A Cambodian Family Comes Full Circle With Missionary Cousins

This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.

By Elder LaVarr Webb, for the Church News

Leang and Saroeun Eav slipped out of Cambodia in 1979 under the most desperate of circumstances. After nearly four years of witnessing murder, starvation, torture and barely avoiding death under the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime in the Southeast Asia country, they miraculously escaped with two young children to a refugee camp in Thailand, eventually making their way to the United States.

Today, 46 years later, four young grandsons of Leang and Saroeun have returned to Cambodia as missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Another cousin, a granddaughter, will begin serving this summer.

When these cousins look over the tranquil rice paddies of the Cambodian countryside or ride their bicycles in the teeming cities, they don’t see the atrocities of the Killing Fields. Instead, they see beautiful landscapes and growing communities filled with humble, peace-loving people.

Elders Ethan Nielsen, Alain Eav, Anthony Eav and Jaden Grunkemeier are all first cousins from Utah. They are the four oldest grandchildren of Leang and Saroeun Eav. To them and their families, it is a miracle that they were called by God’s prophet to serve together in the homeland of their grandparents. They love Cambodia and feel a special kinship with the Cambodian people.

Remarkably, a fifth first cousin and next-oldest granddaughter, Sister Arleigh Eav, from Valencia, California, received her call to Cambodia in January 2025. She will arrive in August after language training at the Provo Missionary Training Center.

In their ministry, the young cousins are helping supplant the fear and horror of their grandparents’ traumatic experiences with the hope, peace and love of the Savior Jesus Christ.

Having their oldest five grandchildren all serve in Cambodia is a dream come true for Leang and Saroeun Eav. They never could have envisioned it more than 40 years ago when their only thought was to escape Cambodia alive with their little family.

Saroeun Eav was born in 1952 in Battambang, Cambodia. She wrote in a family history that she grew up in a poor farm family but was able to attend primary school through seven grades.

In 1969, she met Leang Eav, a young teacher. They became friends and eventually married. In 1973, a “cute baby boy” was born. They named him Alain. “We loved him very much,” wrote Saroeun Eav. “Our life was filled with blessings and gratitude.”

But the joy did not last. The rebel group led by Pol Pot defeated government troops and took over Cambodia, murdering 1.5 to 2 million people, emptying all the major cities and forcing most people not killed into slave labor on farms. Pol Pot especially targeted teachers, doctors, business leaders — anyone who was educated and successful.

Eav wrote that their nightmare began on April 17, 1975, when the Khmer Rouge divided people in her community into two groups. Most of the city’s leaders and educated people were taken to an elementary school near a lake. “Most of them were killed right away,” she wrote.

Her family was in a different group, and their lives were spared.

Thus began nearly four years of terror, suffering, hunger and degradation. The young Eav family, with millions of others, was forced into labor camps far out in the country. Anyone caught trying to escape was killed. Many families were separated. “The Khmer Rouge forced their authority so cruelly on the people of Cambodia,” Saroeun Eav wrote. When they were taken from their homes, “There were children crying and calling for their parents ... all I heard was crying, praying, people calling out each other’s names and distraught voices all around me.”

In the labor camps, they started at 4 a.m. and worked until dark. People who couldn’t work were killed. Anyone who tried to escape was killed. They were forced to relocate several times.

At every move, Eav was terrified that her family would be separated and that her husband, Leang, would be killed.

In March 1976, Saroeun Eav gave birth to a “beautiful baby girl.” The Eavs named her Rachna. The hard labor continued, made more difficult with two small children to care for. Saroeun Eav said she prayed to God all the time, even though she didn’t know about God. She felt something was out there. “I prayed to whoever had the most power in the world to please help my family and please save us from the harm. After I prayed I felt sad, but at the same time I felt happy because at least we were going to die together, rather than apart.”

Their children were their only joy in life. “We felt so lucky to have them. We both agreed that our life was so blessed because of our children, and we both thanked God for the blessing that we received.”

Their daughter Mithona, who was born later, believes the children gave their parents the strength to continue. Instead of being a burden in such difficult circumstances, the children were a blessing. “My parents were able to live outside of their terrible problems and live for their children,” she said.

