Cambodia: Day 13

Monday, May 23, 2011

Om Loon's House in Phnom Penh

7:12 AM

After a great night's sleep, Lauren and I woke up to get ready for church. We decided that we wanted to see what things were like at the international branch instead of the Khmer branch.

We arrived to a very empty chapel. After shaking the hands of some missionaries and an African man named Desmond, we took our seats in a pew on the far side of the room. It wasn't long before the branch president had come over, asking us how long we were going to be in Phnom Penh. His face lit up as we told him we would be around for the next three months. "You'll probably be helping with the primary, young women, and Relief Society."

Lauren was quick to tell him that we weren't sure how consistent we would be in coming to the branch because our internships require us to go to the provinces. Combine that with our own group excursions, I'm going to be pretty surprised if we go back more than three times.

A guy named Pace also made sure to introduce himself to us. They way he said, "So, where are you ladies from?" gave me the strong impression that he was being creepy and hitting on us. Two seconds later he started talking about his wife. It was all very confusing.

Sacrament ended, so Desmond made sure we knew where we were going. I asked him where he was from, hoping that he would say Haiti. He replied that he was from Nigeria; I was very curious as to why he was in Cambodia. Apparently he has a job here, but he also plays soccer in a Cambodian league. He could have been playing that one day we were at the Olympic stadium.

Sunday School was pretty fun. I sat down and looked around me. This is the most diverse room I've ever been in. A young Vietnamese girl sat down next to me and introduced herself as June. She found out that I was going to BYU and promptly told me that she was going to be attending UVU in the winter. I gave her my Facebook information and email so that she could add me as a friend. I'm really hoping that we can get together when she comes to the US so that I can show her around Provo and Orem and help her get oriented to the US.

There were a lot of Americans in the room. One man in his seventies, wearing suspenders and Chums, gave a very lengthy introduction about himself. From Blanding, Utah, he tried to explain what the "Four Corners" were as Pace attempted to draw it on the board. The missionaries behind us made small snide comments here and there, making Lauren and I laugh quietly.

Relief Society was great. A large black woman, wearing a red silk suit and carrying her baby, presided over the meeting. It was just like Relief Society back home, with an opening hymn, rest hymn, Good News Minute, etc. April, the president, gave us a lesson on trust. She used a story from the Liahona about a woman named Glenna Boyce. Wait … Glenna Boyce … Alyse's grandma from Logan?! Yep. I'm hearing about people from home all the way in Cambodia!

After church, we gave Pace our contact info and met June's family. The dad told us that June might get a hold of us and have us over for dinner sometime. June also told us to call her if we have spare time on the weekend and we'd hang out or something.

Desmond intercepted us as we were walking home. He was walking in that way that suggested he was waiting for us. We asked him questions to make small talk. Apparently he's been a member for a year now and even has the Aaronic Priesthood. He's moving to Australia pretty soon and then wants to go to the US to go to the temple. He seems like a pretty cool guy! He said he could get us tickets to a game of his, so we're going to look into that a little more.

I'm glad we made so many friends at church. It definitely makes this place feel a little more like home.