The Game has Changed

Sorry for the email on a different day this week it has been a crazy week here in Malaysia. It is Chinese New Year and everything is owned by wealthily Chinese people so they closed up shop for the holidays. Meaning no internet shops open. I am email really quick with the senior couple's computers and I will be brief! 

Missionary work has changed.  It blew my mind. New way to count numbers and new schedules make for some old habits going all outta whack! They are all awesome changes though. Especially the ones giving us more time on P-day to do some fun stuff. It has been a tradition in this mission to get out and do all that you can on P-day and make the best of it, and now it's gonna get even better!

( Changes to Missions Worldwide ):

My highlights for the week deal a lot with exactly that, P-day! Last week we did a grueling hike that had a sweet view at the top, if you had the strength and endurance to get there. Missionaries tried and failed but of few others and myself made it! So worth it. Pics to come.

This last P-day we took the whole zone to a place called Bako which was way cool! Boats, hikes, and beaches and some good times.

 

  

Chinese New Year brought the rain storms and also brought the floods. Missionary work just gets more and more wet, and more and more fun here!

Had some changes to do service (below) this week too which we don't get to do all that often. I wish I could do it more but that is just how it is!

Lots of fireworks and fire crackers. Lots of really weird traditions and a whole lot of Chinese music. Malaysia is so much fun!

 I love you all!

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Draper, Utah Missionary Letters seen thru Jan 28-2017

Changes & Differences

I lost Elder Haslam this week.  It was hard to see him go but at the same time I felt like an accomplished father watching his son walk off into his life (mission life) ready to take on the world... Haha, 'empty nest'.... But, I got a cool new friend named, Elder Williams, from Samoa and he is fun to be around! It's going to be a great transfer but now I am the only white person in Matang at this point....well, except for one. That story will come later.  Different dynamics and some changes and experiences made for a great week.  Here are the highlights:

The first day Elder Williams came in we got home and set down his stuff, unpacked his bike and put it together, and then?, we were on the road! Guess what? It only took us 15 minutes to have a bike problem, haha!  I turned around while biking, he was gone, so I went back and his pedal had fallen off. We looked around for like 20 minutes to find a piece, but then got on our way, walking. The senior couple, Wisers, were so great because they picked us up and took us home that night...and we stopped at McD's.  ;)

 

We were out in one of the new areas we found on Saturday and we go knock on this gate that used to be our investigator to see if they were home. Well we knock, and then all of the sudden this white dude just pokes his head out of the door, and in a perfect American accent says, "Oh hey Elders!." ............What the???  Ok, 1. You're white! 2. You're American? 3. You live here?! 4. ALL THE WAY OUT HERE, not even in the city? 5. WHY?!? Turns out this guy is literally living here trying to find a job and just finished college. He wasn't interested in our message though, as we shared it to him in English.... but to our new friend Richard I say, good luck.

To top off the week we didn't have anyone to play the piano for church. Like no one. Well I stupidly told someone I could maybe do it if I tried. Yeah well, I got called, haha.  I played just the right hand and on the organ setting as to cover up my mistakes (which were MANY) and only played 3 easy songs....barely. The Spirit really had to work hard on that day to stay in the room. Funny memory that maybe I'll look back and laugh at in the future....

That is all! Love you all!

Elder Thompson (right hand piano player extraordinaire.)

Ps:  Jack Fruit, and a small fruit that should be a part of the Word of Wisdom, DO NOT EAT:

 

Pss:  Kuching Kidz and Families:

 

 

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Draper, Utah Missionary Letters seen thru Jan 21-2017

Will I Stay, Will I go ?

Here is a cool story to start out here. Remember when I spent 2 weeks in Kuala Lampur?

Yeah I met a lot of great people up there but we were trying to find new people to teach that were solid. Well, two days before I left that place we met a small girl on the side of the road as we were walking and we contacted her. Well, she was great at English and she was from Sabah, Malaysia. We scheduled an appointment with her the next night and that was my last day in KL. That was my last lesson there and we taught the Restoration with power and the spirit. She said she would commit to being baptized and I just knew the second I heard that, she was going to make it there.  I knew she was awesome. So, anyways fast forward 4 months later and I am here in Matang and all of the sudden I see this baptismal picture pop up on the mission weekly email and it has Elder Bonrostro dressed in white with this tiny girl dressed in white as well too! I was like, "No way! She made it!" Her name is Emma or at least that is what I wrote in my journal on that day. You never know the impact you will have in someones life. Even if it is just for 30 minutes, in a coffee shop, reciting a "First Vision" that you have said over hundreds of times. God lives.

