Or however you say it in Bedayu, because Kuching is full of Ibans and Bedayus.
First, I have the best big brother ever because he looked up a bunch of cool things to do here on P-Day and I plan on making every one count because this transfer is a wildcard. Who knows where I'll be for the rest of my mission, but I plan on working harder and smarter here than anywhere else so far on my mission.
I love Kuching. Kota Sentosa. It seems like so many people I know served in this branch, Sister Nielson, Elder Simon (back when he was Elder Simon and not the incredible MTC teacher Brother Simon), Elder Putnum, Elder Crosland. They are so sweet and so loving. I love my comp. Sister Bourgeois is perfect. The only thing wrong with her is she doesn't realize how amazing, capable, gorgeous, and pandai bahasa Melayu she is. We're already best friends and got matching "Elder Scott" watches #compunity. She has an incredible conversion story, where the powers of earth and hell combined against her to try and stop her from getting baptized 2 years ago. It's been fun trekking to kampungs again with her. Except Kuching is really clean and the kampungs have perfectly paved roads going through them. It's weird.
I've been blessed LIBERALLY by the spirit as I'm finishing her training (she came pre-trained #thedistrict2quotes). In lessons, words and phrases I haven't thought of or studied in months come into my mind. I was a little worried for about 2 seconds that my Malay wouldn't be good, because it got a little rusty in Singapore, but then I got over it because I trust Heavenly Father like crazy, shrugged, and hopped on my bike and got to work. There's no way I could speak as well as I can or understand everything (I really do understand everything now) that is said to me without the help of the spirit. There's no way anyone could learn a language like this if it weren't for the spirit. I got up and bore my testimony in church without really thinking about it yesterday, and talked to everyone and participated in lessons. I don't really know how it happened. I remember 6 months ago, as a greenie going to Miri, we were at Kuching's airport for our layover. I watched Elder Hays talk on the phone to someone in Sibu as he set up an appointment in perfect Malay and wondered if I'd ever be able to speak like that. I love my mission. So many cool experiences.
All of my areas in my mission have included the airport, but none have been as close as Kota Sentosa. There's one kampung where the planes fly SO low over it, and I love it. I'm currently working on getting a sweet picture, the last one I sent doesn't do it justice. I see a lot of AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines planes. It is a little obnoxious when I'm trying to teach a lesson and every 7 minutes I have to talk or pray over the roaring of a jet engine. Mikel would love it here. We also bike right in front of Kuching's airport to get to church. Church is in a shop lot on the other side of the airport, and the stairs to get to it are really ghetto, but when you reach the 5th floor, everything is so clean. No matter where you go, church smells the same haha. It really reminded me of being home even though our branch meets in a humble little shop lot.
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| She wasn't kidding about the proximity to the Kuching Airport.... |
I'm not as sore as I thought I'd be getting back on a bike. Singapore made me gemuk sedikit. I'm also no longer afraid of biking on busy highways and crossing 3 or 4 lanes, or going through roundabouts. I was always a little scared in Miri. It's pretty easy to get back into the swing of things in East Malaysia. Our elders are awesome. Elder Bestor talks a LOT and is such a character. He thinks Canada is cool, but he is so genuine. Elder Reynolds is his greenie and always looks tired, isn't afraid to make ALL the language mistakes (and I mean all of them) and talk to people. He also has an incredible voice.
After studies yesterday, Sister Bourgeois and I had flat tires on both of our bikes, it was the weirdest thing. We called them up and they dropped everything to help us, although by the time they showed up, I already had checked the tubes and was putting the tires back on my bike. Elder Bestor and I punctured both of the tubes on Sister Bourgeois' bike though...oops. But it was nice, I had a good heart-to-heart with both of them and Elder Reynolds sang to me and I decided he's kind of like a male Ingrid Michealson.
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| Fixin' bike tires |
It's gonna be a good transfer.
Memong I miss Singapore. Our lift was being remodeled at our apartment, so for the last two weeks we had to hike up and down 8 flights of stairs. Kind of like The Big Bang Theory, except we complained more and would occasionally take a break on the 4th floor where the other sisters lived. Sister Hansen, the best comp ever, helped me lug my 60 lb suitcase down all those stairs. It was sad to say goodbye to her, but she's tearing it up in 3rd ward. Elder Toney and Elder Robinson stopped by the morning I left to say goodbye. I learned so much from them and I'm definitely going to miss their friendship, their example, and their charity towards me.
I contacted my cab driver on the way to the airport. He went by Jay and he is a sikh and we talked about our beliefs. He talked about how we just need to be good because God asks us to, and he was impressed by our church's organization and especially tithing. I explained tithing a little more, and fasting, and about the prophet and I gave him a bunch of church websites I thought he'd like. We talked about how we're not bodies, we're spirits, and he was really impressed with how young I was but how I decided to serve the Lord instead of going partying with my friends. He was really kind. At the airport, my cab fare was S$20 but he told me to just pay him S$15 and we took a selfie picture together. I asked if he'd be interested in learning more about Christ's restored gospel and he said yes! He taught me "Dakh daroo," which is Panjabi for
"Pain is medicine."
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| With Jay, the cab driver |
Anyway, semoga berjaya to me (I'm gonna need it) and semoga berjaya to all of you. Love you. Pain is medicine, Christ is our physician.
-Sister Wynn
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