We have been settled here in Utah now for about 2 months. Sister Stone’s mother has improved with her constant care and attention. Her mother is more comfortable now and can deal with the effects of cancer better and with a bit more perspective. Our time here will be as long as we need to be to help her through process. We may well finish our mission here as we take care of her needs.
One of the wheelchair suppliers we work with. A kind and gentle man who works hard to bring wheel chairs to hundreds of needy people every year. His stories about his childhood and the Khmer Rouge are tender and sad.3 little boys enjoyed entertaining a few of us as we visited this beautiful park at a remote lake. They jumped in again and again, laughing and fully enjoying the cool water on a hot day.After jumping in and swimming, these little guys wanted to see the video of their exploits. At a beautiful crystal clear lake, surrounded by trees and jungle, these kids were keeping cool. Very tempting to join them. They giggled with delight as they watched the video of themselves jumping into the water.
We communicate with the office in Hong Kong from time to time as we authorize work invoices on our projects. We communicate with our contractors and arrange follow up inspections from time to time. Our interactions are usually in our mornings or our evenings, when they are up and working.
A meeting with the minister of Posts and Telecommunications. We were getting his cooperation in working at a hospital in need. Pictured to the far left is Sea Samnang. He is employed at the church’s Service Center in Phnom Penh. In addition to being in the North Stake Presidency, he is the legal signer for documents related to the church’s properties in Cambodia. He is also the liaison to the government there. He was there as a young boy when Gordon B Hinckley came to Phnom Penh and dedicated the land for proselyting. He relates of being a young boy growing up in a post war environment, his family was so poor, that he would use the cigarette cartons as shoes to keep his feet from being scorched on the hot pavement. His accounts of hardship are so similar to others who have been through so much. Lack of food, lack of clean water, lack of medical attention. Things have improved greatly in the city. Things are slowly catching up in the provinces. When the temple is ready for groundbreaking, it will come as a result of his hard work to gather signatures and approvals from the government.
We very much miss our mission and hope that one day we can return and serve there. We miss the people and the culture.
A photo with some of the beautiful children at Kampong Roling Primary School. Also pictured is the principal. He kept this school open and we were invited to add a water tower, hand wash and incinerator here. After the picture, they were off to play on the swings…
This entry in our blog will likely be our last. There are few details to pass on. Our hope is that we can finish our assignment there. If we get that opportunity, we will pick this up and blog of our experiences. To those of you who have followed our journey, we thank you for your interest. We hope you have felt the love and the uniqueness of the people there. We hope that our experiences have helped you to appreciate the desperate needs that exist in our world. We also hope that our simple blog has helped others to have greater appreciation for the wonderful country that the USA is. In spite of our country’s mistakes and oversights, it is the greatest land of opportunity and freedom in the world. We have a land that offers opportunity to all who will go after it.
With the missionaries Christmas 2020
We love our mission, we love our family, we love our friends, but most of all, we love the Lord who created all of these things and that we can one day return to Him.
We have loved your blogs and we will miss them. What a amazing experience you both have had and what a blessed opportunity to help people that we never would have known. Thank you.
Gordon & Arletta Bates
Our Cambodia Experience 
We have loved your blogs and we will miss them. What a amazing experience you both have had and what a blessed opportunity to help people that we never would have known. Thank you.
Gordon & Arletta Bates
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