WEEK #21 - Happy Thanksgiv...Oh Wait, We are in Malaysia!

Hellllloooooooo everyone!

This week has been great!

Just want to give a late shout out to my Dad! His birthday was the 13th of November! He has always been my role model. Thanks Dad for everything you have done for me, and continue to do for me! I have seen the light of the gospel in your eyes for the past 19 years! I will forever be in your debt as your son!

Last Monday we got to travel to Miri for some Zone Conferences. Yep, the 4 hour bus ride on roads under constructions was fun! We were trained on setting a vision for ourselves and our area. A vision is basically an achievable dream. With a vision, one must set necessary goals, and with those goals one must establish plans to accomplish the vision! Our vision for Sungai Plan is to have 100 members attend Church! We have plans to work with our investigators, recent converts and less actives, along with having the members fellowship those we are working with. It will take some work, but I know the Lord will help! In each of your circumstances, set a vision, create goals, and commit to specific plans to achieve success! It will bring greater purpose into your life and a chance to tap into your potential!

Missionaries trying to fit in a van

Elder Nyaring, one of the native missionaries in the Singapore Mission just came home! I served in his home town, so we had a party at the Church!

Thanksgiving was this week! I almost forgot! We Americans still decided to push for a good meal, and the native companion knew allll about thanksgiving! Good thing He was a great cook. There is a picture at the end of the email, but we had some nice chicken spaghetti (because beef is nonexistent here), this weird fruit that tasted spicy, and some fruit salad. We managed to find one American restaurant close by: KFC! We ordered some chicken wings and mashed potatoes. Elder Chngh also made a cake, Elder Haslam made some pumpkin spice chocolate chip cookies, Elder Bowler made some nice Kool-Aid in an oatmeal jar, and I cleaned the dishes :) It was very filling!!!
Thanksgiving dinner!














I am grateful for so many things in my life! I have been so blessed to have been raised in the gospel, and have a loving and supporting family with me all throughout my life! I am grateful to have been given good education and public services in America, something I neglected before the mission! I am thankful to be able to share the gospel each and everyday. I encourage us all to keep being grateful for the things we have!

We have an investigator named Ranggau. He is so cool! We were planning on teaching him like normal, but he came into the church crying. Turns out one of his relatives died. In Malaysia, death is verrrrrrrrrrry serious. No one even talks about it. So we were able to share with him the Plan of Salvation and Temples. The thought that he can see his family again was great. But the knowledge that he can become a member of Jesus Christ's church and go to the Temple gave greater purpose to his life. It was a sacred moment.

Kavanna was baptized this Saturday! Basically the whole branch came to support him. It was such a great weekend! All he could get out of his mouth was that he was "so happy." I am super proud of him! It has been tradition to celebrate after a baptism. The TJK Elders and us went to a nice restaurant in town!

Kavanna and the fam!

It rained super duper hard on Saturday night, and we were walking in it forever. But hey, free Malaysian Shower :)

Sunday was a really great day. We saw some members that we have never seen before! We introduced ourselves and made an appointment for Sunday night. When we went over there, it turns out that they have been less active for 4 YEARS. They told us that every time Elders tried to come over, they slammed the door. But for some reason, the night before Brother Wilson and His wife decided they needed to come to church. It was so out of the blue. They told us that they felt the Spirit from our presence and thanked us for being the ones to get them back to church. We did nothing though, it was all in God's hands! I testify to each and everyone of you, that Heavenly Father is preparing your loved ones. No matter how long it takes, no matter how many rejections are faced, God's way will prevail. All you have to do is love them! Just inspire them with your example. One day, maybe not even in this life, they will come back to the fold of God.

Have a great week everyone! Much love to you all from Malaysia!

Love you all!!

Love, Elder McKayd LaRose

WEEK #20 - The Grid Goes On

Hai everyone!

This week was an interesting one. Where to start....

Some random stranger picked us up and said he would take us to our church. Don't worry. I was ready to jump off it is turned into a kidnap attempt.

youth in my branch

Kavana is getting baptized this next Saturday!! He is a wonderful teenager with a desire to come closer to God. I will send a picture next week! 

chicken for days! Thats how we do it!

We met with this Less-Active member names Brother Saba. Less Active just means that the person has not gone to church in a long time and therefore is considered "not active." Turns out he is crazy. Me and Elder Haslam went over to His house to share the message of the Restoration. When we were explaining prophets, we helped him understand that even though we cannot see God, we have prophets who receive revelation or guidance to help us know God's will. In the middle of explaining, he interrupts us and says, "Actually I've seen God." We were caught of guard and waited for him to clarify. He said, "Yeah I've seen Him twice. Once He came with His wife Mary and visited me at work. He asked me how my work was going." You think that is weird? Just wait...He continues, "yeah I talk with God all the time. Do you have a Girlfriend?" He asked Elder Haslam. He said no he didnt. Brother Saba turned back and looked toward the ceiling and asked, "God, does he have a girlfriend?" A few moments of silence, and then turns to Elder Haslam and says, "No, you are lying, God told me you have a girlfriend." Haha I was trying not to laugh. He did the same thing with me and told me I was lying as well! It started getting really weird, so we just got up and left. It was an experience I won't forget! 

look at this guys shirt!

