Wow, what a p-day to start the week off, considering the news received. Great week though. Zone Conference was great. Felt great to be back this week.
P-day: Family call was great but still wasn't feeling 100% which was expected still but went over to the hospital for a third time and I had them take my blood. Oh my, when we came back two hours later for the results, and I looked at the sheet of paper and it said:
Dengue: "Positive"
YAHHHKAHHHH. Mannnnnn I was so shocked. It was so funny too because they had offered to take my blood on Friday to check for Dengue and I actually declined because I would've passed out if they took my blood then. Which Friday as we now know was the peak of my Dengue. So wild. I'm happy we figured out what it was exactly. Dengue, man. In Singapore of all places too😭 I am now immune to it for six months. If you get Dengue three times, then they send you home. So, this is strike one. Luckily, I'm like the man RAJ when I get up to the plate so we're gonna be alright. (Shoutout Ronald Acuna Jr)
Anyways, wild.
To end off Monday for P-night, we stayed back at the house. We did do missionary work though for the most part. We did some contacting and went through some information dots and referrals from the last week that weren't touched. We also called one of our friends that's currently on-date for baptism on the 20th. He's super cool and out of nowhere has requested baptism, which is super awesome.
Tuesday- went back really early to Raffles Hospital in Bugis for another blood check because they wanted to see if I was really on the come up with my platelets. I was pretty nervous because if my platelets had dropped over night, then they were going to admit me into the hospital but if they had raised then I would've been fine not to go into the hospital. Kinda wild but I went in and got my blood drawn (again) while laying down (again) and then awaited the results. My platelets didn't raise or lower; they actually stayed the same, but it was very obvious based off other factors and numbers that I was getting better and on the up end. Still just to be safe they wanted me to come in again the next morning and get my blood drawn. We went back to Compassvale Region, and the senior couple missionaries got Elder Hull and I McDonald's for lunch at the house, which was awesome🙌🏻
I knew Tuesday was day 7 of this whole Dengue ordeal as I started feeling sick last Tuesday and this was going to be our last day of sitting in and doing nothing (as with zone conference as well over the next 2 days also for some good rest/non typical missionary days)
Safe to say, I learned a lot from all of this. To trust the doctors, to rest more during sickness, honestly but more importantly that God truly does and did consecrate these afflictions for my gain. I feel strengthened physically and spiritually. My faith and resolve to take on this 2nd half of my mission. I feel like this was the last big trial of a very hard period that I had to get over with God. I have more of a desire to be obedient and to actually then be obedient as well, I'd say. Sickness really stopped me in my tracks I guess to say, and it has redirected me onto a better path of gratitude, so it's been great.
Also, got an email from Grandma. Thank you so much, Grandma. When I saw that come through, I got so excited. Yes, we will do better to stay away from wooded areas. Love you.
Tuesday was great though. Sorry, this is incredibly all over the place, just a lot of thoughts but yeah, Elder Hull on Tuesday ended up making some AWESOME bread. SO GOOD. We absolutely destroyed it. I know I did. He's actually the best. So good at cooking and baking. And he did the dishes. Stud. Watched the video from the 5th Sunday from Elder Cristofferson and Elder Cook. Really awesome stuff to see men of God like that talking about government. That's one thing being here in Singapore has made me even more grateful for is God's land--thee United States of America. No question. We called our friend, Chun, whose baptism is here in a couple weeks and went over her baptismal interview questions which went really well. She's ready for her final interview🙌🏻 Finished off Tuesday by reading the Book of Mormon in bed, was feeling excited for Zone Conference and the next couple days ahead. Felt more comforted than earlier in the day. Was kinda losing my mind just thinking about the state of the mission and the next couple of months and comparing what the mission is now to what it used to be like. I've come to accept it's how it is and to look at the bright side for the most part. To serve whoever I can at any opportunity I can get however much longer I have left here in Singapore, restrictions or not.
Wednesday - ZONE CONFERENCE DAY 1️⃣/BLITZ + PRES INTERVIEWS
WERE BACKKKKKKKKKKK🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
FINALLY. I'm not gonna lie I was fine enough to go out on Tuesday, but I wanted to be sure. Anyways, went and did some finding on the amazing bright and sunny streets of Singapore in Woodleigh. So awesome. Before this though the morning on Wednesday they wanted me to come back from Tuesday because my platelets had stayed the same and so we went in at like 8 am on Wednesday morning (actually got to hear Surfin USA from the Beach Boys on the radio in the morning which reminded me of my dad and good times before the mission listening to that song, so that was awesome) and finally walked out at noon. Took so long but we got the desired news in my platelets rising. They still want ANOTHER blood draw on Friday morning. Which is kinda crazy but I do respect and appreciate the effort they put on their patients.
