Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork

I made it. I worked hard. I loved the people to the best of my ability. I learned 2 languages fluently.  I baptized on my last Saturday.  I cried on my last Sunday. And now I am enjoying my last P-day.  It's been the best two years of my life, and the best two FOR my life. I will love Malaysia for the rest of my life, and the people mean so much to me. I can't bear to leave them, especially when they are just barely maturing into becoming a stake.. God bless Malaysia and all those that follow Christ therein.

Elder Vincent

July 6, 2015

"It has been proposed that Miri and Bintulu combine to become one district, to push forward to make a stake in the coming years." -President Simmons

Honestly tears came out a bit to hear that. During my mission, all I've heard is that Kuching and KL will be stakes within the next two years or so, but nothing about anywhere else. Well, Bintulu being my home and hearing that it could have a stake in 3 or 4 years is just astounding. We have the numbers. We have 3000 of the 1900 members that we need, and Miri has been prepared for it, they just need the number of units to be 5 or more (which brings it to 6, soon to be 7 as the Chinese Branch is rising up from it's group stage within a few more months).. This is fantastic news for the Miri/Bintulu District. I am very very excited for them. :)

Love Elder Vincent

June 29, 2015

This week is Elder Fowler's last week in the mission.  It feels kind of strange he is going home.  We both came to the mission the same time, but he is going home two weeks before me.  So I am in the mind set that I am going home too, but I'm not... Strange feeling.  But it will be a very busy two weeks, so it'll be okay.  In fact, this next week will be very interesting because...
1)  I have no companion for 2 weeks.  I will be with the Chinese Elders until I go home.  So I am a Chinese Elder now.
2)  We are going to Miri on Saturday and we'll be there until Tuesday. We are having a special district conference where Bintulu and Miri combine to meet Elder Funk and our new mission president, President Simmons.

So yup, President Mains goes home on the 1st of July. New one comes, and then in 2 weeks I leave... But I got to meet President Mains this last Wednesday for interviews.  He just gave some good advise for the future and congratulated me of the good work I've been doing.

This week we just tried to visit everyone before Elder Fowler left.  We're still teaching some of our investigators, while a few of them went back to kampung for a week or so.  We had an incredible attendance for this week, of 73 people at church including 9 from the Chinese group, so 82 is pretty good for us. It's been struggling at about 55 lately.  President Antonius, a former branch president came back with his family.  Been a few weeks since he's been around. 

Just excited to be here for another week.  Other than that, just running to the finish line. That's about it. :) 

Love, 

Elder Vincent

A Week To Begin all Last Weeks...

Well, this week was absolutely crazy. We've had lots of investigator work and it's really hard to keep up with everything, but that's not a bad problem to have. Well, this week will be even crazier. President Mains will be coming for interviews on Wednesday, my companion has gotten permission to go to Miri to see one of his areas on Thursday, (same zone, but different city) and then we should hopefully be having a baptism this Saturday. :)  Then after that, my birthday on the 30th, my companion goes home on the first, and then I'm really not sure what is going on for the last 2 weeks. Maybe I'll spend it by splitting time with the  Chinese Elders to go to my area and their area.

This last Sunday we made brownies for the branch's fathers.  Delicious as always. This week we also found 5 new investigators, 4 from a part member family, and 1 referred from another investigator that we have only taught twice.  S. M. is the best investigator of all time, just saying. :P 

Just a heads up, Elder Funk is going to be coming to Miri on the 5th of July, and so me and all the members from Bintulu get to go to a special district conference for that day.  We will probably head there on AMERRIKUUUH's Independence Day and leave the afternoon of the 5th of July. (which happens to be the day of my baptism 12 years ago)

the District President is hoping that Elder Funk will make Miri/Bintulu a stake.  We have enough members and Miri for sure is strong enough for it, but Bintulu still needs to work some things out before it can even think about getting a stake...

Anyway, have a great week guys, and Happy Father's Day!

