Well I can't believe I've been a missionary for over a year. Time flies when you're having fun. This week was the perfect pie slice of missionary life in Sarawak, with all its ups and downs. It's also been fun to see how much my MTC elders have grown. They really are my 16 little brothers, I love them and they've all become incredible missionaries. They're lucky they have another year left of this, they gurau with me and tell me I'm so dead with my 6 months left.
I finally went to kampung! I used to think kampung was a curse, where the people I loved would go on holidays and get really drunk but I finally get the magic of kampung. It's kind of like the equivalent of when my family and I got in the car and would drive to Ashton, Idaho for the week. Just spend time with family, take in nature, play, macam itu. I totally get the magic of kampung. I can't wait for the day when missionary work expands enough for us to have the church out that far from the cities. The people who live out in the rural areas are beautiful, inside and out.
Wednesday morning, we piled into Elder and Sister Pryzbyla's truck and went to Sungai Apong to meet up with the elders' investigator family. Puguk, the COOLEST little old Bidayu man, gave me a sick hat with eagles on it, and I rocked it for the rest of the day.
We drove out to Kampung Sadir, about an hour away from Kuching (by Anna Ris) and Puguk, Augustine, and Siti had us meet their extended family out in kampung. Our original plans were to be fed and then help them harvest some rambutan, but expectations were a little misunderstood and they ended up parading us around their kampung, introducing us to family and neighbors. We were fed so much durian, some tea made from bark (no worries it's not black or green tea), sugar cane, rambutan, kari ayam, and everything else along the way.
They took us to a beautiful waterfall and Puguk acted like a little kid, stripped down to his skivvies and jumped in the watering hole and had the time of his life. It was so funny.
We met a paralyzed man who translated from Bidayu to English for the British during WWII, he is a war hero. He was paralyzed because when he was 20, a durian fell and hit him on the head in the jungle.
We explored a tree house (this family built a legit house in a rambutan tree because why not?) and Elder Scott and I helped him harvest rambutan. As he hacked away at the branches in his tree, we'd drag down the branches from the tin overhang and he ended up letting us keep a huge branch of rambutan.
THEN, we finally were able to do our service. Augusting led us to a rambutan tree by the side of the road, and Elder Scott naiked like a boss with his machete and gingerly cut away at the branches. I was careful not to get tagged as they fell, and the rest of us pulled the fruit off the branches. Then, a passerby climbed up the tree and helped Elder Scott, by hacking off entire huge branches haha. That's how we do it in Kampung Sadir. Later Elder Scott said, "I didn't know it was kosher to chop down basically the entire tree..." We pulai Kuching that evening and brought a lot of rambutan to the big Tabuan Dayak house where most of our active members (and their adorable kids) live. We shared the rambutan and the elders shared a scripture from Lehi's vision. The fruit of the tree of life was more desirable than any other fruit, right? What color is the inside of rambutan? White! It made me think about how if we believe in Christ, we will never hunger again. We will never thirst again.
It rained and poured on the way home. I loved it. (I also rode into a ditch and flipped over my handlebars, but I miraculously landed on my feet haha).
That day was one of the funnest of my mission. Look at my goofy smile in all my pictures. Senang laju, men are that they might have joy.
My year mark was biasa sahaja, but so good. Not much time for reflecting because we had people to see, souls to save haha. We have so many incredible investigators, so many prepared people who so badly want to follow Christ (and don't realize they're already really Christlike). We're finding new people everywhere in miraculous ways. I was a little discouraged yesterday because out of our many progressing investigators and many on date for baptism, only one came to church. I was kicking myself, we did everything, literally everything we could to get people to come to church. I had barfed that morning (welcome to the second world haha) but we still jalan-jalaned to pick some people up who weren't home. I turned to Sister Callor, pouting and said, "These people promised us not even 24 hours ago that they'd be here. Why aren't they here?"
Before I left for church, I skimmed Preach My Gospel chapter 1 about successful missionaries and figured I really do love people and desire their salvation. I feel the spirit working through me as I testify of Christ. I'm running myself down for these people because that's the only way I've found missionaries can be truly happy. I'm not yet the person Heavenly Father wants me to be, but I'm getting there, and I know He's pleased with my sacrifice so far. It's a good feeling. What a year.
Also, I'm sick, so sick. I just barfed in the internet kedai, haha. Just your average missionary. No worries, I'm taking care of myself, and I'm still feeling that JOY. :)
Love you guys, pagilah bertemu baru.
Sister Wynn
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