Wow. The Lord's transfer ended off with a bang. Absolute grind of a week.
+ A BIG BARCELONA MIRACLE HERE IN THE LION CITY🇪🇸🇸🇬
As for as missionary work, it was a very weird and unfortunate week here for us in Singapore. I'll explain why, obviously. Not a whole lot of effective missionary work done, I'm not gonna lie. Week actually went by so fast though, which is cool.
Transfer calls tomorrow. We'll see what happens. I'm pretty nervous. I don't want to leave Singapore, but another transfer with business partner but might be a little hard. We'll see.
Anyways. On p-day we found out that some 2 Tik-Tok videos went super viral and famous against us from some Singaporeans about a couple of missionaries and some false things were said against us about what we had said apparently to people. Also, news articles as well. I still don't know the full details but yeah. It was enough for President Ho to kinda shut things down.
It was serious enough for the government to get involved and meet with President Ho and Elder Chen, our representative senior missionary for Singapore.
So, we did the entire week with:
1. No tags.
2. Wearing the same white polo everyday (Shoutout my mom for sending more)
3. Careful, slow, natural ways of talking to people
4. Couldn't find near train stations, malls or crowded, public places
We did the best with what we could. It was a test of faith, and we all passed, I would say.
Worst of all, McDonald's stopped doing Mcgriddles for breakfast here in Singapore. Don't know which part I'm more sad about.
P-day- P-day was awesome. Went hiking in the jungle of Singapore and got away from the concrete jungle, which was needed and refreshing. Called fam a little later and then played basketball for like 4 hours. Around 6:00,the news broke and the Zone Leaders gathered everyone over a call and told the whole zone about the lock down that's happening. New standards were given out, and Elder Marshall and I went out in Polos and no tag. Very hard P-night. Going from a million miles an hour to very slow and quieter paced of finding was super difficult. Of course, as well, Elder Marshall got onto me every single time I didn't do something up to his expectations or standard. He got in my face on multiple occasions and yeah just super hard. Eventually by the end of the night, I had learned I guess how to find "normal and naturally" and all was well. Found in Toa Payoh and Napier. But again, we had to find where basically no one was. We walked for like 20 minutes and talked to no one. Because we couldn't really go where a lot of people were. Unfortunate
Tuesday- exchanges in Compassvale with Elder Jenkins.
Blessed exchange day. Exchanges are the best
Also had a slower day but fun and enjoyable. Elder Jenkins is fun. We found for like three or four hours. Just kind of walked around. Didn't talk to a ton of people. Compassvale is a really cool area of Singapore I would love to serve here next transfer. It's all the east side of Singapore. All the HDBs (house development buildings where people live) and everything near the airport. A lot slower and calmer. It's nice. Apartment is super nice too. We'll see lah
Wednesday- met back up with Elder Marshall in Bugis for an absolute grind of a Wednesday.
What a GRIND OF A DAY. Six and a half hours of finding. Four straight. No lessons. With all the restrictions and we got it done. It's honestly more exhausting having to find slower and talking to less people at least it's WAY more mentally exhausting + business partner. Anyways, man we found all over green line. Tiong Bahru, Queenstown, Telok Ayer and China Town. Red Hill. Walking behind Elder Marshall for six hours straight. Too scared to stop someone due to him correcting my every word. So exhausting. MAN, this is my heaven week. Won't say hell week. But DANG MAN. Every day is such a BATTLE. YAHKAH. We'll be alright though. If I can do a week of missionary work considering all these circumstances, any week and day there will be work accomplished. I'll say one cool person we saw was A SPANIARD. SO ELECT. FROM BARCELONA🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸 his name was Roman, which was so awesome😭 He was the ONLY PERSON on the Lavender to Promenade River Walk. Literally the only guy. Such a miracle.
The Lord Provides.
Thursday- 365 days left...
Weekly planning day with Elder Marshall. Definitely a lot more chill of a day. Did weekly planning in Lavender and ate with our recent converts in Asperia Mall. Did a little bit of finding there and called our other recent convert. Went to Raffles' Place after all planning and studies. Again, considering the restricted finding guidelines, we were still talking to a lot of people. Found right in the heart of the downtown, which was awesome. Not gonna lie, it was hard to find the motivation, but we got it done. It's just that the joy of the work for me which I've found is sharing the Book of Mormon and this whole last week I was unfortunately unable to. Wasn't allowed to be persistent or push or ask follow up questions or chase people down with the restrictions. We went to Farrer Park to end off the night. We literally walked into New Delhi. Just only Indian people. We were finding on a road that had like seven Indian strip clubs and bars. Mind you, we are just wearing polos and backpacks. No tags. We also ran into a YSA member and she was probably wondering what the heck the Elders are doing on the strip club street not wearing tags and polos😭😭 Actually, the first time I've seen Elder Marshall laugh at such a ridiculous finding spot, too. I was basically just following Elder Marshall at this point. We ate, went back and did some finding in Newton to end off the night.
Friday and Saturday were better because of exchanges though.
Friday- exchanges with Elder Busby in Newton. Very solid day. Did two and a half hours in Toa Payoh. Talked to Chinese uncles and aunties for the entire time. None of them spoke English. It's hard because we have to go to spots that have less people, but when we go away from the populated places, it's only older Singaporeans that don't know English. None of them speak Malay either. I'm sorry if this all sounds negative. I'm genuinely not trying to be negative, I can promise you I'm not a naturally negative person. I'm just journaling how it is and what happened. Went to Bugis for some hospital stuff for Elder Busby. Appointment canceled.
