hello family!
so today I have less than one hour for emails, we have the sister AP's with us, Rinet and Kubota, and we did a zone activity today and did this huge ropes course/climbing/repelling thing in the jungle. it was sooooooooo right up my alley. I was faster than the elders, not even kidding. the french man that noticed was thoroughly impressed with me:) haha just kidding. the elders were fast. but I could keep up. anyway, enough of the bragging for the day.....
last night I got to go out with Kubota and it was SO rad to be with her. she's a great missionary with a lot of energy, and she's bold! and I also have lots of energy, also tend to be a bit on the bolder blunter side....so when we combined, it was BOOM! we put an impossible person on date. his family were pioneers of the church in the 1970's. some of the first members in Malaysia. he is 30, and still never been baptized. elders and elders and elders have tried to teach him, put him on date, but he always freaks out and everything. well he called me yesterday, so I brought sister kubota and we went to his house to meet him and his parents. they showed us pictures from the 70's, turns out his parents were taught by sister missionaries. probably the last sister missionaries in puchong until us!! so we talked, we were bold, we listened, we taught and testified with everything we had, and I felt like we were on fire! and he finally decided he wanted to get baptized, and picked a date. a miracle!!!! it was so intense though. kubota and I both wanted to just sleep after that meeting....so tiring. but it was awesome. he says he wants to get baptized in las vegas though, he has friends with an old senior couple there, so I told him I'd drive down and see it. pretty cool. won't lie.
this week was a bit better. we're starting to get better hang of puchong. still new, but can get around. it's a pretty rad place. parts are definitely sketchy though. so that is our biggest challenge right now, trying to be street smart.
so I was reading the book of mormon yesterday, I'm starting over again. it's kindof like my lifeblood, if I read too much bible and little book of mormon my spirit starts to drop. so I save 20 minutes of personal study for strictly book of mormon. anyway, I got to 1 Nephi 13. and I never before realized how coooooool that chapter is! it is like straight up prophecy! it tells it exactly how everything happened. the apostasy, goes to restoration, everything. and I just read that chapter marvelled by how awesome the scriptures are. of course it's true. if you really look, everything happens exactly how it says its going to. way sweet.
also, new favorite scripture I found in my old testament studies. 1 chronicles 28:20. I don't have my bible with me, so I can't quote it for you....wait maybe can.
And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
so, I love the story of david and solomon. and this is where davids giving over the huge insane kingdom to his son solomon. and solomon has the responsibility of building the huge gorgeous temple. so I imagine he's feeling pretty overwhelmed...and these are the words of encouragement his dad gives him. I took this verse very literally for me and for where I am right now though. to be honest, gopi and I are a bit nervous a lot here. we've had some experiences. puchong is definitely different than miri and kk. I found myself being scared a lot. and this verse is reminding me that I need to develop the christlike attributes of courage and strength. be strong, be courageous, don't be scared, don't get discouraged, just DO IT! because the Lord is with me, He's not going to fail me, or forget about me, until I have finished my work He has called me to do. I'm still scared, but it was a good reminder. I know that God protects his missionaries, and his children. wherever they are. I just need the faith.
it was a good week, I love you all!