when we had an fhe with one of our investigators. we all brought food and taught a lesson. of course, being the only americans in the lessons (or anywhere around here really haha) we brought american food so they could try it. so we made pizza. not gonna lie, it was pretty subpar, cause we made it that afternoon and it sat out until dinner so it was kinda old and stale and slightly burned. (i thought it was still good hahaha). so we pulled it out, and they were all like, oohhh, ummm, ill try a small piece. or after they got a piece they passed it to their friend. but they were all really nice and ate it. it was literally the funniest cause they were taking the smallest bites and doing their best to be polite. and i could relate because i totally do that too when i get some weird looking food, so i thought it was hilarious. idk maybe you had to be there. 

the best part of this week was when we got to church, and we saw one of our inv there already! we started talking to her, and we learned that she came 2 hours early! she walked, cause she was worried it would rain (no joke-when it rains here-missionary work halts. people dont leave their houses, and everyone goes inside undercover. which means its super rough when it rains when church is starting, or when we teach english class or have appointments with investigators-cause no one comes). so she came 2 hours early, bc it looked like rain, and she wanted to come to church, and knew she wouldnt walk in the rain. so so so awesome!!! 

also attached pics of the hammock! and pics of our wonderful exchange (my comp and i in the middle) with the sisters in our zone. 

love sis smtih

i always hate starting emails because how do i explain once again that this past week was the best week ever-full of so much happiness and miracles and love-without letting it sound repetitive? missions are the best thing ever. 

one of the happiest things that happened was that Cambodia got a new stake!! So so awesome:) We all got to go to StengMeanChey (like I said-best area), and dedicate the building. I have never seen so many Cambodian members all in one place. There was such a spirit of power, of hope for the future, of truly creating God's kingdom on their earth. The meeting was beautiful, translated from English to Khmer, the spirit truly speaks through all languages. Keep praying for Cambodia! It has so much potential to grow and get stronger. 

Probably the most valuable thing i learned this week was from this super super old cute lady. Her name is Mak Yay and shes maybe 90 years old, but still hobbling around, making sweet potato chips for a living. She lives alone (with cats lolz). We were walking next to her house, and we looked in, and she was busy making food, and cutting up sweet potatoes and there was this big pile of dishes. So sis sok and i went in and did the dishes for her, not thinking hardly anything of it. And then the next time we visited her, she sat us down. and in very clear terms told us that we were not to come over and do dishes or help cut sweet potatoes. She could do all of that-even in her old, hunched-over, feeble state. What she wanted from us was that anytime we came over, just to read the bom with her. That was the only thing she couldnt do by herself. it made me think 1, how incredible the members over here are. they have nothing, and it would be so easy for them to take advantage of the missionaries. but more than that it helped me learn that 2, the very best, most important thing we can give to anyone is the bom. the gospel is what will make these people have happiness and peace, more than anything else. so it was a really good reminder that yah, as missionaries, we help people, we do service, but its the gospel that holds the most worth. 

also we bought a hammock! ill attach pictures next week but its my new favorite thing:) and our plant that we adopted (we found it right outside our patio) died (we keep forgetting to water it). 

also #SHOUTOUT to barls for finishing her mission. if you ever want a loyal​, gospel centered, beautiful friend (or date) hit her up.

Sistee Smiit

pic 1 and 2-zone conf! south zone is the best:)

pic 3 a bapt from my time in smc​​​

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

ok so this week was one of those amazing weeks i hope i never forget. it was so full of pure happiness and love and hard work and bright sunshine and rainstorms. 

Here is ToulTomPong, we have this really great old man. And seriously I die every time I see him. He's slightly crazy, and EVERY TIME he sees the sisters-like every time, even if that time was 1 minute ago in a different room-he comes up to us and shakes our hand. Every couple weeks, we see him walking around the church SOAKING wet. And I always kinda wondered, but just figured maybe it rained for a split second-that happens all the time in Cambodia-and he happened to be outside. Another funny thing about this ward is that they never drain the baptismal font-idk why?-and we realized that actually whats happening is that he goes swimming in the baptismal font lolz And this last week, he asked to take a pic with us, and now every time he sees us he wants us to print off a copy for him. And we keep-accidentally-forgetting to print of the pics for him. Hahaha. but i uploaded a pic of us so you all can enjoy it too. 