Anyways, after all that at Raffles, we went back to the apartment and then to Woodleigh and then yeah, did some finding. Which felt really good to be out walking alongside Elder Hull, with the cars on the streets and people on the sidewalks and stopping mostly everyone we saw and just talking about Jesus Christ. Did that for like an hour and then went to the church and then we were in the church + in Newton for the rest of the day. My interviews went great and President Ho just literally wanted to cakap cakap (speak speak) just yap a little bit basically. Which I loved. Didn't have to feel so formal and think of some last second question for HIM. Mainly because I'm not the greatest at coming up with questions for president. He was so shocked when I told him that I did indeed have Dengue from the week before. He's like Singapore is so clean, how did you get it? 😂 It was nice to see him a little more laid back and relaxed, I feel. They had just traveled overnight from Kuching from east Malaysia Zone Conference, so they were definitely really tired. Anyways.
Probably had the best interview I've had my entire mission with Sister Ho. She's so awesome. The best. They both are. She taught me a lot about gratitude and to use it and live gratitude to overcome discouragement and thinking about home and stuff.
Above all, the whole day was awesome to finally get around some Elders. The restrictions + being all the way out in the east Singapore region far away from all other Elder + Dengue for a week. I haven't seen or talked to any of these Elders for a while. For forever it's felt like. These Elders are just the best. Always such a boost.
Went back to Compassvale Region after transfer slides and a little devotional afterwards and called our recent convert and this one friend that was sent to us. He wasn't too interested.
Got ready for an exciting 2nd day of Zone Conference.
Actually, not all good news was given on Wednesday. I'll explain more at the bottom of this email, but it seems as if Singapore is going to shrink even more and I'm going to be here for even longer than I thought. I don't know--stay tuned for these next couple of transfers. Singapore's a little bit of a mess right now. Ah Singapore. AWAKE AND ARISE.
Thursday - ZONE CONFERENCE DAY 2️⃣
- greet day great day. Arrived at the church early and we all did our personal studies. President and Sister Ho gave great trainings about grace and mercy and justification. Loved it. Ate, had some more trainings from the ZLs, trainings from senior missionaries, APs gave a good training about being All in. Ironic because they did it over Zoom and they won't risk even sending the APs to Singapore for Zone Conference in Singapore. Singapore won't let them get all in🤧 majulah. We all sang Battle Hymn of the Republic, and I had to be the chorister and man, I had no idea what I was doing😂 Sister Shurtz was just in the back walking me through being so helpful. We got it done haha. Some of the Elders were laughing so hard just watching me wave my arms around😅 We ate and then had final testimony meeting. Really good testimonies given all around. Just a great Zone Conference. Really took away a lot. Always getting that boost, those good feelings to help you change and good time to reflect. Went back to Compassvale after taking pictures and Elder Hull and I called our on-date and taught him about prayer. Great lesson.
Friday- first full normal missionary workday back and man, it felt so good to be back out. Past all the sickness and bad feelings and man had to push through all that. It was tough but we made it🙌🏻 Started off the day going to Woodleigh and did a little bit of finding at noon. Ate, did all of our studies including weekly planning. Halfway through weekly planning called this lady from Taiwan who's interested to learn more about Jesus. She really only speaks Mandarin so we had a member help us and Elder Hull can hold it down too in Mandarin. Lesson went great. It's hard for her to get to church but she has a really good baseline of knowledge which is great. After the lesson, we finished up our weekly planning and then eventually went to Kovan. This smaller and super random place on purple line near where we live. One of our first times just kinda checking it out and for some reason this tiny little place has just the greatest food selections and restaurants + actually a lot of people were out too, place had a ton of parks, river walks and people walking from their homes to the food. Man, Elder Hull and I actually walked just all over Kovan, walked so far from the MRT Station and eventually spent like 45 minutes trying to make our way back to the MRT spot. Saw this really cool big church, this massive park/stadium place and a big pool area. Another random part of Kovan is that it had neighborhoods and streets of houses which is always a shock to see in Singapore and to be around non-apartment buildings but actual homes and being in an actual neighborhood is just always such a shock to the system. Knocking is illegal in Singapore but still cool to walk those streets and stuff. Anyways, awesome finding block in Kovan and then we went to the church for a birthday party and to be with the ward, which was actually a shock. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into haha. Bishop told us to be at the church by 7:30 and they had a party for the bishop's son, and the adults were playing pickleball in the gym. Elder Hull and I got to hop in and play a round of pick and then we ate. It was a great night. Unfortunately had to leave right before the cake, but we went back home and called our friend Hua Jun. Lesson went great. Taught him about the restoration.
