Dear Elder Slavens

Dear Elder Slavens
Elder Trenton J Slavens
Thailand, Bangkok/Arizona, Gilbert/
Texas Houston East
Elder Dallin J Slavens Cambodia, Phnom Penh
Elder Chancellor J Slavens Idaho, Twin Falls

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Who knew? On the plane we flew.

Hehehehhehehehehehe

On Wednesday I dropped of ole' Elder Grimaud to pick up my new compy Elder Miah. And now I just want to tell you a little  bit about him. 

Elder Miah was born in Cambodia, but moved to Thailand 10 years ago. He lived in Thailand for 10 years, where he also learned Laos (shout out to Mischief. Elder Miah is currently teaching me how to sing in Laos). He was baptized two years ago, and he wasn't actually called to serve in Cambodia. he was called to serve in the London, south mission. So I am actually only his companion for one more week. He heads to London next week. 

His English is one of the funniest things of my life. His favorite song to sing is "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa, but he only knows the first four words "Who knew? On the plane we flew" and he sings it over and over and over. 

He is super ripped, but he looks at himself in the mirror, and then he looks at me and says "I am so small and my face is so old" 

I am not sure what is going to happen to me next week when Elder Miah flies off to good ole' Britain, but I'll let you know next week what happens to me. Have fun all of you trinkers in the colonies! 

Love,
Elder Slave 


I spy something (or someone) white... Can you find it? It might be hard to find because there's not much white. 

Lol


Our random service project of the week was helping this guy pile up bags of leaves on his moto that he will take to the market and sell. 

My first interaction with Elder Miah 


Elder Big Big


Lesson with a blind dude 


Starla


Tootle-loo 

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Hello. Is it me you're looking for?

How many dang weddings do I have to sing at on my mission? I sang at another one this week. It was a couple missionaries and some youth. No words I type can describe the things that happen at a Cambodian wedding.You'll all just have to wait until I get married and have a Cambodian style wedding to see it. I'll bring the Cambodia to you. Let's just say it always includes KFC as the food served. 

This week was full of trying to find old members who have stopped coming to church. We have records of member with maps to their houses that we follow until we find their house. Well this one map I could hardly read, so we were asking people on the road where we should go based on the address. And they lead us to some official government building. Where they took us in, and called a couple village presidents to find the address we had written down. I felt like Tom Cruise. 

This week was my last week with Elder Joseph Grimaud. He's outta here. He's leaving me in the dust. Now I am getting my very first Cambodian companion. That's right, folks. My next companion is named Elder Miah. He is from Cambodia, but I hear he's also lived in Thailand. What a coincidence because so have I! So we'll get along great. We have so much in common already! 

Actually, basically no one who I will be serving with or around is American. They are all Cambodian. So that is gonna be way fun. They know how to party. 

Love you, peeps. 
Slavens


My girlfriend. 


This is the crumb cake my mom sent me that we always eat every Sunday. Tastes 10x better in Cambodia. 


Wedding


Frog stir-fry. 


I named this kids extra thumb Trenton. 

I then I made Trenton shake my hand. 


This cute old guy who has to read with the book basically inside his face. 


​Oreo pudding.


Goodbye my lover. Goodbye my friend. You have been the one. You have been the one for me. 


Mummy.

Sunday, February 14, 2016

He ain't heavy, he's my brother

This week started with a cook off. 

That's right, a cook off. David Bowie was the judge. 

A family had us over for dinner Monday night, and they made spaghetti. For a Cambodian, that is an incredible feat. 

One of the Cambodian Sister missionaries has started calling me "Snake Man" because she says I have snake eyes, and she cannot trust me. She says she hates my eyes because they make me look like Edward from Twilight. I think that's pretty good. That Edward is a tall drink of water.

Remember the blind guy I talked about a while ago? We went and cleaned his house? Well on Sunday at church, we were sitting there in sacrament meeting, when all of the sudden the dividing doors between us and the gym start shaking. Elder Grimaud and I go to tell the kids playing on the other side of the door to stop playing with it. But to our surprise, it was not a group of mischievous kids. It was one lone blind man in the room by himself. He was being led, and the guy leading him had to go to the bathroom, so he dropped the blind guy off in a random room. And then forgot about him. So we found him trying to find his way to civilization. He has a a great heart. He laughed it off hahahahhaha.

I went on an exchange this week, meaning I got to go into another missionaries area. While doing so, we found a lady with her arm in a pile of poop. She was trying to unclog a drain. I really wanted to help. I also really wanted to remain poop-free. It was a dilemma. 

We moved houses this week. Same area I work in, same companion, just a new house. Our new house is like a five star American condo. There is a pool on the top floor. A POOL. Cambodian doesn't even HAVE a word for pool because they are so fancy! But while we were moving, we were listening to music. And there was one song Elder Grimaud showed me that basically made me cry every time I heard it. It is about missionary work and what we do. So I thought I'd put it out there for all of you to enjoy. And probably cry. 


Speaking of music, I hear there is a new song out there on iTunes and Spotify called "Beats for Us" that is ok. Maybe you should listen to that too. 

Over and out. 


Hello, this is Elder Slavens. How may I help you? 


The rise of the blood red sun. All hail. 


Moving houses and improving my character as I become as mysterious as the dark side of the moon. 


My sleeping conditions. 


R,i'di',ng', o'u'r, b,i'k,e,'s!


Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand the pile of poop. It's that grey stuff right there. You should smell it. If you don't know what I am talking about because you were too lazy to read my email, SCROLL BACK UP AND READ IT. 


Two One. His name is Two One. He is SO COOL! 


Valentines day, baby 

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Brian by Brian. Precept by precept.

Whaddup all y'alls fools? 

This week marks the beginning of Chinese New Year. As in it starts today. I am not 100% sure why it is a big deal here since I am not in China, but it is a big deal. Everyone has picked up all the belongings and fled to the boarders of Cambodia to celebrate this Chinese holiday with their families out in the provinces. And if you remember, I am now in the HEART of this country. I am in the big city now, baby. Which means this upcoming week might not have much going on. 

But the week I just had was kool! We had a big meeting with our mission president. He is kool. He taught us how to study the scriptures better. 

We had a Sunday school lesson in church about this new Planet X that has life on it? I wanna go! Sign me up. I've seen Interstellar. I know how this stuff works. 

We're trying hard to make progress with our dude Two One. I love the STRUGGLE of trying to help him fix his life! IT IS SO FUN! Seriously like a human puzzle. We've got this other guy we meet named David. He tried fasting which is impressive. I want to be like him when I grow up. 

That's all I got. I'll catch you all on the flippity flip.


Suzi got a paint job and came for a visit


We ate some Mexican food


Elder Grimaud taught our guy how to tie a tie


These kids watched some TV

We celebrated another year on Earth


She ate some cake


I got a new bike seat that is way too big (it is for motos) 


This girl said hello 


This guy could ride his bike with no handle bars and no legs too 

These chickens were unsure of their futures 


This toilet had seen the end of its days 


I won 6 points at the sun stare