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.

Arrival in Cambodia!

Edward had a great MTC experience and is feeling comfortable with the language so far. He enjoyed his time there and was looking forward with great anticipation to teach the gospel in Southeast Asia.

Momma's Boys.

 A group of missionaries learning to speak Hmong, Vietnamese, and Khmer.

With Elder Brady Call, an Orem High School friend, heading to Peru.  

Traveling with 11 other missionaries bound for Cambodia, they left the MTC Tuesday afternoon, May 21, 2013, and took the Front Runner to the airport. He flew to LAX for a three hour layover. We had a great telephone visit with him during that layover. His plane left LAX 1:00 a.m. Utah time and flew to Hong Kong arriving there Thursday morning (what happened to Wednesday?) at 5:45 a.m. (Wednesday, 3:45 p.m. Utah time). He called again from Hong Kong and had another wonderful visit with Emily (she made sure to give him domestic and international calling cards). Then on to Cambodia arriving on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. (Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. Utah time).

At the Hong Kong airport.

On the way from the Phenom Penh airport to the mission office.

The arrival party: Twelve from the Provo MTC and 10 from the Manilla, Philippines MTC.

 A fellow new missionary from Cambodia.

President David Moon and Sister Kathryn Moon upon Edward's arrival.

Mission office in Phnom Penh.

 This is a back alley in Edward's first area, Kampong Cham. Edward reports that this is not a typical street, most of the streets in the city are paved.

A home in Kampong Cham.

Midway at the MTC

Edward and his companion, Elder Brandon Johnson from Orem, Utah. Edward is finishing his fifth week in the MTC and is scheduled to leave on approximately May 23, 2013. He is enjoying the experience there and is looking forward to using his new language and teaching skills in Cambodia.

Edward's MTC district.

This is most likely the two Cambodian speaking MTC districts.

Edward, Elder Johnson and friend.

A break from studying?

The Elders of Edward's district.

Cambodia Phnom Penh Mission

Leaving home.

Edward entered the Provo Missionary Training Center on March 20, 2013. He is excited to learn the Cambodian language and is anxious to get to Cambodia.
His MTC companion is Elder Braydon Johnson, a fellow OHS graduate.

Arriving at the Missionary Training Center.

After the initial shock of the absolute foreign nature of that foreign language, Edward reports that it is coming nicely. He is beginning to be able to express himself in Cambodian and feels good with his steady progress.

Stepping into the MTC.