Monday, December 2, 2013

Beautiful Feet / Transfer News

Pizza Hut for Thanksgiving

Geared for spelunking





I'm covered in dirt and bat guano because the district and I had a little jungle adventure at Batu Niah Caves today.

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, thy God reigneth!" Isaiah 52:7

Elder S. Gifford Nielson quoted this scripture during last general conference and talked about the story of Elder Quentin L. Cook's exit interview with a return missionary who had worn out shoes, and sacrificed everything to go on his mission. This Elder's parents didn't even support him. Elder Cook asked to have his shoes and bronzed them, and put the scripture on a plaque.

After that talk, I leaned over to Sister LeBaron and said, "So I'm thinking of bronzing my Crocs after my mission."

This was another hard week. The first week (and hopefully the last) where I almost went postal. I was so mad some days this week, but when I felt that anger, I dropped to my knees and prayed. When I couldn't find patience or love of my own, I asked to have some of Christ's love. And it worked. We were supposed to have a baptism this week but it didn't happen, and it's okay. When a truck splashed me with water, I didn't say all the swear words I know.

One of our investigators told us when her husband was still alive, he was an alcoholic and she showed us her missing tooth and said she lost it when he hit her in the face with a beer bottle. One of our church members who I love cried in one of our lessons, but won't tell us what's wrong, because as she said, "You can't help me anyway." I cried with her. One of our other church members got into a car wreck with her younger sisters, but she's okay and we're making pizzas with her tonight for family night.

So because Miri doesn't have a senior couple like all the other cities in this mission, the district and I went to Pizza Hut for Thanksgiving! And it was good. I felt so at home, like "Oh, we don't have a senior couple to make us Thanksgiving dinner? Let's just go get pizza." It felt like something my family would do if our power went out or something. I was a little homesick.

Oh, and for Thanksgiving, missionaries get a whole extra hour for lunch, and then it's back to work. It's hard to bike when you're gorged on pizza, but so worth it.

One of our less actives came back from kampung, and we started teaching his family again! Except his neighbors were telling us he started drinking again. In one of our lessons, he kind of sat far from us, I think he was feeling a little malu about drinking (because he's a heavy drinker and it's a problem in his family). We addressed it by not making it weird. We said we want him to be worthy to baptize his son in a few months, and we care about him and love him. God loves him and is always there for him. And you should have seen his countenance change.

All people need is love, and they will change.

I feel so privileged that I get to love people, because it shows them a little of the love God has for them.

Another miracle, one of our families we've been working with, but are afraid to come to church, said they'd come next week. We asked the dad, and we asked him if he wanted the priesthood. "Mahu." And if he wanted to be sealed to his family in the temple. "Mahu." I know they'll get baptized some day soon, and it's okay if I'm not here to see them to it.m

My feet are so worn out. Scarred a little, but scars fade fade.

Since we're supposed to liken the scriptures to ourselves,

How beautiful in the kampungs of east Malaysia are the muddy, mosquito-bitten feet of she that bringeth good news, this berita baik, saying you can have eternal joy, that your broken body, broken heart, broken mind can be mended, that you can see your loved ones again, that we are given a Savior, that our God reigneth, and He loves you! He knows your name, He knows your struggles, and He will always stand by you.

And now for the transfer news:

This week is the Armageddon of sister transfers. There are 13 English speaking sisters coming in this transfer, which means pretty much every sister has to train. We previously had no idea what was going to happen, but I had the feeling I was going to train. I wasn't sure if I would train in Miri (since there are no English speaking areas here). But...

...How beautiful in the MRT (metro), buses, and immaculate streets of Singapore are the feet of she who just flew in from Miri, publishing peace, saying take out your headphones, you don't have to look so tired from work, you have a God who loves you!

I'm going to Singapore.

3rd ward, the Filipino speaking ward. Maybe I'll pick up some Tagalog? The APs are in my ward, and the whole island of Singapore is my playground.

Oh, and I'm training a new sister these next three months. It's a white wash. BUCKLE UP. I'm ready to train, and I'm ready to spend lots of time praying for help.

I'm going to miss Miri so much. I love the people here. But it's good that it's hard to leave, it means that I've loved people like I've never loved before, and that's a good thing. Miri will always be a little bit of home to me.

-Sister Wynn

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