On a positive note, one of our members told us of a dream that he had had. He was surrounded by all these priests and fathers of different churches. All of them where questioning him and saying to one another, "He's the one!" They were beating him and doing all these bad things to him. Finally, an angel appeared to Him and said that he must never loosen his grip on the word of God. The angel told him to always stay true to the Book of Mormon. He woke up from the dream and was so set on reading the Book of Mormon that day! Haha. Cool story. 

  pool on P-Day

I have been assigned to teach English class! It is so fun. Everyone who is reading this email, just be thankful you know English haha. It is really hard to learn actually! I try explaining grammar and the best response I give is just, "I don't know, that is just how you have to do it." Fun time!!

This is what happens when 8 missionaries are in the same house - RAMEN!

For Christmas, our Mission President has challenged us to memorize the Living Christ. It is a proclamation to the world from the Church, in regards to the centrality of Jesus Christ and His Atoning sacrifice for all of mankind. Here is the link to read it! I encourage you all to take the time and acknowledge the impact of the Savior in your life! It has helped me become a little better each day! 

Thank you to all those who still read my emails! Don't hesitate to give me feedback on how I can improve! 

WEEK #18 & #19 - Yep, I'm A Malaysian

Hello everyone!!

Sorry for the delay on emails, these past two weeks are crazy! Things have been great though. 

previous planner... new planner!

We started this week off great. There has been a lot of success in Sungai Plan. The Lord is preparing so many people!!! We have this one investigator named Kavana, and he has been taught with the Elders for over two years. Normally when someone is investigating the Church, it normally takes 2-3 months to be baptized. But Malaysia is a lot different. Differences in schooling, environment, parental influence, religious background, knowledge of the scriptures (Old English...or Malay), and more. We considered "dropping" him. Dropping someone means that they are not progressing or keeping commitments (like praying, reading the scriptures, and coming to church). He didn't understand the Godhead, what a prophet was, what repentance means, or the Word of Wisdom. Then one day, Kavana changed so much! He knew everything we talked about. We asked him what he did that day and he replied, "I read the Book of Mormon." What 14 year old boy in Malaysia does that?? That was a testimony to me of God's influence on His children. If willing, hearts can be softened. If wanting, lives can be changed. He will be baptized at the end of the month!!

 The Iban smile. Just a straight face haha.

During the day we normally go to a waffle making station outside of a grocery store. One of our members, Sister Caroline works there. In the midst of indulging the waffle, I discovered something. Something very precious to me and my mothers relationship. A PIECE OF HAIR. Yup. So tasty. 

Back when I was a young lad (like senior year), my mother would put a hair in a meal at least once a week. To this day she has said that it has been on accident. This weekly sight of a hair in my food had prepared me for this moment on my mission. I pulled the hair out, and continued to eat the waffle. Thanks mom, you really do look out for me always! :)

Transfer news came out! I am still in Sungai Plan, but got a new companion! His name is Elder Haslam. Apparently Haslam is an Islamic name in Malaysia, so everyone was questioning why he was a Christian missionary and things were getting pretty bad. So he just goes by Elder James, which is his first name. He is so cool! He is from Salt Lake City and went to Highland High School. He plays golf and lacrosse. He is still a little indecisive with college. He is deciding between BYU and Utah. Please convince him to go to the Y!!! 

Here are some more questions my mother would like me to answer. Bear with me!

1. Can you tell us about people that you are teaching? 

    - We have 4 people who are scheduled to be baptized: Kavana, Cecelia, Chilletan, and Mallister. They are all so cool! Chilletan and Mallister are youth. They have been progressing really well. Normally youth in Malaysia smoke and play on their phone haha. It is great to see such a change in these two boys! Instead of doing those things they are going to church :) They will be baptized in the beginning of December!! 

2. What is it like going into those apartments every day. Do you just knock doors? Do you just hang out in the open grass waiting for people to walk by?

   - The Apartments are so fun! We normally visit a lot of members, because everyone is so close! As we are walking, we talk to a ton of people! We simply share with them that our purpose is to help people come closer to Christ. Their reactions are mixed haha. "tiada masa" means no time. "mukin nanti" means maybe later. "mahu" means they are interested! Haha. 

3. If you are not going to a lot of members homes to eat. What do you eat? 

    - Normally they give us hot chocolate and crackers. I normally count that as my dinner haha. There is one restaurant in our area, and its selections are these: 

1. Noodles 

2. Noodles with Chicken

3. Noodles with Fish

4. Noodles with Pork

5. Rice with vegetables

haha it is still pretty tasty though! 

4. Did you use the ant traps yet?

    - Yes! I have used one ant trap, and it worked so well! I looked in my room to see about 100 ants dead on the ground. Rest in peace my Malaysian friends! 

Hopefully this email was up to par! I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He has the power to save and the love to never turn us away. See you all next week!! 

Love you all!!

Love, Elder McKayd LaRose