Week 6 - July 27, 2025 - Arrival in Malaysia

 Hello, everyone!  Crazy last couple 6 days for me.  Started traveling July 22nd and got to Kuala Lumpur July 24th after 40 hours of traveling!!  Then on Friday the 26th, I was assigned to Miri.  I'm writing this on Monday morning the 28th at 10:04 am, so for everyone else reading this, it's Sunday night for yall.  Thirteen-to-fourteen-hour time difference is wild!  

Anyways so much has happened for me here in Miri and I haven't even been here for a full two days.  I walked out of the Miri airport and immediately sat down and had some Indian food and then took a Grab ride back to the house here (Grab here is like Uber).  It's really nice and big for the three of us. (I'm in a trio which is nice, but one of my comps, Elder Day, goes home this next week so it'll be just me and Elder Randall after this next week).  The rest of Saturday we biked around, and I was immediately thrown into a lot of lessons that my two senior comps had already planned for the day.  We had to bike a ton just to get to each place and I wish I biked more before my mission haha. 

All the lessons were primarily in the Iban language, so I didn't understand majority of it, but I was just happy to be there. The next day we had church, my first Sunday in the field and wow it was a lot for me.  I felt super overwhelmed and stressed, I had no idea what was going on and was floating aimlessly around, it felt like.  When we got back to the house, I read a talk from Elder Uchtdorf about focusing on what matters most and how to eliminate stress and I felt so much better after much praying, too.  Now I'm not as stressed as much and have a way better mindset on how instead of negatively looking at my language skills, I can look at it on how I can improve instead.  Looking forward to my time here in Miri and looking to forward to improving little by little every day so I can help bless the amazing members here.

-Elder Barlow

Elder Barlow Leaves for Singapore - July 22, 2024

 (Written by Elder Barlow's Gma Laura) A major miracle happened today!!  We wanted to see Elder Barlow off before he left for Singapore!  We knew the missionary group's travel plans, but it entailed bus rides, train rides, transfers of trains, and finally the airport.  His Aunt Alison had bought cookies and Rice Krispie treats, but his mom had said what he would like the most is two steak quesadillas, some chips and cheese, and two Cinnabon delights!  By the time we picked up the items at Taco Bell and made it to Provo, we had missed the first bus they had taken, so we kept chasing down the next instructions like a treasure hunt--Elder Barlow was the treasure!! 

When we finally got to the train station, Gpa George ran ahead as he saw a group of missionaries heading to get on the train.  He yelled, "Has anyone seen Elder Barlow?" not knowing if this was even the right group of missionaries, but there he was!!  We were all so excited, we just all burst into tears seeing him and he seemed pretty excited to see us--especially carrying his sack of Taco Bell--forget the cookies.

Anyway, it was such a happy reunion!  He is with such a great group of 16 missionaries going to Asian countries!  He looked so great and happy!  We LOVE Elder Barlow so much!  He's going to be a fantastic missionary just like his brother was!! 

(Written by Elder Barlow after this wonderful reunion:)   Love you guys so much!  That felt so quick but even just to see your smiling faces and to see my mom (we Facetimed her to let her see him one last time before he left) and have her know that I'm safe and happy is so very important.  You all are why I'm serving this mission and why I want others to know that their families can be together forever.  I want others to know about Jesus and his gospel and what he has to offer all people which is everything that is good and happy and uplifts others.  I want others to know about the Book of Mormon and each and every letter and word and message it contains.  I know this book WILL change lives and its precepts and lines will change people's perspectives on life and mortality.  Love you all.  Jumpa lagi dan semoga berjaya semua orang!

Week 4 - July 17, 2025

 Apa khabar semua orang!  Week four here and I have five days left here in Provo which is crazy to think about.  Next time I email yall, I'll be in Kuala Lumpur after 30+ hours of traveling, so crazy.  Don't really have much to say honestly, (cap) another week of classes, devotionals, fulfilling zone leader duties, meeting with new districts, helping lead Elders Quorum, studying, practicing Malay, praying, hoping, reading, laughing with this amazing district and group of guys who I'm so blessed to be around every single day.

