Hi, From Elder Gregory (Grandpa - the little kids here call me or "datuk" in Molay)

I guess I'll try this again, last time after two hours of writing it was lost.

I cannot believe the weather here. 80-90 degrees with 85 percent humidity--24-7-365. We got back from visiting with three families last night about 10:00p.m. and after walking 2 or 3 miles my shirt was so wet with sweat that even my tie, leaning against it was wet. Buses, taxis, and most buildings are air conditioned, not the people' houses.

It is going to take some real effort to understand the people here. Sunday in church was real interesting: several languages, Malay, Indonesian, Chinese, Iban, English (not what we can understand) and who knows what else. A lot don't understand what the speaker and teacher is saying so there are kind of interpreters with each group. There were even people from Pakistan and India in attendance. We will try to learn Malay since that is dominant. The B. of M. has not even been translated into Malay yet so the missionaries use the Indonesian B of M to teach the people, and then try to work around what is not understood. The Iban's have no written language. Most of the people who are members are from the Iban tribe, originally from Borneo. That tribe originally were head hunters and some of the people still have skulls around and their body tattooed with tribe symbols. Thank goodness they are now civilized and they are an intelligent, loving people. They are the ones who are most interested in the Church. We had 9 baptisms (two single guys in their 20's and two families) Sunday. Most are very humble and kind of depressed financially. The houses are rows and rows of cement buildings, each house joined together by a common cement wall. Most have one room about 20 X 25 including the kitchen at one end, and the bedrooms upstairs or sometimes just a mat rolled out to sleep on. Very little furniture, everyone takes off their shoes at the door and then all sit on the floor. That is taking some getting used to. The little kids are really cute. All the people are very accepting of us, and treat us with more dignity and love and respect than we deserve. We have eaten with three or four families already and their food is very interesting. Rice, cooked vegetables, fish (several kinds) and all kinds of meat(mostly) chicken, including innards and feet. Yesterday we had a noodle soup with some kind of greens in it and either pieces of chicken necks or vertebrae of a lizard or something. They eat different kinds of meats, don't ask, but it is very good.

Our assignment consists of: Teaching new members about 6 lessons after baptism, establishing Church and leadership training, working with investigators, work with and teach less-active members, service projects, helping integrate the different cultures, and just about anything else useful and needed. There are no wards or stakes in Malaysia--just wide open. Our little branch covers about 2 million people scattered, who knows how far. Quite a daunting task. We are and will be busy once we get over the culture shock.

ENOUGH---LATER