August 10, 2014 – Baptism’s Around the Corner - Week 6 in Sibu Jaya

So, the good news! My cast comes off on Wednesday! Good thing too, I’m getting truly sick of it! All the members say that if they were me they would have slid their hand out by now (putting it back in when they go to the doctor again), they don't particularly trust doctors all that much.

Also, not sick from the water!!!

Breakfast today was Pau, a Chinese food. Basically it’s like bread with filling. Today I had a buttermilk one and a peanut one. They cook it by steaming it. The crust is very thin and a bit chewy, the whole thing is moist and delicious.

We are waiting for transfers. This morning Sister Mains sent me a text asking about my wrist, I answered that it was good the cast would come off Wednesday. After that she replied saying “that’s great! See you Wednesday night...." The only way I would see her on Wednesday night is if I go to Singapore... However if I transfer to Singapore I would be leaving Thursday morning, which makes me believe that maybe I am training. There are a bunch of Malay elders coming in.... But if I’m training that means that either Elder Chan is leaving or I am leaving and am whitewash training somewhere else....

The work this week was great. We went to see Brother John again last night, he wasn’t so bad, we’ve figured our new approach will be to just focus on him, and it seemed to work.

Sister Lulong is doing good, we put her and her 2 sisters Ida and Talot on date for the 15th of November. They each own a door in the mini 3 door longhouse. They are way cool.

Victoria had to work again...

Phillip is solid as always.

New investigator! So basically the other Elders met this guy while out and about, his name is Sigai. Last year he was working in Miri and started learning from the sisters there. He’s way smart, and pretty much gets everything and can explain it back. Way cool guy. We met him on Thursday, we sit down start talking for a bit and he’s like, "I really wanted to be baptized before but then I came back and was too shy to ask about it" way cool. Shared the restoration and put him on date for the 20th of September. His family is a bit sketchy... Basically his former wife cheated on him with a Muslim guy and then left him and entered Islam... He is good legally, we saw his IC card, but we think some of his children are Muslim now. Anyway, he came to church and stayed the whole time but then had to take off to catch the boat to Kapit. He comes back Saturday. We will meet him again this week after he comes back and see how it goes.

Speaking of Muslims, we can talk to them all we want, just not about the gospel. This family was a member’s sister who married into Islam, they have been having the missionaries over for raya for years. We typically have English class every week at one of the members homes. This week, at English class, there were 2 Muslims. When I was in Matang we were good friends with the Muslim owner of the restaurant next to the church. They really aren’t all that scary, promise.

30 minutes till transfers come (theoretically). Very "transfer trunky" right now. I really want to just stay in Sibu Jaya.

Yesterday, after Church, Sister Seleha invited us over for lunch and after that we took her to her cousin’s Kampung just down the road. We talked with them for a while and they asked us to come back later this week and teach them. Way cool. Also I don’t think a white person had come there before, there was a lot more staring and shyness than usual. They gave us a LOT of "cempedak." It doesn’t have an English name. Just a scientific one. Google it. Same stuff we picked from the jungle last week. Anyway, when we went last week we picked like 20 of these things. I thought they were going to sell them. Nope, just for eating.  I have had more of this stuff this week than rice and noodles combined, that’s saying something. Raw, fried, the seeds soaked and boiled you name it I’ve eaten it.

No answer on extending yet.

David, good job on the priesthood! I know you will be a great Deacon.

Something I forgot to tell you guys before, I have been put in charge of the Primary here.... Long story. Basically though, I showed up on the first Sunday and President Clement comes up to me and says "go, teach primary"... No plan no nothing... There are 7-15 children, ages 5-11, no classes, no music, one room, 2 hours..... Anyway, last week, a new senior couple, the Mills, came to Sibu Jaya. They have taken over planning primary. Now I just do singing time and teach the 5-8 year old class. This is much better.

You guys are AWESOME!

Transfers were not what anyone expected.... Elder hill is leaving Elder Strathearn. Elder Strathearn’s new companion is Elder Blackwelder, I’ve met him before, cool guy. Elder Chan is leaving, he will be finishing his mission in Miri as a Chinese Elder. Sometimes transfers incite rage in missionaries, this is one of those times, Elder Chan is not happy. Anyway I will be staying here, Elder Kavapalu will be replacing Elder Chan. He is Polynesian, for once I won’t be the biggest person around.

love,

Elder Halpin

still waiting for transfers....

Love,

Elder Halpin

If this doesn't sum up my first four weeks at church nothing does.

