No Easy Internet, so Short & Sweet !

I apologize in advance for the REALLY short email but the limited internet spots here, have not been user friendly.  So, coming to you live from the Sungai Plan Chapel here in Binulu! 

Basically, we had a lot of sweet things happen this week in regards to the branch as a whole. Henry got baptized this week which was way cool and I am so happy for him. He was too excited. I hope to get some pics out to you this week. If not, then next week. President Salleh is catching fire right now and getting into it. It might be because I am lighting him on fire, but all the glory goes to he and Him and that's all I could ask for. The 'branch' is looking more and more like a Branch every day! All the hard work we are putting in to build these members is coming through.

 

I want to tell you all how much I love Sundays. Like no joke. Favorite day of the week. One, because miracles just happen every Sunday and things seem to work out. Two, it's Sunday?! Who doesn't love Sunday?! Sacrament, friends and loved ones, music and singing, the list just goes on. 

We had such a fun P-day yesterday, btw. If you all remember the Wisers, they are officially my mission parents in Kuching.  They came up to Bintulu for the weekend. They were here for P-day, and who is the first person she calls? Yeah, this guy. We planned a fun packed day at Similaju National Park, full of jungle trekking, hidden beaches, and lots of good times. Pics to come. This mission thingy is way super cool btw, you should try it. 

Love you ALL!

Elder Thompson 

PS:  Shout out to my big Brother Alec, soon to be College Grad, Happy Birthday! and Lauren making College Dance Team, and who will be ahead of me in college when I'm back ?!!

Wisers and Trekking:

 

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Draper, Utah Missionary Letters seen thru Apr 22-2017

Bintulu, Malaysia : Weekly Report

This last week we had transfers but I had to get off before the new came in! I knew I would be staying, it's pretty obvious that I am staying here, but, Elder Howell left me this week! Yep, he headed up to KK (Kota Kinabalu). I got Elder Read now here as my companion! We got right to work as soon as he got off the plane, and the week has felt ages long because of that. That's a good thing though because the weeks are flying so fast it's ridiculous. Elder Meacham also left me so that was sad, but now we have Elder Mullins in the house. Elder Mullins reminds me exactly of Tanner Townsend, like to a tee. Just not as musically talented, haha. 

We got to head out to arguably one of my favorite families houses this week to eat dinner and teach some investigators. They live way far away in a long house and you know me an long houses, I love that stuff. It was so Iban and the food was delicious. Felt like home. 

A referral came from our investigator Henry who will be getting baptized this week. A couple weeks ago I had asked him to go and find some friends that would want to hear our message. We asked him to look. Well this week we walked into his house and there he has a friend sitting and waiting for us named Jason! Jason is not just a referral. He has learned before but way back in the day and he has since moved, so he couldn't continue learning. He basically owns the whole gospel library in book form and he already has a strong testimony of the church. He has been lost for a long time. As Jason was explaining his story to me (my mouth was open and my eyes wide in disbelief) I turned to Henry and basically asked him in a fun way, "Where did you find this guy?!" His answer to me was a laughing smile and point up to heaven, "Elder, I don't know, God did it. I just was trying to find someone like you said!" It was such a great moment.

We had an activity this week with the branch. I repeat, we had an activity! This Good Friday everyone was off work so we headed down to the beach close to here and grabbed a spot under the trees, started up the fire, and barbecued some 10 full chickens and a whole lot of babi. We played games on the beach and just enjoyed our time with the members. It was a great day. Pig heads are tasty!!

 

Hesron got baptized this week! This cool little family with a 9 year old child got dunked this week so that was way fun. Other than the fact that the Elders arranged and did everything for it, the baptism was great. Pictures to come.

One last story. I am sitting at the front door of the church waiting for Henry to come riding up on his moto. All of the sudden I see 3 guys on the back. Well, one is Jason coming to church and the other is Roni who I haven't seen in weeks! They came! It was the coolest sight watching these three future priesthood holders walk up with wrinkled, white shirts and some old, over-sized ties on. It was a sight to see. I love these guys. 

That's all I got for you this week! Love you all!

Elder Thompson

(Hesron):

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(Members and Families Visits Mentioned Above)::

 

 

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Draper, Utah Missionary Letters seen thru Apr 15-2017

Feasting on Words...and Burgers

A big HELLO to all you of again! I don't know why I try to be original with my opening greetings anymore, but you all get the point right?

For P-day last week we chilled at the house because it has been a long time since I did that. Plus our zone leaders cancelled the zone activity so we were bummed. Nothing a BBQ can't fix! I bought BBQ stuff for the fam (house) and I cooked up some burgers for everyone. They were way good. It was fun to just chill and use our brick BBQ pit we have out in the front. (An Elder Thompson addition to all of his houses in the mish) Way tasty and hence, feasting on burgers.