Love

Elder Vincent

June 1, 2015 - Final Stand

Transfers are out. I am going to Bintulu Branch 1 for my 6 weeks of my mission. I will be with Elder Fowler, who is also in my group going home in 6 weeks, so... Well it should be a very interesting transfer. I am very excited to go back to Bintulu, but I am so lazy to pack... This being my eleventh area in the mission, averaging about 2 and half months in each area... -.-

Well, I wish I could tell you everything, but I have lots of stuff to do in two days!

Anyway, this is the Gawai Festival week. We had quite a bit of work going on for a few days, and then BAMMMM. Not only was everybody going back to their villages, but my companion was sick from Thursday to now, and he slept through most of Friday and Saturday... He's feeling good, but it's way tough to be in just a 2 elder house and not have anything to do. Honestly, you can only read the scriptures and update the area book and clean the house for so long, and then what else is there to do??

That meant we had about 10 people come to church, 8 of them being missionaries. And then I GOT TO CONDUCT SACRAMENT MEETING!! It doesn't mean much because it was just me and the elders and one other member that didn't go back to his hometown, but oh well. I did it. :D :D :D :D

So...that's about all I have time to say, love you guys see you back in BINTULU!!!

Elder Vincent

May 18, 2015 - Gawai In Malaysia

So.... Interesting Sunday. We missed the sacrament, due to a few strange accidents. I started my day by biking and I looked back to see why everyone was riding their bikes way slow, and in the midst of that I ran my foot into the side walk curb and hurt my foot a bit, not too bad though.  Still can walk. Ripped open my shoe. Then we get to the church, the meeting is about to start when a member asks us to help her with a flat tire to get to church, so we go there. We're only like 5 minutes away, fix the tire within 10 minutes, and then on the way back, a car in front of us runs over the curb really badly, and then 5 seconds later, my companion does the same thing but falls down lightly on the grass... strange 4 events all in the same hour. :P

We get back and I have a talk which went into having a TRUE Testimony.

The reason I talked about that was when a friend of mine from an old area told me about her situation.  She misses church really badly. She needs to get a job to help save up for her mission, but just as Malaysia is not very understanding of Christians, she can't go to church very often, and she started crying and told us how she misses church so badly. This came from a member which was very active when I was there, but still perhaps lacked on her testimony.  Needed friends to bring her, for her to come. Now, to working for her mission but being in an emotional state of being upset for not getting to go to church. Her testimony has grown a lot since I last saw her 11 months ago... That is what brings me true joy.  To see somebody grow from what they were to what they are now.  She does have problems still, and I can't help solve all of them, but just to hear her say that, I know she understands now the importance of the Sabbath. :)

April 27, 2015 - Transferring back to Sibu

Hey guys! this week was first of all transfers. My flight with Elder Yang and Coloma to Sibu was at 7:30pm.  Monday we visited Sister Dorkas' family for the last time and had just a great family home evening, played some games, and had a down to heart conversation together.  It was an expensive taxi ride though because prior to their house we were playing at another escape room, and we got out a bit late, it was like 6 pm when we finished so the sisters and us took a taxi back instead of busing back (which would have taken ages!) and ended up to be 90 ringgit.

Tuesday was our district meeting good byes. Elder Thatcher and Elder Halpin had left to go to Singapore by this time. Elder Hobbs followed us for the day, and we just met a few of our favorite members and those we couldn't meet in time we just called or texted.  I'm going to miss KK so much!

Wednesday was mostly just a bunch of waiting until my flight! I was way nervous about immigration, but by the time I got to the counter, I noticed that their computers were broke and they were just writing everything by hand and so even then they just wrote down my passport number and gave me a normal pass. :D :D :D

Since then Elder Chang and I have been trying to figure out our area together, which is pretty tough because the past elders have not updated the area book for the last 3 months, so any investigators that are "supposedly" on date will have to be taught again, if we can even contact them, since we have no idea where they live or what their phone numbers are.... So we've basically just had a clean start and making the best of it. It's been a long week out in the sun, but we've got a few things going a bit. Should be getting better each week. :)

Love,

Elder Vincent