This week was also super fun because my comp and I got to go back to my old area a few times. So so happy. StengMeanChey feels like home. But we got to go back for an exchange, and it was a super cool experience because I got to see how much I have grown over the last month in my language ability. I was in StengMeanChey for my training, and going back, even tho its only been a couple weeks, I got to visit with a lot of people that I used to teach. It was such a tender mercy to see how my language has improved-I feel like Im just started to understand a little bit of what people say. I can actually contribute and play a real part in teaching lessons. 

Another very memorable thing this week was during the exchange. the drain in the bathroom started flooding...... and kept flooding nasty smelly poop water all over the bathroom and kitchen floor. So for the next hour we cleaned up sewage water, with little pieces of poop hah luckily, I dont live there anymore, so cleaning up was a lot happier knowing i could leave this in the morning to go back to my house in my new area without drains that flood. i think something im definitely learning in cambodia is how to deal with nasty things. college dorms are nothing compared to this lolz

We bought a hammock yayayayay so every night, we come home, make dinner, and eat out on the patio and swing on the hammock and look out over our street and talk and its basically the happiest. Sis Sok is the best. Missions are the best. Cambodias the best. 

One of the moments i think Ill always remember is when we were teaching Ming Vinnak. Shes this really cute lady, and has a lot of trials in her life. She can only understand very simple ideas, so we've really focused on teaching stories in the BOM that illustrate the lessons we want her to understand. This week we talked about the Plan of Salvation, through Enos. The most beautiful thing is that we aren't the real teachers. The Holy Ghost truly teaches what the person needs to understand. Ming Vinnak has been struggling with letting traditions go, so that she can follow Christ. We have had no idea how to deal with this, because in this society, these things are ingrained in them as little children. As she read Enos, the Holy Ghost taught her about sacrifice. And the way she viewed how Enos went hunting and then how he stopped to pray, somehow spoke to her in the exact way she needed so she would have the strength to give up what she's been taught in the past about ancestors and worship. What a wonderful thing, what a miracle-because Sis Sok and I would never could have figured out that that exact thing was what she needed to hear, but Christ really knows His children. And He lets the Holy Ghost truly guide, so that His children can come unto Him. 

Thats all I have time to share for this week. I love you all. Dont forget to read your scriptures every night and pray for experiences to strengthen your testimony-each and every day.

Love, Sis Smith

1 This is an old pic, but i thought it was appropriate for this week cause i gotta be with my trainer again for a day during the exchange and it was definitely the happiest

2 the crazy old man​

Ok so the time is going way to fast. But this week was another INCREDIBLE week in Cambodia. I love love love it with all my heart. It's so HAPPY here! 

we met a lady who makes yogurt!!! shes the mom of a recent convert. its super awesome-so we've been trying to schedule her in more often:) i was a little nervous cause fresh yogurt sounds gross, but actually its super super chngain (delicious). also we made PIZZZZZA. pizza is definitely one of my favorite things, and it was a little bit of a struggle cause we didnt have a recipe for the dough, but we just smothered it in sauce and cheese (we splurged) and i think it tasted pretty close to what pizza is supposed to taste like! so that was happy. 

beside the obvious happy parts of the week (pizza and yogurt), this week was actually super happy. Im learning a lot about true love, and the difference between being kind and actually loving someone. being kind is not hard-its actually the easiest thing. easy to go along with them, easy to agree, etc. but loving someone is sacrifice, is forgiveness, is hard work, is diligence, is time, and is a process. and its one of the most beautiful things ive seen her in cambodia, with the people, and my companions. and it goes along with a quick thought i want to share. in alma 15:18 it talks about alma and amulek. and earlier in the chapter we learn a lot about amulek. he overcame a lot of obstacles, and sacrificed so much for the Lord. i just think it is so tender how in verse 18 it talks about how alma "ministered unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord" we can all learn from this. love is about other people. its about what you can do for them, how you can help them. i encourage all of you to find a couple things in your life that you can change to be more loving, not just more kind. i know as you do so, you will be filled with more happiness! 

i love this gospel so much! i am so so grateful to be serving a mission for the Lord. stay stong, and help others stay strong!

love sis smith

ps this is a pic of my and my new comp (isnt she beautiful?) shes full cambodian, but grew up in america! so her khmae and eng are both perfect-lucky for me i can learn a TON of language:)

Below is  a note from her companion to us:

Hi Krysti!

