Keluarga dan kawan,
What. Just. Happened. These last few days were a complete blur. I was in Singapore a couple days ago and now I'm in Miri, one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. It reminds me a lot of North Shore Hawaii (Brother Simon would kill me for saying that but it's true). I think Miri is one of the nicer places in Malaysia, and of course they send sister missionaries here. But first I'd like to summarize my week.
Oh, and I don't have my current Miri address on me, but you all can go ahead and send letters to the Singapore address. I probably won't get them for about three weeks. What we do in our mission is if there are missionaries traveling to and from Singapore to our area, they just bring the letters the missionaries get with them. When Sister LeBaron and I left for Miri, the mission office gave us a few letters to give to the missionaries here. It's better to send letters to my actual address unless it's around transfer time. Even if I transfer, I'll get the letter eventually.
The Indonesian and Malay speakers sang Army of Helaman in English and Indonesian in our last sacrament meeting at the MTC. It was one of my favorite experiences. The new Greeks (most of them are from Scotland, England, and France because it's easier for European missionaries to get visas in Greece) loved it. I recorded us practicing it a few minutes before, so I'll try to send it next week. It was hard saying good-bye to Sister Wenyi. She's probably on her way to Madagascar now. My trip over was good, even though it took 30 long hours. We took a train from Provo to Salt Lake, and there we met the English speaking Singapore missionaries. I got to see LA from above while the sun was setting. I pointed out my old school and surf spots to my friends. On our layover, I loved seeing all the missionaries light up when they got a hold of their families and loved ones on the payphones. It was my favorite part of this trip. I started to get frustrated because I couldn't find a working payphone, but Elder Starthearn and Elder Capener walked to the other side of the terminal with me (it's a long walk, that airport is HUGE) and we all got payphones. Elder Strathearn made me feel better when I was about to cry, and Elder Capener lent me his phone card when mine ran out of money because it wasn't working. It was nice to talk to mom, dad, and Mikel. I definitely teared up when I heard dad's voice. I kept the conversation short since I wasn't using my card, but all I wanted to say was I'm happy, tired, and grateful to be on a mission. And that I love my family.
We found Elders Parker, Jackson, and Liddle. I forgot I had tons of quarters in my backpack until I saw them, and they hadn't talked to their families yet. I walked with them to the payphones I used and gave Elder Jackson all of my quarters since he forgot to buy a phone card and wasn't planning on talking to his family. Elder Parker's little brother accidentally hung up on him, and he was worried his mom was sad, which broke my heart. But eventually he got a hold of her again. Then, Elder Jackson's phone hung up while he was in mid-sentence, so the three of us scrounged up whatever change we could find as fast as he could so he could say good-bye. I don't know what it is about missionaries, but I have so much Christ-like love for everyone I traveled with. Again, I was so happy to see how happy the Elders in my district were to talk to their families. It made my night.
We said good-bye to the Indos at their gate. I was especially sad to say good-bye to Sister Sperry and Sister Olsen. They were such great examples to me, but Indonesia needs them. Finally, at the end of our 6 hour layover, we got on our plane for the 15 hour flight to Hong-Kong. It wasn't bad. I sat between Elder Trudo and Elder Fowler. I gave Elder Fowler my window seat because I know how much it sucks for guys to sit in the middle of the row. I only slept for about 5 hours, and it was uncomfortable, but on missions, you have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. In every way. I woke up with two blankets, which meant I somehow managed to steal Elder Trudo's blanket in the middle of the night.
We met the Mains at the airport, and they are some of the kindest, hardest working people I've ever met. Every time you talk to one of them, they make you feel like you're their only missionary. They have about 120 now, but we will have 176 by December. We loaded our suitcases in the vans the APs drove, and then they handed out Book of Mormons to give away on the train then we hopped on the MRT (the metro) to the mission home and chapel. I talked to lots of people, and a lot of them were really interested in why I was there and welcomed me to Singapore. Someone just straight up asked Elder Vincent and Elder Lambert for their copy. I wasn't able to give mine away because I didn't ask anyone if they wanted it. I made a goal to place it before I got to Miri though. I gave away a couple cards with the chapel address though. The Singapore chapel is gorgeous. I'll send pictures. I was so exhausted for interviews and stuff, and a little sad that my little district family would be going their separate ways soon. The 3 English speaking sisters and I went to a hotel for the night, and the Elders stayed at the mission home behind the chapel. I roomed with Sister Fa'aleiua, who's from American Samoa and is a convert. She is amazing. It was also nice to finally have a shower. The next day, we had an orientation, and I was asked to give a talk on helping people recognize the Holy Ghost when they feel it, along with Elder Fowler, Elder Jackson, Elder Lundquist, and Sister Fa'aleiua. Later, we were given the opportunity to share our testimonies. I eventually did. It was short and simple, and I also added how grateful I was for the people God placed in my life, like the Elders in my group at the MTC. I am a better missionary because of them. I mean it.
