A great way to celebrate the season

Nyla writing: Anyone who checks our blog, please know that we so love getting e mails and news from home. Feel free to write us anytime. In fact, we think you should feel obligated.

I'm grateful to be in Malaysia for this Christmas season. Grateful to be serving and feeling the spirit of the season in a whole new way. And hope we can be of some good here. For many members it's their first Christmas since joining the church and they're enjoying some new Christian traditions. Most don't have trees or decorations - they're grateful to have bread and soup and we're grateful to share it with them.

Today (Saturday) was one of those 'hard' days where it seems like everything you have planned falls through and you're left with a lot of 'nothing' to do. Those are the hardest days. So this evening we decided to try to drive to new member family - Bro Tinggom's home. We've been there on the bus and taxi and it's a long ways. We wanted to find it with the car. So armed with maps, magnifying glass to see the maps, and a tankful of gas, we set off. Frustrating - we just couldn't seem to get in the right area and we were wondering if we would even be able to find our way back home. I can't describe how stressful it is to be in a situation where you don't know where you are and no one speaks the language and you know it's not very safe. My stomach was in a knot - but that's not unusual for me recently. We decided we would have to give up. But as we turned around I noticed a road name that I'd seen on the map. Through Garald's great map expertise and a lot of divine help, we found the place and were so relieved and proud of ourselves. Then Brother Tinggom showed us a route (he tries so hard to speak English - finally drew us a map) of an easier way to get back. It's definitely the way we'll go next time. And will be easier than the way we went tonight. Love meeting with them. Great Iban family with 6 children and strong testimonies. We so hope they'll remain faithful and they will be a great addition to this little branch. Brother Ung and wife, Pong and two of their children. An older son who is not a member was not to church for this pic. They are now our responsibility for 'new member' lessons. We have to take a translator and they live a long ways away in downtown JB. That was where we had the 'key locked in the car, while it was running' incident. Some of you know the gory details - if you don't - well, let's just say it's too painful to relate. But it ended well.
Snapped this photo from the front of the chapel (see pic below) looking toward the back. Everyone is walking back for Melauti's baptism.

Tried to snap a little photo so you could see the inside of our church or branch building. You'd never know from the outside that it was this nice inside. Isn't it beautiful. The only place I've seen carpet in this whole country. This was after the baptism, right before those baptized had an opportunity to speak.
Wish the lighting was better - but what a neat baptism last Sunday. Melauti and her mother-in-law. Melauti is such a sweet, wonderful, solid person. We went with the elders once when she was an investigator. She had written down some pretty highly intelligent questions to ask about the Book of Mormon. You may remember their picture having dinner at our apartment a few Sundays ago. After her baptism, she bore her testimony. Although I didn't understand most of the Malay she was speaking, it was pretty easy to feel her emotions and intent. Later Elder Jones told me how she said she'd been praying and hoping to find the true church and had attended many. Then despaired and thought Heavenly Father didn't love her. One day she saw two young men in white shirts and had the thought, "They can help me." Later she found they'd left their card at her home. Told her mother in law, next time they come, ask them to stay. The elders felt they should go back there and when they did she was home - now a sweet new member. We wait anxiously for the elders to finish their teaching so we can have our turn.
FHE - last Monday night. We asked David and Mei if we could join their family. He's the man on the right - white shirt - wife next to him and then Barbara, her sister next and some of their children. (aren't they cute - so lovable - they give us BIG hugs) We took our lap top and showed them Buffy's pictures of sleigh riding in the snow, and cutting down a Christmas tree. They seemed to enjoy them a lot, but they laughed right out loud at the pic of Amiga (their dog) with a coat on - hilarious. We taught and sang 'Once There Was A Snowman and Christmas songs. These are folks who have never seen snow. David and Mei went with the prior senior couple to the Manila temple to be sealed last September. Will probably be the only time in their life they will be able to go. Expenses were paid by the Church Temple Fund. They are now having some 'issues' in their marriage and we asked them to share memories from their temple trip with us. Our hope is that it may have rekindled a lost spark. It was a good evening.