Ramadan

So next week is going to be a very special week.  I get to go back to Bintulu and see all of my recent converts!  We have a zone meeting there so we fly out next Wednesday and are there for three days.  I can't wait!  On another note, the days here have started to get hotter as the dry season is kicking into full swing.  Last Friday Ramadan started so for the next month the Muslims will be fasting.  The good part of this is ever evening at around 6:30 there are amazing street markets that pop up to serve the large number of Muslims observing the fast.  The food is delicious and cheep, what more could you ask for.  But I have to say, I will look forward to not eating fried food when I get back home.  EVERYTHING is fried here, everything.  Good thing I’m not good at getting fat :)  Anyway, my life is quite nice, I really enjoy it, hope you guys love your life too!

Gawai and 1 year!

So I thought I would give you a little preview of what my life is going to be like this next week.  This next week is going to be the biggest holiday of the year for the native Iban people.  And because 90% of Bintulu is Iban, everyone is going to be celebrating Gawai.  What does this mean for me?  It means that no one is going to be out of down, and everyone who stays at home is going to be drunk out of their mind.  Everyone in Sarawak has a "kampung" house, which means they ALL have a second house in the jungle.  They are called long houses, the longer, the more prestige.  If  you have time, Google long house in Sarawak and see what comes up.  These houses are just amazing and they are just huge!  Anyway, every year people make their pilgrimage back to the long house to celebrate Gawai.  So it looks like I might be out of a job for the next week or two   I love all you guys!

ps. I almost forgot this Friday marks 1 year out on my mission!  Wow, time flies

May Day

Yesterday in celebration of May Day we had a big BBQ party, it was amazing.  It had rained in the morning so it was a little over cast making it not too hot for a beach outing.  The water was too warm but luckily there was a stream that fed into the ocean with cold water!  

A good turn out

The Beach

It was bring your own rice BBQ, no rice for us, just meat

 Me with Sister Rammy, one of the sweetest ladies you could ever meet 

Trying to keep the sun off  

Me after the Beach, i was so sunburnt!  And so sandy and wet after the water fight. 

Changes

So today I thought I would talk a little about how things have changed since I have been on my mission.  The first would have to be that I actually love bananas.  Anyone who is truly my friend knows that this is an incredible feat because I have never been able to eat a banana without inducing vomiting.  I was absolutely out of my comfort zone when people here just started feeding my bananas and I couldn't just refuse without being really rude.  So I ate banana after banana until one day I actually started liking them.  This same thing has actually happened with mangoes as well.  I am convinced that the mangoes that grow in Malaysia are the best in the world.  They aren't fibery and but instead so smooth and easy to eat, and incredibly cheap!  The second thing that has changed would have to be my definition of cleanliness.  Yes, again to all who know me, I hate dirty things, my OCD is too strong.  But now my eyes have been opened to the fact that a little dirt here and there is not going to kill me.  When you have seen a little girl pee her pants on the floor and then see a man take his shirt off to clean the mess, it changes you.  Today was my 11 month mark with 13 months left to go.  I can only imagine what else could change when so much already has! 

New Companion and Giant insects

So it’s time I gave you all an update.  I just got a new companion that I will be training.  This last week I got to go to Singapore for a few days to pick him up and show him around.  This is the first time in my mission that I actually had time to go see Singapore and take in all the beautiful urban scenery.  It truly is the cleanest city in the world, no trash, no gum on the sidewalks, gorgeous buildings and all the art that is scattered throughout the city.  Just the other day I counted all the plane rides iv had to take on my mission and it turned out to be 21 plane rides and 8 long bus rides.  With the mission so scattered and will cities so isolated, some sort of traveling is needed nearly every month.  I love it and I love my mission even more.  Second best to preaching the gospel in Malaysia is the opportunity to meet new people and experience culture in a way that is impossible for a tourist.  I cherish every moment of culture shock that I have experienced since being here.  I thought I would share a coupe funny moments of the past few weeks.

1. While Elder Teh and I were contacting we met a man and his name of Rapin John, I kid you not, he even spelled it out for me.  The more I got to know this man the more I thought maybe the name is appropriate for him, after all he did marry his wife at a very young age... she was 14.  Regardless of this he was very nice and we have made plans to teach him and his wife :)

2. There are these giant flying insects called Ninyets, they terrify me.  Even more so they terrify my companion, so the little kids will catch them and terrorize him until he promises to buy them candy.  Because he is so scared of them I don’t get bothered very often :)  They also like to fry the insect up and eat them, mmmm we already received a few dinner invites... we'll see

I love you all, especially my family.  A special shout out to Grandma and Grandpa they are so supportive. I wish you guys the happiest week this fine month of April.  If you can't wait till summer, count your many blessings that you have seasons... cold ones.  Cherish the cold months and pray they last long.

New Companion

So I’m at the Singapore airport right now and I will be heading to Kuching and then on to Bintulu.  It has been a really fun last couple of days here.  I ate Carls Junior, had amazing ice cream and Subway, what more could I ask for right now.  I just got a new companion his name is Elder Tyler, he is very tall and seems to be a cool guy.  I love you!