 

Honestly, I have no idea what to really yap about this time, so I want to shed more light on the makeup and layout of this mission because I love talking about it and I'm also a big geography nerd and just so happen to know a lot about Malaysia and Singapore.  Every passing day I learn more and more about Malaysia and its rich culture.  It's actually crazy this mission isn't called the Malaysia mission or even the Singapore/Malaysia mission at the very least.  Since I've been called to speak Malay, I will actually spend way more time in Malaysia particularly east Malaysia than Singapore.  There's a reason why I have the Malaysia flag in front of the Singapore flag in my mission pictures and all my missionary pictures actually, and in my right hand, as well, in other missionary pics.  I feel a way greater deal of responsibility for the average eastern Malaysian living paycheck to paycheck, feeling lost and unsure than an on average more successful and comfortable financially-set person in Singapore because i know that this gospel is priceless and will help the meek and the humble as well as anyone who seeks it out and whoever the Lord puts in my path.  East Malaysia (the eastern island part of the country also known as Borneo Malaysia because it's on the island of Borneo) and then west Malaysia (which is connected to Singapore, but west Malaysia is still totally a separate country than Singapore).  Funny enough, east Malaysia is an ENTIRELY different place than west Malaysia in every way. (Still same country though, west and east Malaysia).  Languages spoken predominantly, culture, religious makeup, daily life, cities, terrain, celebrations, food a little bit, literally everything it's so fire.  East Malaysia is total third world, and they actually speak local dialects like Iban and the Iban people are like the native Malaysians there.  So, I'll have to learn some Iban and Iban sounds a little like Tagalog (Bishop Divine Is gonna need to fact check me on this lol).  It's actually wild. The Iban people typically live in literal villages (called kampungs which literally means village in Malay) literally in jungles away from everyone. (My fault said literally way too much there).  It's been so cool learning about the Iban people and hearing my teacher speak some Iban. They are super family oriented and don't need much to get by, super humble people and from what I've heard they are so much fun with the way they talk they like yell.  It's hilarious and their slang is awesome.  As for West Malaysia (or peninsular Malaysia) it's a lot more urban and westernized and a lot more Chinese people and Indian people live in west Malaysia. There are way more people in west Malaysia in general and west Malaysia would be the place you would see if you were to look up Malaysia in any form of media.  SE Asia is just so tuff, it's so diverse and different from my typical Overland Park, Kansas, and Mckinney, Texas hometown😂 Can't wait to experience it firsthand here in literally a week.  I say all this to say that I know that God loves ALL of his children and created man in HIS own image.

 Sometimes, some of us, we live in our American bubble and think in one too, not realizing from time to time the blessings of living and residing in the greatest country in the history of humankind.  I know that the Lord has set apart this great land for the second coming and for his saints to inhabit this land and build up Zion.  I know the ancient inhabitants of the Book of Mormon lived here in the Americas and that the Book of Mormon was meant to come to pass in a small, little clearing in Palmyra, New York, for a 22-year-old man to find golden plates 1400 years later from the abridgement of an ancient prophet(s).  None of this just happened by chance.  There's literally no way.  God's hand is in EVERYTHING and NO MAN can still/stop his hand, church and work here on the face of the earth today.  This church is the fastest growing church in the world for a reason and that's no coincidence either.  I can't wait to help do the Lord's will and be on his errand and help assist his church in coming forth amongst ALL nations, peoples, kindreds, and tongues in the most diverse and fastest growing mission field possible.

"Hope of Israel, Zion’s army, Children of the promised day, See, the Chieftain signals onward, And the battles in array!"