I finally got to meet my trainer, Sister LeBaron, and she is perfect. She's my age and we actually went to BYU together, but never met. She's done three years, studying neuroscience. All she ever does is uplift and inspire me. She said even though she's my trainer, we're equal missionaries and I'm just as qualified as her to do the Lord's work. We also agreed that P-Day is a day for jungle adventures, and we can sleep when we're dead. We are going to get along just fine. We went to Little India for lunch because she intuitively knew I wanted to eat with my MTC district. We went to this place called Ghandi's, and it was one of those places where you eat with your right hand. They gave us utensils because we were American, but yeah right, we didn't need them! The curry was so spicy, but so good. I said good-bye to my district, which was hard, but luckily in this mission we see other missionaries a lot because of visa runs. Sister LeBaron and I repacked our stuff at the Sister's apartment behind the chapel and mission office, and it was nice. The view from it was gorgeous. We then went to an appointment with Noel, an Indian man Sister LeBaron contacted a few weeks ago and gave a Book of Mormon to, but he never answered his phone. It turned out that he suffered a major stroke and was recovering. As he was looking for her card to call her, the Elders called him. I got to meet him and he showed us how his head was squishy because they removed part of his cranium to allow his brain to swell after surgery. We also met his mom, Sofina, and their Indonesian helper, Minnie, so we shared our message about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, half in English, and half in Malay. Noel knew that God has given him a second chance and was really receptive to our message.
On the train ride home, at one of our crossover stations, I placed my first Book of Mormon! We were waiting by a man named Cam, who is from Nepal but lives in the UK. He actually almost missed his train because he was talking to us for so long. His wife Ping was shouting for him to hurry, but he and his kids were laughing so hard. Sister LeBaron and I grabbed dinner at Tako Wow, this little Japanese place in the station with a mall. We got these crab cake things with octopus and prawns. The next morning, we ran around the chapel for exercise because she's perfect for me and likes to run. I got so sweaty in ten minutes that would have taken me 2 hours to get that sweaty in Oregon. Then we got ready and rode the MRT to the airport. We ran into Elder Fowler and Elder Capener and their trainers on the train. We got on our plane to Kuching, then I said good-bye to my friends since they are going to Mukah and Sibu. My mission is really cool because of traveling, I can't tell you why unless you write me, but look carefully at my pictures. We got to Miri, and our jaws dropped at how beautiful it was. Sister LeBaron has never served outside of Singapore til now, and they whitewashed our area in Miri for some reason, so we're in this together. Our house is gorgeous, with 12 foot ceilings all around, and we live really close to a mall with a grocery store and internet kedai (cafe). Our roommates, Sister Crichton, Sister Thompson, and Sister Noorda got us all set up with bikes and groceries, and we went to Kent's Garden, this really yummy outdoor restaurant. I got Penang Keuh Teow, it's basically Malaysian Pad Thai and it was so good.
Yesterday was Sunday, and it was a blur. It's a 25 minute bike ride, and I'd never arrived to church so sweaty. I want all of you to appreciate how hard it is to bike in 90 percent humidity, and in a skirt. We have one of the only branch buildings in Malaysia in our area. I think there are 3 or 4 other buildings in the bigger cities. Sister LeBaron and I are in a branch with our ZL's, Elder Shutz and Elder Snyder, and the other Malay speaking Elders are in the 1st branch. They had us introduce ourselves during sacrament meeting, and I bore a simple testimony in Malay. I also said, "Please help us find people that are ready to hear the gospel and need it. I know my Malay isn't good, but I know God is helping me." It seems like everyone here is interested to know where I'm from, and guess I'm either Chinese or Japanese, but a mix, haha. There was one sweet grandma who gave me a hug, and everyone seemed excited that we were there. After church, we went to sacrament meeting in the Chinese group, because there was a Chinese woman there with three helpers, 2 from the Philippines and one from Indonesia who had a lesson with us. The Chinese speaking Elders serve there. During sacrament meeting, they handed me a headset because Elder Fabiano was translating from Chinese to English into a microphone, and I was supposed to translate from English to Malay/Indonesian to our new investigators. Sister LeBaron was translating for Julius, who the Chinese Elders found a few days ago, and she was sitting away from me. I gave the Elders a deer-in-headlights look, then told myself I could do this. It's not that hard to translate into a language I've only spoken for 6 weeks. Fake it till you make it, right? The Chinese group really liked Sister LeBaron and I, and we spoke mostly English to them, though a lot of them know Malay. A lot of them are from mainland China.
Sister LeBaron and I taught Nova and Cyntha in Malay, and Sister Cricthton taught Lolita in English. In our lesson, Nova cried as she told us how church and reading the Book of Mormon made her feel happy and helped her through her trials. After that lesson, we ate food the Chinese speaking Elders brought us and studied at the church. Afterwards, we headed to our lesson with Ngian, a sweet Iban woman who lives in a humble house with a tin roof. Some of these houses are super rickety and I always worry I'll break the little wooden bridge paths. After that, we taught Julius at Sister Wong's house. It's really cute because they're friends, even though she only speaks Chinese and he only speaks Indonesian. She told us whenever he talks, she just nods and laughs like she understands. At this point, I've taught more Indonesians than Malaysians. They might as well have taught me Indonesian at the MTC. Julius said he read the Book of Mormon until 4 am a couple nights ago, and his knees hurt from praying so much about it to God. He believes it's true. Our jaws dropped. There is power in that little blue book. I know it. People in Singapore asked me about it as I carried it.
Maaf that my email is like a novel, I just had a lot to say. I just wanted to end by bearing my testimony that I know God lives, and Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. Through Him, I can be forgiven of my sins. I know God is helping me with the language. In my lessons, most of the time I don't even remember what I say. I just open my mouth and the right words come out. Impressions on what to teach come to me as I teach and as I study. I know, I KNOW the Book of Mormon is true. I know because I read it and prayed about it, and cried over it and studied it. Because of that, I know Joseph Smith was a man of God, and a prophet and that we have a modern day prophet who guides us. I know this church is true. I somehow know even more than I thought I did since coming on a mission. I want everyone to be able to use Christ's atonement to be forgiven and have comfort.
Anyway, I'm running out of time. I'll try to send pictures but no guarantee. I'm happy and healthy. Malaysia boleh!
-Sister Wynn
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