Sunday, October 26, 2014

October 19, 2014 – Baptisms Continue - Week 16 in Sibu Jaya

This week was boss!

So first off Syazliana and Lulong got baptized, Elder Blackwelder baptized them and I confirmed them the next day. Way cool.

Also, we found a new investigator this week. Her name is Jennifer, she is 9 and is the daughter of Sister Menggan, a less active member who recently decided to become active. She is doing way good, started to pray and came to church. She is on date for the 1st of November.

Bibi is doing way good. She came to church for the first time ever on Sunday!!!! She has started to pray in private now! She is still too shy to pray in front of us though. Way cool to see her keep opening up. She is on date to be baptized the 8th of November.

As for Agama Lama (Iban traditional beliefs) it’s not super unified but I will do my best to explain what I know. Basically, it’s all spirit worship and black magic stuff. Sacrifices and rituals to appease good spirts and keep away bad spirits. For example, they put a piece of black cloth over or on their door to keep out spirits. They give their children black bracelets and anklets to wear. On gawai they sacrifice a pig and one or more chickens, and use the blood for various things. The "priest" if you would, is called a Bomo, there is usually at least one in each Kampung. I’ve witnessed, on several occasions, them do various rituals and such. Anyway, lots of members still meddle with it. As for myself, I 100% believe that black magic is real, at least in some instances, I’ve seen and heard too much to not believe it.

Anyway, after that tangent, Kenneth and Eugenia are doing good. They got it down to 2 cigarettes a day. They are in Miri now, we will meet with them again when they come back. It’s kind of interesting here, the word of wisdom that is. In America it’s a big deal but not that big a deal here. It either makes or breaks people.

Our other investigators are doing well.

Other cool stuff that happened this week. The people from Samarahan came back for break. Stalone and Sheeda are here for 6 weeks. Already they have helped us teach their families and other people. It has been raining reliably every day this week at 3 in the afternoon, 9 at night and 8 in the morning. literally everyday at those same times.... Really bizarre.

Sibu Jaya is boss!

Sounds like you guys are having fun. Adam, that’s a pretty mean Rubik’s cube time!

In Sarawak here they started proselyting in like 2005 or so and then called the first Malay elders in like 2007.

As for the package, anything is good. I could use 1 or 2 new shirts, all of mine never really recovered from the 4 months of washing with fabric softener... Anyway I was lugging around too much stuff, so I put the worst half of my wardrobe in Singapore.

Dad.... I can take the picture now, but the problem is that Elder Blackwelder’s shirts are on a drying rack at home, my T-shirts are on the same rack. So he’s wearing normal clothes, I’m wearing proselyting clothes... so I will wait until next week.

Love you guys!

Sincerely,

Elder Halpin








Lulong and Syazliana. 
Plus a bunch of other people.

A wild Boer jaw bone someone was using to hold machetes.

Sister Bajik and family. 
Except for Sheeda (red shirt) 
They are less active, nobody but sis Kat really remembers them
They are way fun though, 
and they said they'd come to church this week so, will see.

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