'Kingdom of Faith': History of the Church of Jesus Christ in Cambodia featured in documentary

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — A new spire stands in the heart of Phnom Penh, the first Church of Jesus Christ temple in Cambodia.

The temple, which was dedicated Aug. 30, is a testament to how much The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has grown in the 32 years since the first missionaries arrived in 1994.

And the church's deep roots stretch well beyond the country's borders.

Establishing the church in Cambodia

"To have a temple here in just 32 years, it is a miracle," said Vichit Ith. "Not only to me, but to Cambodia, because this land has suffered a lot."

Ith, who fled his country as a teenager shortly before Pol Pot's communist Khmer Rouge came to power, was instrumental in helping to get the church officially recognized by the Cambodian government.

In 1993, Larry White, then president of the Thailand Bangkok Mission, approached Ith, who attended a ward in Bangkok with his family. He asked Ith to travel with him to Cambodia.

"I could see a vision of us having a possibility of opening missionary work there," said White.

Ith hadn't been back to his native country in nearly 20 years. "I said, 'President White, no one wants to return to hell.'"

But he did go, boarding a flight on April 29, 1993.

"I came to Cambodia basically for the church," said Ith.

Things were changing fast in Cambodia after years of war. Cambodia held its first free elections shortly after their trip. The new prime minister asked Ith to be an economic advisor. That role helped open doors.

"He was able to smooth the way for us," said White.

The church secured official recognition from the government in February 1994. The first missionaries quickly followed.

"The church had a very fast growth. Very, very fast growth," said Ith.

In August 2026, Ith and White reunited in Phnom Penh for the temple open house and dedication.

"So many of these people lost loved ones in the Holocaust, and now they have something to bless the lives of their deceased ancestors," said White. "It's pretty touching."

A family's heritage comes full circle

In a nation shaped by war, loss, and rebuilding, what began as a small community of believers now reaches across Cambodia. There are now almost 18-thousand members of the church, along with two stakes and two missions.

And the new temple has helped bring one family's story full circle.

Leang and Saroeun Eav had a toddler, Alain, when the Khmer Rouge came to power in 1975. Their daughter Rachna was born soon after.

Over the next four years, the family survived forced marches, hard labor and very little food. Death surrounded them.

"There were multiple times where my dad was taken in the middle of the night," said daughter Mithona Nielsen. "When someone was taken at night, I mean, it was almost guaranteed that they wouldn't come back."

In 1979, a family friend paid a guide to rescue his own relatives, and the Eav family, giving them a way out.

"I think my dad must have been a really good friend to them for them to remember him and love him that way," said Nielsen.

They walked over 20 miles through land mines and jungle. Saroeun Eav was eight weeks pregnant with Mithona.

"We stayed one night in the jungle, and then got to Thai border," said Alain Eav.

"When dad got to the border, he was walking on his knees because his feet were so blistered," said Rachna Grunkemeier.

The Eav family spent the next 18 months in a Thai refugee camp before settling in Seattle, Washington, where another son, Michael, was born.

One by one, they joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and made America their home.

In 2023, the Eavs traveled to Cambodia, visiting the villages and family they left behind.

"They knew me when I was a little baby. It was just so neat," said Alain.

It was during that visit that grandson Ethan Nielsen had a strong feeling he would soon be back.

"I really wanted to serve in Cambodia, and I knew that I would like, give my heart to those people and serving those people there," he said.

His mission call to Cambodia arrived shortly after the family's trip.

Over the next two years, Alain Eav, Jr., Anthony Eav, Jaden Grunkemeier and Arleigh Eav also received mission calls to Cambodia – five cousins, all called to serve in a country with profound meaning for their family.

"I didn't expect to go to Cambodia," said Alain Eav, Jr.

"Cambodian people are just to die for. I mean, the instant I got to Cambodia, I just fell in love with them," said Anthony Eav.

Then Leong and Saroeun Eav got an unexpected call to serve in the temple presidency in Phnom Penh for a three-year assignment, taking them back to the country where their story — and family — began.

"God had a plan for our family so many years ago," said Mithona Nielsen.

Kingdom of Faith: The Saints in Cambodia

The story of the church in Cambodia goes much further.

Kingdom of Faith: The Saints in Cambodia airs Sunday, Oct. 4 at 12:30 on KSL, between sessions of general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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