March 29, 2011 Letter

Family and Friends,
A GREAT week for me. Super busy in my new area. Elder Walker is an amazing missionary. I am doing great with this language. No problems there. I got to my new area and started working more than ever. Then my first Sunday we had a baptism. I will send lots of pictures next week. The Branch President asked me to speak in sacrament meeting on sacrifice when we got to church on Sunday so I gave a talk on the spot and it went great. I will probably be in this area for 6 months. I am excited. I have been taking a lot more pictures and will have lots to send.This area is more poor than my last area, but it could also be worse. I will be in this area during the rainy season. There will be lots of mud.
I really like my companion a lot. He is an amazing missionary and we will be really great together. It is my goal in my mission to make a positive impact on all my companions and help them in any way I can. I know that I am put with each of them for a reason.
My missionary experience this week is a good one. While in 8th branch we had a girl of about 24 years of age come to church randomly. We talked to her and asked where she wanted to learn, at the church or her house. She replied, "My house so the people around can see the glory of God" (that is a translation) So we asked where she lived and she lives in the area that I am now serving in, 12th branch. She is an amazing investigator and has lots of friends that she wants to learn with us too. I will be here to see her get baptized.
My mission is only getting better. I am learning so much about life, and how to cook. I make a good fried rice with a little kick to it. Super good. I am learning so much everyday. One thing I am learning is how to prioritize by importance. There are a lot of things in life that are important, but when we do the most important things first we receive more blessings. We study in the morning because it is a priority. Life gets busy, but it is only as busy and stressful as we make it. Your day can be filled but it depends on what you are carrying with you throughout the day that makes it good or bad. Our lives are what our thoughts create.
I am so grateful to have family and friends that love and support me in the Lord's work. I couldn't do this without any of you. Thank you all so much and I love you all.
Love,
Elder Nordgren

March 22, 2011 Letter

Family and Friends,
Hey all! Got some news for this week. Transfers are this Friday and I am moving to the 12th branch in Phnom Penh. My companion will be Elder Walker whose family lives in Draper, Salt Lake. Before his mission he was working at the exact same Cold Stone that Lindsay worked at in South Jordan. I have been on an exchange with him for two days a few weeks back and he is a great missionary. He will teach me lots.
Elder Thompson and I have gotten along very well. I will miss him a lot, but that is how the mission goes. You get comfortable somewhere then you leave and go somewhere else. We have had a lot of success and quite a few new investigators this week. 
So For some final numbers in my first area. Baptisms-1, Confirmations that I did-2, number of pounds lost-65, number of friends made-too many to count, lessons learned- again too many to count, companion-priceless. :)
I am excited for a new arrival in the family very soon. I hope all goes well there. Kepp me posted and send pictures. I don't have any pictures to send this week. 
The area that I have been serving in is amazing! The people are loving and kind. They are so Christlike and they don't even know it. Great examples for so many. The weather is getting a lot hotter each day and the humidity is off the charts. Last night there was a sweet thunder storm and it rains most every night now. Wake up to streams going down the streets. The country is gorgeous! 
Well that is it for me for the week I love you all and stay safe and enjoy life.
Love,
Elder Nordgren

March 15 Pics

Elder Nordgren and Elder Isabell

Taken on Elder Isabell's last day before returning to Bentonville Arkansas this week

Nice....  drapes.

