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, May 8, 2016

I wanna eat your toes

So... Lazy.... to write more. 

Mothers day=when we skype our families. So I feel like there's not much more to say even though I haven't said any of it to any of you. 

Today I just want to write fun stuff from the week. 

1.) We were handing out fliers for our free English class, and a kid walked up to talk to us. He was maybe like what, 6? But he would just mouth words at us. I am pretty used to that since no one thinks I know their language, so they just mouth words at us, but then when he wouldn't even respond to anything we said to him in Cambodian. And then we realized he didn't know how to speak! He was on mute mode! So we asked him what he wanted and he pointed to the other side of the rode. He wanted the tall Americans to help him cross the busy street. So we did and it was really cute. 

2.) I was sitting when all of the sudden my pants just RIPPED OPEN. Rips all up and down my legs. I don't even know where it came from. BUT, we were luckily at a copy shop where the guy had a stapler so I stapled my pants nice and shut. 

3.) There was one night where Elder Ros and I had nothing to do for like 3 hours. So we tried finding people on the streets who want to learn, and then we quickly had a feeling that there was something else we should do. Elder Ros asked me if there were any members we should visit. I thought of one who is this sick dude who has a wife and daughter who come to church every week but he can't because he is sick. So we went there. It turned out he had just went to the hospital and came back, and we had no clue. He was getting worse. So then I wanted to share with them about hope and read a scripture in Revelations that I like to read, but I couldn't think of it. So I asked them if they had a bible. They did. They let me borrow it, and I opened to revelations, and the first page I opened to was the one with the scripture I wanted to share on it. HOW, do you ask, did I remember which verse the scripture was? BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY VERSE ON THE PAGE THEY HAD HIGHLIGHTED. I told them I was confident we were lead to their house to share that message. 

So ya. Good week. I feel like my mission is coming to a close and life is moving really fast. Does anyone else feel that way? If so, I know how you feel. 

Bye.



It was super boring talking to them.


American food 


"Free English class”


Sometimes we take these Elders out with us because they are Vietnamese, and they don't know Cambodian. So we show them how its done, basically.


A picture of me standing.



My newly stapled pants


The one in the middle with the yellow shirt is my favorite. She is my best friend. 


Posh


My companion and I, and our Mission President who I love with all my heart. I deliberately capitalize the first letters in his title. 


art


art


art


art


This art was brought to you by The Old Testament

Elder Ros email and pictures


59th Episode of អែលឌើរ រស់ - Vore Contacting #DOWORK (Mother's Day Special)













Here lie's the main picture of the week! Aligning with why's my post's title that.... This was Elder Vore! 

ជាតំបន់សូមជំរាបសួរ!,

          How's it going everyone I would like to make this post short and sweet as necessary! Before this post I would like to wish everyone a Happy Mother's Day! I love and miss my mom! Moms are the best! 

        So this week was straight forward we've been slowly receiving new investigators here and there in this area! Visiting people around the area still searching for those who wants to learn about the Gospel! 

Any particular details well, we started teaching a new investigator who thought church was at 3PM over but Stake Conference was on 9AM on that morning. So instead to make-up for him coming to church yesterday, we just taught him about the Restored Gospel! This new investigator's name Look Poo Piset! This is a Look Poo I contacted weeks ago and he's been going to our church constantly already! He's still cool and really loves to pray! 

I come across another investigator name Poo Kosal! Another cool guy, but does take work! And more encouragement on helping him pray to help him communicate with God! 

North Stake Conference was great! However, none of our investigators participate or attended it! Argh! Oh well! We'll still keep inviting them closer to Christ though! It was still great to see the members in the North Zone stay strong by attending this conference! 

So, sorry I had to cut this post short, but I just want to let you all know I am doing great hope the pictures I sent to you all with explain how'd last week went! I still love to serve my divine heritage I am here to stay! Plus, I am still here to work hard! Stay blessed and fantastic! Will be a posting a better post next week! Here I go! Gotta get busy with the reality of Missionary Work! If any of you all are praying that I don't get to "trunky" lately God bless you all because I really want to keep helping others come unto Christ to keep the gospel spreading!

"Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed."- 3 Nephi 18:21

🌏💓 -អែលឌើរ រស់ known as Elder Ros the Elder that lives on! 


Sunday, May 1, 2016

Previously on... SURVIVOR!

