Sibu, Malaysia & 2 Kids on Each Leg Every Time!

Date: August 31, 2015 

Area: Sibu, Malaysia 
Companion: Elder Yang

Friends and Family on the other side of the world,

Malaysia is nuts... It's so much fun and we've just been ridiculously busy it's insane. Even if I wrote and email every day I still wouldn't have enough time to write honestly. I see so many things and experience so many new things I can hardly take it in. I guess that's why they call it culture shock! Anyways I'll do my best to fill everyone in...

It was so good to get out of the MTC and begin the real work. So we packed up and went to the SLC airport. Flew to LAX and then caught the midnight flight out to Hong Kong. LONG flight but I slept for most of it so it wasn't so bad...oops. Then we had a layover in Hong Kong, so we tested out the food, and walked around the massive airport and just had fun. Then we flew to Singapore, when we landed we walked out and met President Simmons and his wife and a couple missionaries! All of the sudden this tall, good lookin' white, American man comes out of nowhere and gives me a hug! I found Fruncle Dave! (Mom you can fill everyone in) It's always good to see an American because it makes you feel less like a sore thumb, and trust me I feel like one, but that will come later. Anyways I didn't think it was so humid when we got there but then we walked out of the air conditioned airport... HUMID... I think I lost five pounds in sweat in the first 5 min being outside! But anyways, Singapore is such a cool city and beautiful I wanted to stay longer, but Malaysia was calling my name. So we woke up the next morning and headed to the church in Singapore, where we got our companions and area assignments. So...I was called to Sibu, East Malaysia with my new companion Elder Yang! Even better, he's from America and he speaks English, which keeps me sane. So then, we got our flight plans which were for later that night so we went out and explored Singapore, like I said, I wanted to stay, but we headed to the airport and flew to KL (Kuala Lumpur) and then to Sibu! We caught a taxi out of the Sibu airport and headed to our house which they call "the mansion". Got there and crashed hard, I'm in Sibu.

The first few days have felt like an eternity! I'll get used to the schedules and what not and it will start to pick up. But they have consisted of a lot of things. One of which is biking everywhere, and I mean for MILES. In heat like this!?! Say bye-bye to white shirts haha. My butt was so sore from the first day I had to stand up to ride the next day! I'm getting better now but what a workout seriously.

I have been humbled completely in a matter of days. These people live in places that I only saw in movies and TV, so much different seeing it here for real. Unbelievable. So cool to see members walking to church from miles and doing whatever they can to make us feel welcome when we come over, even investigators will give us the best they have to welcome us. So cool. 

So, I'm a sore thumb here. I'm this big huge white kid from America with an over sized helmet and a tiny bike for now, and my companion is Asian as well, so, yeah I definitely turn heads everywhere I go, I mean EVERYWHERE. Yes, I'm famous I know. But on Sunday I met all the members, I just talked to all of them because that;s the culture, to be loud and just rip on each other, like make fun of each other, for those of you who know me, you know that I love that stuff, so I'm always laughing! I just talk to all the little kids cause I can actually understand them so yes, I have 2 kids on each leg and a couple on me and more running around me every time I'm at the church, and I love it haha. 

So this is a late email because we had a branch activity today. We went to the beach and did some BBQ for the Malaysia independence day. So fun to play on the beach with everyone for P-day and eat so good food. The only problem is, the NO means YES when the question is, more food?

Anyways I love it here. It's a whole new culture with all new people and I love every minute of it. It's tough but I can't not laugh at myself when I see how lost I am haha. Love you all!

Elder Thompson

           2015 Draper, Utah Missionary Letters Sep2, 2015

Tuesday, no, Wednesday! in Malaysia 

(from Parker, "And it's AWESOME" - nod to Chris Farley)

August 26, 2015

(SLC-LAX-HongKong-Singapore)

FrUncle Dave McCleery - Family (Friend like an Uncle) moved and now works near Sing Airport!
Dave said, "Wouldn't ya know, I just so happen to have lunch plans there, the day he flies in !?!"  :) 

     

2015 Draper, Utah Missionary Letters Aug26, 2015

Monday, August 24, 2015

Last MTC Pics : Off to Malaysia : (SLC-LAX-HK-SIN)

MTC Study

 

Off to Singapore...saw Nashville & Eldrs Gull, Tuttle, Broman!

Date: August 20, 2015 
Area: Provo MTC but Off to Singapore Aug 24th! 
Companion: Elder Bloem

Hey friends and family!

Only a few more days until I fly out to Singapore and it's ridiculous how excited I'm am! It's the hardest thing to focus for the last couple days here at the MTC it's unreal. All of us in my district get off task like several times a day about Malaysia and Singapore. We got our flight plans so looking at that every night doesn't help at all. But, we're starting to pack our bags and I leave Monday so I'm absolutely stoked out of my mind!

This week was good but like I said, hard to focus a lot... I'll start off with Sunday because Sunday's are always awesome. I think this one took the cake. We had heard about Nashville Tribute Band coming to the MTC to perform for us because the choir has been practicing songs to sing with them. Anyways we walk into the devotional and there is a stage set up and we realized that is was a full on concert! So sick! It was a nice break from all the talks. So we got a private concert from Nashville Tribute Band! We sang with them as a choir and that was so much fun! They also have a country aspect to them, and I haven't heard country for weeks, I was stompin' my foot the whole time haha. So much fun.

The week went on and new guys came in and I saw some new ones also. I saw Elder Crosby Gull and Elder Devin Tuttle. Both of those guys are doing great. 

