We visited these Killing Fields about a month after we got here. It was the dry season so these pictures are really dry looking. But it made me think of the cycles of life, being in this place, basically a cemetery. Dead. And this one is pretty dismal. You rent a headset and go from marker to marker, they are numbered. It is very quiet and everyone has the utmost respect for the grounds. It is quite a personal thing. You go at your own pace. At some stops you will just hear music while you read and contemplate. It is heart wrenching.
I can only think that when their suffering ended, they were then in a place of loveliness with their families, free from pain, hearing the glorious truths of the gospel. Now waiting for their baptisms, marriages, and sealings to take place. A lot of work to do. Family history here is hard because it was all destroyed by the evil of the Khmer Rouge. There is a government center that has whatever records were found stored there. I think they are going to let Dad and I in, and we want to see if they will let the Church officially come and copy the records. So members here have only a record given verbally of at the most their grandparents. Everyone we talk to has a story about a member of his or her family killed or never found during the Khmer Rouge time. We have a church interpreter who is about 40. He witnessed the torturing and death of his parents and sister when he was 7. He told us he just found his brother last year. So many, many families torn apart.
So grateful that we have the knowledge of the gospel, and the temples to seal us together as families.
This is a post I made months ago. Since then we have been back to these killing fields. The grass is now green, and represents a new season of hope to me. As we all know there is always hope because of our Savior Jesus Christ. I love Him.
We are privileged to attend many baptisms.
Doctrine and Covenants 20:37
"...all those who humble themselves before God and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve Him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into His church.
Our little branch has its own font. They have no cars or any way to get to the Stake Center. It is too far away. So this works out great!
Dad is so good to take their pictures. We get them printed up for the families and email the missionaries theirs. The man in white is the branch President. President Sinaet.
Notice the baby has pants on.
The baby pants are on the floor behind them now.
The Mom picked up the pants, ready to go.
It is typical for a baby not to have a diaper or pants on here in this branch.
Baptisms at the North Stake Center. This is our ward we go to in the afternoon.
Yikes !... am I losing my touch? I need my babies.... all of you
This is another cute little Mom. Her husband has not committed to baptism...yet...
I love the Sister Missionaries! No, their dresses are not exactly the same. I know it looks like it. Different fabric. They got them at one of the big markets for $5. I knew someone would think that
New members always like us in their pictures. This is her husband by her side.
More baptisms at our branch. Sen Sok Branch
Finally, a couple of pictures from Blake and Lyly Porter's Wedding.
This was an interesting, fun cultural experience. It was so nice to have been invited. The Porter's are wonderful people. Who would have thought that neighbors 5 houses apart in Centerville would share this in Cambodia!
The processional line coming into the tent.
Yes, I am carrying a gift....mine is a fruit plate.
Food being prepared and cooked for the wedding meals.
Dad and I at a restaurant for lunch in Kampong Cham. (a city about 2 -3 hours outside Phnom Penh.)
We were almost finished and in walked the Porter Family. They had quite a group able to come for the wedding. It was fun to see them there. They had been up to Seam Reap. This was the day before the wedding. We had seen them about a week earlier, picking them up at the airport.
Dad eating dinner at our hotel. We didn't know what to expect food wise, so I packed us a lunch, which we ate for dinner.
We were out to these gardens by a Branch just outside of town. The members have their spots they take care of and grow their own produce.
Banana Trees
This lady came over to me and offered these little yellow things. She had just picked them. I knew they hadn't been washed, and if you saw the water they watered with and where it comes from...well, lets just say I was a little apprehensive. But she was so sweet and wanted me to try them so I took a couple from her hand and began nibbling on the yellow outside part. I'm kind of nodding my head like it is good, hoping she won't keep watching me, but she was staring at me, then she ate one and you don't eat the yellow outside part, you pop it open and it has little slime balls inside, that you eat. Actually the flavor was pretty sweet.
Also after Sunday Meeting at a Branch we were visiting, they had lunch all prepared when we walked out. I recognized the giant bowls of extremely white extremely long noodles left over from the day before at a dinner. (which we didn't eat then) They were so excited for Dad and I to Eat. How do you say no? Of course Dad said we needed to go, which we really did, but I said, oh we can just take some with us. So they fixed us a bowl of it and gave us chopsticks to go. It had several layers of stuff in it. Juicy stuff and I think pork on top. I was starving so thought I will at lest try the noodles. Pretty tasty, but then I got down a little ways and I have no idea what the things were that were in it. It looked like dried worms,??? Also there were cut up fresh greens of many varieties and who knows what else, any way I was done at that point, and hoping I would feel ok during my next meeting.
Earlier that week, there had been a wedding at the church before a meeting we were going to, and they wanted to share their food... They just want to share and make you happy....So I took one of the things. A white chewy ball thing with coconut on the outside. I took a few bites, then got worried how it was prepared. Have I shown you any of the preparation sites?
Here are some papaya's growing on this tree. Interesting how they grow out of the trunk. (look right in the middle of the trunk.)
Well, so many things still to discover...
We visited these Killing Fields about a month after we got here. It was the dry season so these pictures are really dry looking. But it made me think of the cycles of life, being in this place, basically a cemetery. Dead. And this one is pretty dismal. You rent a headset and go from marker to marker, they are numbered. It is very quiet and everyone has the utmost respect for the grounds. It is quite a personal thing. You go at your own pace. At some stops you will just hear music while you read and contemplate. It is heart wrenching.
