Fairy Cave!

Heyyo.

So we had another slow week, but at the same time we were able to meet with a few less-active families that we have been trying to see. Even though only one came to church, we still had good lessons with them haha. Also, we were finally able to meet a few new investigators. So this next week we will follow through with them. Also this week our Nigerian investigators are moving to New Zealand, but not permanently. they will be coming back to Malaysia in August i think. anyways, I think they will find the church their, and also get baptized haha. that would be the ultimate. So we are really moving our focus to trying to meet with less-actives. Its always nicer to try to meet with people who are already members. But ya thats kind of the shift of our work. and we have also started using some new key indicators promoting and making more specific our less-active work. 

Today we went to fairy cave, really really fun. Its a cave, obviously, but the cool part was that it wasnt very i guess structured, and there were a lot of little offshoots that we explored. not too many small spaces, at least not that i tried to squeeze through. one crawl space that led to a small opening over about a 70 ft drop. pretty cool picture from that. speaking of that we got back a bit late and i dont have time now to upload pictures. next week though. all the missionaries in Kuching went, so that was pretty cool. 

I was able to find a part for my bike, and its good as new, so no worries there. The first week of June is Zone conference in Singapore, so we are looking forward to that. So idk if any packages will make it in time mom.. haha unless youve already sent it. Sounds like youre having fun though (mom) its good to do a bit a of traveling and visiting. Is Nathaniel going to BYU-Idaho? i seem to remember that. Im glad its raining on you instead of snowing haha. 

I guess not much to write about haha. transfers are at the end of June, but itll be 6 months in this area in a few weeks. pretty crazy. Im ready to leave haha, but i think i'll have to work extra hard before transfers to get out of here haha. but this week has given me a small ray of hope haha. this whole time ive just been hoping the work will pick up for E Hirschi. its tough enough to start a mission, but way harder when the area is slow and you dont really teach any lessons... Anyways, thats just a mission for ya. 

Love you all

Elder Giblette

Pics again

our member bro komik.. wearing a vintage golden gophers t-shirt! what!?

bountious sunday meal. yup corn on the cob, mashed potatoes and pb&j sandwiches. with Ribena to drink (a regional concentrate that is quite nice)

at the planetarium, alien put-your-head-in board, classic

nice view of kuching from a tower restaurant thingy

Bro jeff

Nuttin much

Another tough week, but with some highlights. Put forth some extra effort into tracting this week, no great results, but a few potential people. the tough thing for us now is meeting with people after we contact them at their house. so tough. but our nigerian family attended a baptism for the english speaking branch, and then went o church yesterday! so they are doing pretty well. it will be a bit tough though with them cuz they are going to New Zealand on the 15th, but the wife, Joy, only got a month for her visa... so they will probly go to look for a house or something, then come back to Malaysia, then try again to go back to NZ in november. so if they continue to progress, i imagine it will be prudent ot baptize them here in malaysia. it'll be fun though to refer them to missionaries in NZ though! they are moving to Hamilton, which has a temple, so if they stay there long enough they will be able to experience the church in a well-established part of the world. but i think nigeria has a temple..? so either way they should end up in a place where the church is strong haha. their names are Patrick and Joy, they have a 14 year old daughter, and a ten year old son. They are pretty awesome, but the only thing is helping them see the importance of really investigating the church. they are pretty accepting of us, and seem to recognize us as ministers of Christ, but it has not yet motivated them to read on their own from the BofM. so we will try to meet with them a couple times this week before they go to NZ.

Today we tried to go to a planetarium, but our member didnt know the showtimes, and we got there like ten mins after the show stared, and then us two had plans to go bowling with the other elders, and our member, Bro jeff, was pretty disappointed (even though he was late in picking us up haha) but we'll try again in the coming weeks. i think we are gonna try a cave trip next week. so we'll see. oh probly not cuz we'll be calling for Mother's Day!


So speaking of that, the easiest time for us should be Monday morning here. so that will be sunday evening for you guys. we can call (malaysia time) saturday sunday or monday. so monday will be easiest cuz its p-day, and that makes it actual mother's day for you :) I may call (with a phone) on any of the given days in case something changes. but its kinda too late in case you guys have any problems haha. but you shouldnt, cuz its sunday evening. but ya i just bought a new webcam, we're gonna go to the fastest internet place in Kuching, in the morning, so it should be a decent quailty skype haha. I look so much forward to it, and also cant believe how fast its come. i feel like i just talked to you guys. probly cuz im in the same area.

So transfers are this week, but nothing much is happening to us. I will most likely be transferred after this 6 week cycle is over, giving me like exactly 6 months in this area, making it my longest. many times i feel ok with being here for a long time, but also many times i really want to get transferred. not just cuz the work is slow, but i really like moving around and seeing new places and new people. really each zone, most areas even, are quite unique form one another in this mission. such diversity is great. love it.

