Hello, Everyone! Another week down here in Miri. One week removed from an awesome week from Singapore Zone Conference and we definitely tried our hardest this week. I'll break it down
Monday: Did some kampung (a kampung is a run-down, dilapidated village basically where primarily Iban people live. Kampung literally means village in Malay) Finding on Monday night. Got yelled at by this one Roman Catholic. Kinda ruined the spirits for that night.
Tuesday: Went back to this one woman's house who made me two native Sarawak Iban-styled ties for me. We shared a message about the atonement and Jesus Christ's earthly ministry. Really solid lesson, but out of nowhere a massive storm comes in and since all the roofs are made out of metal, it gets so loud and we literally can't hear each other like a couple feet away from each other. The Holy Ghost was there though. That's all that matters.
Wednesday and Thursday: Exchanges with Elder Randall and Elder Platt here in Miri. Elder Simonsen and Elder Barker went to Bintulu, so they left me to continue the Miri Elders 2 work with the Miri Elders 1 as they did exchanges there in Bintulu. Exchanges went well. Taught this big Iban group about the Restoration of the Gospel. They had to have someone come outside to understand the Malay and translate a little bit because sometimes some Iban speakers can't understand Malay that well. Iban is like 65-75% Malay and like 25-35% slightly different Malay words pronounced differently as well as words that sound and look like Tagalog. Then some words are just different all together. And all speakers just have a crazy thick accent it's wild. I gave up long ago trying to understand it. Anyways lesson went well. Couldn't set an RA so they weren't friends but there for the Miri Elders 1 anyways so don't have to teach them again. Found and biked a ton both those days.
Friday-Sunday: Met back up with Elder Simonsen and Elder Barker and got back to work. Lot of walking around neighborhoods and lorongs and kampungs and not a lot of actually finding. Got absolutely poured on Saturday night as well. Almost fell off my bike like three times. People here are just not receptive at all. They'll just walk away mid-convo, do the classic hand wave at you, close the door, shut the blinds, run away, yell orang putih at you and then run away. Look at you like you're gonna rob them. They're all either Muslim/Roman Catholic/Buddhist/ or a part of this popular Borneo native church called SIB (Sedang Injil Borneo which translates to Current Gospel of Borneo) Didn't get to watch any general conference at all either throughout the weekend. I heard it was absolutely amazing, and I bet it was. In our mission we have to watch it with a member or less-active friend and since Malay is such a niche language, the translation takes a week to come out. So have to wait till next weekend anyways.
Missions are hard--if you haven't heard it from me for the absolute millionth time. Being a part of the most Christian church on earth, I mean we are LITERALLY Jesus Christ's church here on the earth today, and I'm just in enemy territory. I mean straight up. I'm just gonna say it. No one wants to hear this message we have. Or the average Iban we find that does just can't find time to join for a 5-minute little call cause who knows why. I haven't even knocked every door in Miri, like I was gonna say, "Oh, I've knocked every door in Miri already." Like nah, I haven't even because we aren't even allowed to knock doors or yell towards a house with Muslim houses on either side and there has to be no Muslim people walking around on the street nearby. Can't even find like every other missionary around the world. Its super frustrating and disheartening. Little to no work is being done it seems like. I will always keep my emails as real as humanely possible. I never believe in trying to make anything glamorous or look cool or fun especially as something as important as missionary work. Just kinda starting to learn I'm a West Malaysia/Singapore missionary and not an East Malaysia missionary. Always been a big city kinda guy. Last week of the transfer ahead of me and then hopefully the Lord will give me a new area. Cause the Lord himself knows I need it. I've done my time here, Love y'all. Emails like this are the big things that help me through hard times. If you were somehow able to get through my complaints and real thoughts, then you're a real one. I was gonna end it here, but I'll give a spiritual thought.
I've been reading all the "Saints" volumes which are books of the history of the church which was started in 1830 by Joseph Smith all the way till now. They take it year by year and add it in real people and their real stories and experiences through all of the 19th, 20th and 21st century. Just seeing the growth of the church from Joseph Smith to Brigham Young to now where I am reading in the books (Saints 3, chapter 32) during WW2. A time when my grandparents were born and a time of many many travails and challenges were plaguing the world. I guess I should give myself more credit for the last 5 weeks of my life. Maybe the Lord wants to see me struggle for now. He wants to see me go where no one goes, around mosques and Buddhist temples and people who just say they're Roman Catholic by tradition and not actually religion. Because I KNOW there is ONE PERSON here in Miri. And we will find them. WE WILL. WE HAVE TO. And if that one person is me THEN SO BE IT.
I'm sorry this wasn't even a spiritual thought, but I refuse to delete a single sentence of this. Missions aren't fun, but this will be fulfilling when I'm able to look back and see only the good. I'll be expecting a literal miracle this week. We'll see how the Lord delivers or if my potential final week here in Miri ends on a low note along with the many weeks here I've tried to tuck away. Elder Barker and Elder Simonsen are the only reason I haven't just given up haha. Don't know what I'd be doing without them. Elder Barker is a little clueless and honestly can't take anything seriously, he's always joking which honestly I need, but man this kid has the spirit of NEVER EVER complaining. And Elder Simonsen is the biggest just big brother. He's so awesome. Y'all are awesome. No, I'm not coming home early haha even though this email makes it even seem like I want to. I would never. This mission is the most rewarding thing ever. It's so awesome to have these next 571 days ahead of me and the last 3 months have been so just giving. I understand Jesus more, to repent more. I'm more mature. I appreciate things more. Its just so great.
Elder Barlow
Membiarkan kita majulah🤺⚔️⚜️🇲🇾
Saya akan menjadi lebih baik minggu depan semasa saya tulis surat saya🙏🏼
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