WEEK #43 - The Bird Strikes Back

Hai Everyone! Apa Khabar?

Transfer news was crazy!!! So, there are normally 6 sets of missionaries (6 Elders, 6 Sisters) in Miri. Now, there are a lot less missionaries than normal. There are are only 3 Elders and 4 Sisters! Me, Elder Bennion, and Elder Schindler are the only Elders in all of Miri! Elder Schindler is the Chinese elder.

Previously Elder Bennion and I were covering two branches, Miri 1 and 2. Now, We are covering Miri 1 and Miri 3 which is the Chinese branch! Soooooo guess who is going to learn a lot of Chinese?? That's right! A lot of crazy changes. There are two new missionaries coming into Miri. Their names are Sister Cordner and Sister Thackery. Both are from Alpine, Utah.

There used to be a Chinese Miri District and a Malay Miri District. Now, there is going to be one! I am still the District Leader, but will have one of the biggest districts in the mission! The topic for District Meeting was: Gain or Maintain: which one brings change? I used my dad's analogy of an escalator. Which is the path back to heaven? Someone who goes up an upwards escalator, or someone who goes up a downwards escalator?

Brothers and Sisters, the path of righteousness will always be uphill! Isn't that so cool? What great rewards come to those who live the gospel of Jesus Christ!

We then visited one of the Chinese Elders investigators, Sister Nanith. Yes, I talked about chicken Adobe was my favorite phillipino dish and how a wrestling move was named after it haha.

Here is a little secret. There was suppose to be another missionary coming into Miri. It should've been Elder Schindler Chinese companion. His LAST pday in the MTC, he was running with his hands behind his back (don't ask me why). He tripped, he fell, he broke his hand and shattered his knee. I have no clue how that happened, but it did! So that's why the 3 amigos are together haha.

You want to here another cool story? Last Sunday as we were heading to sacrament meeting, a chines, wayyy kingdom builder looking man walks into the church. He apparently was born in Sibu, went to Australia for 25 years (after having played for the Malaysian national basketball team). There he was 15 minutes away from the Sidney Temple. He moved back here (afterhaving served a mission in the Phillipines) and has been in Malaysia for 5 years now. He said he hasn't come to church for 10 years. He's been planning to come to church for years, but one day he decided to get up and come. It is cray how God works through small and simple means. We shared with Brother Ing and his wife the message of the Restoration. The Spirit was so clear and cut. When we asked Brother Ing's feelings about the First Vision (when Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ after having prayed to know which church was true), and he said, "having been a former missionary, the power of the message came flooding back into my life. I know this is true." It was really powerful. He asked for a Book of Mormon on Sunday and has been reading it since. He found his patriarchal blessing online and read that too. All from one simple thought to come to church? Powerful.

I've really learned a lot of life lessons. Most of them are spiritual. Others are unique. Like when it is 9:25pm and you have to ride your bike as fast as you can so you can make it back home 2 seconds before 9:30 (which is our curfew). My legs are looking a little bigger ;)

Remember those Saturdays where you did nothing but homework? I am grateful to be doing missionary work instead! (not that I don't love school of course). Something else happened on Saturday too. We were standing outside someone's house, waiting for them to unlock the gate, and I felt a rain drop on my head. When I looked up I saw a bird on a telephone pole. Coincidence? I think not. Yep. It was bird poop.

The first thing I said to my companions was, "Elders, I think I just got pooped on." Causual, right? I had a sheepish look when asking to use the bathroom to wash my hands haha.

Church was a little interesting!! We got to church at 9am and left at 3pm! The two branches allows us to have almost twice the amount of awesomeness!!

What does everyone want to know about Malaysia? I've been out here for quite some time, so I may know a few facts. Let me know!!

I hope everyone has a great day!! Have a wonderful week. Love you!

Love you all!