Transfer news tomorrow. Sorry, grandma, I'm still in Johor Bahru. Haven't left yet. Appreciate the email though, love you. It's one more transfer here in the great city of Johor Bahru, The New Gem itself, or Singapore... The time is nigh at hand for Singapore. Only the Lord knows the paths I've taken, my desires and intentions and the things I've preached as well as the paths up ahead that will be better as long as he sees signs from my side. I'm keen on giving him signs of obedient and active discipleship. I feel a great deal of trust from the Lord to be placed in a country such as Singapore. Few people get an opportunity such as this. I will do everything in my power to take full advantage of it. As much as I love Malaysia, I need the country I read off my call to serve. I need to spend time in the country where a temple is currently being built. Malaysia will always be around (even then) Singapore you only get 3-6 months of it. 6 months if you're lucky, actually. Can't take a second for granted. Tengok dulu (see first) though.
Monday- P night. Johor Bahru trio went out. Elder Stevenson joined me and Elder Page because his companion is literally in another country right now. Elder Png will be back. Memang he's so happy to be back in his home country though😭 Anyways, did some finding then sat for an hour and just texted so many people setting up everything for the week, appointments, lessons. Elder Stevenson is so hilarious because me and Elder Page will just sit there talking and talking and debating and arguing a little bit. Definitely joking, of course, and then Elder Stevenson will just sit there and instigate and stir us up. Me and Elder Page were debating about this one standard and then Elder Page was talking about a standard. It was so funny. Just straight going back and forth because that's how we are to each other. Of course, we got texts sent out, but yeah it got to a point Elder Stevenson had to shut it down😭 we're so kuat cakap (really good at talking a lot about random things) Anyways, finished the night, you already know the food I consumed that night. Let's continue.
Tuesday- had a really good DCM training about member work. Elder Stevenson just finished 8 straight transfers (a year straight) in East Malaysia in Sarawak. East Malaysia missionary work is where member work is even more especially important and emphasized. Anyways he taught us all a lot and then his invitation was literally "make goals and plans for member work to help get a stake here in Malaysia," because memang we need a stake before we can get a temple here. Elder Buckner, the General Authority Seventy that came to our mission, didn't say the word temple once. But memang he was talking about getting a stake paling kuat (strongest) Anyways, Tuesday was great. It was just me and Elder Page actually. Elder Stevenson pulled the Masai Elders to Johor Bahru, so they were a trio the whole day and me and Elder Page went and had a great day. Did a lot of shoplot finding. It was crazy hot that day and we biked a ton, but we got it done. Didn't find a friend. Obviously, we ate Nasi Lemak. Called both our on-dates at night and both went great. Members participated and they shared great testimonies. Mantaplah
Wednesday- Wednesday was a long and great day. Me, Elder Page, and Elder Stevenson went out again as a trio because Elder Png was still in another country. We went and taught this YSA Bro, Jack. He's cool. Only speaks Mandarin. But Elder Page and Elder Stevenson taught him about baptism and the Holy Ghost. Did some finding, studies which included us watching President Oaks' devotional where he talked about active discipleship again. It was great. When he mentioned the mantle of a prophet, the Spirit was super strong. Then we went to this Iban family which was crazy. Haven't taught an Iban family in person lesson since my first transfer of my mission back in Miri forever ago. It went great though. Her Malay was hard to understand. I forgot how much harder Malay is out in East Malaysia. Anyways, rest of the day was super productive. We helped this one Indian man with super service, moving stuff for him and then we got his number and he said he was willing to meet with us again. Elder Page and Elder Stevenson called one of Elder Stevensons' and Elder Pngs' on-date for baptism while I called one of our recent converts in English by myself all at the same time. We went back to Taman Molek and were OF COURSE rewarded with Nasi Lemak. Did some contacts pool side at our apartment and called it a night.