Went to Chick fil a🐔
Studies and then to Great World. Did the River Walk. I think the Lord isn't too happy with these restrictions either because there was soon a massive wall of black in the sky. Eventually it was raining sideways as per usual and so we did some PMG finding. Went back to the Church and taught our GUY ROMANNNN🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸
Man, what a lesson with this man Roman. We taught him the entire Restoration and I explained many many times that God was his loving Heavenly Father.
This is the most locked in I've been for a lesson in forever.
And of course, since my man Roman is from Barcelona, I HAD to tie in my dad. I just had to. I explained that when I had one time been to Barcelona, I was able to see even more of God's children for the first time in my life as an 18-year-old kid. It changed my entire perspective in my life, and I knew I wanted to teach more people that they have a loving Heavenly Father. I had seen real people who were touched by the message my dad gave to them from a loving God. I had told him, also, that my dad had a chance to do the same throughout eastern Spain as a young man like me, and that God does send missionaries and prophets and angels to speak to the children of men.
The Spirit couldn't have been stronger. What a miracle. We ended up finishing and teaching the entire restoration, and it was the best lesson I have had in a long time. He also said he could come to church AND he said he would come to church. I couldn't stop smiling the whole night. Just so awesome.
I'll recall to you all that this man Roman was the ONLY PERSON on Lavender Riverwalk on Wednesday. If we didn't have this restriction stuff going on, we were not going to find in Lavender either. Just such a miracle.
VIVA ESPANA🇪🇸
Saturday- Hit 1️⃣1️⃣ months as a missionary and did exchanges with Elder Broadhead. Very fun day. Love Elder Broadhead. We did a couple exchanges in Johor Bahru and Malacca a couple months back. He's awesome. I went to Sembawang for the day🇲🇲 Of course, with the restrictions it was even harder to find all the helpers and so we did little finding and more phone work. Because it was just more effective. We had a good time. Found in Toa Payoh. Did a lot of phone contacting. Then we went and ate with some Burmese members. Man, that was so much fun😭 They're so much fun. Ate great food. Ate at Swensens. Went back to Newton, did some calls. It was awesome. Great day.
Sunday- GREAT SUNDAY. Got a lot of friends at church INCLUDING ROMAN🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸 my man pulled up. So awesome. I was showing him the pictures of La Sagrada Familia on my phone, and we had such a cool conversation about it. So cool to hear the opinion of an actual Barcelona native about such an amazing work of art. He noted that the cranes and it being a work in progress is a part of it. That he couldn't see it without the cranes and construction. Like how we're all a work in progress as well. Anyways I showed him my dad I and at the church in Mallorca and was able to tell him we have our church in Barcelona for when he goes back. Which he was pleasantly surprised about. I spent the rest of the day making sure the Elders in Barcelona could try and get in contact with this man Roman. God's got him in his hands and I'm so happy he came. Such a massive seed planted. Just for him to feel the Spirit. I am also following his information on our own missionary app, so I'm able to track him and his progress towards baptism and if he's receiving discussions from the Elders in Barcelona. So awesome. Rest of the day was great. We went to Jurong's Sacrament meeting and then ate, studied, member meal with the Jensens, a senior missionary couple. We then finished off the second half of Sunday with a member meal with the Jensens for three hours😭 The rule is that you can only have a meal with a member for an hour and a half. Of course, a friend came and so we taught and ate with them all. There was also a recent convert there as well. It was effective. Definitely more effective than finding with restrictions + Sunday night.
Thumbs flying over the keyboard time
I think as you can tell from this email, I have a deep deep love for Spain and its people😂
Spain and my dad are two of the many things that helped get me on a mission.
Also, this week was very humbling. I keep telling myself this is what I get for being an absolute punk to people with Elder Huntley last transfer. I feel bad. So, I deserve a business partner I guess. It's needed, that's for sure. Of course, the Lord knew that coming into his transfer. My 7th transfer. The Lord's number. His transfer. I want this to be absolutely clear.
Everything happens for a reason.
Yes, the Lord provides.
But I've grown the most on my mission this transfer than any other transfer. I've also grown the most out of this week--this transfer than any other week. So, it's been great.
Life's about becoming. It's what I'm doing out here. I'm fulfilling my purpose as God's creation. I'm progressing towards Godhood. It's the entire end goal. We have the eternities to make it there. Why not get a headstart here?
I also just can't let all my parent's hard work and determination and prayers go to waste. Just some thoughts.
The mission is the Lords university. It's shorter and more challenging. But it does something to you. You walk in one person and walk off the plane another being.
When I work up Thursday morning and saw I had a year left, I dedicated in prayer the next year of my life exactly from May 7th 2026- May 7th 2027 to the Lord. Not like I haven't dedicated the last 10 and a half months but I'm making a more conscious effort to soak up every chance I have. Now that it's under a year it's time to keep it pushing. I'm happy I got this transfer during the Lord's transfer to give me this boost going into the year ahead. Lord knew I needed to learn all these lessons and become more compassionate and kinder and seeing to others.
The Lord's university is the best.
And what a campus...
Singapore is incredible. Home to so many of God's diverse children
Malaysia as well. Anakku. Saya rindu dia💔 semogalah nanti saya akan balik negaraku. Memang susah ini.
I cannot write down on a keep notes app on my phone in either bahasa Melayu or English how much I love these two countries and their people.
These two countries mean everything to me.
And In 361 days, I will be stepping off that escalator and embracing my family in the MCI airport. Wiping my tears with both flags.
These 2 countries. My family. 1 Lord. 1 year.
Job's not finished 🐍
🇲🇾 Elder Barlow 🇸🇬
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