This last week has been strange. Very Strange.

Ugh

This last week has been strange.

Very Strange.

Wonderful, exhilarating, hard, enlightening, but over all strange.

Here we go. 

Anyi went back to Kampung until Christmas as his brother-in-law died. Actually, that happened a lot across the board. We counted this morning, there have been 10 instances across the District of families having relatives die and going back to visit them.

Kelvinson and Ignatius are doing great, they referred us to 3 families worth of relatives that all are wanting to learn. They're only struggle is that they are trying to find a transport option for Church. They're best option is to rent a van, and we feel that a way will be prepared for them as their faith grows. We'll be fasting for it also this next week.

District meeting challenged the new district to be exactly obedient. We started by having everyone draw elephants on the board before we started, them erased them saying we wanted no elephants in the room. The training was on the analogy of the cure-all Silver Bullet which ever Elder dreams of finding for certain situations. We turned the focus to show that every silver bullet is in two things: the Preach My Gospel and the Spirit's revelations. One is given to us, the other is gained when we follow the White Hamdankk. 

We also were led to the house of a potential investigator, a certain George and his family. We haven't been able to follow up with him yet, but he is a very educated Iban from Kutching, already having lived here for 3 years or so. His family seemed happy and big.

Saturday was David Kong's birthday, we all went to Ansons. For some reason they brought some of Merang's daughters also.

This week has been so full of Spiritual enlightenment and other things that I will be writing some written letters later.

I love you so much! Sad there's not yet a new Mission Prep! Next week we leave for Zone Conference on Monday, but we might email before we fly out. Therefore, we should be emailing earlier or much later. If it's not early, don't wait up for me.

Love you! Thank you so much for the prayers!

-Elder Christensen

Ello Wonderful Family! We are celebrating Thanksgiving early today with the entire Zone, so Happy Thanksgiving as well!

This last week was incredibly weird. Every day had random challenges and miracles that I can't remember or write them all, here's some of the better ones.

President Balley had given us some inspired advice to focus our finding in Permai Jaya, and we did find many people. Some of them still need to be followed up, but Kelvinson and Ignatius referred us to some of their relatives that live down the street. They have a car, but it hasn't been used in a very long time and might not start without some work. Still, they brought some of their younger cousins and they all attended church together. Also, David Kong gave Kelvinson the Aaronic Priesthood. 

Jerry is at the make-it-or-break-it stage. We had a powerful lesson with him, where after some specific scriptures and doctrines were shared he finally opened up with his true feelings. He does not want to join the church because he is not brave enough to admit that there are indeed churches that are wrong and one that is right. Then the strangest thing happened. The Spirit directed us to bring up Adam and Eve. The analogy flowed, and we placed Jerry in the Garden. He is in a state of contentment, where he does not yet posses the full knowledge of Good and Evil. God has given the opportunity to eat the fruit. Jerry must make his choice between the easy life he has or the one that will let him progress. We extended the commitment to attend church one time only and see if God will pour out a blessing or not. He claims to believe in the Book of Mormon, but not in the consequences of that belief. He must make his choice for himself and his family.

Other then that, we had exchanges with the Zone Leaders and the Chinese Elders, and did some baptismal interviews! President Mains has challenged the mission to find all children 9 and older that are not yet baptized. He still believes we can hit our goal for the mission.

Love you so much family! I love all your letters so much! Have a great week!

-Elder Christensen

Thank you for the prayers!

Well, I don't even know what to write now.

So many things have been happening this week that events keep overriding each other. 

I'll have to remember it backwards.

Last night, Elder Jackson told me during reporting that he feels that the Zone is becoming a War Zone. We have exceeded our Baptismal goal and are now going for a 100, and accordingly the devil is pretty mad (as always). He's marshaling his forces, but the missionaries here are ready for the storm. I personally never have felt so motivated.

Sunday, Merang blessed the Sacrament for the first time. President Chua also asked him to accept a calling as the Seminary instructor, and he agreed. Kelvinson also was interviewed to become a deacon.

Saturday we went out to the edge of our area to visit Kampung Sungai Aup, a place I have only visited twice before, and I had a strong awakening experience. I finally realize more why the Iban people keep wanting to go back. It was the purest Iban place I've been to, and it wasn't dirty, smelly, drunk and dark like others I've been to. It was a community of homes, relatives, and happy families with husbands holding permanent jobs, with children attending school, where a person just felt peaceful.