Niah Caves

So yesterday all the missionaries in Bintulu went to Niah Caves, a cave system near our house.  It was a way cool experience, it was about a 1 hour hike in the jungle to get to the entrance of the caves and then a 40 minute hike in the cave to get to the other entrance of it.  It smelled like bat guano, so not a nice smell.  And, there were these giant crickets the size of mice, that was freaky, not to mention bats, everywhere!  It  was one of the sweatiest hike of my life and absolutely enjoyable.  I managed not to get any mosquito bites, and then we got back to base camp and I got bit twice!  Anyway, here are some pictures of the day.

The cave entrance 

BBQ party the night before the hike 

BBQ party the night before the hike 

The crocodile infested river we had to cross 

The boat ride... 1 minute long 

Hiking through the jungle 

Us on the big rock 

Beginning the DECENT 

The Exit 

Baptism Oops!

(A story as told by another missionary serving with Micah)

This was a funny experience last Saturday evening.  Elder Putnam and his companion, in preparing for 2 baptisms, actually forgot to turn the faucet on in the baptismal font and it takes several hours to fill!

So when they got there, they went into panic mode to get the font filled with enough water to baptize.  Luckily those being baptized were a 13 yr old boy (who looks 10 or 11) and an 11 year old girl, so they didn't need to fill the font to capacity.

Still, they enlisted the kids that were there to help and they all thought it was a fun activity.  

We had just driven 2 1/2 hrs from Miri so we didn't arrive for the 7pm baptism until about 7:20 and this is what we found, so after taking a video, we entered into the rush to get it ready.  If you look closely, you can see one of the kids even dropped his large bowl in the water and had to climb down to retrieve it.

Elder Putnam was practically soaking wet with sweat but at least he had a smile on his face.  He had me use his camera to take a longer video, but I don't know if he'll be able to send that home any time soon.  I thought his family would get a kick out of this.  It was pretty hilarious, but not unusual in East Malaysia!

Mom

PS  I also attached a photo of the 2 who got baptized with the Elders..... after everything calmed down.

Sarawak

So today I thought that I would talk a little about the history of Sarawak, the state that I am currently serving in.  Sarawak is rich in history and is predominantly Iban in nationality.  The Iban race has been on the island of Borneo for longer than anyone can remember.  They are most closely tied to head-hunting that any other native nationality on the island.  Because of this we hear a lot of legend and stories.  One legend is that, when building bridges, the Ibans would use skulls to reinforce the bridges.  They were like good luck charms that protected the bridges.  And, they didn't use just any kind of head, it had to be the head of a beautiful virgin.  So why do I share this with you all?  Well, there is just such a bridge that I walk across quite frequently, and it is sturdy!  It’s a beauty, entirely made of wood and very old, still usable.  So, either the Ibans are just really good at making bridges or America needs to start investing in some virgin heads.  I think this could really lengthen the life expectancy of all our infrastructure.  It’s something to consider.

Photos!

Poison

So I thought today I would share an experience I had this week in the deep depths of the Malaysian jungle.  So, it was just a regular Thursday, we rode our bikes out to this new area and started meeting people.  The place was off the main road and into a really full and dark jungle.  It was a really magical place actually, something you might see in a movie.  Anyway, we get into this lady's house and we are talking with her when all of a sudden she just stops and lets out a little scream.  Then she tells me not to move.  I am super confused and have no idea what’s going on.  Then my companion looks at me and freaks out, telling me not to move.  I see them both looking at my collar so I look down and this Caterpillar drops onto my lap.  They both freak out a little and I'm just confused again.  I'm thinking, Caterpillars are not that big of a deal, let’s not freak out.  Then she goes and tells me that it is highly poisonous and that would paralyze me and then give me a fever that would "boil my pee."  Anyway at that point I don't waste time flicking it off myself and then ushering it out the door.  So that was my encounter with the scary caterpillar.  So, life is never boring and something new is always happening!  Love you guys!

Photos



Elvis getting baptized Jan. 28



Car seat... Malaysian style... I dont know if they would sell well in America :)

Tarap, a fruit that is so average in taste people continue to buy it but never say they really like it...

Our favorite Chinese place in Sandakan

LDS Charities, the organization that gave away the wheel chairs

Me by the beach on one of the coldest days in Sandakan!

Roslyn getting baptized, she is so small and sweet Jan. 28





New Area

So hello everyone!  I just got transferred this week.  I am now in Bintulu, Sarawak, still in East Malaysia.  It was a difficult move, having been there for almost 6 months, I knew the people, the places and my house was clean to my standards :)  Anyway, the move has proved to be quite good, I really like the area that I am in the people I have met so far are fabulous.  One interesting fact about the two area, Sandakan and Bintulu is that they are both tied for most ghetto area in the mission.  And, because I am the only missionary to serve in both areas it is my responsibly to cast the final vote!  So far it’s a pretty close tie, but I might have to give "Most Ghetto" to Bintulu, only because I am more in the country side, not the city.  I am also training a new missionary!  He is a native born Malaysian and is an excellent missionary.  More to come next week, but just know I love all you guys!