"Hope of Israel, rise in might with the sword of truth and right; Sound the war-cry, “Watch and pray!” VANQUISH EVERY FOE TODAY"

Best, Elder Isaac George Barlow🇲🇾🇸🇬

Week 3 - July 10, 2025

 Hello, everyone!  Another week here in Provo and officially 12 days away from Singapore.  It's so crazy to think about.  Me and the district get so excited by every passing day.  This last week absolutely flew by, and it was a good one.  Devotionals throughout the week were solid and very informative.  Full immersion classes went well, and my Malay is getting a lot better, every day little by little my vocab grows and that's all that matters.  Still a lot of work to be done of course. 

In one of the devotionals, they talked about how it takes a ton of faith not only to serve a mission of course but to learn a language as well.  And it's so true.  I heard countless stories throughout the week of missionaries struggling to know the language, but eventually EVERY missionary gets it down at some point which was comforting to me.  This whole last week, the presidency here really focused on faith and deepening our conversion to Jesus Christ and learning the difference between testimony and true conversion, and I learned a ton from it.  

Me and Elder Stevens, also, if I haven't said it before, have made a goal since the 2nd day of the MTC all the way till now which is to read the entirety of the Book of Mormon.  I haven't read through the whole book since I was like 13 so rereading all of it has been super strengthening for my testimony and we are all the way in Alma 55!  And on pace to finish the entire book before we leave, which is so awesome.  Elder Stevens is so clutch with the idea and making sure we get it done. 

Anyways this was long, and I'll make sure to include more pictures on this email because if I don't then it's an insanely boring read, I feel like lol. Oh, also that pic of the three of us in the MTC store are Three Barlows here on campus at the same time!!  It was so cool to see us Three Barlows all from over the country and how we look nothing alike and all come from Israel Barlow.  So proud to be from an early Latter-day Saint heritage and putting my badge on every morning is such a blessing.  Knowing what it's taken for me to even be here from the sacrifices my early Latter-day Saint ancestors made make this mission for me in perspective a lot easier. Representing the last name Barlow and knowing that there are a ton of other Barlows out in the countries around the world preaching Jesus Christ's restored gospel and church here on the earth today is something I am so humbly proud of and blessed to be a part of.  One of my many "why's" for sure.  

Also, some pics of me and Elder Stevens during the lil' celebration 4th of July night (which was kinda sad ngl) being the coolest Zone Leaders in the 801.  Love this guy.  Love this church and gospel and I'm so excited to

menjemput orang lain untuk datang kepada kristus dengan membantu mereka menerima injil yang dipulihkan melalui Iman kepada Yesus Kristus dan Korean tebusan-nya, pertaubatan, pembaptisan, menerima kurnia roh khudus dan bertahan sempai akhir.

Jumpa lagi🇸🇬🇲🇾👋  Elder Barlow

Week 2 - July 3, 2025

 Hello, everyone!  Week 2 is done and now only 19 days away from 19+ hours of traveling to Singapore.😅 This last week was just amazing.  Starting to love this place and people.  Food was actually above average, too, this last week which is always a plus.  It's so funny playing basketball here at the MTC because of the Pacific Islanders😂😂.  I kept getting constantly shaqed in the paint by someone who's double my weight😂.  I love it. 

Getting to call home on P-Day

 

Full immersion this last week was stressful but necessary.  Have to jump into the fire at some point🤷‍♂️.  I got so stressed when we started last Friday, my head hurt so bad and then I was sick from Friday to Monday.  It was horrible.  I know my mom is going to cringe when I say this, but I decided not to take any medicine or go to the doctor once😂.  I always choose to thug it out.  Learned a lot more about faith, responsibility, charity, and ministering this week among many other things. 

I want to talk about an experience I had and also connect it with another banger mural here in one of the buildings of Joseph Smith as a young farm boy looking off into the distance pondering where he stood before God.  I mentioned it in my farewell talk as well. The verse and the question opposite the wall is:

"I frequently fell into many foolish errors, and displayed the weakness of youth, and the foibles of human nature; which, I am sorry to say, led me into divers temptations, offensive in the sight of God. In making this confession, no one need suppose me guilty of any great or malignant sins. A disposition to commit such was never in my nature. But I was guilty of levity, and sometimes associated with jovial company, etc., not consistent with that character which ought to be maintained by one who was called of God as I had been." Verse 28 of Joseph Smith History. 