It was a little like Heaven.

We met the Lord of the older longhouse there, a woman named Catherine. She was a strong R.C. member, but her 20+ son had been on MH370. We offered ourselves as ministers of Jesus Christ, and read from the Book of Mormon with her. Before we started, she had expressed that she had felt no peace since the event, as she still does not even know if her son is alive or dead. She had no idea why God would cause such a thing to happen to her, and had consigned to simply continue until she left this life. It was one of the most spiritually driven lessons I have ever experienced, and we testified boldly of the Saviors power to bring peace and resolutions. I shared the story of the boy that fell on the train tracks, and testified that if she read the Book of Mormon and prayed, God would tell her what she wanted to know and help her find peace. In response to her questions, we shared the message of the Restoration. She had apparently met Elders in Kutching that had shared with her a Book of Mormon in English, but we gave her one in Malay.

In other news, Elder Vincent finally made it here safely, and he and Elder Weston have been extremely impressed with the members and the work to do. Ju and Amil are in they're area, so they started teaching them. We also found some potential investigators, Edi and his family and a lot of other people that we hope to follow up with today.

Love you so much, thank you for the prayers!

-Elder Christensen

Hello wonder family!

Enough formalities, here's this weeks story.

We had a crazy couple days on Monday and Tuesday, as both Elder Hobbs and Elder McCown were transferring. Monday night we had a great F.H.E. at the house of a less actives house (who came to church this week) named Sister Daisey and her two sons. Brother James and Brother David Kong both came, and Elder McCown got to kill a chicken. It was pretty good.

The rest of the week was full of random, crazy things happening, all seeming to be pointed at preventing the 4 baptisms that were scheduled for last Saturday. Through Faith, prayers and diligence though they were all overcome! Tuesday I had to go on exchanges with Brother David and James again to meet with all those that were being baptized to finish the lessons, as Wednesday and Thursday I went to Singapore with Elder South to pick up Elder Beliang. Elder South and I got up at 5 a.m. for our flight, and I almost forgot my passport, but it was a good flight. 

In Singapore we stopped by the 2 dollar tie shop, and I finally got new ties for the first time in my mission. I realized I've been wearing the same 6 ties with the exact same 6 pants every day of my mission so far, finally able to switch it up a little bit.

The Train the Trainers meeting that night was fun also, but the A.P.'s told me apparently is was a fluke that they had sent me there. I'm grateful I went though, Elder Beliang loved the M.T.C. and the Temple, and it's already been great to have him back. Elder South's trainee's name is Elder Wimmer from South Jordan, and he and Elder South are already working great together.

The next morning was the new missionary orientation, which went late a little bit so the four of us headed straight to the airport. We arrived just after the gate closed, but they were merciful and rerouted our flight to go through K.L. later that day. It was fun to visit the butterfly garden and the free calf massages again. Both of our flights in Singapore and K.L. were delayed due to rain, and Elder Beliang and I didn't get home until past midnight. It might have been a little tender mercy that both of us slept through our alarms the next morning.

Friday picked up well although we got started late, and we headed out to Permai jaya to finish lesson 5 with Kelvinson and Ignatius. However, a massive rainstorm hit and we took shelter (and our dinner hour) at the Lakeside Restaurant. Also, the Zone Leaders had been in Singapore for M.L.C. and their flight was also delayed due to rain, but they still arrived in time for us to go on splits with them and do Norina's baptismal interview as well as Kelvinson and Ignatius. Due to the grace of God they all passed! Saturday was accordingly spent mostly in preparing and getting every thing arranged, and it went beautifully. We hope to find some new investigators this week, as we have now just baptized almost all of our 'on-date' investigators now, as well as teaching a lot of recent convert lessons!

Sunday was a good day, we have entered another threesome with Elder Weston, as his companion, Elder Vincent, and also Elder Liddle have not yet arrived. Immigration problems in K.L.

Speaking of that, Elder South had a cool experience. We were in line for passports in K.L. the same day that Elder Vincent and Elder Liddle got held up, and Elder South got strongly prompted to move to the line that I was in. No problems, so that's a good thing.

Love you so much! Thank you for the prayers!

-Elder Christensen

The Baptisms of Narina, Kelvinson, Ignatius and Siti.  Bro. Merang, who was baptized two weeks ago, performed the baptism for Siti.  On the far right is Elder Beliang, back from the MTC and happily endowed!