Mission Tour and Other Exciting Events

Greeting our "Sad Puppy"

Everyday we walk by the owner's little puppy as he lays in the same spot.  We have only seen him move twice since we arrived.  His little face just looks so sad that I call him "sad puppy" every time I see him.  Every once in a while he will raise his head just a little to acknowledge me but most of the time he doesn't move even to flick his ear.

 Last Monday began a wonderfully full week once again.  We have had all kinds of spiritual lifting over the past three weeks between the Sibu Chapel dedication, Zone Conferences in Singapore and then this week we had missionary training and a YSA Fireside by a member of the Area Presidency who came to Kuching.  Missionaries from Sibu and Mukah joined the Kuching missionaries for the training this week. E knew we had a full week with people coming in and dinner to serve and snack bags to prepare, trips to the airport, etc. 

The first thing we did on Monday, however, was to have lunch with a lovely couple from Australia who are finished with their mission are doing a little touring before the return.  They came to Kuching for just one night and we had lunch with them on Monday.  It was very fun.  They have served in West Malaysia and we never had an opportunity to meet them before the senior conference in Singapore.  Sister Beard and I clicked right away and Elder Beard pulled me aside on Monday and told me that he was so happy to have met me and that he really like how I was not a shy, retiring person, but fun to be with.  Both of them told me separately that I reminded them of Sis. Beard’s cousin with whom she is very close.  It’s an interesting thing to find people from different parts of the world that you connect with and feel a kinship to.  I told Ed we were going to go visit Darwin after our mission!   Just add it to the list……

Little by little we are receiving more material and information about other assignments that will be turned over to us by Elder and Sister Nielson who are across the hall from us and leaving April 9^th.  She has already turned over the music program information to me, effective after the final concert on April 6^th.  (We are doing that on General Conference weekend because it takes us two weeks to have Conference sent to us to show at the chapel.  They get a live feed in Singapore, but not in East Malaysia.)  The next thing they have turned over to us is the Temple Preparation Classes and organizing the trips for all those who want to attend the temple.  We had a meeting on Monday night giving us the temple information.  I found out I had to email the Manila Temple first thing on Tuesday morning to reserve Patron Housing at the Temple and to let the Temple Recorder know they are coming.  Nothing like getting right into it!

Going to the temple is such a sacrifice for most of these people.  Many will have only one opportunity to get there and receive their endowments and be sealed to their family.  It is wonderful to see the dedication of these sweet saints.  I am grateful for the many who have donated money to the Temple Patron Assistance Fund which helps to subsidize these wonderful people who would not be able to attend any other way.

Tuesday we made our first trip to the bakery supply store the Nielsons  have found in Kuching.  I decided to make chocolate chip cookies for the snack bags I was responsible for.  Now this may sound like not a big deal, but we are in East Malaysia.  Our oven is outside next to the washing machine with the huge, black ants wandering all over the place.  It is an education just knowing how to turn it on……I had to get one of the Sisters to help me.  Anyway, we went to buy the ingredients.  The store owner was so happy to see us coming.  Bags of chocolate chips (small ones, dark chocolate only), all purpose flour, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, baking soda and of course butter and Crisco. 

 
 Now you would think that with all those ingredients the cookies would be a snap, but this is Malaysia and though there are things that are very similar, they are not the same.  I knew I was in trouble when the first batch of cookies came out totally flat…..I adjusted to use all Crisco instead of butter and Crisco which is my norm.  I made a couple of other adjustments and got thicker soft cookies but when the Sisters came to test them for me they wanted to know what the odd taste was.  They were good, but didn’t taste like the memory of a chocolate chip cookie.  (They didn’t taste that good to me either, but I am a snob when it comes to a good cookie)  We tried several things to identify the taste and decided it was a taste like cotton candy.  Well, the sugar is not really granulated (larger sized grains) and the brown sugar didn’t really pack together and taste like brown sugar, but the kicker was the vanilla…..it smelled like cotton candy.  Go figure!  We shaped the cookies and froze the dough and I got up at 4AM to bake them so the cookies would be fresh for the missionaries. 

Cookie dough....we thought about just serving the dough but we decided the risk with the eggs was a little extreme and Sister Mains would not agree.  (We did keep some in the freezer though.....shhhh)

  The  following day I had a young Elder ask me, “It’s been almost 2 years since I tasted a homemade chocolate chip cookie, is that what they taste like?”  I told him no…..  I hope his mother bakes!  ^_^ 

So Wednesday the Gongs flew into Kuching with President and Sister Mains. Elder Gong  is a member of the 1^st Quorum of Seventy.  He and his wife came to teach and lift us and they did a wonderful job.  It was instructional just to watch them organize us. 