On a another note, last P-day here in Matang was 'sick.' We went exploring Muslim Mosques and Chinese Temples for the day. Thanks to the senior couple Wisers for the car! So, it was kinda like a temple trip, but not really...still very cool though.

  

 

I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with an awesome Elder Schwemmer in my district and work with him for the day and well as I got to go with Elder Bloem again. Always fun working with these Elders and learning so much.

I have been repeatedly amazed at the faithfulness of some of these members here in Matang. Some of these YSA and youth coming from brutal and horrible homes and families, and making it to church each week on their own. They have such strong personal testimonies. So much so, that most of them are prepared to leave their families, with or without their blessing, and serve missions. Some have been threatened and others will "not be confessed as their sons or daughters anymore" if they go. It is heart-breaking to hear but they have already made their decision. For that I love them and for that I have to learn how to build my faith to be that strong. I love these people. 

 

 

 

That is all I have for this week! Love you all! Transfer news should be coming in pretty soon here so I will send another email with the results! I am either staying or going!

Elder Thompson

PS: On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 : Parker Thompson <pthompson@myldsmail.net> wrote: 

I am staying in Matang and my new companion with be Elder Williams! Elder Halsam is going to

Sandakan,Sabah! Elder Williams is from Samoa and we his way cool! He came out with Elder Haslam! It should be a fun next transfer!

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Draper, Utah Missionary Letters seen thru Jan 8-2017

Taking Down Trees, Malaysian Style!

Hey everyone how's it going! Oh, and GOOD MORNING! Yes, even if it is night or the afternoon it's still GOOD MORNING, in a loud, high pitched, Malaysian kid accent! Regardless of what time it is we hear that everywhere. It could literally be pitch black at 9 pm at night and we are heading home on our bikes and we just hear this little kid scream from his yard...GOOD MORNING! Followed by laughs and giggles. 

This week we got to hang out with our YSA and youth at the church and cook with them which was way fun. Got to learn how to make some more Malaysian food and the best part? We get to eat it all afterwards. 

We had an unusual amount of flat tires this week on Elder Haslam's and my end. With that being said, Haslam and I are tight so we can talk to each other because there was no one out, haha. 

we had some great opportunities to walk on foot. Sometimes for over 2 hours on the sides of highways while it's pitch black. It's a good thing.

I got to go on exchanges with E Johnson in my district this week! He is one of the newer members of the mission and he speaks Chinese so he couldn't say much that day. Speaking Iban doesn't help much either. Anyways, Elder (Tucker) Johnson is from Draper and we knew of each other before the mission and I especially knew his older brother so we had a great time talking about Draper and all that good stuff. Small world! Not really, but yeah you know what I mean.

 

To finish off the week we did some service for a widow in our branch. She wanted her palm oil tree cut down. She gave some two sweet machete sword things, and we went to work! This tree was massive and to add to the fun, it was invested by scorpions, giant red ants, black ants too, and some weird ear wig looking stuff. Yeah. Keep your mouth closed when you hack at it!

That's all from Sarawak, Malaysia for this week! Love you all!

Elder Thompson

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Draper, Utah Missionary Letters seen thru Jan 8-2017

New Starts!

Well, sorta everyone got dunked. Our investigator Hendry got baptized so he has a fresh start to his life! The Elders kinda got dunked this week too...More or less got DUMPED on. It was raining all day everyday for the beginning of this week and we were for sure more wet than Hendry on the night of his baptism! We also got a fresh start because New Years happened and that means new goals and resolutions! Either way everyone got dunked and has some fresh starts!

This week the senior couple Elder and Sister Wiser brought their family in from the states and we got to spend one night with them at a members house. I don't what is is about white people but man do I feel awkward around them. It's been over a year and a half that I have actually sat down and talked to a full white family in person. There was like 7+ white people in one Malaysian house! It was nuts! 

I did some sweet exchanges with the English Elders in my district this week. That is Elder Rich and Elder Tan. I love these Elders! Good days of working hard and most of time speaking Malay. I feel bad because they don't understand but it works out! Elder Tan and I were speaking Malay, Chinese, and English all up and down Kuching. Fun days.

Going back to New Years. We had a good celebration together Elder Haslam and I. Nope, no parties. Well, I mean we definitely threw a rager at the house for ourselves! The fireworks were definitely more mellow here in this area. It wasn't like a war zone like last year but still cool to celebrate. Is it really 2017?! Wow..

I love you all! Happy New Years!

 

 

Video: Year & Half marked & New Starts 2017 !

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Draper, Utah Missionary Letters seen thru Jan 1-2017