Getting Cempedak

Lulong in white, Ida in stripes and Talot next to me.

August 3, 2014 – Jungle Survival Tips? The Work is Progressing - Week 5 in Sibu Jaya

This week was good.

Dad:  Did you have another calamity happen this week?

Elder Halpin: Yes something bad did happen this week father. I woke up on Friday with a bad back which continued until Sunday. Basically just way sore, not even sure what I did to it.... The curse continues...

No but really this week was good. Sister Lulong continues to progress. We taught the restoration and gospel of Jesus Christ this week. She seems to understand and is working on praying.

The Phillips family went to Kampoung early Sunday morning because Sister Sarawa

s’ father went to the hospital. Anyway, he and his son Lawrence stayed and came to church. He’s so solid, more than a lot of members.

Brother Belayong is a recent convert. He’s a way cool guy. He’s done just about everything and then some - sword smith, farmer, general worker, fisherman at sea, keeper of the sultan of Brunei's horses and then some. He also owns every animal under the sun, chickens, a goat, pigs, sivets, a slow loris, cats, dogs, a hummingbird and a lot of pigeons also a monkey. Anyway we’ve been helping him get into the habit of reading and also helping him understand the various doctrines more. On Thursday we went over and he had randomly bought a baby monkey from a guy who also tried to sell him a sun bear, he didn’t want the bear though because it wasn’t a cub and was already fierce he said.

Victoria is doing well, came to church again this week.

Kevin and John not so much. John doesn’t really want to listen to us and always belittles Kevin. So not sure what to do. We will see.

My wrist continues to stink. Next Wednesday, not 2 days from now but next week, the cast should be good to come off. Doctor says it’s healing fast.

Went to a hill looking over Sibu Saturday morning.

Went to Sister Selehas’ "farm" this morning with her family and sister Kat. Basically it is just the jungle. Anyway we gathered bamboo shoots, rubber tree leaves, like last time, and also jackfruit. Also found a huge (6 inches across) sugarcane. Also, we used bamboo to knock down fruit and I mentioned that I had heard that you can drink the water in bamboo. I was laughed at by everyone and told it was dirty. I asked what to do then if I was lost in the jungle with no water. They explained that you just find a clean river... Anyway there was small creek which they said was clean, no plantations or people living near it. They were like "ya, just drink it." I was like "no you have to boil it", once again laughed to pieces. Sister Seleha proceeded to cut a cup from bamboo and got some water from this brown creek and proceeded to drink, then passed it around to everyone else. All the Malaysians, including Elder Chan, drank with complete confidence not worrying about anything, so, I did too... If I wake up tomorrow with giardia I will never trust Iban’s about jungle survival again. Anyway on the way there we drove/walked through some rice paddies that back in the day (1962-1990, was when the war was) where the communist rebels camped/hid.

Anyway, good week, sounds like yours was good too. Scout camp was always a blast and dad, how fast were you going?

Love,

Elder Halpin

Pictures this week:

Climbing the hill. It was nice and grassy so I went barefoot.

At a Muslim guy's Hari Raya party.

The baby monkey. 

It was sleepy, pretty much instantly fell asleep if you held it.

July 27, 2014 – Calamities and Hard Work, Good Week - Week 4 in Sibu Jaya

Glad you all had a good week camping and trekking and such.

So basically the doctor decided to take the day off... Hari raya, ya know!? Basically the month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast is over and everyone is taking the week off. I’ll go in on Wednesday instead.

Also, I did get the letter from Brother Brower, also one from Brother Waters. I wrote them both letters and went to send them, forgot my wallet... Then forgot to try again. They are in my box of letters... Please apologize to them for me. I will re-write them and send this week. Eeek, I feel like a jerk now...

SIB stands for Saints in Borneo. A Protestant church started in the 1950s by some Australian missionaries. They generally don’t like us. One of their members tried to bible bash with me once...

This week went well.

Sister Lulong is coming along. We went to the longhouse on Tuesday and shared the restoration with her. She can’t read, but she said she would pray to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet.

John and Kevin are doing all right. We went over there on Friday to talk about Jesus and his life and also faith. The family is very receptive, and Kevin has read some more. We are having some difficulties with John. He is very knowledgeable about the gospel but he doesn’t use it in anyway helpful. He has some attitude problems that are making trying to figure out how to help him difficult.....

Brother Phillip and family are good.

