Hey Daddy,
Good to hear Bogus has snow, Macsen said Timp also got some. aaaaahhhh snow, i will never live in a warm weather place again after this, i just love snow too much. Although it is very beautiful here. The other day we went with the Elders to visit some of their recent converts, it was the girls birthday and she invited all the missionaries in Miri to come (all ten of us). It was so beautiful biking to her place because she lives in a Kampung (kampung is the word they use for neighborhood or hometown) next to the beach. We got to bike along the beach for awhile. This place is heaven.
On the bus ride back from Sibu I had a great time looking out the window. On the trip to Sibu is was dark for most of the trip but on the way back it was still light. The bus drove through the jungle and we got to see so many longhouses tucked in the middle of nowhere. Its crazy that one house is these people's entire home town, its their Kampung.
There are two Elders serving here in Miri that are from Kuching, the big city south of us. Elder Lamat is Iban and Elder Ajek is Bidayuh (both local tribes here in Sarawak). On the bus ride we got to talking about these Elders' hometowns and I found out that Elder Ajek's Kampung is not a longhouse, but a Rumah Tinggi (a Tall House). Many of the Bidayuh's built their homes on tall stilts because years ago, during the tribal wars, the Ibans would come and stick their spears up through the floors. They built them tall for safety. The history of this place is crazy. There's a little fun fact for you.
Let's see, this week has been pretty ok. We are teaching an awesome couple right now. His name is Jantai and her name is Eda. They have a daughter named Viviana and a son back at Kampung staying with the grandparents; I think I might have mentioned them before. We met them while sister Whittemore was still here back in June. It took a couple months for them to sort out their priorities but now that Jantai quit his chef job and is working construction (off days on sunday), Eda quit her job to stay home and take care of the kids (they are going back to Kampung next week to get their son and bring him here), they are ready to learn. Boy are they ready. I absolutely love this couple. I think Jantai is one of the very few men I have met here that has good strong family values. He is the one that wanted his wife to be there at home for his kids, he wants so badly for his kids to grow to be good people, and he loves his wife. Now, I know probably every man here loves his wife but he is the only one who shows it. It is so refreshing to see a couple that actually seem to like eachother. At church couples never sit together, in fact they usually sit on opposite sides of the church, they don't touch each other, they don't hug, they don't hold hands, nothing. I'm sure it is cultural but still... It's nice to see Jantai and Eda sit by each other at church, and tease each other, and support each other.
I might have already told you this story but I had actually forgotten about it until late last night while I was lying in bed. As I lay there I was remembering when we first met Jantai, Sister Wong was not yet here. I wanted to share the story with her so I said, "Sister Wong I have to tell you what I just remembered about Jantai and Eda!" I probably scared her because it had been quiet for quite some time. Way back when Sister Whittemore and I first met Jantai we knocked his door. He seemed very excited to see us and almost expecting us. We later found out that he was indeed expecting us. He told us the night before he had a dream that two visitors would come to his house the next day. Two girl visitors. He even told his wife that day before she went to work that he was expecting two visitors. Then we came. I can't believe I forgot about that until last night. Heavenly Father's hand really is in this work. It's sad how easily I forget the little/huge miracles that happen everyday. He loves his children so much. *wipe a tear* (wish I wasn't, but I really am crying haha, this mission has made me such a baby, I cry at everything. This morning I was watching some training videos and was crying, they weren't even emotional or spiritual). Jantai and Eda really are so special. When we teach them they are so eager to learn. Eda leaves next week to go get her son, she will be gone for a few weeks, and then when they get back they will all be baptized as a family.
Last night we took the Elder Lamat and Ajek to some boys' house that we are teaching for their interview. Diki, Dewa, and Jackson will be baptized on Saturday. 16- year- old Dewa didn't come to church on Sunday which surprised us, he has been really good and his baptism is this saturday! We kept prodding and prodding trying to found out why he didn't come and all he did was sit there and shake his head. Finally he blurted out he did come but he was late and the door was locked. (he tried to come in the back door to escape notice but it was locked, I don't think he tried the other door, he was embarrassed and just went home). We asked him why he was late and he admitted that we went shopping for clothes to wear to church. Saturday night we had a lesson all about appropriate clothing for the sabbath and such. Dewa went Sunday morning to buy clothes to wear to church. I felt bad, I guess we should have taught that lesson during the week to give them time to buy clothes for church, instead of late Saturday night. Poor kid.
After he interviewed everyone Elder Lamat came out of the room looking serious and shaking his head no. I was thinking, "oh no,...." He sat down next to us and said quietly and quiet seriously, " Sister he....he....he...uh....he passed." I could have killed him. I was thinking, "what! did he drink? did he smoke? what happened!" The Elders love to tease. It's a good thing I laugh at everything and think everything is funny. There are some Sisters who get ticked. But really, the Elders are quite funny.
The other District Leader in this area, Elder Kumar, is Tamil form West Malaysia. He always says " the interviews are free, but the signatures gonna cost ya" He tries to get us to pay for his signature on the baptism record. What an abuse of power.
I'm excited for the baptism this weekend.
Love you guys
see ya next week
Sister viehweg
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