I talk to Elder Coleman Broman almost every night and Elder Grant Bakker joins in a lot too. We always talk about how crazy it is to be out here and leaving to head out now, it doesn't seem real. We all share cool experiences we had throughout the day. Love those guys and I love all the guys I see daily walking around here with name-tags on. 

Well, not a lot went on this week, but the next time I write and email, I'll be sitting somewhere in the middle of Malaysia and Singapore on the other side of the world! I'm so excited and I can't wait! Berterima kasih dan jumpa lagi! 

Elder Thompson

"You're the one who got your toes ripped off...?"

Date: August 13, 2015 
Area: Provo MTC until Singapore Aug 24-26 
Companion: Elder Bloem

Another week in the books and another week closer to flying out to Singapore! We're all at the point that we lose focus once or twice a day and we get way too excited about departure day! It's like early Christmas cause I feel like I've been here for ages. But everyday gets better and better and it like there is a huge build up to sit on a plane for 20 hours! Normally that wouldn't sound fun but it's better than sitting in class for me I guess haha. 

Alright more guys came in this week and my district got to host as well! That was fun. I got to see Elder Tyler Owen and Elder Mitch Peterson and Elder CJ Packer throughout the week. When we hosted I saw a big van pull up and out came to two Lamb brothers! I chased them down and helped settle them in, so Elder Garrett Lamb and Greg Lamb are doing great!

Sunday was awesome again as usual! Everything about it is just relaxing from a hard week of working and classes! After the devotional my companion and I went to watch "Characters of Christ" by Elder Bednar, an address he gave a Christmas one year to the MTC. You can only watch it in the MTC (so they say) but it was so good. He really focused on the simplicity of the gospel and the simplicity of Jesus. He explained many instances where the natural man would turn in and look inside himself in times of trial, but instead, Christ turned outward to serve others. It was a message central to love, service, and compassion. I love to simplify things in this gospel into underlying themes and motives so that was awesome. 

Alright, story time, I finally have a good one to share! We do service on our Tuesday mornings, which is strategically...custodial work for the other missionaries living quarters...house of order right?? Haha. Anyways we always have this manager guy that oversees us and he has always been way funny and out there, so he wakes us up in the morning. So I'm sitting there, cleaning a room with chemicals and out of nowhere this manager guy calls me by my name "Parker Thompson?!" I had no idea what was going on but he seemed so curious so I came back with my brilliant answer..."What's up?" He goes, "You're the one who got your toes ripped off at Mona Rope Swing?!?" Haha! Anyways apparently he had been talking to some guys in my room about how he was going to Mona Rope Swing tonight with some friends. All my roommates said "Well be careful and try not to get your toes ripped off." The manager said "I saw a video on YouTube about some kid who did that!" My roommates were like, "Yeah his name is Elder Thompson and he's here." So anyways all of my roommates got to see my video on the managers phone and he got a picture with me and of my foot. It was hilarious! Good times!

I've never laughed harder than in the MTC these last couple weeks, I've made friends with all of my roommates you'd think we grew up together! I can't wait to get out in the field because it will be that much better! Love you all and thanks for supporting me as well as my family! Jumpa lagi!!

Elder Thompson

MTC Video of Singapore District :

Over the Hill and Ready to Roll

Date: August 06, 2015 

Area: Provo MTC until Singapore Aug26 
Companion: Elder Bloem

Hey everyone! It's kind of an old person saying but that's how you feel when you're over halfway done with the MTC experience! Time is really starting to pick up and it's amazing how long everyday feels like, yet at the end of the week you wonder how it went so fast! Still loving it, the routine drags some days but it's worth it when you can look forward to getting on a plane and flying around the world! 

We are starting to teach in the TRC, where volunteers come in (usually who served in your mission) and you teach them. We were supposed to give them a lesson but we ended up talking to everyone about their lives and barely got a lesson in...woops. It was way fun to talk casually with someone for a change so we just went with it! 

For Sunday, it was fast Sunday, and let me tell you, studying and sitting on a empty stomach for that long was one of the worst things ever. Don't get me wrong Sundays are awesome here, but fast Sundays? Nope. Until they let us in for dinner....what a glorious hour that was. I obviously had to make up for three meals in one so yeah you can imagine what my tray looked like...so good. Then toward the evening we had our devotional, and Sheri Dew spoke, she is the CEO for Deseret Book and she killed it, she was so good. 

Speaking of devotionals we had heard rumors all week long about how the Tuesday night devotional was to be broadcasted worldwide to all MTC's so we all knew someone big was coming. Lo and behold Russell M. Nielsen walks in and everyone stands for the President of the Quorum of the 12. It was so cool and you could feel the spirit and you knew God was with him. With all that has happened and is happening to the 12 and the first presidency, it was cool to see him speak. The choir sang "Be Still My Soul" for him to and that was probably my favorite part. It fit the situation so well and everyone could feel the spirit. Devotionals are so sick. 

Yesterday came and a bunch of you new guys came in! I got a chance to see Elder Jax Matthews. ELder Tanner Swan, Elder Holden Swan, Elder Austin Carroll, Elder Michael (Dileuw??) , and Elder Nick Beard! Way cool to see all those guys and I"m hoping to see the rest pretty soon! Again, loving being able to see all my bros and people I know walking in here all experiencing the same stuff! We're all doing the good work! 

Excited to get out to serve Singapore and Malaysia!

Love everyone,

Elder Thompson