Saturday and Sunday May 14,15 2011 activities - G G writing

A little run down of the week-end just passed: Most days we exercise, (Nyla runs 4-5 miles, I climb stairs, 392) study, (language and scriptures) read, run errands, clean apt, and make ready for the evening of visiting. We are normally busy visiting and teaching people in late afternoon and evening, but mornings and afternoons are usually quite slow. I'll describe last Sat. and Sunday. But first by way of introduction - a couple of months ago after we had visited Agnes, and Christina, her daughter, we got a call late at night from them asking if they could come to our apt. right now. We said "sure." So we got dressed and wondered - What now, as we get calls from members periodically needing help with something. Usually a blessing or just talk. So, they came and the husband (Peter) was with them and they explained that Sister Agnes and Christina were the first members of the Church to be baptized in Jahor Bahur, about 10 years ago. They have been praying for Peter the husband to be interested in the Church all this time and he has shown no interest. But they told us what they wanted was to discuss the fact that he was now interested and would consider being baptized. (relief) He has been practicing Hindu and Buddhism. They are all Chinese. SO, we have been teaching him and felt we should get the young missionaries involved also. So they have kind of taken over his teaching, along with us. Well, after some difficulty quitting coffee and some extra problems were taken care of and extra permission granted because of an abortion before Agnes was a member, his baptism was scheduled for Saturday. We spent the morning doing usual things for a Saturday--Nyla teaching English lessons, youth members come swimming, my teaching institute class and etc. Then we made cup cakes, filled the baptismal font, and other preparations for the baptism. In the evening I baptized Peter and all who attended the baptism, met at our apt and had a Chinese feast. (Agnes - the main cook - food rather unusual to us) About 30-35 people including the 1st C. in the Stake Pres.

Later that night (we were just going to bed after the 'cleanup') received a call from a sister in the branch who was distraught and came over to receive a priesthood blessing and stayed a couple of hours to cry and tell us her problems. During that time we took two calls asking us if we could pick them up for church, about 15 miles away. Then another call asking me to substitute teach gospel doctrine class.

Sunday early morning started out studying gospel doctrine and picking people up for Church.

After we got to church and did our hand-shaking, and greeting as church was just starting, the branch president came down and asked me to take 15 minutes in giving a talk in Sac. Meeting. Before that I was asked to confirm Peter, which I did. (that involves mental practice saying the Chinese name over and over in my head) Gave my talk, and then bore my testimony in Malay. Since we are not aware of any other senior missionaries who have learned to speak the language, the branch members were pleased that we could speak some Malay. Sunday School was next. About half way through the gosp doc lesson, someone came into the class and said the Branch President wanted to talk with me right then. I gave my notes to the missionaries to continue the class and left to see the B/President. He was filling out some Temple Recommends and wasn't sure how to complete them, so I helped as best I could. In Priesthood Meeting they were going to ordain a young man as a Priest. His father said he would do it but didn't know how. They asked me to walk him through it, so I participated in the ordination and told the father every word to say, and then he finished with a blessing - well done and pretty much on his own.

After church was Branch Council and Nyla attended that while I took the people I picked up back home. We finally got home and ate all by our little selves and relaxed for a while. Evening was taken up by our taking the lap top and some song books to a new member's home where we sang hymns and visited. They had a relative (nephew age 16) with them and he expressed a desire to take the missionary lessons. So we are happy to pick up a new investigator. They served us drinks (Milo which is like hot chocolate) and a snack of home made dried anchovy biscuits, spicy. We finally got to bed very tired but grateful for a full day. We have a full week planned for this week. We hope it all holds up. Time goes much faster when we are busy. Next week is a special conference where we will travel to Kuala Lumpur and attend a meeting with Elder Bednar. We're definitely looking forward to that. Thanks to all for your support and encouragement and prayers. Special thanks to the High Priests Group for your notes, even though you had to be woke up to write it.