What does that mean if I meet a British person and they ask me, 
"Where are you from?" 
and I say,
"California"
and they say,
"Oh, I could tell by your accent"

WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN?!?!?!? 

My warts are doing well. They are all scabs now. 

Elder Ros and I continue to try our hardest. I have been inspired by another Elder's motto for his mission: "fear no man

So anytime I am walking or riding my bike with Elder Ros, and I see someone out of the corner of my eye, and think, "wow, I should really go invite him to learn about how cool the gospel of Jesus Christ is", but then think "naaaaw, he is busy. He is eating. He is talking to his friends. He already got in his car. etc. etc."  I then verbally tell myself: 

"FEAR NO MAN!"

And then turn around and talk to them. So if you are not a member of the church, and you find the Mormon missionaries to be annoying, it is because they "fear no man". It is way fun. I think it makes God happy that I am trying to follow all those little feelings that I get, and which are kind of hard to follow. If you want to know who the Holy Ghost is, and how He can be more of an influence in your life, you've gotta follow what He says. DUH. 

That's all. Bye. 

Next time on... SURVIVOR!


When worlds collide 
The only time I have seen my San Ramon, California life and my Cambodia life collide is in my dreams. But this week it became a reality. Only those of you who are serving missions with me right now in Cambodia know who this goofy looking guy on the left is. Only those of you who have grown up with me in San Ramon know who the fool on the right is. But for ME, this is the strangest picture ever. Two worlds that I thought I would never see combine, have at once combined into one photo. 



Away in a manger



This picture is for my old companion, Elder Hall. I just wanted to tell you to name your first son Jim. 


More super cute Cambodian puppies. Don't Cambodian dogs look so weird? 


Classic. A common form of income for Cambodians is to sit on their motos at the corner of a street, and wait for someone to innocently walk by, in need of a ride. And then they will have this stranger hop on their moto and give them a ride. And quite often, they will take advantage of the moto to transport their belongings from one place to another. So here are two strangers on a moto, driving down the street with a window frame that is 10 feet tall. 



Cambodian people also only wear pajamas all the time. They are the comfiest race of people. 


Jack Jack 

Dallin's companion Elder Ros' email

58th Episode of អែលឌើរ រស់ - The Living Blue Rampage #FearNoMan














ជាតំបន់សូមជំរាបសួរ!,

        Best transfer hands down that I ever experienced in my entire mission, I can't just hold up my thoughts of what happened any longer from last week so here I go "PLEAM PLEAM" (immediately!):

     Well, on Last Tuesday (Note:April 26, 2016)  District Meeting was fantastic as usual, and this day was also literal#FearNoMan day when me and Elder Slavens and I contact anybody about the gospel no holding back, we don't even have much people to teach except a Less-active member named Ponleu. Other than that we spent most of the day just contacting over and over, even kicking REAN English Program to high gears. I even ended up preaching out loud to a neighborhood close to one of our recent convert's girlfriend's home. Me and Elder Slavens were about to visit one of our other investigator whom we're about to bluntly drop him dued to his progression (Chun) than all of a sudden this investigator wasn't so instead we prayed we contact furthermore around the area and just ended up testifying of the Gospel on front of a nieghborhood for a good while than a Look Puu that Elder Hunt and Elder Slavens contacted a while ago before I came into the area - wanted me and him to have a seat. It's probably on the most humbling missionary experiences I ever had in my life that I just use the power of my calling a missionary to bare testimony on a neighborhood even the drunk people behind the neighborhood went quiet for my testimony. Elder Slavens just stand there when I was like preaching then I was like what the "heck was I saying"? All of my testimony just burst out of my mouth since a random Neakming was asking me what race I am and just I deliberately ignore the question and just bluntly show what me and Elder Slavens are here to do! Yeah! 