Elder Hirschi has shown a little improvement, but the tough part is that since we dont teach many lessons, he doesnt have many chances to try out his Malay... super tough for him to be trained in this area. but thats life.

nothing else to say haha. im glad the winter is maybe over haha. i really really miss the change of the seasons. equator people really dont know what theyre missing!

Love you all!

Elder Giblette


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Pictures

more skullzz!

riding the ol bicycle

me n hirschi

sweet double rainbow. one of the most bright ive seen. ever. (the bottom one)

Skulls lagi

Welp,
This week has not been much more easy than last, but we have had better success in meeting with members. both active and not so active. something cool related to that is that Pres Mains had a conference call with the other presidents in Asia and a major topic they discussed was balancing the teaching of new investigators with reactivating members. He pointed out that recovering a lost sheep is just as important as giving birth to a new one.
something else crazy is that they had discussed that the church is anticipating 90,000+ full time missionaries by July 2013!! craziness. So the focus i guess of the conference call was to discuss how best to handle such a massive influx of missionaries. I figured there would be a lot, but nothing close to 90,000! im sure this info is the most up to date, so treasure having such a connection to the front line haha

Today we went to the same kampung we went to with the member a couple weeks ago, but this time with other elders and some other members. we visited a hot spring so it was nice to soak our feet haha. nothing in the rules against feet soaking haha. In other news a large group of missionaries finishes next week, so there will be transfers. I'm almost positive I'll be staying here, so Samarahan will likely end up being my longest area. At least so far it is my longest area. I dont mind being here so much, but i certainly like a change in scenery. E Hirschi has been pretty much the same, but he said some of his first words in a lesson haha. All the elders going back to america makes me really want to go too haha, but I think i'll be fine for another 9 months. yup only 9 months left! Too bad I didnt try to time it to get back in time for Christmas. definitely I recommend that course for Kellen and anyone else haha

We do usually try to get together with other missionaries for p-day. there are 18 in Kuching zone, but maybe a couple less after transfers. We had to squish some elders into a few places for this last group, but now we will be a few less than we were before after this group leaves. But i think Kuching is getting special focus, as it is now the "powerhouse" of Malaysia. It will most likely be the first Stake in Malaysia. My prediction is within 5 years. but who knows. as a mission there is extra focuz on Kuching, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur. these are the centers of strength, and from these will the church grow in the long-term future.

We do not yet have the printed version of the BofM in Malay. we received a letter from the first presidency at the end of March that it was published, so i expected it to get here in april, but hopefully now it will come in May. they set it up so that they will come directly to our houses from indonesia. I imagine its a massive shipment project haha, so the delays dont surprise me. But it will be pretty great to have them not only for the members but also for our studies haha. Now a real feat would be if the D&C and PofGP are done before my mission. That will kind of be stinky cuz we will have to give the triple combo in Indonesian still, but oh well, still alot better than nothing.

Anyways, I hope this slump we're in passes soon, and that through our members we can find success. Niga, our recent convert, is doing well. He passed the sacrament yesterday and during the water he forgot to wait for the cup to be returned and the member had to keep it until the end of the meeting haha. its awesome to see him already exercising his Priesthood! Sundays are a lot easier i guess than Sitiawan, where i have onyl had to impromptu teach a couple times. they ask me alot but i show tough love and tell them, "I'll HELP you teach, but YOU have to stand up front" haha. I always remember a talk that one of our APs gave about that sort of thing. He said that when we just do things for members who forgot, or who dont want to do something, like teaching a lesson, we dont give that member a chance to repent. Certainly part of their repentance in neglecting their duties is being "forced" to do it on the spot. The members have noticed that its not easy to get me to do something on the spot haha, and I think its making a small difference. I have given a few talks, but theyve been assigned beforehand. I really look forward to giving talks now, cuz theres always so much i want to tell the members as a whole, and giving a talk gives me a small chance to let them know what im thinking.

I probly wont be in Singapore again until June, and i will probly be here for Mother's Day. Wow two weeks! is it always the second Sunday or something? We know of a good internet place and will probly go there instead of our members this time haha

I do remember the sealing of testimonies mom! haha i think thats a great idea. super fun. what kid doesnt like digging? I always read a chapter from the BofM to start my studies. ive started to focus on the D&C and I love what ive read already. As for my conference thoughts, let me summarize by saying it was awesome as usual, and that I loved it haha.

well this has turned out to be a nice long email for you haha. one of the elders in my group who went home is getting married this week, so thats craazy haha

Love you all so much. your prayers are much appreciated!

Elder Giblette