Nielsons, Sister Gong, Moulders, Elder Gong

Tuesday night they gave a fireside for the Young Single Adults in the District.  There was late notice for the YSA’s but there was a decent crowd.  The highlight of the evening, however, was the personal delivery of a mission call to one of the YSA sisters.  She is such a wonderful sister and everyone was so excited for her. 

Elder Gong in background, Sister Mains (Mission Pres. wife, Sister Caroline and Sister Nielson

 
 President Mains brought it with him and gave it to her at the beginning of the fireside but she(wisely) held it to open at home with her family.  Thursday morning it was announced that she had been called to the Singapore mission and everyone cheered.  That will make 5 or 6 missionaries from Malaysia to serve in their home country.  It is fabulous and they are all so happy to be doing this work.  We currently have 3 native Elders serving in Kuching.  They are amazing. 

The instruction we received during the training on Thursday was focused on the Atonement but at one point we talked about the growth of the Church in the mission.  Singapore is currently the only place with a stake in the mission.  We learned what the requirements are to form a stake and in that process learned that Kuching is not that far away from meeting those requirements.  It was exciting to see the numbers that have to happen in new members and in strong Melchizedick Priesthood holders.  It is possible very soon, within 5 years I think.  It is thrilling to think of. 

After the training Elder Moulder and I went with two Elders to help teach a lesson on Family History to a new member family.  They are a wonderful family with 3 grown sons.  Mom and Dad joined the Church last year, but their 3 sons joined the first Saturday we were here.  It was great to see them and to be able to bear testimony in Malay about the importance of Family History work and going to the temple as a family.  I invited them to write down their testimonies so that their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will always know how they felt on their baptism day and why it was so important.  I loved being in their home.

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 We had the opportunity again to do this on Saturday with a cute mom and her young daughter (Bia and Shirley) who were baptized just last week.  They are so cute and they love for the sisters to come and talk with them.  It was our privilege to be with them. We pray that Bia’s husband will someday see the benefits of the gospel and want to join them.

Cute Shirley on the second floor of their apartment building

Bia, Shirley, Moulders

Bia sat on the floor but Shirley sat next to me on the couch during our lesson.  When we came in Shirley hugged me and said, "Oh Sister!  I miss you so much"   There went my heart!!!

Sister Pinkston and Sister Rhodes did a great job reviewing the Plan of Happiness and where our spirits go when we die.  This set up a discussion of the importance of Family History and Temple work planned by our Father in Heaven to give the blessings of baptism to those who didn't have the opportunity in life.

Shirley saying goodbye....Isn't she adorable?

We had another missionary needing medical help this week.  Elder Giblette, had a toenail problem who had to have some surgery so Elder Moulder took them to the hospital and then brought them back to our apartment for a little recovery.  Elder Giblette's companion is one of the local Elders we have, Elder Loke, who happens to be quite a good artist.  When we went to Sibu we saw the trees he had painted for the Family History Go Green Program there so we asked him to paint another so we could make copies of the tree to put in the Branches around the island.  He was very humble and gracious about it so it was a perfect opportunity for him to paint a tree while we watched Elder Giblette's foot.  After the tree was done we took them to dinner and then back to their apartment.  We are very appreciative for Elder Loke's talent.

Elder Loke painting the tree. Do you like our Texas aprons hanging on the kitchen wall?

Saturday night was another baptism.  Sister Rida and her son Panji, who will be 12 later in the year and is looking forward to passing the sacrament.  We are so happy for them and to be a part of seeing the gospel bring peace, joy and happiness to people we have come to love.  We have had the opportunity to be with the sisters as they have taught Rida and Panji and have felt the Spirit in their humble home.  We have heard Rida pray and felt the sincere love she has for Jesus Christ.  It was a wonderful experience.

Sister Trottier, Elder Moulder, Panji, Rida, me, Sister Tehrani

I love hugging Sister Rida.  We don't easily communicate with words, but hugging is all we need.

After the baptism we had to leave to go out to an event being held by two other Branches to honor the other senior couple in Kuching who will be leaving April 9^th.  They have served here for 22 months and have a great love for their “Malaysian family” here.  It was very tender to see the love the members have for this couple and be part of saying “thank you” and “goodbye”.  I got to take lots of pictures to help them remember the event and the people they love.  I am afraid for the time when it will be us, but I know that these dear friendships will last forever and will be renewed in the next life.  

Elder and Sister Nielson are leaving the mission April 9th.

Lots of speeches and testimonies were given this night, lots of dancing, performing and food, but my favorite and most touching moment was hearing the members and missionaries singing Aku Anak Tuhan..........I Am A Child of God.            We are all children of God.

  

Love and our service to others is the only thing we can actually take with us when we die.   

I am happy to be able to fill my heart with more love from this part of the world.