   On Wednesday, we were visiting a active member in the Ward in Teuk Laak (our area of course)  to check how's he doing and committed him to help Elders in Branch 1 of Ta Khmau to help teach his brother over there this active cool member that's very good at English is know as "Mark"or Visal! Then later on I actually made a unusual attempt as me and Elder Slavens had permission from the Mission President is we had a small exchange with Vietnamese speaking Elder to have their helping contacting with us! Turns out it's tricky to adapt contacting with some one learning the Khmer language when fluent with Vietnamese, but got it all done I was contacting with Elder Nguyen for a while! Then later on we had a chance to meet a member that's less active but he returned to church as a return missionary whose known as Osophea! Cool guy, just helping understanding doctrine behind the restoration just to help him have a stronger testimony of the church although he's a return missionary. The Rean English Program was a blast just still going on helping students learning to pronounce words to help them understand English better for example "Where you go?".... the heck NO! it's "Where are you going?". Yep. We were invited to go to a setting apart of Mey and Mean the twins as they're about to become missionaries but the Stake President accidentally forgot and they got into a huge delay! Although me and Elder Slavens aren't able to participate on the setting apart we're very proud for the both of them to decided to serve there missions in Portland, Oregon, and the other in Salt Lake City, Utah leaving the home country for a while soon! 

    Last Thursday, we met up with Non again just watch the Restoration with him to help him understand why we met with him a lot lately. He does take work, but no one can force each other to get up to there spiritual potential in life. After that we had a big lunch having Elder Guang one of the Vietnamese Elder's Ribs in our apartment. He pulled off the fall-of-the-bone making me think he topped off "Dinosaur BBQ". (Check my hometown for more details.) Then, we just bother talking with several more people around the area to see if others want to learn about Jesus Christ and his Church! (Of course, we did Weekly Planning for a while but it got done for preparation's sake and always helping this area constantly!) What a good day! 

    This is what I though to be the big main event, but Elder Slavens believe what happened last Tuesday was pretty much it, I had the opportunity to serve with Elder Khiev from Kampong Cham Branch 2, Cambodia - ROUND 2 since a year ago since I was "born" in Ta Khmau Branch 2, except we both change. When I had the call in the last minute yesterday about having the exchange with him I was in doubt being the one to lead but turned out that as I embraced the exchange, it turned that this exchange was one of the best exchanges I ever experience in my mission I just basically what I was suppose to do on the agenda that the Holy Spirit wanted me and Elder Khiev to do and we done! I was super happy and yet I learn a whole lot with him since having this precious and sacred exchange! We've visiting some members that are Less active and did spend majority of the day contacting. That was so fun! Elder Khiev's the Elder though literally learning a lot as much as I learned from him! One of the most memorable exchanges ever in my life! 

    On Saturday, we had REAN English Program again on the morning with somewhat the same lesson format of the week and we pulled the class off pretty well, the students enjoyed English class because we are doing our best to teach English since we know it! Before hand I had a mini-exchange with Elder Try from Kiens Svay to have language study which was great! Then later me and Elder Slavens check on our recents converts finally meeting Sackda seeing how's he doing, like investigator he does take work, but does take a lot more uplifting and committing other to apply FAITH without leaning on Elders! Throughout more of the day both of us went to go contacting find more people to learn about the Gospel and then we decided to visit Poo Broh and his family to share a important lesson that's beneficial to them known as FASTING! Was a fun appointment and loving family to visit and help them come closer back to Christ as they're doing their best as a family! 

     Yesterday, we met up a new investigator this morning having help from who's formally known as "Elder Pom" meeting a cool Look Puu who works as a Guard know as Puu Kosal! Very excellent 1st lesson with he's been very open and understand of what we're sharing with him. He felt that God wanted us to meet and it happened! Goodness sakes I love this area so dearly! Church was great me and Elder Slaven bored Testimony throughout the Fast and Testimony meeting, some members from a different wards even bored strong testimony of the truthfulness of this Church. I really love this mission very much! I can forget this experience ever! BEST MISSION EVER! I am so grateful to have the opportunity to do my best to serve my divine heritage no matter, how many times they reject it while some are willing to hear what me and Elder Slavens share in these Latter-days! 

        I am a huge believer of miracles, I know that I am important to God and I know that that Gospel CAN bless anybodies just as long as we soften our hearts for it! Our job and life on earth is to become our best selves spiritually and physically as each of us take time to embrace the Gospel into our live, we truly be happy enough to even bless our families including! Plus, I know that Jesus Christ is truly the savior and our redeemer. My calling and authority as a missionary HAS POWER I know that I am called by God to serve my divine heritage no matter how much the adversary thinks how inadequate I am! Well, gotta get going! My time in this mission is actually! I am excited to skype my family soon ounce more! I am thankful for those who has been super supportive to me especially my ward family who's been cheering me on. Missions are indeed the hardest thing any member of the church can do but it can be done for I do know that with God all things are possible! Allons-Y! Stay Fantastic and God bless you all! And I close this post in the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen. (Despite that I lost my wallet - my second one luckily I kept my absolutely important stuff in our apartment I was still able to just keep going doing the Lord's work! Yeah!) 

