Sibu, Malaysia Transfer to Singapore

Hey what's up everyone?!

This week the email is coming from a VERY nice internet cafe in the middle of the IMPRESSIVE Chinatown, Singapore. This week had been nuts, Here comes the email: 

I had to leave Sibu this week. We got our emails on Monday and I got transferred to Singapore. The wards are called Ang Mo Kio and Bedok. Yes we are over two wards so, lots of work. Even more crazy, they are WARDS. Real, established, working, efficient wards of the church. It is crazy. I will talk about this later. 

Leaving Sibu was way hard, I was "born" there in mission terms. I was there for 8 months. I loved the people and the members became family to me. I knew the area like the back of my hand and I finally got comfortable. That's when they get you, haha. I had to say goodbyes to everyone of my RC's, members, and friends I made there. It was even harder realizing that I may never get to see them ever again, but I hope I can. Sibu is home. Sibu is 'Kampung.'  I will never forget Sibu, Sarawak, East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. 

 

 

Fast forward a couple of days after the goodbyes were said, and I was on a plane heading to one of the most utopia-like countries in the entire world, to live there. I landed and from Wednesday all the way to today has been a completely jaw-dropping, eyes wide open experience. It has been nuts, as I am known to say. 

My new companion is Elder Cocq. He is from France. He is a veteran and he is cool, we are gonna do great work together.  The Singapore life is crazy. It is fast paced. We have to catch the trains, buses, taxis, for all the appointments and you can't be late. It is the high life. It is extremely wealthy here everyone is very well kept. There are whiter people. They are everywhere. EVERYWHERE. I have now reversed roles and I am now the one that stares at white people as they pass by....Singapore is a melting pot. you hear like 20 different languages over the course of one day. So cool. It THE business world. For those who know me, I love the whole business feel, but when it comes to missionary work, it makes it hard to get a hold of people. It is a whole new type of missionary work. We work in established wards and a stake. The leadership is dependable. The people are on time and punctual. They are very intelligent and they all have studied or are studying at a high level of education. It is English. I haven't used much English in like 8 months, let alone taught in it! I feel absolutely uncomfortable talking, contacting, praying, and teaching in English. It's weird. The food is delicious here. It is so good. It is a culture shock...again...but in the opposite way. What I mean by that is that I came from the poorest of the poor and the deepest of the jungle. Arriving in one of the most architecturally and technologically advanced countries in the world was mind-blowing. It was truly a, "I'm not in Kansas anymore" moment. Normally American missionaries that go on missions get culture shocked by the 3rd worlds and the poverty. It was the opposite for me. I was a Malaysian native who had his eyes opened, big time. 

 

 

Other than all that jumble of thoughts (and there are plenty more..) that is about it for this week. The work is still progressing here even though my companion and I are 'white-washing' two areas. We are going for a temple in Singapore. That's the vision. We're going for it. All the best to everyone. Love you all. 

Elder Thompson 

Draper, Utah Missionary Letters thru April 2 -2016