We got an old investigator back. Victoria is 16, she is friends with a lot of the youth. Her family doesn't care what she does but doesn't want to be involved. She received 2 lessons about 3 months ago and then went to Kampung where she disappeared for 3 months.  Probably the most sincere investigator I’ve ever had. She has come to church the past 2 weeks and is reading the Book of Mormon. Yesterday we went over the plan of salvation with her, she asked a lots of questions and took notes. It was very cool. She said that she wanted to be baptized, but on her birthday, January 24, 2015.... Maybe after we teach, in depth, about baptism she will want to be baptized sooner. I don’t think she really understands it completely yet. Anyway, way cool.

So, basically, the calamities keep coming to me... so first off my first week in Sibu Jaya I got sick one night and had the infamous "double-headed dragon" symptom as it is known.Tthen at the end of that week, of course, I broke my wrist. Anyway, on Thursday I woke up sick, lost 10-12 pounds in the course of 4-6 hours. We have a scale in our kitchen and I regularly stand on it. Weighed 220 when I woke up and 209 at lunch...

Otherwise things are good. Elder Chan just got his release date in his email, September 25th. Speaking of the 25th, Elder Strathearn has the same birthday as me. If we are both still here we are going to go hard, since we can legally drink, we will probably go to the night club across from the church.... Hahaha, just kidding.

Bathrooms that don’t work are annoying. The light in our bathroom burnt out and we are too lazy to buy a new one and replace it. I just tied my headlamp to the water pipe and we use that. It pretty much illuminates the whole room. Also electricity that breaks is annoying. Ours is particularly janky. We came home from church and the outlet our refrigerator was plugged into had exploded and melted. We are using a different outlet now...

With love,

Elder Halpin

Pictures:  

Victoria, Sister Bia, the young womens advisor, and I.

The day we went into the jungle. This is rubber, latex. It dries on your fingers like a latex glove. It's what put Sibu on the map originally, rubber plantations. Basically people have been burning the jungle around Sibu Jaya all this week to make rice paddies. This tree was to be burnt so we didn't feel bad chopping into it.

The haircut Sister Kat gave me, I  went to a barber and had it chopped off that evening, it was horrendous.

Cassandra, one of Brother Phillip's and Sis Sarawas children, found a kitten that somebody stepped on and brought it home. Basically its wrist is broken and it would hobble around on it bending it in all sorts of wrong directions screeching all the while. Anyway I made a "splint/cast" for it and now it slides on its forearm and doesn't scream. We will take it off when I take off mine and see if it heals, I don't have much hope...

July 21, 2014 – The Work Continues, Busy, Busy, Busy - Week 3 in Sibu Jaya

Good week. So first off my wrist. It is doing good, no pain, I assume it’s healing. The name of the bone I broke is called the scaphoid bone. It’s one of the small bones in the wrist. It usually heals up fine depending on where it is broken and if the parts have separated. My particular fracture isn’t separated yet. Basically I will go back to the Doctor in 1 more week to get more x-rays and see how it’s doing. If it’s good should be 4-6 more weeks of the cast. If it is "bad" then they may need to do surgery and hook them together with a screw.... if that happens it’s almost certain I will get transferred to Singapore and depending on things I guess there is a chance I could get sent home for medical (highly doubt it though)... Anyway don’t dwell on it, the doctor said the chance of that happening is only 10%-15% percent, not too likely. Already had a blessing too, so I should be good!

Showering with one hand up is way annoying...

Typing with one hand is so slow!!!!! The above paragraph took like 10 minutes, I’m sure!!!

A couple things that I have just generally forgotten to tell you.

I am the district leader here. Basically means nothing but every Sunday night I report ours and the other Sibu Jaya companionship’s numbers to the zone leaders. It also means that on Tuesday I conduct district meeting and give some training.

My bike is a boss! It’s a 5 year old one I picked up in Ipoh! It was purchased back in the day when the mission paid for bicycles, (would have been nice, right?). So there was no budget and this 7 foot tall Elder got one custom shipped from America because he couldn't find one tall enough. It’s got the old style equipment so maintenance is way cheap. Also it’s tall (duh). Way nice on the knees. Basically goes to show the crappiness of Chinese stuff. The bike that I bought off the missionary when he went home was falling apart when I got to Ipoh. It was going to need several hundred ringgit worth of repairs. Anyway there was this 5 year old bike sitting there that nobody owned. It was basically just ridden by random Elders around Ipoh for 5 years. So I took it and ditched my piece of junk Chinese bicycle. Only a few problems since, replacing a broken quick release with a bolt, the brake pads and a tire. Best decision I ever made concerning transportation. American made stuff for life!

