Dear Stephen

January 15, 2009
My Riever (Elder Nelson):
Here’s hoping you are in Mongolia by now but in any event we want to write you a few lines and I want to attach my latest electronic mission update. It has to do with some of our recent experiences involving the Wallie mission. Here’s the point. You are just beginning your mission and there is no way you will ever begin to realize the impact you will have, not only in the next two years, but throughout the eternities. I promise you, as you serve with all your heart, literally hundreds of thousands of people will one day rise up to bless your name. We see the tip of the iceberg here in Cambodia just 10 years since Wallie was here. So, let er’ rip! (In other words—go to work). Mom and I like to take full advantage of the opportunities we have every day to bless the lives of these people. We still need to learn the language better so we can communicate but in the mean time there is much we can do by just speaking English. I’ll let mom write a few things. We love you so much and our prayers are with you daily. Love Dad
Stevie,
Yesterday as I was in our office inputting CES data into the computer, I glanced up at the clock. It was 12:30 pm (Wed.) and the thought struck me, “It is 10:30 pm Tues. night in Provo. Stephen is either somewhere over the Pacific Ocean full of excitement or he is going to bed at the MTC again.” My next thought was oh how glad I am for your last letter and you commitment to follow Elder Wirthlin’s counsel “Come what may and love it”. If you are still waiting for your visa (like the five young men here in Cambodia) maybe you will get to meet new missionaries coming into the MTC who will be going to Mongolia in April. Your language abilities and enthusiasm for the work will help inspire them and will build a bond with them like the bond of love and excitement you had for the last Elders that left for Mongolia. Whatever the situation maybe, our prayers are in your behalf daily, and I am anxious to read your email on Friday morning (which is the first things we do when we arrive at our office on Friday mornings, since the international dateline doesn’t allow us to get your emails on Thurs.J)
Monday we went teaching with the Elders again (my favorite thing to do) to John & Gosea. At the close of our first visit with them, John had asked a question about the sacrament. He said he partakes of it when he comes to our church but his wife doesn’t as she doesn’t feel that is right because they are not members of the church. The Elder said “That is a very good question. We are out of time right now (we had been with John and Gosea for an hour) but we will teach you about the sacrament next time we meet and answer your question.” I thought that was very wise on the part of the Elders, as it would make the investigators look forward to our next visit. So that is what the lesson was on and what I was able to bear testimony about. Then we stayed with the Elders, picked up another Elder (we have an uneven number of Elders right now), grabbed a quick bit to eat from a 7 Eleven type of gas station (two steamed rice buns filled with minced chicken for 40 cents eachJ) and headed off to another appointment with a very special little family who are in one of the branches that Dad and I are assigned to.
This family was baptized a month ago. (Dad was actually asked by the man to ordain him to the Aaronic Priesthood 3 weeks ago. After Dad finished conferring the Priesthood and setting apart Bro. Bun Thuean as a Priest, Bro. Bun Thuean ordained and set apart his 12 yr old son as a Deacon. The following week the father ordained and set apart his 16 yr old son as a Deacon also.) What a thrill to see this precious mother & father with their 5 children embrace the gospel. They are at church every week with sparkling eyes and bubbling enthusiasm for the gospel in their lives. We accompanied the Elders to this little family’s home to hold a family home evening with them. The house to which we went was the last one in a row of 4 houses connected together. The building was just a long shack with a tin roof. The boards leading to their house were loose and uneven. Upon knocking on the door, we were greeted with smiles and excitement. They invited us in and offered Dad and I the best seat in the one room home, a wooden slatted square on four legs (I’m sure it was the bed as there were several blankets rolled up and put to one side of this only piece of furniture in the home.) Everyone else (3 Elders & 7 family members) sat in a circle on the floor below where we were sitting. The entire room was about 12’ by 12’. I gave a short lesson with a couple of visual aids geared toward the younger children. Then one of the Elder’s told the story of Enos from the Book of Mormon. While the story was being told, my eyes kept looking around the room. In one corner was a small wicker shelf that contained a rice cooker and two bottles of soy sauce. I couldn’t see any other signs of food or cooking utensil around. There was one window besides the door we had come in. The walls were one eighth inch plywood (Dad said he could see through it in some places). There was one outlet hanging from a cord connected to the only light bulb in the room. I kept looking at the beautiful family and their happy countenance. Then we played a fun game with everyone and had a treat. (I had made 2 dozen cookies of which the Elders so kindly only took one so the family could have the rest! Wish I had made 4 doz. for the family!)
After the Elders dropped us off at our apartment, I walked into our 2 room home (about the size of Joseph & Lissa’s apt.) and felt like I was in a mansion. Then I commented to Dad that though the home we had just come from was poor, it wasn’t as poor as the shanty we had been to last Sat. that Dad described in his “Wallie Mission Update” that he has attached!
I began to understand more of what I have seen at church. I always go the Primary class where 3 or 4 of these children go each week. The last 2 weeks, the 14 yr old daughter excitedly pulls me toward the stairs leading up to the classroom where she helps the teacher by leading the song and calling on someone to open with prayer. Then she stays in the class as the teacher teaches all 4 Primary children for 30 minutes, gives them a snack (either some fruit or a package of dry Ramen type noodles broken up which the children devour) and then teaches the 12, 14 & 16 yr old children of this family from the Book of Mormon. The gospel of Jesus Christ and living its teachings brings great hope of a better life ahead!
Hope you have time to read this lengthy email. We go teaching again with the Elders tonight! I know this is the true church of Jesus Christ. Love, Mom