Selamat Hari Raya! What a good way to begin the week. As per usual, things are going really well in our area. We are in a World Cup Situation, and we are behind, but I love a good underdog story.
I'm exhausted spiritually, emotionally, and physically, but what's new? Haha I wouldn't have it any other way. God's hand is in everything, EVERYTHING we've been doing. I'm on fire, this is the best missionary work I've done so far in my mission, I hope I keep improving my teaching and language skills. Even when things are hard.
I'm a fan of secret kampungs. Elder Scott told us about one missionaries haven't visited in a while, he didn't know about it until one of our members moved there last transfer. Then I found some old teaching records that had some addresses there, so Sister Callor and I decided to check it out and find these people. We knocked some doors (have I mentioned that I LOVE knocking now? Cute little sister missionaries have a lot of success knocking in Sarawak it turns out) with the hope of finding these former investigators / gaining new ones by having people help us find their neighbors. Sister Callor made eye contact with a guy who was parking his moto. He looked at us for a while, then jumped inside his house. We ran to his door and saw some faded pass along cards taped to it, so we knocked and knocked. Eventually his kids opened the door, and we were invited inside, and it turns out they were a less active family who haven't been visited for a while. We visited with them for a while, then continued on our merry way.
The next house we knocked had some crosses above it, so we asked this sweet Bidayu woman if she knew the people we were looking for. She invited us in, and we were able to meet her super nice Indonesian husband and their four happy kids. We shared a little bit about eternal families and read a verse from The Book of Mormon, and asked if they wanted their own copies. I kicked myself because I didn't bring one to give out. They gave us some food and drinks and were worried about us because of the rain. They told us to swing by tomorrow. We got chased by dogs on the way out of the kampung, and it stormed the whole way home, but berbaloi. We did, and I put a note on the stack of them saying (in my best Malay) "This book will change your life." We were invited in again and they fed us a little. They asked if we were okay and safe on our bikes. It made me think of D&C 84:89-91 "And he who feeds you, or clothes you, or gives you money, shall in nowise lose his reward. And he that doeth not these things is not my disciple, by THIS, ye shall know my disciples."
The dad flipped through his Book of Mormon copy and said, "So this will change my life huh?"
"Brother Dion, I promise you this will change your life." Saya berjanji.
On Sunday, we walked with his wife and kids the whole 40 minutes to church no problem. He had work. They loved it, and they all already had friends from work and school.
I am never missing a single Sunday ever again.
So many of our investigators are doing well. Last night, the husband of one of our members straight up told us he would go to church, but he's malu because he doesn't know how to read. I said, "If you can marry your wife, you can muster up the courage to come to church!" His wife gurau-ed and said he and one of his friends REALLY want to come to church, but they're too scared too. We can work with that. Sometimes I forget that social things hold us back. It's scary walking into church when you don't feel like you know anyone, or anything. Anyway, I love this family. We try to talk to good people. Good moms and dads, people who are already disciples of Christ.
Also, we found another less active through divine help. Sometimes I just throw random teaching records into my bag anticipating going to that area that day (the Stampin area is HUGE, we are tackling it sikit demi sikit) because we don't know where everyone lives #whitewashing (I hope you liked my picture of me with my huge map). It was 9 at night, and we were over by the Hill of Death in the industrial part of Kuching and we maybe had time to see one more person. I racked my brains and flipped through my papers and called everyone. I had a former investigator, the son of a recent convert. I dialed him, no answer, but I dialed his mom and she said to swing by. It was hard finding our way in the dark and the haze (lots of fireworks going off lately because of Hari Raya) but by some miracle we got there and she was so grateful to see us. She said she hasn't been to church in a while and cried when her work schedule changed so she had to work on Sundays. Her sons, the ones who were learning from the missionaries dulu get back from Indonesia after Hari Raya.
As I've pushed to do one more thing each day than I think I can, and as I've recommitted to be exactly obedient, and be fully consecrated, I've seen so many miracles, personally and in my missionary work. Every day I'm grateful I came here. Satan has been trying to get at me personally, attacking my self esteem, discouraging me, etc. but I won't let him win. I think really good things are about to happen in Stampin branch. I LOVE going where the Lord wants me to go, it's so easy (and hard at the same time haha) when you're worthy of the spirit. Every day, as I prepare to go out, I say, "Point me in the right direction, and I'll run to the tape." You just do what you're told to and you see the miracles.
-Sister Wynn
No comments:
Post a Comment