So this week!

Had both the good and the bad. First off Roseline got anti’d by her in-laws. Although her husband works in Kapit we have met him a couple times and he is way cool, really wants to learn when he stops working in Kapit. So maybe then we will try again.

We went and taught John again, it was ok, I have a lot of hope that his family will come back and John will be baptized. Also his nephew who lives there is super cool. His name is Kevin, he is 9. Anyway, saw him looking at my Book of Mormon over dinner, so gave him one. the next time we visited (2 days later) he had taken it upon himself to read the title page, introduction, the testimonies of the 3 and 8 witnesses and Joseph Smith’s testimony! Pretty cool kid!

We also got a referral this week from Sister Seleha. Basically it’s two of her friends that live in her Kampung five minutes down the highway. They live in a miniature 3 door longhouse. First time in a longhouse. They are named Lulong and Ida. They are SIB but are pretty interested in learning.

We are meeting with a lot of people.

Everyone is talking about MH 17... Saying that the number 7 is unlucky and that Malaysian Airlines is going to be bankrupt. Then there will be nothing left but Air Asia (that would be awful, they would make you pay for your parachute on the spot if there was an evacuation at altitude, all jokes aside its true).

We get fed a lot here, more than any other area so far. I am really beginning to like Iban food.

We are trying to get Home Teaching started. On my mission I have come to realize its importance. I didn’t put much stock in it before. I will be 100% after my mission for sure. I feel that if we could get it started solid in Sarawak it would solve and prevent a lot of problems.

Always looking for investigators. The cast is actually a way good contacting tool. Just walk through the flats and inevitably someone asks what’s wrong with my hand, bam, ice broken!

Speaking of ice, I am addicted to Malaysian otter pops. Sister Kat makes Limau (lime) ones from fresh limes from her tree that are ridiculously good. Too good, and cheap. Elder Chan and I ordered 50 about 4 days ago, I think 20ish are left... Killed my immune system and caught a cold. Serves me right....

This morning went into the jungle with Sister Kat, to gather Sayur and Buah (vegetables and fruit). Not much luck with the fruit as none was ripe. But we did gather a lot of sayur, a rice bag’s worth of 3 main types. Also sampled a few others. I am confident now that if I was lost in the jungle here I could at least find enough food to comfortably survive. Water would be a different picture. Drank 3 liters in 5 hours...

Love,

Elder Halpin

Pictures this week:

A "ningit." 

Basically a large variety of fly that Iban's sometimes eat. 

It’s the size of my thumb.

At Brother John’s house, Sister Sutia, his wife, is in the door and Kevin is wearing the red shirt. 

The cat is probably the biggest house cat I have seen in my life.

At Brother Tabor and Sister Jelitas house. 

One of my favorite families here. Brother Tabor is way cool.

Lunch in the jungle, Elder Strathearn is the other Elder. 

His comp is Elder Hill from my MTC group. 

July 14, 2014 – Great Week! … but Ouch! - Week 2 in Sibu Jaya

So..... This week was great!!!!

The best thing this week was teaching 17+ lessons! A new record for me, my previous was 11 in Ipoh.

We have some new people learning. Brother John and his wife Sister Sutia. He is an inactive member but wants to come back. He was 1 week away from baptism when Sister Sutia was baptized, however, smoking killed him. We will work with him again.

Sister Kat is 37 not 60... Anyway we helped her in her kebun (farm, garden) on Friday. Learned how to find, harvest, prepare and cook bamboo chutes it was very interesting.

The worst thing that happened this week goes like this...

So the members here like to kecau (tease, trick, make fun of, use awful Malaysian sarcasm on, etc.) the Elders.

We were at Sister Seleha and family's home (a recent convert family) last night for family home evening. We had lots of fun. They tell us the activity is going to be outside, everyone goes outside. A flour fight ensues... Way fun. Unfortunately it had been raining a bit and as I ran out from under the parking shelter my feet flew out from under me and I landed on my left hand/wrist. Long story short I am typing this in a cast that I got earlier today.... Yes I fractured my wrist..... It should take about 2 months to heal. I can still ride a bike more or less.

Anyway, that’s Elder Halpin’s week.

Honestly I’m in good spirits and not too worried about my wrist. The work here is too good to be worried about things like that. Basically I tied my tie one handed today, thus it is short. I also forgot to shave. I also need a haircut that I’ve been too busy today to get...

