Just practicing my Sinhala. Sister Opatha's been teaching me. She's like Sri Lankan royalty. Well more like a Disney Princess. When I moved into the apartment, the same one I lived in before and the same one I stayed at for zone conference last week, I looked at my roommates, these gorgeous, spiritual giants, and thought to myself, "Maybe one day I can be a Disney princess too."
Dad and Cloe, sorry I forgot to say happy birthday last week. I hope it was a good one. I promise I thought of you during zone conference.
This transfer was nuts. I've lost count of how many times I've had to pack up my bags and go, and it just gets harder to say goodbye every time. Tuesday night, I got a call from the APs telling me my flight to Singapore was Wednesday morning. For some reason transfers were on Wednesday this time instead of Thursday. I guess I sounded pretty bummed on the phone, Elder Plazier kept apologizing over and over even though it wasn't his fault because he's sweet like that.
Sister Callor and I crunched. I calculated that we had about 14 hours to pass off our investigators to Elder Poppleton, say goodbye to all of our wonderful members, pack our bags, clean our apartment, and sleep if time allowed for it. We showed him the homes of all of the families we've been working with. I said goodbye to Dion and Anthonia and their kids. We mashed our bikes up to Waterfront and back, Nayau's family wasn't home but we slipped our notes and keychains into the mail slot in their door and called to tell them about transfers. We stopped by Josephine's and I cried a little when I hugged her goodbye, then it was Sudau's family. Sister Intang and President Changgai threw together a quick dinner and I choked up when I explained to them what D&C 130:2 means to me. Said goodbye to Carlos and nenek too.
Swung by the TBD house and I told all the kids when they're scared or sad or hurt to always remember that they're a child of God and nothing can change that. Some of the families were already asleep so Sister Callor and I slipped our letters and pictures under their doors as best we could. Veronica and her kids were last because they live close to us. When I told her I was leaving I teared up again and she hugged me and said "Sis, don't cry. Memang jumpa lagi!"
I hate goodbyes. I'm more of a "I'll see you soon" type of person.
We got home, said a prayer of gratitude for the time we had in Stampin branch, and got to work. In the middle of the night, Sister Callor said, "I wish they didn't book our flight for tomorrow morning. I wish they didn't do transfers this way this time. "
We recently had a good conversation about proactive thinking versus reactive thinking and I said obnoxiously, "That's reactive thinking!" She laughed and I asked, "Is it all gonna work out?"
"It's all gonna work out."
"Is God in the details?"
"God is in the details."
By some miracle we got everything packed and cleaned and had a couple hours to spare. We got to the airport, and Raymond, a kid who's starting his mission, was with his family and they were saying goodbye. I saw Josephine again, and she was crying, which made me almost cry, and then I said goodbye to Sister Callor and Sister Leavitt and Elder Hays (all going to KL) and got out of there. I hate goodbyes. I sat by Elder Capener on the plane, duduk maneh, and we had yet another good chat. It seems like I'm always next to him on planes. I love that kid. He's gonna rock JB. We got his bike from baggage claim and racked our brains on how he was going to get it (still in the bike box) across the city of Singapore and into JB. But as usual things just work out. We high-fived and said, "Yet another successful transfer."
I saw Sister Parcell walking towards me in the airport, so I dropped my stuff and ran to her. It was a glorious reunion. I jumped on her and she picked me up and spun me around and she said "You've gotten so skinny! What happened to you?!"
"It was the tapeworms! I went to hell and back!"
And we kept hugging and laughing and I'm just rocking my P-Day clothes and this is all happened as President and Sister Mains and the new missionaries just stared at us haha. Sister Parcell is my STL in Singapore and we're excited to bring this city to its knees.
I forgot to mention last week, when Arnold was about to be baptized, it was storming like crazy. Rain and wind and lightning everywhere. Then the power went off in the chapel. He told Sister Parcell, "Satan's trying to stop me from being baptized, and I won't let him." Then I imagine he, this cute little Dutch grandpa, shook his fist at the sky and got baptized anyway.
I got to see Raymond and Jesper as new missionaries, two kids from Kuching who are starting their missions here. I teared up because they looked AWESOME in their white shirts and ties wearing their nametags, and I thought to myself that the church in Malaysia is gonna be just fine because of people like them. I finally said goodbye to Elder Capener and told him not to get crow-barred in JB. Tears sprang to my eyes for the hundreth time that day. He said the biasa "Don't cry Sister Wynn, if you cry, then I'll cry." Just like he always does during transfers.
I feel kinda alien back in Singapore. I'm living in the same apartment, same bed, but I'm not myself. But then I heard the lyrics "I'm a phoenix in the water, a fish that's learned to fly," and it made me feel a little better. I can't fail.
I had a good attitude coming into the area, but it was easier said than done when me and Sister Opatha filled out our calendar. I was daunted by all the empty hours. Ex-pats are hard to come by in Singapore. Well, they're not, but the ones who want to learn more about Jesus Christ are. I miss being in people's homes, especially with families. I miss teaching. I haven't taught an actual missionary lesson in a week. But it's okay because God trusts me to be here, so I'm doing my best to do things that show I can be trusted.
The noise and the lights and the advertisements and the sheer number of people I talk to in a day is exhausting though.
We have an awesome investigator (really, our only investigator) from England who's almost done with The Book of Mormon and she's been coming to church for six months. She's just waiting for an answer, so I asked her if she's down to let us help her have spiritual experiences (i.e. recognize and understand the Holy Ghost) and she said she's down.
It was weird going to church with almost all Americans yesterday. I felt like such a foreigner. Ironic, right? I miss my Ibans, but I'm not Iban at heart anymore. I have to think and live and breathe like an ex-pat now haha. I introduced myself to all the members before church started and they are all so kind. And incredible cooks. I think part of the plan is for these dinner appointments to fatten me up. Also, advice to future missionaries: the first thing you should do when you get to a new area is shake hands with and introduce yourself to ALL the members. It's a really good way to earn their trust and get to know them.
I've missed contacting people on the MRT and on the buses but I've forgotten how hard it can be sometimes. But when I see these people I think about how they need to know they're loved and that they have a Savior. I see them in all white and it makes me feel a little better. I picked up something interesting that Elder Wilson says in his prayers. He always says, "Please help us to see things as they really are." Then I came across Alma 19:6 and I think I'm finally figuring things out. I hope this email makes sense.
God is in the details my friends.
XO Sister Wynn
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