Everyone at their labor camp was slowly starving to death, Saroeun Eav wrote. “One cup of rice soup had about 15 to 20 grains of rice in it.” One evening, baby Rachna dropped a grain of rice onto the wood floor while she was eating. She got down on the floor and licked it up with her tongue. Eav heard her say, “I got it. I got it, mom.”

“I felt so sad that she was so hungry that if even a grain of rice dropped on the floor, she would try to get it.”

In January 1979, Vietnamese communist troops invaded Cambodia and fought the Khmer Rouge. The Eav family thought that in the chaos they might escape to their home city. But if caught, they would be killed. “I didn’t know if we could go through with it,” wrote Saroeun Eav.

That night, she knelt down and prayed to “whoever has the most power on earth and in the heavens.” She pleaded for her family to be safe and asked to know if they should leave or stay.

For the next three nights she repeated the same prayer.

They decided to go. They pretended to walk to work as usual at 6 a.m., then ran on bare feet through fields and forests. At times they carried Rachna and a young niece on a shoulder yoke, wrapped in large cloths tied onto each end of a bamboo stick.

In their hometown, they were able to evade the embattled Khmer Rouge and the Vietnamese soldiers. In November 1979, in another harrowing journey, they escaped to a refugee camp in Thailand.

After 18 months and the arrival of their third child, Mithona, the Eav family was sponsored to come to the United States by Ralph and Charlotte Yeakley, a Latter-day Saint family living in Bellevue, Washington.

The Eav family was grateful to finally be safe. But integrating into such a different world was difficult. “The exit door from the big airport went around and around and made me dizzy,” wrote Saroeun Eav. On the evening of July 4, 1981, several weeks after arriving, the Eavs heard loud popping noises. They were terrified, thinking it was gunfire. Saroeun Eav started to pack clothes.

Running away “was what I was used to when I heard gunfire in Cambodia.”

Leang Eav crawled over to the window and opened the curtain. Instead of soldiers shooting guns, he saw fireworks and people having fun, celebrating the nation’s birthday.

The Eav family was introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by the Yeakley family. Leang Eav soon joined, and his wife followed some months later. Daughter Mithona Eav Nielsen said her father didn’t immediately grasp all the doctrines, especially with the language barrier, “but he really felt the love and spirit and strength of the families in the Church. He wanted those strong family connections in his family.”

The family was sealed in the Seattle Washington Temple in 1984.

The young family, now with four children, had very little money starting out in America, but they worked hard and stayed close to the Church. The children did very well, with the two sons, Alain and Michael, serving missions, and all four children graduating from Brigham Young University, marrying and raising families of their own. Most of the family now lives in Utah.

“Our family has been greatly blessed for living the gospel truths together, learning, praying, and obeying God’s commandments,” wrote Saroeun Eav. “I am grateful to Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, for leading, guiding, protecting and comforting my family’s life.”

The next generation of Eavs quickly grew up. The first grandchild to submit his missionary papers was Ethan Nielsen, son of Rawley and Mithona Nielsen. Knowing of his heritage and his grandparents’ experiences, Ethan held out a “tiny bit” of hope he would be called to Cambodia.

But he didn’t expect it, knowing that the world is a big place, with so many possible places to serve.

But a big family trip changed him. In April 2023, the entire family — 25 people in all — visited Cambodia. It was the first time back for Leang and Saroeun Eav.

“We attended fast and testimony meeting in Siem Reap, and I heard my grandparents bear their testimonies in the Cambodian language,” said Ethan Nielsen. “I didn’t understand it, but I felt the spirit so strongly, and I remember thinking it would be such an amazing blessing to be called here. And I started to have a feeling that it would happen.”

Three days after returning home, he received an email message with a call from the Prophet to serve in Cambodia. There were tears and joy and wonder and gratitude among his grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and cousins. “It was the greatest,” Elder Nielsen said. “I can’t even describe the feelings I had.”

“It was pure joy for all of us,” said his mother, Mithona Nielsen, becoming emotional as she remembered the moment. “Especially because we had just had such a powerful experience in Cambodia. Hearing our parents bear their testimonies in that country and tell their story . . . it was all so fresh.

“And then to come home and have Ethan called to Cambodia, it was a profound reminder that God is in our lives and was aware of my family ever since my parents were young. They and my older siblings only survived through miracles. When they escaped to Thailand, mom was eight weeks pregnant with me. I was born in a refugee camp. And the miracles continued with Ethan’s call to return to Cambodia.”