This is Sister Sophia Sok! Sister Smith's new comp! I just want to let you know that I am so grateful to be in this journey of the Labor of Love for our Heavenly Father with her! She is so charitable, so kind, and humble. I love her example of light to try harder and harder. I am Khmer, but raised in America. Sister Smith is improving so much on her language. I am so blessed to use my gift that Heavenly Father has bestowed of being fluent in Khmer and English to help your daughter out. She is so wonderful in many ways. I am so excited to work hard and to share my love for Christ with her. Your family is so blessed and will evermore be! We love you and have a wonderful week!

Funny Side Story: We have this grandpa who is a member of the church. He would hang out at the stake center all the time and would take baths in the baptismal font. I don't even know where he got the keys to get in! One day, he walked passed us and he was just sooo soaking wet. Haha he always shook our hands and demanded (nicely) that we have to print the pictures he asked us to take with him. It is a little weird! 

With love and gratitude,

Sister Sok

Attachments area

SOKSABBAY AND SAYSABOK!!!!

This week was INCREDIBLE. we had transfers, so i left StengMeanChey! There will always be a part of my heart there, with those people. They trained me, and taught me khmae, and made us food, and i love them so much! It was a little sad saying goodbye to some of my inv that ive worked with for 3 months. we became family, and ive learned so so much from all of them. 

but now im actually in ToulTomBong! and ive only been here a couple days, but im so excited for all the work that is happening here. my comp and i are only over 1 area (which is super nice, cause that means only 3 hours of church on sunday instead of 9), but were whitewashing. so its been a trick getting to know the area and the members and the investigators. This area is right in the heart of the city. Which is so fun-cause its so busy and traffic is basically just constant prayers to god for safety, and the streets are a maze so its like getting lost a million and one times a day, but somehow finding our way back home every night. We have such awesome members! and a couple of them have definitely saved us this first week. ThiDa and Vireak both are recent converts, and are amazing youth that have showed us a couple investigators. They both are preparing to go on missions, but neither of them have a lot of money and support from their families! Please pray for them, cause they are seriously so so good! We have some really solid investigators that im so excited for! 

One way cool experience we had with one of our inv was on thursday- our first full day in TTB. we met with bong sang. shes our age, and super awesome! she hasnt come to church yet, so we decided to teach lesson 3 in the sacrament meeting room. and we got there, and we were kinda hesitent, because there were people teaching piano lessons, and we didnt want that to disturb the spirit. but we were just like, oh well. so we started teaching her. and the lesson was amazing! sis sok and i have been trying to guide lessons so that the inv is able to experience what we teach them in the moment, instead of just teaching them the principles, and expecting them to understand and do it all by themselves later. so we were able to help her understand the gospel of jesus christ, and faith and repentance, and help her experience it in the moment! 

Above: Me and sis seuor! shes way cute and i love her so much! were living in the same house, but her and her comp are over a different area-so we dont hardly work together

And it was the coolest ever! at the end of the lesson, we invited her to come to church this sunday, and she promised to try! and then sunday morning we get a call from her, and she tells us she cant come bc her boss would let her take an hour off to come. and then a couple hours later, she walks into sacrament meeting! so sis sok and are are trying not to get too excited because we want to remain reverent, but we were able to talk to her and she just said that she prayed and trusted god, and asked again, and her boss said ok! such a cool miracle! 

Above: this ming is so cute! i just had to get a pic with her. kinda like the little girl, she just walks around selling random stuff

K i love you all! Have a great week! Please pray for ToulTomBong and that we'll be able to find the people that are ready to learn!

Love, Sis Smith

 royal palace

these little girls are the cutest and they run around everywhere (where are their parents?) selling random stuff. i love them with all my heart and its so sad cause they literally have nothing!

me and my old comp (sis chin) at eon mall

 sis chin and i outside the royal palace 

sis chin and i at this AMAZING korean restaurant! 

                                                              One of my favorite families!

                                                                 
                                                     i love them so much i had to add another pic:)

a ton of monks....and me and sis chin and eld willis

 old ladies here are the CUTEST and probably my favorite. i never have any idea what they are saying, but they will just hold your hand and look into your eye and ugh so much love for all of them!! so of course, i had to get a pic:)

 the same old lady, but she put back her scarf (actually translated as sweat rag), and i HAD to get a pic bc shes even cuter with it on. and no joke, all the old people were scarves like this

me and a bunch of khmaes in front of the royal palace. so much love for all these girls!

                             me and bong tida! shes a SUPER awesome recent convert and i love her dearly. 

my first contact all by myself back in stengmeanchey! bong nari is so so good and has such a strong desire to learn! we found her while we were shopping:) pray that shell continue to learn!