Thursday- 3rd exchange with Elder Png in 9 days🇸🇬
Penang Elders came down so it was another triple exchange. I went with Elder Stevenson and Elder Honey who I went with in Penang last transfer. He's awesome. I can literally say I was waiting for my exchange companion to come from another country. I was companion-less for like 2-3 hours because Elder Png was still in Singapore with the Sembawang Elders. So funny. Woke up in Singapore, went to bed in Malaysia. Anyways, we had a great day. Taught their friends. Two in-person Malay lessons. Actually, so awesome getting to teach in Malay. If you've served a mission, you know when you are teaching and preaching in the language assigned to you by a prophet of God--you just feel it. The Spirit is there. It's stronger, it's palpable. Any missionary will say this. In-person lessons too are just way better than over-video call. I was talking to one of my cousins-in-law (I don't even know if that's the right terminology minta maaf yeah) on video call and was explaining that in this mission, this mission is not full immersion when you're in Singapore or West Malaysia. Of course, I can't speak a lick of Mandarin, and I am currently serving in an English and Chinese branch. Since I'm in West Malaysia and not East Malaysia (or Sarawak) I rarely (if ever some days) get to find or teach in the Malay language. That's probably why when I get a chance to write all my thoughts down on these weekly emails I'll just throw in Malay because I gotta speak it to someone🤷🏻♂️ Anyways, I digress. Like I said a couple of months ago, I had to re-learn how to find in English. I would start a finding block and just didn't know how to teach or preach in English. Crazy. Because when I started out in Miri (my first area in Sarawak, east Malaysia) EVERYONE speaks Malay. Anyways, I'll explain that again and break it all down because I love talking about it. Let's move on. It was a great day. We taught a lot, met this one guy also who had a lot of questions. Answered them for him and talked about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. It was great.
Friday- weekly planning with Elder Page. It was good to be back with my Elder. Once again me and Elder Page were bringing up the dreaded potential double transfer. We're feeling it. Times running out in JB for the both of us. It's all good though. Keep working. Memang it would be very disappointing to get double transferred out. We'll see lah. Friday was great though. We found a whole new shoplot area and a new neighborhood near a Catholic church. Finding Christian churches is obviously rare when you're in a Muslim country. It was a good day. Biked back to Taman Molek, OBVIOUSLY we ate Nasi Lemak, it shouldn't be a surprise at this point. It's the greatest food ever made, and I'm only slightly joking. Memang I'm going to miss it💔 All jokes tho, it was a good day. Called our on-date as well, too, and helped him with some stuff. He's great.
Saturday- 💗SELAMAT HARI KEKASIH💗
(don't worry my heart is locked--trust🔐)
Oh my, the amount of YSA couples we saw was insane. We just found the whole day and stopped couples, Malaysian and Singaporean, memang we don't discriminate. Then we had a dinner appointment with a member who treated us to some crazy local noodles and yeah it was incredible.
Saturday- Very good Saturday. Me and Elder Page were talking and talking about a lot of different things (shocker. The number of random things Elder Page has the craziest knowledge on is so wild) We were talking about how if you're finding and you don't have the Spirit, then we're just wasting our time. Of course, we did a lot of reflecting and why we're not putting up good numbers compared to the other companionships. We just worked through some things, and he was talking about what he leaned from what he heard from the Zone leader. It was great. We can lock in and have such a serious conversation and just edify each other. Does he drive me crazy? Sometimes, oh yeah. But hey, we can get it done. We just talked about how we need the Spirit more, we need to pray more fervently, and things of the such. It was really good.
And no I did not get Nasi Lemak on Saturday night💔
Sunday- JB Elders 2 had their baptism with a mainland Chinese bro. It was great. Elder Page was the one who originally taught him before we passed him off, so Elder Page got to baptize him which was great. A lot fewer people were at church because everyone goes home for Chinese New Year. Shoplot finding was popping because everyone is buying stuff right before Chinese New Year starts so there was so many people out. People needed to buy things before everyone has their family celebration dinners. Family is a big thing in Chinese culture. Then at night, we called our on-dates as per usual and both of them are just progressing so great. They're both getting baptized here soon which is amazing. Both their countenances shine so bright. It's special.
Tonight for P night I'm going out with Elder Png again. Should be a good one.
And that's a wrap on potentially my last full week in Johor Bahru. It was a great time. If I stay, then it's only for another 3 weeks and then off to Singapore. Tomorrow's the big day and as always, I'll have an update and my thoughts and opinions of course. Love y'all. I love the support so much and it truly does mean so much. Y'all are the best
"Malaysia! Malaysia! Canst thou linger
Still in error’s gloomy ways?
Mark how judgment’s pointing finger
Justifies no vain delays.
Come to Zion, come to Zion!
Zion’s walls shall ring with praise.
Come to Zion, come to Zion!
Zion’s walls shall ring with praise!"
- Elder Barlow🇲🇾
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