Sibu Jaya is the best!!!!

Love,

Elder Halpin

Pictures this week:

Me with Sister Doris and family

She is a recent convert.

In a tree gathering fruit.

Elder Chan and I with a short tie and broken wrist.

This was literally taken minutes ago.

July 6, 2014 – Different Mission, again? - Week 1 in Sibu Jaya

So basically this has been the biggest change since coming out on my mission.

Sibu Jaya is very different than anywhere I’ve been before. Basically it’s tiny, but huge. Basically there are a few shoplots and 2-3 terrace house neighborhoods and then there are the flats (apartments). Also 2 schools, a police station and market area. Our longest bike ride is about 5-10 minutes. There are over 400 members on the branch list. We have 2 of the 3 terrace house areas and flats A-L and the other Elders have the other terrace area and flats M-T.

I’m pretty sure there are more Ibans here than in all my previous areas combined. I think I’ve only seen like 5 Muslims since I arrived. Also Sibu Jaya has had 28 baptisms since the year began, more than any other branch by a long shot.

Basically it was opened about 3 1/2 years ago and has been on fire since. The only problems Sibu Jaya has are created by the members themselves. The branch has sort of been rocked by a few events and it has caused a lot of people bad feelings and such. Basically the only problem is that the branch is suffering structurally.

We live in a dilapidated terrace with the other Elders.

Currently we have 2 progressing investigators, Phillip and Roseline. Phillip’s family was baptized about a month ago and he just stopped working in Kapit and now works here in Sibu Jaya. He wants to be baptized very much and was very disappointed when he found out he had to wait a year to go to the temple. All that’s holding him back is a discectomy, which will be taken out in 6 months. He has to wait until then.

Roseline, is a referral from Sister Kat (more about her later). She has a couple kids that are young and a husband, who works in Kapit, named Onnie, who really wants to learn but can’t because he’s not here. She is on date for the 16th of August. 

Basically all of the baptisms have been member referrals. There are enough members, recent converts and less active members here that we have scheduled appointments from 2-3 pm until 9-10 pm. We have no time to go contacting, it’s wonderful.

The branch President’s name is Clement. He drives a taxi. He’s cool.

A lot (the majority) of members here were referrals from Sister Kat. Sister Kat is about 60 and from Indonesia. She sells kuey, most of the time (snacks), because she can’t get normal work. As she does she shares the gospel and gets to know everybody in the whole place, and then introduces them to us. The only thing that stops her from going back to Indonesia is that there is no church there. She is boss! She knows more scripture references then I do I’m quite sure.

All the members here are bosses. They also like to kecau the Elders a lot (tease).

My new companion is Elder Chan and he is way cool. Like I said before he is from Kuala Lumpur. His father is an Area Seventy in the church.

This week we had district conference at Sibu district center so the entire branch loaded into a bus and went there. Kind of a weird first Sunday. Anyway way cool.

Also yes I did start the acne stuff. Also I forgot to take a picture of just me and Elder Chan... Next week... to email we bus into Sibu town.

Also sorry it’s one paragraph no time to fix it up didn’t even get to say everything I wanted to.

Mom: So this is a required question (you must answer). Tell me the highlight of your time in Samarahan…  What is the best experience you had and why?

Elder Halpin: The best experience I had in Samarahan? Probably helping to reactivate Brother Beliang. Most of his family was active when I arrived but he wasn’t. He would come once every 4 or so weeks and just stay for sacrament and then leave. We started visiting him and shared about faith and the Book of Mormon. We got them to start reading the Book of Mormon every night and such. Anyway by the time I left he was coming every Sunday for all 3 hours. He was also actually fulfilling his calling as Branch Mission Leader. Way cool. The second to last time I met with them he shared his testimony. He said that before this year he didn’t understand faith. As he started to pray and read and come to church he felt his faith grow and begin to carry him through trials and such. Way awesome. They are planning to go to the temple in 4 years as soon as Brother Jackson is out of the military (you can’t leave the country if in the military). Also working with Bro Clement’s family. Saw a lot of spiritual growth there.

Mom: So what is “ngajating and poco pocoing and jogeting?”

Elder Halpin: "ngajating and poco pocoing and jogeting". All dancing. ngajat traditional Iban/Bidauyuh/Orang Ulu dance. Poco Poco everyone’s favorite line dance. It’s basically the electric slide... Joget is just generic dancing. Just kind of shift from one side to the other and move your arms and such. Really simple, it’s how people dance here. It’s way funny when you see a crowd of people just jogeting to some Iban rock music. 

