Surviving? Nah, I'm Thriving!

Hahahahah, hello guys! Just so you know I am alive and I did in fact survive the holidays. First Christmas without my family and in a place that doesn't really celebrate was hard. Although, maybe not too hard in some ways. It didn't really feel like Christmas season. No snow, no Santa, no lights strung up across the road and town, no break from school or in this case missionary work. Anyway, you get the drift, SUPER different. The hardest part of it all was when I was sitting in Papa John's and across the street they were bumping to some Christmas song remixes. Super hype, and there was a Santa over there at that time. And it was way harder than just living without any of it. But I survived. Not only that, I actually thrived! I made 2 batches of pumpkin cookies, twice. One for my district when we had our p-day gift exchange and the other time I packaged them up and gave them to all members and inactive members and our teaching friends! That was the day before Christmas we gave them out, and let me tell you I was completely jellied out. Done with Christmas, untillll I came home and saw my tree and my garland with lights and my wreath and then realized the next day was Christmassss. So fun, I called my mama and pops and family and talked to them for a good amount of time, which was sick. Then we actually went to an all girl school that's like an orphanage school for girls 3-18. Only a small group of about 30 were there and we gave them presents and made bracelets with them. Such a wonderful experience! The Church has funded their program before and given computers as well so there's really good relationships there with the administration. We also got to do some Khmer dancing with them as well which was a blast. It was really nie and refreshing to be around pure souls that were just so good. Don't get me wrong, other Cambodians we teach are amazing too but these girls were just so precious.

Anyways, I made this super cool bracelet cause we were making them together for ourselves but then I was thinking to myself, that's dumb, imma give it to the girl next to me. So, I did and of course she loved it cause it was a sick bracelet! She then made me one and we became besties😆 It just broke my heart cause they all don't have a father figure because all the teachers are women. So it was amazing to be a good example. So amazing! Okay then when we were leaving all the little ones gave us hugs goodbye and it was quite adorable as well. Then that night actually, us missionaries enacted the nativity for the English class so that was super fun too. Then I got to talk to my fam again and show them all their gifts I bought them . . .that I'll have to carry for the next 1 1/2 years😆 didn't think that one through very well. . . oh well I've become a master packer, maybe even better than The Marc Acton. Anyway next couple weeks are pretty normal, I'll explain some things with the pictures that most should have a date stamp on the bottom left corner so you can see which day.

Anyway, New Year's night we played a card game that if you lose you have to do a punishment, we played 4 times and we all lost once so we had to do a dance video and send it to our district the next night😆. Also random thought, this area has a couple members that feed you so welllll! I've been sooooo blesseddd. And it's really good food as well. Again the pictures and videos will have more details.

Ooooo, super sad story. Our teaching friend, his house actually burnt down to the ground the other day, I'll ad that video too, if you could though, can y'all pray for him and his family? He had 10 people living in that house and now he has to build it up again but he has like no money to. Super sad cause us missionaries can't contribute any money, but he sent me his Facebook goFundme. Super sad cause also I don't think the government does much to help him rebuild. Anyway, if you can donate it would mean the world but if you can't, of course that's okay. Also any little bit helps. But what's the biggest help is your prayers, that his heart will be softened where he can rely and trust in the Lord.

Anywayssss I think that's it for my "monthly"😆 I'll try to do a better job but I've set some pretty time consuming goals on myself so we'll see. Just know even if I won't get to writing these or writing to you personally, know that I think about you!!! Random people that I wouldn't normally think about pop into my head and I'm like, hmmm wonder how they're doing. So more common that not, I'm thinking 'bout you.

My advice to all, if you have the Lord's influence in your life, keep it and add to it, if you don't start now. Elder Holland says something like "it's never to late to repent/learn/get closer to Christ/be better until the Lord of the vineyard says it's time." Which is coming maybe sooner than some people realize, so start preparing now hehehehe

Okay love you all and thanks for spending time to read these, if you've got questions about anything ask me and I'll do my very besterestest to answer them 😊

Elder Acton