March 15, 2011 Letter

Dear Family and Friends,
Another week come and gone. I would first like to talk about the devastating earthquake in Japan. I hear that about 10,000 have died. And the missionaries there are safe. I have friends there. Please keep Japan in your prayers every night. It is the prayers of the righteous that can save lives.
This last week has been amazing! Our meeting with the area 70 went very well. Since then I have found a new sense of determination and a new spiritual strength with me. I have studied a lot about Christ lately and find so much to be thankful for. I really have the best family.
Recently there was an Elder that lived in the same house as me, Elder Isabell, that finished his mission. His dad came to pick him up and on Monday he bought us lunch. During that meal we talked about Japan and the amazing country that we are serving in. I am sending a picture of me and Elder Isabell together, his last night with us before his dad came. This Elder taught me a lot of lessons to be used all throughout my life.
Also, as I read emails today I found that Hayden got his call to Nebraska. It will be a great mission for him. Please keep encouraging him. The time between getting your call and leaving can be a hard time if you don't have a lot of support. I have seen it in my other friends. So please help him where you can.
Life is so amazing in Cambodia. It is a beautiful country, and the people are amazing! Recently we have been teaching a new investigator named Vii. It is amazing to watch the effects of a life that changes so quickly. She went to church without anyone telling her anything. We then starting teaching her. This gospel changes lives and it is changing my life everyday.
I would guess that some of you are wondering about how much weight I have lost. It is up around 65 pounds gone. I have been sick for a week and it is slowly getting better. Thank you for the prayers.
This could be an important week in our family. We could have a new addition. Please pray for a safe delivery of Heather's baby. I continue to pray daily for her. Life can change in a moments notice, and when it does we all need to be with our families. Stay close throughout this time and the Lord will bless us all greatly. I love you all so much and I hope you are all staying safe.
Love,
Elder Nordgren

March 8, 2011 Letter, Early this week

Dear Family,
Hey new week means new information from me. So this week I am writing on Tuesday. Now don't be saying, Öh he's gone broken and breakin' all dem rules and stuff" haha no that is not how it is. There is a reason for  this. This Wednesday the Area 70 is coming and we have our meeting with him all of Wednesday morning. So they changed our preparation day this week to Tuesday. For those of you that pay super close attention you might ask yourselves, "hey that is the day for district meeting though. What's going on?" you might find yourself asking this. This week is a weird schedule. We have from 1 p.m. today to 5 p.m. today for preparation day this week, and maybe some other hours tomorrow. That is still up in the air right now.
So as for my week now. It is amazing! We had a confirmation in 10th branch (Vietnamese branch) which I did, my second one. And the food is so much better now that I'm getting used to it. The best item that I've eaten latey was last Wednesday. It was rice soup with pork, and get this, coagulated pig blood and pig intestine. Actually it was way good. Can you imagine me eaten that? Neither could I until I was told what it was after I ate it. I don't have any pictues for this week, sorry.
Today I don't have much fun things planned. I bought some new glasses this morning for 30 dollars. and next week i will buy more for the same price. Ones just like Jeff Smith's. The thick frames like LeBron James. Life is going well for me.
This month is looking to be a good month too. Hopefully 4 baptisms. I am excited to see how it all turns out. My mission is changing everything about me, and I would not want to be in any other place at this point in my life. Thank you all for supporting me. I have the best family ever.
Love,
Elder Nordgren
p.s. if you could keep me in your prayers that would be nice. I've been sick for a few days now. thanks again

Baptism Pictures

Matt and Phaek

First Baptism

February 27, 2011

March 2, 2011 Letter

Dear Family and Friends,
This week was amazing! I am sending some pictures from our baptism this last Sunday. His name is Phaek. My companion Elder Thompson baptized him and this coming Sunday he asked me to confirm him. He was baptized in one of the Vietnamese branches here in Phnom Penh because his family speaks Viet, but he doesn't. He sister was baptized the same day by the Vietnamese Elders. One done in Viet and the other in Khmer. Way cool experience. This last Monday I went on an exchange and I was not excited about it, but it was a learning experience for me. I took over my area and did the missionary work that was needed for the day. I realized that people don't just like the Elders. They love this true gospel. We will be having more baptisms this month just not sure what days yet.
Here it is March of 2011 now. Can anyone believe it has been 6 months? That is a long time. Now I only have as long as any regular sister missionary has. This mission is changing my life. I never thought I would change in such unseen ways, but the Lord has a plan for me. This time on earth is a chosen time for each of us to exercise our gifts and talents given us by God Himself. Life itself is a blessing. Families are a huge blessing. I know that without my family I would not be doing this work. I just want to stress the importance of families this week. Even though none of us are perfect or close to it, we were put together for many reasons. We have come to live, laugh, and love. We have seen the worst times together and the best. I always see us get through anything that comes. I know that families are ordained of God. I love you all so much, and I hope you have enjoyed every picture so far. Enjoy your week, and make it an adventure.
Love,
Elder Nordgren