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| First Chapel I've seen in Malaysia (Kuching) |
This week was so awesome! Being trained by Elder Brent H. Neilson was definitely the highlight. He is the head of the missionary department for the whole world. I am so glad I took good notes. I feel like I will have things to refer back to for years to come. I'd say the best part of his whole visit though was the prayer Elder Neilson offered at the end of the MLC (Missionary Leadership Training) in Kuching. The Spirit was so powerful, I couldn't help but be overcome with emotion. I want to be able to pray with that level of faith, love, and real intent. I think that like most things in the gospel, praying in that manner falls in the category of things that cannot be taught, but can be learned.
One of my favorite things that Elder Neilson shared with us was about using the "Gold Mine"or less-active members to find. We are increasing our faith by acting in all diligence with this counsel. Yesterday we printed off the branch list and went through it with our branch president. We have enough less-active members to where we will never have to wonder what we want to do. We are coordinating our efforts with the YSA (Young Single Adults) who recently made a YSA reactivation plan. I feel that will be especially effective because many of the people on that list are in the 15 - 25 year old target group. Included on that list are children of record and many part member families. We have been asked by our branch president to make a branch mission plan/vision. I think that will help us to follow Proverbs 29:18. I think that if we tackle this tactfully and pull together with the branch we will begin to see some epic success here in the Puchong Branch.
We are also increasing our faith by looking for a lawyer. We asked the branch presidency what they feel they need in the branch and they say a lawyer. I guess they have men of many professions in the KL (Kuala Lumpur) district but no lawyer...not sure how to find one but we will.
As Elder Schwemmer and I were thinking of how we could more effectively find educated kingdom building investigators, we thought about the University down the street from our apartment. We decided to go to the University to see if we could talk to someone from some sort of Religious Studies department and organize something where we could share. Sadly, we went to the University to find the front door locked with a bunch of chains and a padlock through the door handles...that explains a lot. But it was Saturday, so what can you expect? We will try again later this week.
We had a miracle this week as Elder Riddle and I were trying to make it back home after our late night flight from Kuching (MLC was in Kuching, and that was my first time in East Malaysia). Our flight didn't land until nearly midnight and by then we were beat and wanted to get home. I had personally never made the trip to the airport and back, so I was not sure of the best way to get to and from there. The Sister Training Leaders suggested the bus. We went to buy bus tickets but the next bus was not till 12:30. Elder Riddle and I both felt that although a taxi would be really expensive, it would be the better option. So we went and got a taxi. While we were doing that, we remembered that the bus goes to KL central and, because it was so late, there would be no trains. I'm sure that we could have found a taxi or something from KL Central to where we needed to go, but I was thankful that God was able to guide us to make the best decision.
This week was awesome! Full of instruction and revelation. Thanks for all that you do. Hope you all have an awesome week!
Here's a link about our conference: http://www.mormonnewsroom.my/article/general-authority-tour-of-the-singapore-mission
Love,
Elder Avery
Working Hard in Malaysia (March 7, 2016)
Vision (March 21, 2016)
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| Elder Riddle |
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| P-day Fun! |
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| The Patronus Towers, Kuala Lumpur |
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| At the chapel in Kuching |