ដោយក្ដីស្រឡាញ់, (With love),
🌏💓 -អែលឌើរ រស់ known as Elder Ros the Elder that lives on! 
P.S. The Gospel of Jesus Christ does indeed gives us true hope! And I will never regret serving in this mission because I love it so dearly in my heart! 

"I fear no man." - Elder Farbrizio Ricciardi from a mission in England

 "Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.  And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true." - Mosiah 4:9-10,12 

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Just GET OUT OF HERE you dumb, stupid ANIMAL!

YO YO YO to the FAM FAM FAM 

I would like to start  my email this week with a story. This is the story of the រឹស that infest my hand. Well, in order to tell this story, we will have to go all the way back to the beginning. The VERY beginning. Well, ever since I was a child I had a wart on my right hand. Well, that wart had a child. It was born onto my left palm. There I was, about to go on a mission, and with TWO UGLY WARTS taking over both my hands! So we said, NO WAY, JOSE! I went to the doctor and got the snot frozen out of them. Well, LONG STORY SHORT, only one died. I came to the Kingdom of Cambodia still infested with an ugly, cauliflower-like wart.

Now it is time for a science class. Class is in session. Fun fact. Did you know warts spread in humid climates? Warts thrive in humidity. Well, Cambodia's humidity is 35%. I am not sure what that means. But that one American wart had a Cambodian child. Using the humidity from the very air we breathe, a half American-half Cambodian wart was created on my right hand. And because of it's ability to use American innovation with Cambodian grit, it succeeded in creating another child, just a few centimeters above its creator.

Well, now that leaves me with 3 warts, one on my left hand, and two on my right. These two American/Cambodian half-breeds were very persistent and very strong. In fact, they were stronger than any thing I have ever seen before. They created one more GIANT wart on my right hand-pointer finger knuckle. 

These three warts worked together on the very right hand I use to write and eat with to create SIX MORE CHILDREN! 

Now, at this point, I am sure you are wondering, "Elder Slavens? How could you allow the warts to get to this point, that they create so many children and almost take over your whole entire hand?" That is true, I had 9 warts on my right hand at one point. Six of them were extremely small, but still; isn't that how we all start? Small, and grow large over time? So that is when I thought: 

It is time to act. 

Knowing that Cambodians are extremely street-smart (see second paragraph, fifth line) I went to the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the kingdom of Cambodia for help. I would show them my warts. I would shove my hands into their faces, fall to my knees and beg for help. They would scoff at me. Mock me. laugh at me. Tell me to turn to someone else. No one would DARE be seen with someone so INFESTED and UGLY as I. 

Until. One splendid woman. The age of which nearing 70. She had the sweetest spirit I have ever crossed. Not only did she help me find the true answer to my quest, which I thought would soon become a life-long venture, but she actually solved it for me. 

She told me all I had to do was apply heat. I did not know how. I let fear enter into my heart. Until she went into her house, grabbed an incense stick, lit it, and began to apply it gently, lovingly, and carefully to my hand. Within minutes, the wart was burnt to a singe. She equipped me with three more incense sticks and sent me on my way, with instruction to do as she does, just as I had seen. 

As so it was. I applied heat gently to the remainder of the large warts. The leaders of them, as you will. In total, I burnt four warts, using non other than the Buddhist incense that I teach are false. Now, my hands are covered with bloody scars. Members still to this day will mock me. "You look like you were attacked by a zombie. Did you fall off your bike?" they will say. 

One day, I know with all my heart that my bloody scars will be pure and white, just like the rest of my skin. I know that if we will test truth, and open our hearts to the possibilities of it, we will be blessed in the long run. We may think it is hard, maybe even painful at first. But let me promise you, as a servant of our lord and Savior Jesus Christ that anyone who will seek truth, and test it, will find the truth with the aid of Heavenly help. And then, on that day when we all stand before God at His judgement seat, we can say, "I tried and did all I could do in order to find your truth. Thank You so much for granting it unto me, your child." 

Please, everyone. Remember my story. Remember how it can be applied into your lives. Of this, I write on this day. 

Yours truly,
Elder Slavens


The super adorable ladies in my ward. Literally my Cambodian best friends. one of them brings sodas to church every week, calls over the missionaries super secretly, takes us over to the corner of the room, and forces the sodas into our bags and tells us not to tell anyone. 



