Things Are Starting to Click

First off, I would like to apologize for the poor quality of my pictures. I tried to take a picture with me and Elder Florence having a really cool sunset in the back, but the camera didn't do it justice. It was much better from our apartment, but it was hard to get a good quality of picture through the window. 

This week we started talking to more people (having success in going to busier places). Our branch has supported us and encouraged us as we have looked to find new investigators.We had some success this week, and we had a new investigator appointment. We met this person while we were contacing in a busy market (tents that sell Chinese street food), and though we first talked to him last week, we met him this week. We taught him in the church later this last week, and we taught the first lesson (the Restoration). It was cool that we found as we did How to Begin Teaching from Preach my Gospel that although he wanted to "just meet us," he also had a desire to learn about Jesus Christ. We were like Perfect! We then went on to share a really good, really spiritual message of the Restoration, and then set a return appointment with him. He called us later that night, and told us that he actually didn't have interest. We were just happy that we shared the message with him though, and that we brought the spirit.

Another cool miracle was that we were contacting many people without much success then a girl walked up, and contacted us. We will be meeting with her tomorrow.

We are doing great here, and we have many chances to speak with many people, and to feel the spirit. The members are great here, and I am loving my time in Butterworth.

Sincerely

Elder Allen

Hospitals

Well, we had transfers this week (not that that changed much for Elder Florence and I) but since one of the Sisters in our district finished her mission, her companion had to go to Ipoh (two hour bus to the south) for a few days. That meant that Elder Florence and I had District Meeting by ourselves, in which time we discussed our contacts, and we have made big changes since then. We still are working on meeting with, and finding more people, but we hope that with our new techniques we will be able to meet people's needs better.

We spent a couple days in Penang this week because Elder Florence needs to get his feet operated on (ingrown toenails) and no one in Malaysia seems to be able to do the procedure we need. We called the mission office, and let them know our struggles. They told us they would handle it, and apparently Elder Florence might need to have his toes done in Singapore. 

we have seen great progress in one of our investigators Eco, who has made great strides in his testimony (and not to mention his English). We watched the Restoration video in Vietnamese, and the spirit was so strong.  He told us that he knows that the the Book of Mormon is true, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. We had a great lesson with him, and at the end of it, he said a really good prayer. 

All is well in Butterworth. We are doing well, and my testimony is increasing. One scripture that I read this morning that I like, talks about how we can use our circumstances to change for the good, or the bad. It is in Alma 62:41.  May we each use the circumstances we are given to become better.

But behold, because of the exceedingly great length of the war between the Nephites and the Lamanites many had become hardened, because of the exceedingly great length of the war; and many were softened because of their afflictions, insomuch that they did humble themselves before God, even in the depth of humility.

Sincerely

Elder Allen

Eco, Elder Florence, Elder Allen

Investigators On Date, and a Cool, New Investigator

Well, I will be in Butterworth again (for another six weeks). Transfer news just came out, and despite lots of turnover all over the mission, with lots of people training, Elder Florence and I will remain in Butterworth for another Transfer. Couldn't be happier! 

We had a cool investigator accept a date for baptism yesterday. He is from Vietnam and his name is Eco. We met him a few weeks ago, and have had continuing lessons with him. He is diligently reading the Book of Mormon, and we talked with him yesterday about baptism after we taught him about our purpose on this life, and the atonement of Jesus Christ. He was very willing, and at the end of the lesson, he prayed for forgiveness for forgetting to read the book of Mormon for the first time since we have met him. 

We had a good set of miracles this week, and we worked hard. We found a cool person who, although is not a new investigator yet, probably will become a new investigator in the next week. We invited him to our open house which we had for our branch, and he seemed to have a good time. He had already read the introduction to the book of Mormon, which we had committed him to do at our first meeting with him (just a contact, not a lesson).  

I have been having a good time, and I look forward to another good 6 weeks here! 

Sincerely,

Elder Allen

Zone Conference Pictures

Pictures from the Singapore and Ipoh Zone Conference - August 2017

Nathan is in the food line behind the missionary with glasses.

Nathan is top row, third from left.

Pictures from other Zone Conferences in July and August

My First Real Email in a While

Hello, 

Sorry it has been so long since I have sent a real email. Some things that I may not have said in my last quick email that have happened in the last three weeks. 1. I think it worthy to mention that although I do not have pictures of butterflies on me, I did get a lot on me and even held some of them - not even on a pineapple that they love to eat - on my finger. 2. while at the butterfly farm I held a scorpion (it was probably about 6 inches long - and the stinger was still on it). 

If I didn't mention it last week in my quick email home, Elder Florence has gotten ingrown toenails because his shoes are so small, that we needed to look in Singapore to get him new shoes because there is nothing big enough in Malaysia. The sad part is that it was to no avail. He got permission and so now he wears open toed sandals everywhere :). We had no time to email, so I am very grateful that I have the chance to email now.

We had zone conference in Singapore at the begging of the week, so we flew in, stayed over two nights, and headed out in the morning to fly home: to flights - first to the capital of Malaysia (KL) and then to Penang. We learned a lot of good things there. One thing I liked was we learned from Elder Bednar about how we get lots of confusing thoughts, and it is hard to know what is from the spirit, and what is not. He says to just do what you know is right (and stop worrying about it). While we were in Singapore, the mission arranged for us to go see the light show that was newly installed in Marina bay (this is the bay that has the Merlion, and the ship on top of the three hotels if you are familiar with Singapore.) It was really cool, (lots of lights, and projecting on water films.

Even though we got in half way through the week to our area, we had a good week! We got a baptismal font, and it was dirty so I got in and cleaned it out. It certainly isn't a font like in America - it is kind of like a big bathtub. Well, I am sorry, I have to go. Till next week.

Three real categories of pictures: 1. Cool things at the Butterfly farm, 2. The Street art in Penang that is on the cool European part of the city. 3. Pictures of us in Singapore​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ (one pic of the district)