Teflon Brain?

Hello my darling Sister Eliason,

YES, it’s grammy just checking in on our favorite missionary.  How we love reading your letters each week – you will have such a wonderful memory from your writings when your mission is complete…(unlike grammy WHO has been just terrible in keeping up with our doings). You know how in Alma it says “don’t procrastinate the day of your repentance?  WELL, I have failed miserably and procrastinated writing through all these months and now it’s almost time to go home.  So, I’m so proud of you for getting a letter off each week.  I came up with a NEW term to describe “my brain” it is…

TEFLON BRAIN….get it?  NOTHING STICKS – so not sure how much of our mission will be remembered.

We had a wonderful (but long) Sabbath day.  Left home at 10:30 a.m. and got in at 8:00 p.m.  We left early to attend a baptism of a NEW member.  He is a great young man who lives in TaKhmau and asked that PopPop be the one that baptize him.  We were so surprised but PopPop did a wonderful job….and these are some of the sweetest memories of a mission.  His name is Pich (pronounced Pitch) Chham.  He was overcome with the spirit (and wept) and following his baptism when he changed back into his street clothes and came back into the Relief Society room – he leaned over to me and said “Sister….I’m CLEAN…I never thought this day would come.”  We were so happy for him This is the fourth (4^th) time different people have asked that Elder Lok Ta (translated is grandpa) has been blessed to participate in this ever-so-important ordinance which allows each one to walk through the narrow gate and plant their feet on the narrow path back to our Heavenly Father. As you know it is just thrilling and never gets old to attend.

I’ve attached the pictures of those he was blessed to perform. 

Also, we cracked up when you told about running into a garbage can while riding your bike.  I swear you are named for grammy for good reason – that is something I would do (and have done) for sure.  Thought you would get a smile out of the other picture I’ve attached just to let you know that grammy and PopPop (at age 74) rode a bike on our mission.  [see attached].  Gratefully, on that night, I did NOT crash – OR did not get my skirt caught in the chain  – but I was nervous as I haven’t ridden a bike in years and there were NO sidewalks, the road was a DIRT, and it was after dark..  Now that should be written in a journal somewhere right? 

The last picture is of a big even Public Affairs (that’s us) hosted here – there are such CRAZIES on the highway (they all ride motos – a kajillion of them)  Anyway we had a Road Safety Saves Lives Workshop and invited members of the community as well as members of the church. IF people came and completed the course we (the church) awarded them a FREE helmet.  We had 70 sign up but over 150 came WHAT???  Anyway, the picture attached is  PopPop modeling the helmet that they got.  He looks more like an Astronaut right? .

Last but not least in the spirit of Halloween…..picture Which “witch is Which??? Get it? YES they DO celebrate Halloween in Cambodia.

Love you – so proud – keep up the good work – WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER

Love grammy & PopPop

	Elder Dowd	Sister Dowd
	012 817 138	012 817 439
	biglance1@mail.com	joni1@mail.com
	Public Affairs Asia Area Phnom Penh
	No 2B, St.222 off Norodom Blvd
	Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Pictures:

Still riding bikes, Elder & Sister Dowd riding in the dirt, and in the dark!  Be Careful!

Everyone wants Elder Dowd to baptize them... I wonder why?  Look at that smile!

Another sweet baptism, Elder Dowd asked to Baptize

Another baptism... amazingly sweet people!

After teaching a bike safety course, if you completed it, the Church gives you a helmet!  Elder Dowd looks like he's from Star Wars, a true Jeddi!  

Look... they do celebrate HALLOWEEN here in Cambodia!  

Update/Letter to Sister Eliason - Conference Weekend & Sister's Conference

PopPop and I are with the Ta Khmau (pronounced Dak Mow) District Elders and Sisters (8 of them) this weekend watching General Conference.  YES, a week later than the rest of the world (delayed because translation to Khmer has to be completed)  So, all day Saturday and Sunday we've been here at the chapel (about 30-40 minutes from our apartment). This picture is the room we set up our computer to watch it in English.  The Khmer people watched in the Chapel.  I love being around them because they are so faithful, fun and dedicated and love the Savior and the gospel. ALSO,  being around them reminds me that you ,too, are part of this "Royal Army".  Grammy needs a fresh package of Kleenex as each Session has begun- then add the music to that and then my makeup looks as bad as my hair.

We love reading about the experiences you are having already and swell with pride at your desire and purposeful attitude.  I know you feel the Spirit with you daily... what a blessing to have this time to be an instrument "His" hands to bring the glad news to those who are waiting for those critical answers presently missing in the world. Yeah!

Today (Sunday Session) has been especially sweet because in this humble country, with these poor and meek people, in between the sessions 5 new investigators entered the waters of baptism.. I wish you could have seen them so happy - they who barely have clothes to wear, the home they live in is just a tin room [see attached]– and yet you can see the happiness on their faces – because they have found HOPE in Christ.

I also attached a picture of grammy/PopPop at our Senior Sister missionary Conference.  All the Sister Missionaries from around the country, came to Phnom Penh for 2 day Conference. I have attached a couple of pictures. We got to watch the R.S. General Conference together.  All the Senior Sisters (including grammy) were on a panel…then we did this exercise where Khmer (Cambodia Missionary sisters) showed us “how” to fold a Lotus flower…YES fold the leaves of a live flower into a design.  I’m pictured here with TWO sisters (actual siblings) who are from Cambodia and are serving a mission at the same time.  It was fun for them to see each other because they serve in different parts of the Country. Their name is “Chin”  PopPop thought he was clever to call them the “Double Chins”  get it? As you can see they are beautiful with NO double chins😊 Then  the Senior Missionary husbands served all of us a delightful lunch…I especially like the waiter in the bow tie.

The last picture is of our Senior Conference where we went to Odoung – a place a few hours away that was  the Capital of Cambodia in the 1600’s (a LONG time ago). We climbed 700 stairs to the top and took these pictures…. The next day our slogan was ….stiff and sore at 74 (years that is).

Picture's from Senior Sister Missionary Conference and Senior Missionary Conference:

Five new Investigators get baptized!

Elder Dowd serving the Sisters, at the Sister's Conference

Elder Dowd leading the rest of the Elders in Serving the Sister's 

Odoung, Capital of Cambodia in the 1600's, climbed 700 stairs to the top!  

Watching some Conference?  I believe so... 

Sister Missionary Conference '17