Assigned to labor in the.....Cambodia, Something Something Mission!: Kicking and Screaming

April 20, 2014

Like I said last week, this week is transfers.

Any guesses where I'm going?

Well there can't be too many guesses because there are only six Viet branches between the two countries. Most everyone thought I was going to go up to Hanoi though...jokes on us.

Cambo here I come!!!

Yep, I'm going over to Cambodia in Branch 6. And who's my companion? Sister Le Trinh/Sister Hunsaker - my missionary twin! Our names are basically the same, we're both from Utah, our first names are both Emily, we both have brothers named Eric, and our mom's are both from central Vietnam! Destiny.

Imagine. This is how the transfer call went:

Elder Tan and Elder Tran call for the weekly call in report. Then they tell us the transfer. First, Sister Vy will stay in the Than Son Nhat branch and will be with Sister Tra again. Sister Tien is staying in Thao Dien and Sister Van is coming back to Saigon. Okay, nothing too surprising with those two.

Now it's my turn. Everyone is ready to hear that I will be going up to Hanoi...

Together Elder Tan and Tran both shout "Cambodia! Branch 6!!"

Then there is screaming...lots of it.

"You're going to be with Le Trinh."

Then, even more screaming.

And it gets better! I was so in shock I stood up, jumped around in a circle, then fell on the ground screaming, laughing, and nearly crying.

Screaming because I'm sups excited to serve with Le Trinh.

Laughing because EVERYONE thought I would stay in Vietnam.

And nearly crying because Le Trinh just finished her training so of course isn't amazing at the language, and my Vietnamese is the whips. Fingers crossed we will understand what's going on...

Ayyy Eeeeyyyy Yaaaaa

I'm nervous.

Yesterday I learned an important lesson about not judging others

based on their outward appearance.

At the super market we shop at there is a guy who works in the parking lot and we see him each time we go grocery shopping. It's pretty typical that people are scared when they first look at him. He's got like five piercings on his face and gauges and tattoos. He is always outside smoking and he has this funny gangster walk because his pants sag. Typical in America because everyone is a hood rat, but there aren't too many people like that here in Vietnam. I couple weeks ago as I was walking past him I regrettably thought "this is the type of person that will never come into one of our churches."

Well I sure felt like a goof while sitting at the church last night for the Easter program and here comes Mr. Tattoo Gauges into the sacrament room with the Elders. And he was so nice! We watched the Messiah, a three hour program, and he stayed for the whole thing! And he read the whole Restoration pamphlet during the program and he was just so smiley and great and I feel like a chump for judging him. #FeelinLike2Cents

So there's the greatest lesson of the week. Do not judge. Here's a talk that says it better than I can: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/ye-are-no-more-strangers?lang=eng

That's it for the final p-day in Saigon! Next week I'll be writing you from Cambam. I'm going to the zoo again this afternoon! Das right!

See ya around!

Love, Sister Trinh Ly