 

Henry our investigator is making strides now. He knows it is true and is converted to it. Commitments to live laws of the church almost come too easy at this point. We feel like it's too easy a lot but we are just rejoicing with him. 

Aaron, our 9 year old homie is getting baptized this Saturday! He has a cool family that we are hoping his baptism can allow them to feel something. His family are members, but we want them to be MEMBERS. We want them to be "all in" as my friend Gary B Sabin once said. 

I got to go on exchanges with Elder Mickelson this week as Elder Meacham took my comp. It was way fun to get to know him and work with him throughout the day!

 

Ok, and then conference hit. It was sooo good. It's always good. Yes it was still a week late here, but I was none the less grateful to watch it on a small computer screen in a dirty room, with some tasty Malaysian brand crackers! There are so many highlights I can name them all. I will try to name a few.

Russell M. Nelson's analogy of a drowning person was SWEET. We have to want it as bad as a drowning person wants air. We have to fight for it. Our faith and our belief, or testimony, has to be fought for. It reminded me of a quote I've always like too. "When you want to succeed, as bad as you want to breathe..." If we really want it, we must use everything that is within us to get it. It's a matter of life and death. Air or no air. It had to be fought for!

Jefferey R. Holland was fire as usual. I think I'm biased. "Come as you are, but don't plan to stay as you are." AMEN.

Gary B. Sabin. We gotta be all in.

Joy D. Jones. "in this war there are no neutrals." Yep. Pick a side. (You should probably pick the one that is promised to win in the end) just let you in a little secret ;)

I will close out with a message that Dieter F. Uchtdorf quoted in his talk. "Don't take it so darn serious!" We are called to serve God. We are made to be weak. This is not a popularity contest and nor does every single moment have to be hard core serious with some pride on the side. Laugh a lot, have fun, and serve God with all you got. Do it for God. You know, God knows how to laugh and smile too! 

Love you all!

Elder Thompson

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Draper, Utah Missionary Letters seen thru Apr 8-2017

Preachin' & Beachin'

Hey everyone! I hope you all enjoyed conference, I will let you all know how it is when I see it in about a week. I heard some good things, so I'm stoked. Here this last week's update!

We went to a beach last P-day. Well, we didn't really know where it is or how we were going to get to it, but when Elder Thompson has a will to go on an adventure, there is always a way. We wound up using this Malay kampung to get to the beach. Just walked right through it! We thought we were going to have to pay but, NOPE, we just get this pristine beach that is untouched to ourselves. We are unlocking Bintulu here. It was great, but it was hot. We had to be careful how long we were out there because those sun burns came quick. Not to mention the 40 minute bike ride to get there that includes massive hills....not good for my bike which is a 'Fixie,' but so good for the legs. Elder Meacham and I were loving it. LEG DAY.

 

For your information, the branch is picking up steam and we are getting more and more things happening! We had a fireside happen and an FHE with a lot of people! We also hit our year to date high of attendance this week! A whopping almost 65 people! Not to mention a lot of those were non members and investigators that were brought by the members. Better yet, we had about a 90% turn over to class after sacrament meeting...that is unheard of! I was stoked.  Pics with a few Members:

 

On a spiritual note, or two. We were teaching one of our new investigator families that we just recently found this week. As we were teaching their little 4 year old kid came out named Noel. We had just watched him bath naked on the side of the house and play around with the water, so I already liked him. Anyways we are teaching and my companion is talking and all of sudden I catch his eyes He just has these huge, dark eyes that just have this light to them. I don't know what it was. He just seemed so curious as to why two huge, white giants we sitting at his front door. He seemed so innocent and so attentive actually. I had a thought pop into my head. "This is why we do this." This is why we do this! We do this for these families so they can have a better life. So their kids can grow up and those eyes can turn into a strong disciple of Jesus Christ. So that those eyes can look into someone else's and indicate to them, that this gospel is what it really says it is! 

Finally, we were teaching Henry this week. We were kind of just reviewing with him and asking him how his drinking is going and the Word of Wisdom. Come to find out he hasn't been drinking for a couple weeks now already....WHAT!? We asked him how he felt, and he just answered, "Sudah bertaubat Elder." (Already repented Elder) Wooo! He also added in one more comment that hit me pretty hard. He added, "Ada perubahan." (There has been a change) Or in other words, "I've changed.".Yeah you have Henry! YES! Yes you have. You can keep changing Henry. I know exactly how you feel right now! AMEN Henry. You nailed it. You got it! All I wanted to do was just hug him so hard and just say to him, "I know, me too, isn't it freaking awesome?!?" But I doubt he would have understood what I said because you can't really translate that into Malay. It was an awesome experience none the less. 

That's all I have for you all this week! Love you all!

Elder Thompson

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Draper, Utah Missionary Letters seen thru Apr 1-2017