Love

Elder Halpin

Pictures:

Me and a Slow Loris right after it got a bath. 

Definitely in the jungle.

Inside the courtyard of one of the flats. 

People here love Astro.

With Chiping and Evelyn’s family, way fun. 

Believe it or not the baby is not actually 

screaming he’s just making a face.

Elder Chan with his Father and Sister Kat.

June 30, 2014 – “King of Kuching” Transfering to Sibu Jaya - Week 24 in Kuching

Mom:  The Book of Mormon musical is coming to Spokane.  It does not treat the church or missionaries kindly.  Anyway...there is a big PR push by the local Stakes to use this negative publicity to get non-members and members talking about the church, especially missionary work, and turn the negative into a positive.  Part of the plan is to do a social media blitz and share your own or family missionary experiences via facebook, etc.  They did this in other cities where the musical was playing and it was very successful.  Anyway....if we posted about your missionary experience, WHAT IS SOMETHING you would want us to SHARE?

Elder Halpin: As for the Book of Mormon thing you can share anything I’ve shared and I will think about it and send a maybe a better response next week.

Way sick Adam about the Japeechen camp out. Also how do you manage to break 3 iPods?.

The chocolate was sedap. Also I wear the 40s. The 38s must be older than I thought because I know for a fact that I am smaller than when I left on my mission...

Also on a different note, if I wanted to extend (it would be for 1 transfer (6 weeks)) would you guys be alright with that? It would mean I would come home the first week of June instead of the last week of April.

So. transfers...

I am going to Sibu Jaya, it’s an area next to the city Sibu. My new companion is Elder Chan,  he is from Kuala Lumpur. Should be fun! A bunch of the YSA here going to school are from Sibu Jaya. From what I hear the branch mostly consists of a set of large flats in the middle of the jungle an hour from Sibu proper. Anyway, I hear the branch has about 80-90 people coming to church.

Samarahan has been fun I’m going to miss it. Elder Lafontaine is going to Bintulu to train.  Elder Capener and Elder Allen are going to continue on alone here in Samarahan.

This week was kind of pell-nell. On Wednesday, the Jarrau family ended up being too busy to meet and we haven’t been able to get back over there. Instead we went to visit Sister Merina. We met her son Jackie who was on vacation from work in west Malaysia as a welder. He seems pretty interested and said he would read the Book of Mormon. There is no church where he works but he said when it comes there then he would learn. Way cool guy.

Went to Kampong Rembus with the other Elders to meet the members there on Thursday and also went to visit Brother Niga, he is preparing to receive the Melchezedek Priesthood.

Saturday we had a closing Gawai party with the whole branch, lots of food and ngajating and poco pocoing and jogeting and such. Also a Gawai tree that we set up in the foyer. Great fun.

Sunday everybody was sick. Literally everyone. I mean that everybody who came to the party and ate the food was sick. All 50 of them. There was a line for the bathroom the entire meeting. When I had to go I just walked to our house...

Sunday evening we met with Sister Lucy’s parents they are way good reading and praying, and are on date for the ninth of August.

Overall good week. We have a group family home evening tonight at the church most of branch should be there, it will be a good way to say goodbye to everyone.

My time in Samarahan has been good. We actually have found "good" (progressing ones who have a somewhat strong desire to learn) investigators and have done a lot of good with the less active and recent convert members here. We have managed to raise attendance from 25-35 to 40-50. In the next transfer anywhere from 2 up to 15 people should be getting baptized including both our and the other Elders investigators. I am going to miss all the great members here transferring sucks.

Also last Sunday was district conference and President Mains came to Kuching. It was rather funny because he asked who was present that had been present at the June one last year and I was able to raise my hand. I have been labeled the "King of Kuching" and it has been predicted that after 1 transfer in Sibu Jaya I will be transferred back to Kuching..... Anyway whenever there is a district event here it’s way nice because I get to see a bunch of members from Matang, at district conference 5 families invited me back to visit, it kind of sucks because I have no time to.

Anyway I guess I should send you guys some pictures... I’ve been kind of bad at it.

Love

Elder Halpin

Pictures:

.

This Morning we went to an Orangutan reserve. Way cool. They come around to eat fruit that the park puts out.

Closing Gawai Branch Party

This Morning we went to an Orangutan reserve. 

Way cool! 

They come around to eat fruit that the park puts out.