Successful Week and "Sacred Meat"

So this week was absolutely awesome. I just want you to know that things went great. Me and Elder Meyers are working well together and things are just going great. Wednesday Elder Khan and Elder Wright (the zone leaders) came down for exchanges. 1 went to 1st branch and Khan came with us to 2nd branch. It was super fun. Elder Khan is the Khmer elder who was in the house with me while i was in Tuoltompong. I was with him there for 6 months so it was fun to have him come. This was a former area of his too so he was able to show us to some members houses which was awesome. Then the great thing was Thursday morning, I had some people who were willing to eat "sacred meat" with me. That's what they call it, then in English they tell you "meat dog" but what they are trying to say is Dog Meat. Yes, i finally did it. I figured I had to do it at least once, and my entire mission I was told that TaKhmau was the best place to do it. Let me tell you what, and I'm going to be 100% honest here now. It was the best meat I have ever had in this country, by far. It was super good. I don't know how much I will be doing it in the future because it's kind of sad they have to kill little dogs to do it, but to be honest there's so many its probably good to control the population a little bit. Either way I'm mostly scared to eat it often because of my health, it's just kind of sketchy. 

On Friday I was able to go on an exchange with Elder Barney. I went into his area which was nice. It's kind of weird to be at that point in your mission where you, and i'm trying not to sound proudful here, know more that the other person. Just little lessons and skills that i've acquired through more time and experience. It was really nice to spend time with him to be able to teach him, and to be honest I was able to learn a lot from him as well. 

Our successes this week were through the roof. We felt so blessed and guided this week. Elder Meyers and are doing pretty good together, we just seem to have the same goal in mind for this area and what we want to see done. We are just working so hard to get the families activated, to have more families in the church and all the blessings that flow from that, as well as referrals from these part member and inactive members. That's where the real success and growth is going to happen.

Last week I talked about a man Rido. He said he was going to come, well, he did. It's so awesome to see him back to activation. He's started to get really close again with the members in his neighborhood. They are so supportive and happy to have him back which is great. And you can just see how penitent he is, and the weight of sin and guilt being lifted off his soul. You just see it in his countenance. He's changing. Another less active that came back this week was a grandma, who's name is boy. Yes as in boy and girl. It's funny. Anyways we were able to find her, commit her to come back, and she came back. 5+ other inactive were able to be found, and commited to either meeting again, or coming to church. We are seeing some great things. We were able to see it in our numbers for lessons.

My time in Ta Khmau has been 15, 10, 8, 14 lessons. This week were got 24. And the results can definately be seen in church attendance. We shot up from 68 to 115. We can definately hit our goal of 120. If we keep doing what we are doing I believe we can regularly be hitting 110+ near 120. Super amazing.

We also saw success with having all of our recent converts and investigators with a baptismal date at church too.


Overall there is nothing to special to talk about, other than just kind of boast about our success. But I am reminded of a scipture, and i paraphrase, I am only boasting in my God. I have really learned it doesn't matter what my abilities are. If the area is prepared, its prepared. The Lord is the one who works with these people and prepares them to recieve us. I feel so blessed that the Lord has given us these success. My only hope is this branch will keep progressing, and he will keep preparing this people to recieve the message of the Restoration. I know this church is true, and the Lord is truly out there working with these people, preparing them by the Holy Spirit. If we are obedient and diligent, we truly will see miracles happen.

Love, Elder Rucker