That was only the beginning. Some months later, brothers Alain and Anthony Eav, sons of Alain and Wendy Eav and cousins to Ethan Nielsen, submitted their mission papers at the same time. Neither had expectations that they would go to the same mission, let alone to Cambodia.

“Cambodia was on the top of my list, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up,” said Anthony Eav.

The brothers waited patiently. “Wow, it was all pretty amazing. My call came on a Tuesday, and we thought Alain would get his at about the same time. While we waited, I opened my call by myself, and I was so happy. I told Alain where I was going, and he was excited for me. A couple of hours later, his call came, and he opened it privately, then told me. It was insane. We were so thrilled to be going together.”

They kept friends and family in suspense until everyone gathered that evening. “I opened mine first,” said Anthony Eav, “and everyone was going crazy that I was going to Cambodia where Ethan was. Then Alain opened his, and no one could believe it.”

Said Alain Eav: “My parents first thought I was joking. It was surreal. The look on my grandparents’ faces said it all. God had answered their prayers. It was wild ... super exciting.”

The Eav brothers said the calls were especially meaningful and emotional for their father, Alain Eav, whom Elder Alain Eav is named after. “For him to have two sons go back to Cambodia where he experienced what he did as a little boy ... it meant so much to him,” Anthony Eav said. “Neither Mom nor Dad had words to express what they felt. Obviously, it wasn’t a coincidence. It was God’s will.”

Alain Eav said: “Before my mission, I would sometimes forget that if my dad hadn’t lived through the Killing Fields and hadn’t been such a brave kid, I wouldn’t be here. I respect and love him so much. He’s gone through so much and still wants to give so much. The tragedy that happened here in Cambodia definitely hits home for me. This is my dad we’re talking about. He lived through it.”

Elders Alain and Anthony Eav reported to the Provo Missionary Training Center in July 2024 and arrived in Cambodia in September.

But the Lord was not through yet. Jaden Grunkemeier, the fourth cousin, son of Stefan and Rachna Grunkemeier, opened his call to much anticipation in June 2024. “I didn’t know what to expect and didn’t want to get my hopes up, but I was thrilled to be called to Cambodia,” he said. It was another special day for the extended family.

Three of the missionary cousins will still be in Cambodia when the latest cousin, Arleigh Eav, daughter of Michael and Ashlee Eav, arrives in August 2025. She is from Valencia, California, where her father serves in a stake presidency.

All four elders currently in Cambodia have firm testimonies that having five cousins serving in the homeland of their grandparents means something very important: “It is God’s plan for us,” said Elder Anthony Eav. “It means we have work to do here, the most important work of all. Each of us, and really every missionary everywhere, has a special mission. I love these people so much. They are my people.”

The missionaries have drawn closer to their grandparents. Said Elder Alain Eav: “I have a strong testimony that God was there for them,” said Alain. “They are so strong in their faith. They didn’t know about God, but He was watching over them and helping them. Without them, none of this would have happened. I wouldn’t have been able to help the people of Cambodia. They never gave up. They make my mission even more meaningful.”

“All of us are now able to connect with our grandparents on a deeper level,” said Elder Nielsen. “We now speak their language. We serve where they lived. We’re able to share so many experiences with each other. It will strengthen our family bonds for the rest of our lives and, hopefully, through eternity. All of us will carry on our grandparents’ legacy as proud Cambodian members of the Savior’s Church.”

Cambodia Phnom Penh West Mission President David Hoare summarized it succinctly. “The Eav family has returned to Cambodia,” he said. “In the end, good wins over evil. These missionaries, and all the missionaries in Cambodia, are helping replace that dark time of terror and wickedness with the joy and peace and love of the Savior. The Savior’s Atonement supplants the most horrific actions of mankind.”

Said Mithona Nielsen; “It is a fitting legacy for our parents’ posterity to bring light and love to Cambodia. It helps my mom and dad heal. It reconnects them with their homeland. It has been such a beautiful journey for our family. It is a full circle from the horror and evil of the Killing Fields to sharing the love and peace of the Savior with the Cambodian people.”

— Elder LaVarr Webb is a senior communications missionary serving in Cambodia.

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