New Years Eve!

Happy 2014 Everyone!

This was a great week this week compared to last week! We had been pretty disappointed and things weren't going right for us at all. Then a ton of our investigators came to church, and we were able to set up appointments and had some really good lessons. We are really hoping there are going to be baptisms soon.  Transfers were given at the end of December, but no one is moving in the Cambodian ward, except for the first time ever one of the Cambodian Elders is an assistant to the President. The timing just happened to work out and he is going to be out of our ward for a few more months!  Thank you for everyone's letters, gifts, and most of all your encouraging words and support.  I have not had much time to write.  I've lost a few envelopes with return addresses, so I'm hunting a few of those down to write many of you back.  I really, really, really love getting letters. We are biking all of the time, because California forgot it was winter.  Don't get me wrong, the weather here is the best....  Grateful for all of you!  Love, Elder Liddell

Christmas Day....Skype with Elder Liddell

WE HAD SOME GOOD LAUGHS WITH ELDER LIDDELL ON OUR BRIEF, 40 MINUTE PHONE CALL.  NICK SKYPED FROM A MEMBERS HOME IN SEAL BEACH CALIFORNIA.  WE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!  WE GOT TO MEET YEAY YEAY, A SWEET CAMBODIAN GRANDMOTHER

AND BRIEFLY SAY HELLO TO HIS COMPANION.  NICK SOUNDED IN GOOD SPIRITS AND HE LOOKED HAPPY.  MANY PEOPLE WELCOMED THEM INTO THEIR HOMES TODAY, FED THEM, AND GAVE THEM A PIECE OF HOME.  WE WERE VERY, VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.  BOY, DO WE MISS HIM THOUGH.  IT WAS VERY HARD TO SAY GOODBYE.

Cambodian Speaking Elders Sing Their Version of the 12 Days of Christmas

If the video link is sent to me, I will post and share it.  The video is on private FB page for now.  There's something about seeing your missionary son in a video that makes you a bit weepy.  Happy, yet missing him at the same time.

រីករាយថ្ងៃណូអែល

(Merry Christmas)

I'm not sure how to caption this photo!  A sweet sister from the Park Ward posted this photo of some of the missionaries at their Christmas party.  Did they plan to dress alike?  And did Nick just enjoy some yummy Cambodian food?  Regardless, it made our day!!!

NEW GLASSES...PARK WARD PARTY!

Last week was probably the most interesting week I've had on my mission. There has been so many crazy things going on in our ward, and our district. Last week the twin Elder Sams decided to go home, but this week we wanted to do everything possible to keep them here. We especially wanted to help Elder Sam 2, the one who likes being a missionary, stay.

We had some late nights this week. Between talking with president, and dealing with the whole situation, it was hard to see all of the Cambodian areas get hit. Our amount of time to work was significantly lower than usual.  God definitely answered my prayers.  I really desired for Sam 2 to stay, because he truly does love it here.  Sam 2  made the decision to stay, and his brother is going home.   We are all so close because we serve in the same ward our whole mission, and losing someone is like losing a brother. We are so lucky to still have Elder Sam 2 serve in Long Beach and bless the lives of the Cambodian people.

Besides the whole Sam saga, I had a great Thanksgiving. We actually had 3 different meals that day, and yes it was great! All three were a mix of normal Thanksgiving food, and Khmer food. We were lucky enough to be fed so many times.  Our ward is our family! I still missed grandma's deviled eggs though.

Today we decorated our apartment for Christmas and took some pictures.  You asked what I would like for Christmas?  Maybe more sweaters, those cardboard things that hold scriptures at Deseret Book??  Legos, Nerf guns....

Muay Nam is still progressing a lot. He came to church again with his recent convert wife, and two of their grand kids. We write everything for him that the speakers say.  The native missionaries stay can write really fast which helps us a ton! Muay Nam has a date for the last Sunday of the year. Our mission is trying to reach a goal of 70 baptisms before the end of the year, and we want to help!  I think the companionship's are going to get switched up soon, I will let you know.

 Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes, and for the cards. On my birthday we had district meeting, so we were planning most of the day. We had some fun in our apartment, and ate cake. Thanks mom for the package, it was awesome! I had a really great birthday, and I'm really glad I got to spend it out here. I got to teach my deaf investigator too, which was really, really fun.

Thanks so much, have a good first week of December!

Love, Elder Liddell

Happy Birthday Week!

Not much in the way of New news this week. I am very excited for my birthday. We will possibly have meetings on that day, but they usually are really great and a nice break. Elder Sam Skidmore gave me referral all the way from Florida! He met a Cambodian who had a relative in Long Beach... pretty cool! 

Here's a picture of me and my companion in the mission home. He's a really great guy and things are going well. 

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

This is Halloween....Cambodian style!

 I'm excited for Halloween, although we are just going to be cleaning our apartment. It's going to be a fun week. Our ward Halloween party was crazy. The bishop's wife did it all in a Nightmare Before Christmas theme.  It takes forever to attach pictures so I'm just going to send one or two. It was really cool and decked out. The Cambodian people are great.  The deaf man we have been teaching came to church! All dressed up with his hair slicked back.  We were so glad to see him.We have started to find a lot of people which is nice. Hopefully we won't have to transfer even more to the singles ward! 

I can't tell you all what it means to get a letter from friends and family.  I may not have time to write back, but I don't want you to think that I don't greatly appreciate the time you take to just say, Hi! Or telling me what is going on with you and your families.  I love hearing about even the smallest things.  So a big THANK YOU to all of you, from the bottom of my heart!