How many Cambodians does it take to move a rock?



Spell iCup eewhite. It's the new prank amongst 5th graders


Speak of the devil. 



Classic Cambodian lady walking around, selling food from right off her shoulders for a living.


My investigator Two one who works at Dominoes. Only $3.25! 


He also gave me his balloon which I added to my helmet. I love wearing a bike helmet! 



My newest favorite LDS boy band! 


Whats on the menu at Cambodian restaurants? 



Wow! What looks good? 



Well, it ALL looks good, if you ask me!!!! 




Dallin's companion Elder Ros' email

57th Episode of អែលឌើរ រស់ - Raining Mangos on Dirty Water



Here's one of the best investigator ever Non. :) Along with the twins Mey and Mean in the Te'uk La'ak Ward that are leaving to there missions soon ENGLISH speaking....WHOA!


Elder Slavens looking fantastic teaching about Facebook English Terms in REAN! (Last Saturday!)


Here are a bunch of adorable looking small chickens while visiting a somewhat Potential Investigator! 


Members in the North Zone! It's great to be back serving around the North Zone I love serving here! 

ជាតំបន់សូមជំរាបសួរ!,

        What is up everybody! It's Mango Season around this time in Cambodia even in Te'uk La'ak so we've been randomly given Mangos throughout the week.... YEAAAAAH! HAHAHA! Will need to break this post down as quick as possible because I love remaining busy in this mission here's some swift highlights!:

    Well then.... pretty much throughout most of the week we've been "monsterous" throughout the week literally asking some people and inviting all to learn about Christ some understood,and some are curious about REAN English Program...Yep! (Last week was the most I ever contact throughout last week because we talked for over 130 people about the Gospel inviting them to learn about the restored Gospel many heard, but very few took the invitation to learn the Gospel and sometimes English class/REAN! We've been following up on a return appointment and met this new investigator since last Tuesday! This one investigator's name Nean or Nian the one who I contact off the streets from 2 Sundays ago around a restaurant! This guys excellent! Contacting pays off! By a whole lot! For real throughout this week as we met him ounce more he's committed on a baptismal date on June 11th 2016! Super exciting that he accepted it as he's really taking time to learn with me and Elder Slavens! 

     For another investigator throughout the week, we've been meeting with Bong Chun from last Tuesday and Thursday.... heh he's an interesting investigator! Still needs work to up to his potential! But by all means no one can't force people to develop a strong testimony of their own of the Gospel even the Book of Mormon! Around Wednesday we've visit a Om that's super nice named Dally along with her son Chetra, just encourage to help them pray with each other oftenly just to help them stay love and maintain peace! REAN Englsh on that day was fun, some people had shown interest of the gospel since learning REAN English and a bit of the Gospel! Woohoo! 

      Some of you may wonder how's Non doing he's pretty much one anyone can be patient for! Love him so much. We've been following up on his reading on the Book of Mormon and he's doing his best on His part I love him! I love me and Elder Slaven's investigators here in this area! On Saturday we took time to visit some less actives and remind them of the Restoration with them by watching the Restoration video, felt the Holy Spirit every single time of how important and crucial the restorations is! Yesterday, Church was fantastic! It's great to see members of the Ward returning from Khmer New Year and our investigator Bong Nean showed up to Church with the Toul Kok session! We're so happy to see an investigator like him to come and see how church is like every Sunday!

        Well, me and Elder Slavens are doing phenomenal together! I love this mission, I still love serving my divine heritage and I meant that so dearly each and every single time! I am so grateful to be called to serve along with Elder Slavens this transfers! We got this area in the bag along with the best companion ever such as the Holy Ghost and plus the gift of tongues! Missionary Work's not easy but it's indeed doable I love this work! I gotta enjoy more of this journey along with Mangos.... I meant Elder Slaven! HAHAHA! Well got to blast off serving and inviting others to Christ will be posting next week, stay fantastic and blessed my fellow congregation who's subscribed to my post! Here I go! Lea Sen! The adventures of Elder Ros still continues! 


ដោយក្ដីស្រឡាញ់, (With love),  -អែឌើ ស់
Elder Ros      The Legendary ខ្មែរ-i-can Missionary
 Syracuse, NY USA

 "But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them. " - Mosiah 3:12-13