We got this late last night:
Hello everyone! We just get one email to send quick so I want you to know I'm safe and sound, the flight went well, we've all contacted people, my first area is Miri in Sarowak, my new companion is Elder W, and the gospel is so true! Love you all, Pres. and Sister Mains are excellent people!
Just a couple of notes from our conversation with him:
He has no idea if he gained weight in the MTC, they don't have scales. He never ate cold cereal once while he was there. We asked him what he had learned about Malaysia; the people are very kind, no crime, simple people, kimono dragons, monkeys, dragon fruit and amazing food are everywhere, "best food in the world" and food is a big part of their culture, men wear skirts called "serongs", he will have a machete. They build compounds out over the ocean because they don't have to pay property taxes, and there are planks going out to these houses on stilts that he will tract on. He heard the little kids are wild, they poke and tackle the missionaries while they are praying, etc. Coy's MTC teacher, Bro. Pulver woke up one night to sounds under his bed. They found a snake six feet long. After trying to coax it out and get it out for a long time, they just got the machete from the closet and cut it's head off. The locals told them the next day it was a COBRA! They believe if you kill a cobra it will come back and kill you in your sleep. (Jeff still wants to buy Coy a mongoose, like Riki Tiki Tavi). The apartments are very nice, each elder will often have their own bathroom (cobras included!). Children will yell "white guy! White guy!" while they are walking down the street. He advised our family to use the section of Preach My Gospel on Christlike attributes. As missionaries they focus on one every week. Apparently the zone leaders facebook stalk the elders coming in, then pray about placements and companionships. (We can't find his companion on Mormon. org). Elder Christensen will spend a couple of days in the mission home where he will learn to eat with his hands off banana leaves (they don't use utinsels), and to get by without toilet paper, among other cultural things. He sounded SO GOOD! Oh, we love that boy.
Miri Sarakawa is in East Malaysia, the "poor" side, though near the city the tourism areas are absolutely beautiful and well developed. If you have a second to look at Miri, Sarakawa on google images or google earth, it is pretty fascinating.
He said his Pdays will be Mondays, so we'll live for Mondays at our house! Thank you so much for keeping Elder Christensen in your prayers, and for all of your love and support! God Bless!
