The Super Best Parts Version!

Oh goodness, I'm so sorry, so much has happened this week that I can't even feasibly summarize it all.

Very quickly, I'll give a brief summary, then tell you only the super-best parts version

Monday was a cool day, we got to go to a Borneo Cultural Exhibition fair thing, that didn't have much open besides a glorified night market during p-day. I got a new t-shirt and sarong though, my favorite ones yet!

That night was a huge multi-branch family night with Elder and Sister Bashaw, who are going home in not too long. They're last mission was in Navoo, and they had a great show.

Tuesday morning was Zone Counsel, focused on Goal Setting and finding new investigators. Elders Misa and Jackson set up a huge scavenger hunt through the church to tie back to actually putting effort into 'finding', and it went really well.

Well, the rest of the week was great, and had lots of cool stuff happen, I went on splits with Elder Hobbs again and we had a great day. But really, the rest of this letter will be yesterday (Sunday).

So, Sunday morning was Branch Counsel. Acui got to attend in place of Ella, as she is now the 1st counselor in the Primary Presidency (Ella being the president). Afterwards, we called everyone that we could to come to church. 5 minutes before Sacrament started, Merang and his family showed up! He, his wife Doo Abun, and they're 6 kids (5 girls, youngest is a boy) all came in and sat behind the deacons for Sacrament. It was very reverent and respectful, much more then usual. During the prayer for the bread we heard the door open, and when we opened our eyes, Elder Sutherland said, "look who's on the stand." Janggu, the inactive 2nd counselor, and his kids had all come in! Elder Hobbs told me later that was the 1st time he'd ever seen him come, and Elder Hobbs has been here 8 months.

After Sacrament, usually the kids would all run up and start eating the sacrament bread. I pulled Dundang up there with me before that happened, and together we cleaned up the sacrament.

Sunday School was fantastic. Before the lesson began, President Balley decided to have Kanyan be ordained. Brother Kong was chosen to ordain him to the priesthood, and Dundang was able to stand in the circle. It was all in Iban, so I didn't understand it at all.

Sister Norlia's lesson was on Isiah 54-56, but she turned it to welcome Merang's family. She also asked them to share their thoughts and feelings during Sacrament. Merang said that they had been driving to the church, and was feeling lost. He then had remembered some directions we had given in relation to the police station, and as they drove by the church, his wife wondered if the church was that big white building with no crosses or signs. They came, and Merang felt that God had led them to the church. His wife said that on they way there, she had no thoughts or feelings, but during the Sacrament her heart started pounding and she felt that this church was different.

After the lesson, we looked at our phone to see 6 missed calls from Kelvinson, grandson in Catarina's lesson. We found out that they had randomly tried to come to church, tried many churches that were all wrong, got lost and caught in the rain, and went back home. Our phone had been on silent, so we had completely unaware of the whole thing. After church, Ray and Chong followed us again, so we ran out there. Catarina was not happy with us, but we begged their forgiveness and shared Ether 12:27 talking aobut how sometimes God gives us trials to humble us, but if we keep on trying, we will be blessed. 

Apparently, they're relatives had been contacted by Elder McCown and Elder Sutherland while on splits. We went to visit them, and they were very willing to listen and let us in. The matriarch of the family is a very nice and more educated woman named Madelina. There were no men in the house, so we sat on their huge front porch and they sat on the inside of the doorway. We didn't have a large amount of time, so we shared how we were representatives sent by Jesus Christ to share a message that would bless their families. They also owned 2 cars, and a old school bus (those are much smaller in Malaysia). There's a good chance they could take them to church next week.

Well, that's not even all that happened that day, but we got a flat tire on the way home.

Doing our goals, after discussing in quite in depth, we realized that it is a realistic possibility that we could have 21 investigators at church and progressing next week. It seems ludicrous even as I type it again, and Satan has been trying to dissuade us from it, but that goal was set under the spirit's direction and we can't change it now. This week will be a test of everything we are as missionaries, but we feel that miracles will occur if we can endure it well.

I love you all, thank you so much for all your prayers!

-Elder Christensen