ParkerLeeThompson

Jungle Investigating

Family and Friends here comes a warm "nama berita" and a "selamat hari Christmas!"

In reference to the title of this email, that is what we missionaries do here in Sibu while proselyting...

This week we decided to go explore across the river next to the city because technically it is our area but we have never ventured out there. We hopped on a ferry and headed out there and this place was untouched, and it was beautiful. It was straight jungle with random houses places everywhere that had awesome land ownership. The people were way nice and even better yet, we honestly, really had to think about where we were going and the turns we were making for fear of getting way lost in the middle of the Sarawakian jungle haha! It was way fun and we plan on making more trips out there soon!

As far as the work goes here, we got a new Elder in the house, his name is Elder Rabing. He is an Iban native and he came in because the mission had emergency transfers. So many people left the mission to go home this last week! This week was also full of interviews for our investigators that are going to be baptized next week. It was really cool and really humbling at the same time to see them at the point they are now from the point they have come since we started teaching them! And last but definitely not least, and definitely not uncommon, bike problems.... So that means walking on foot...A LOT...and far. BUT, this presents a whole other opportunity to talk to people and find people! We were walking and we walked up on our 2nd Counselor in our branch (who I have never met or even heard of he was that less-active) and we talked to him and got his number! If it weren't for all the anger caused before about my bike, we would not have been walking, and we would not have found Janggu, our lost 2nd Counselor! God works in mysterious ways.

OK, here is the highlight of the week. It may as well be the highlight of the mission so far, but this P-Day was EPIC! We went back to "kampung." That is what all the natives say when they go on vacation back to their places of birth and just hang out for a week. We went to Mukah and we hung out with one of our current members families at their house for the day. It was soooo sick. I mean, these guys are straight Iban, living in the middle of the jungle, living of the land, and their mode of transportation? Long boat. Oh yes. It was the sickest day ever. It is a good thing I have been picking up on the Iban tribal language because they love to hear a white man from America speak Iban to them and understand them also haha! Anyways, it was a way fun day full of walking through flooded roads and jungle, eating a whole lot of food, riding in long boats, hunting and gathering in the jungle, and just being IBAN.