June 7 Pics

Scroll to see what I'm about to eat!

Mmmmm...   Tasty!

I love Fido!

Nice to have when gas is $7 a gallon!

My new comp Elder Ny

Yummy crab claws.

Nothing exciting on this plate, move along.

Crab claws or snails?

Elders Nordgren, Ny, and Walker

Fish heads, fish heads...  No, wait.... dog heads, dog heads, eat them up, yum!

Neigbors dog.

Pig snout.  In the background is tomorrow night's dinner.

Okay, now...  fish heads...

Foot long Gecko

Snake on a stick.  Soon to be....

McSnake!

June 7, 2011 Letter

Dear Readers,
Different week. Sorry about no update last week. Had a meeting with the Mission President. We talked about me returning home to get my shoulder fixed. The plan is going home on the 17th of June. I am not sure 100% though but soon we should all know.
The work is moving faster than I can right now. So many great investigators! Should have four baptisms coming up in a few weeks. It is all going so well! Me and Elder Walker got a third companion added for when me and him both go home so the third member can show around the new two elders that will replace us. His name is Elder Ny. He is a temporary missionary and is from a city just outside of Phnom Penh. He is way funny and super fun and a great worker.
Life is changing for us all very quickly. I hear a lot about changes at home. I have also heard about Grandma. She is in my prayers. I have just sent a lot of pictures about what I have been eating lately. I hope you all enjoy as much as I did eating all of it. Dogs are going to disappear when I get home. I will be hungry. Heather watch your dog real close when I'm around. Well I don't have too much more for the week, but thank you all for your prayers and I will see you soon.
-Elder Nordgren

Mother and daughter baptism (Hol and Vin)             

                                                          baptism pic (Hol, Vin, Ya)

Branch President, 

this is our investigator. she has been learning for two weeks and is prepared by the Lord for sure. She is so faithful to the gospel and almost had to give her husband up for it. But the Lord has mercy and she past her small test of faith and will be getting baptized the 19th of june. 

her name is Mek

May 24, 2011 Letter

Dear Digest,
I have had a great week. With some baptisms and an MRI behind me the future is looking more questionable than ever. I hae sent some pictures of the baptisms. Hope you all like them. It sure did take some work to get them baptized though. No more baptisms till June 5 I think.
The MRI went well and I am waiting for the doctor in Hong Kong to tell me what he thinks I need to do. Bangkok or America? I would like to start a vote on this. Ok I am only kidding, it all depends on how bad my shoulder really is. But thank you all for the prayers. I couldn't push on without them.
This transfer is halfway over now. And when it ends I will have been out for more than 8 months. We had an exchange with the zone leaders this last Monday. One of them, Elder Egan, told me that it is time for the rising generation in the mission to step up. Always working on being better in the mission.
This country has some beautiful sights. Let me tell you what a typical day is out of the eyes of Elder Nordgren. Wake up and see pictures of your amazing family. Next you are staring at the wall working out and getting ready for the day. Then come studies. If I look up from my studies I see pictures of Christ. I see lots of Khmer writing everywhere. The back of my eyelids are dark when praying, but when I open my eyes it is always interesting to think where I am in the world. We get on our bikes and their are people everywhere. Moto bikes in the thousands. A wreck here and there, but nothing new for me. When I get 5 seconds I love to look up at the clouds. They are beautiful here. So puffy and large, but then you look in the distance and you know a big rain is coming fast. Better buy a disposable rain poncho. My eyes have seen so much in the time that I have been here. I love looking at what they can put on a moto bike. I have seen pigs, chickens, up to 6 people on one bike, and refrigerators. So often the electricity goes out and we are left in the dark with no AC. Sooner or later it comes back on though.
This country is amazing and I am glad to hae the chance to be here during this time of my life. Thank you all for supporting me and the leaders of this true church. More to come next week.
-Elder Matthew Nordgren

Baptism of Suong

some member's kids at church

coagulated pig blood (so tasty)

last p-day We painted our bikes. a can a spray paint only costs $1.25 so it was cheap to do it and it looks so much better! it is almost like new!!!!

this is my bike and Elder Miller's bike in the same pic

May 17, 2011 Letter

Dear Readers,
Another week flown by. With Zone conference yesterday, this week will be flying by too. Last week for p-day we painted our bikes. I hope you all like the pictures. It took about 4 hourse to complete the job. It is so worth it though. I also included some pictures from the baptism this last Sunday. Suong is a great kid and he was happy to be baptized. He will be getting the priesthood soon too. Exciting times in his life.
During Zone conference we recieved our worm pills. It is a two day process of pills. I took the last of them this morning and should be worm free I hope. Actually I think I like my worms. They are making me much smaller. I am losing weight again and I think it is because of my worm friends that like to swim around in me.
I included some other random pictures too. All good times in the mission. Only 7 months in too. Time is flying, but I still got some time for plenty of pictures. I have been losing weight again lately. Not sure of numbers, but it is enough to change the wardrobe again.
I will be getting an MRI this Friday morning hopefully. It is sounding like surgery soon after too. Either in Thailand or here in Cambodia. Which ever place, the doctors will be told what to do by the Area doctor in Hong Kong. Thank you all for the prayers. They help and are always appreciated.
This coming Sunday we have 3 baptisms so next week I shall let you know how they went. It should go well and be exciting.
I don't have much more for this week, but thanks everyone for all you do. More to come next week.
Love,
Elder Matthew Nordgren

May Pics

Snake Hunting

Cambodia Sunset

Me and Elder Miller

Flood in the apartment after a hard rain

Me, Elders Miller and Christian