This was after Joseph Smith had seen the First Vision and been visited four separate times by Angel Moroni.  He was frustrated that no one believed him, and he felt different from the world (he couldn't be more right about his feelings, PTTM) That's how I was feeling during one of our district devotional reviews one night.  I wasn't focused on what we were talking about and felt frustrated about my language skills, that I need to be studying more, reading more, felt behind compared to my district, wasn't feeling the Holy Ghost, I had been sick and could barely even speak because the sickness affected my vocal chords for a full day, and like Joseph Smith felt like I wasn't taking things serious enough and dealing with levity issues knowing that in less than three weeks, I will be thrown into the refiner's fire and at the hand of the Satan the deceiver if I didn't live up to seemingly harsh expectations and guidelines for a 19-year-old kid from Plano, Texas, and straight out of high school, and I just felt overall incompetent. The question below the Joseph Smith verse is, "How do I continue to strive to maintain the expectations God has called of me?" 

Back to the meeting though.  As it was finishing up, my mission president called me and my companion outside, and my heart dropped.  I thought we were about to get absolutely grilled for not having the right socks on. (Elder Stevens had short socks on and I had white socks, and I assumed it wasn't allowed).  He pulls us out to a side room, and I prepare for a scolding.  I had been praying and been so thankful for this whole mission opportunity and have exercised much faith in the Lord to hear my words of blessing me to feel better not only physically from my sickness but to help me feel his love and Spirit and to help me know I was doing the right things. My mission president then proceeds to convey to us that he had an impression to make me and Elder Stevens Zone Leaders for the next 2 and a half weeks!!!  I felt so relieved and that my prayers had been answered and uncoincidentally, I felt perfectly fine that night and my voice had returned.  The Lord brings us trials and sees if we will abide in him and still place our faith in him even when times are tough.  I saw a quote and it said that if we ask God to win a marathon, he won't give us a medal, he'll give us running shoes.  Barely two weeks in and I am seeing the Lord's hand in my mission already.  I testify that if we FULLY place our faith in the Lord, we can do anything and accomplish fully the expectations Jesus expects of us. 

Jesus is the Christ and God of this earth, this gospel is undeniably true, the Book of Mormon is the truest and most correct book on the face of this planet and always will be, and Joseph Smith WAS a true prophet of God. If you can have faith and agree to those four statements, I testify that you will receive blessings and feel more fully the love of God.

I feel impressed to share this.  I can't wait to keep improving my Malay and improving each and every day and strive to be the best possible missionary for the people I love so dearly already--any and all people residing in the lands of Singapore and Malaysia. 

-Elder Barlow, jumpa lagi👋

P.S- Whoever sent me a massive bag of candy, thank you so much🙏 Didn't say who sent it, but thank you.

I did NOT sign up for this!  lol  j/k  Was fire to help with dinner tonight. 

Week 1 - June 26, 2025

Just woke up from a P-day nap😂 This place is great for sure.  The head start on Malay is definitely helping for me as well, too, which is nice!

Some pictures I wanted to share.  Elder Stevens is the best comp I could ask for, and we have so much in common.  This place is seriously the best.  Love Provo.

Home MTC and Saying Good-byes to Family Before Flying to Provo

 Each missionary begins their mission with at least one week at their home doing all things they would be doing at the Missionary Training Center they are assigned to.  They would be studying scriptures, customs of the land, and learning the language.  It is very intense and helps the missionary get accustomed to the missionary life.  Elder Barlow had already been working with a teacher from the MTC who was teaching him Malay so he could get an early start on the language.

After a week in Home MTC, Elder Barlow was driven to the MCI Airport where he said good-bye to his family for two years.  It is always an emotional day!

After a very early flight to Utah, Elder Barlow's brother picked up his car at his Aunt Alison's home.  He then drove his brother to the Provo Missionary Training Center where Elder Barlow would be spending the next five weeks.