Celebrating Pioneer Day & Laying Low During Elections

"So on Friday I had a pretty cool experience. I was able to commit someone to baptism. I have done it before once, but this time after I recited the commitment, I felt a huge rush of the spirit. It was super strong, and super cool. It almost surprised me how strong it was. And she said yes. We have four people who are committed to baptism right now. Three are scheduled for the 11th. They have attended church really well. I have no worries about them. Things are going well."

"We just learned that, because of the unrest caused by the elections, we have to go back to the apartment right after writing letters. But ya overall this week has been pretty good. Nothing super crazy happened."

"On the July 24th, Pioneer Day, we went to a district pioneer party. The Cambodians have a huge party for it. I would have never had thought that they would celebrate it like they do. But that was fun."

Celebrating Pioneer Day with the Kampong Cham District

Campaigning for the national elections.

Biking over the Mekong River.

Rice fields.

Buddist temple in Kampong Cham.

After a little elbow grease...a clean kitchen!

A Baptism, Ferry Ride, and Rice Harvest in Kampong Cham

"We had two baptisms this week."

"Many of the people we meet with live in small wooden houses on stilts. Sometimes we meet under the house and sometimes we meet in the house itself. The floor of the house in made of bamboo strips and we can see through to under the house. The foundation is the wooden stilts, just placed on the ground. And many times when we are teaching lessons, sweat is literally dripping down my face and it is just crazy. I am getting better with the language, one word at a time. I usually understand everything that goes on during lessons."
 
"On P-day and after district meeting we all eat together as a zone. It is usually super fun. We eat at this place called prambei bowen= 8000. Which means 8000 riel. And everything there is 8000 riel which is two bucks--pretty good. It is a lot like Bangkok grill in Orem. There is unlimited rice. And we order a dish. My favorite is this glass noodles, with pork and peanuts, but I also get pineapple pork stuff, and sometimes stir fried veggie, and sometimes soup. Honestly, sometimes I don't know what I eat. But that is all good."


 "This week a miracle happened, we went to the island (the one with the bamboo bridge) but with the rainy season the bridge is down and we have to take the ferry. We were coming back after a lesson and we made it on the last ferry back by less than a minute. It had actually already started to leave but came back to get us. But probably a minute later we would have missed it and been stuck on the island. God is really watching over me--remember the story of the people that brought me my wallet? And I am sure there are other things that I don't even realize. But God is taking care of me. It reminded me of the impression I received in the MTC, 'I am thy God and will still give thee aid' God is with me and is protecting me, that I know."

"It has rained almost every day this week. Remember I said it wasn't that muddy, well I take it back; this week has been super muddy, and lots of rain."

Waiting for the ferry--the only way to the island during the rainy season.

The ferry!

On the ferry, crossing the Mekong.

Harvesting rice with the Kampong Cham Zone.

Transfer 2 in Kampong Cham

This last week was good. Monday and Tuesday last week my companion went to the city for some training. And I went with Elder Hong, he is Cambodian. He is a super cool guy. Super nice.  Thursday we did some service. We may have a new investigator. I contacted him on Tuesday. Then we met him Friday. The first lesson was going really well, but then his dad came home and he said that we should probably go, but said that we could come back. Cross your fingers. We were supposed to have 3 baptisms next Sunday! But one didn't come to church yesterday, and he has only come once before that, so we will have to postpone him. But, oh well, most of our investigators came to church yesterday, so that is good. :) And two of them stayed for all 3 hours, I have high hopes for them.

On a split with Elder Hong in Kampong Cham over the Mekong River.

Kampong Cham traffic.

Elder Dilworth on July 4th.

Kampong Chan missionaries at Elder & Sister Dilworth's apartment on the 4th.

In Kampong Cham. The oft-traveled bridge of the Mekong River is in the rear of the picture.

A Good Week in KC

"Our church meetings are pretty good. We have a lot of inactives and semi actives. So each week is a roller coaster seeing everyone that came, and trying to get them to stay for all three hours. We lose one third to a half of the people after the first hour.  I am understanding the language more and more and trying to understand the main message people are sharing. Church is good."

At the church with Elder Warr from Salem, Utah who is his way home after an honorable mission.

Doing service...pulling weeds.

The little girl standing in front and Puu standing to Edward's left are being baptized. The branch president is pictured wearing glasses.

Week 5 in Kampong Cham

July 1, 2013
"I am super happy! The language is getting better, some days I feel like I know it well.  I have learned a ton in 3 months, and just think how much more I can learn in 3 more. So this week was really good with investigators. Yesterday alone we got three new investigators, and for the week we got four. And yesterday all our investigators came to church except for one, which is awesome, I was super happy about that. For the next few weeks we will have lots of investigator lessons, which are always the best. We are teaching one guy whom I personally contacted. We taught him at the church on Sunday. We shared a message about the Book of Mormon and the First Vision. Our branch church meetings were directly after the lesson, and he stayed for all three hours--awesome."

"Well, I bought a new bike. It is so nice, the last one I had was terrible so I just bought a new one, and it is super nice not to have to worry about my bike everyday! Super nice. 

Everything in Cambodia is going great. I bought some pancake mix and made some--yum! And french toast--yum! This week I am going to try to make some beans. Wish me luck!"

"Well this is the last week of transfers, and yes, I am staying in KC with Elder Mundt. Oh yes, I am healthy and happy."

Discovered this in the neighborhood while waiting for the bike to be fixed (again).

Between thunder storms on the way to teaching a lesson to a man who is scheduled for baptism next week.

Missionaries, young women from the branch, and folks for whom service was done.

Helped this woman repair her fence to keep the cows out of the field.

Hungry enough to eat a .......! Yes, mom, the stinger is gone.

About right here is a colony of red biting ants!

Taking a break on the old bike after fixing the fence.

Understanding the Language Better & A Good Samaritan

June 17, 2013 

"This week, was the first time I could understand the natives, not a lot, but sometimes I could actually understand whole conversations not 100% but enough to know what is going on. Before I could never understand full sentences spoken by Cambodians, but the gift of tongues is working and I am getting better at the language."

"I really like our investigators. Especially this one guy: Puu Oon, He is super awesome. It took him only a week to quit smoking, and it is cool seeing him improve through the gospel."

"A miracle happened this week. I bought some bread then was heading to our next item of business and a native on a motto about a couple minutes later drove up to me and got my attention, I stopped and she handed me my wallet! I don't know how it happened, if it fell out of my pocket or I left it there I am not sure, but truly a miracle. I am going to be super careful with it for now own. Wow God is watching over me. But that is the theme I have learned from this week. I know that God is with me, and He is answering my prayers."

"We biked a lot this week, we have someone we are working with to help him get the preisthood, and he is about 15 kilometers away (it takes about 50 min to get there, and 50 min back.) and we have a recent convert on the island with the bamboo bridge that we teach about 35 min away. So this week, I have biked a ton"

"We were helping these people clear away growth from their field. We were using machetes and sickles. It was very hot and I was sweating tons. It was good."
Elder Plothow

Kampong Cham...Settling in.

Bamboo bridge to an island on the Mekong River.

On the bamboo bridge. Edward claims he saw an automobile cross the bridge so he seems to think it is safe!

On the island.

Alternate forms of transportation. Go Tigers!

Edward and a lady on a scooter had a minor collision on a dirt road last week.  She suffered a bloody nose and wanted money from him, but was satisfied after receiving a supply of vitamins. He was not injured but had to replace the frame of his bicycle.