Then finally I got a text from Elder Marshall later that night and man I was so hyped. He told us that we could now go to busier areas (still no white shirt and tag) but still we could go and find near malls and MRTs and busier foot traffic areas (which we haven't been able to do the last month) I was so hyped. So clutch. Back to split finding, flying around even if we are just in the Polo, no tag. Can actually go and hawk someone down and share the Book of Mormon.
Saturday- and that's exactly what we did on Saturday. Started the day off by going all the way down to Paya Lebar. Which is a place that the Compassvale Elders went to like everyday last transfer but an area where I've been to once with Elder Hull this transfer. So, it's nice for the Compassvale Elders for us to finally make our much-needed return to Paya Lebar. (paya Lebar means broad swamp from Malay)
Went and did two hours of finding from 12-2 and oh my it was hot, the sun was out so strong, there wasn't a ton of people out but still enough to fly around and get while split finding. Felt so good to finally just have a ton of people to talk to and share Book of Mormon verses with people and get their number and just do all that. So clutch.
After the finding block ended, I literally just went over to Elder Hull and just dapped him up and told him I loved him, gave him a hug. Just so exhausted, hairs all crazy, sweating so much. But you just feel so good. So spent. Best feeling ever. Met some pretty cool people. Went and ate and did studies, some phone work, and then went to Serangoon, one of our other good areas that the Compassvale Elders last transfer also went to like every day. Serangoon was solid.
It's a wild finding spot. Its a
1. Taxi drop off/pick up spot
2. Right next to a MRT Station
3. Inside a mall
4. Also right next to a bus station
There's just so much going on and man Elder Hull and I just walk up and down this uphill/downhill sidewalk and talk to everyone who crosses our face. Whether they're going in/out of the mall, coming to and from the bus or taxi area or coming to or from the MRT station.
Literally NEX plaza find and grind. So awesome. I liked it. Obviously, heart (man, hold on as I'm typing this, Elder Hull just handed me a hot plate of grilled chicken here on Sunday night. He's the MAN) anyways of course finding hard-hearted Singaporeans isn't fun but we got it done. Did like two and a half hours there. Felt great to be back, feet hurting, just trying to share about Jesus Christ. Running people down. Met a couple cool people and even some members from Compassvale Ward that were wondering what the heck we were doing wearing polos and no tags. Well Sister, unfortunately Satan has a mighty grip on your government's heart right now💔💔 We're on the come up though❤️🩹❤️🩹
Ended off the night with some phone contacting and then some more finding and then went home after some miracle minutes.
Sunday- Sunday had a great. Church was great. Kinda a smaller group there. I kinda like it. Pretty peaceful. The members out here are awesome. They love feeding us and giving us food. Love them so much. We did our finding in Hougang/Punggol Park/Buangkok and in Punggol around the HDBs. It was chill. I ate lunch as I started my fast on Saturday night and then Sunday night Elder Hull made some awesome grilled chicken and artisan bread. Sangat pandai masak dia. Great week.
We got SENTOSAAAAA ZONE PDAY for today. Wiffleball on the beach BOLEH!!! Gonna be great. 3rd time going to Sentosa. Hits every time.
On another set of big news...
I hit one year as a missionary tomorrow.
I made a Lil post on Facebook go check it out.
Also join my Google photos album if you want
I'll put a lot of thoughts and feelings about for next week's email and I'll make a Facebook post to mark such an occasion, but man I'm so grateful to have made it this far. So wild how fast it's gone. So hyped to hit a year. Really just so grateful I've been helped and pushed to this point. I've learned so much. Such a miracle.
God is a God of miracles✊🏻
IT'S ALL OVER THE WORLD🇸🇬
SELURUH DUNIA🇲🇾
Never forget it🙏🏻
Two weeks until transfer calls. Hoping they keep Elder Hull here with me. He'll probably get thrown at the wall even if he's called for another😂
Let us all Press on.
Elder Barlow🇸🇬
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