September 15, 2013 – Transfers! - Week 13 in Kuching

Awesome week. So after the crazy first couple days with Elder Berger saying goodbye and us packing, things got quite a bit more relaxed. After Elder Berger left, I went to hang with Elder Robbins who was also in training and his trainer became a Zone Leader as well, until we flew out on Thursday morning. We helped the senior couples make book of remembrances. A "book of remembrance" is a super cool thing that is given to a recent convert after they join the church. Basically it has places for pictures, testimonies of yourself and the missionaries who taught you, places to write spiritual experiences, places to put your priesthood ordination certificates and line of authority and a section to start your family history. It’s really cool because it helps the RC to remember, obviously, but it also helps to have things to work toward and if they don’t have a calling yet you can help them start their family history. I will probably make them for my kids.

Then on Thursday morning we went to Singapore.

Oh Singapore..... I don’t know how to describe Singapore.

I hate it and I love it at the same time.

First off why I love it. So first off it’s a break. Secondly there are some really cool things to see in Singapore. Also its where you get your packages (thanks guys, the chocolate is great) and mail. It’s also where you go for zone conferences so you get to see a lot of missionaries and get some good training from the President. As a side note I like it because it shows what real capitalism can do.

Secondly, why I hate Singapore. First off I’m out of my area away from my members and investigators. Secondly its dang expensive for somebody on pension of about 200 us dollars. I also don’t like traveling. It’s all on foot by bus or by the MRT subway, it’s just awful. The 2 biggest reasons I don't like Singapore though 1: There are so many people, people here there and everywhere. No matter where you are or where you look there is literally about 100 people in your view. The second reason I don’t like it is that it is materialism central. Basically Singapore is one big shopping mall. So ya.

But anyway, we got to Singapore and after some trainings and such we got our greenies (greenies are “new to the field” Missionaries). Mine so happens to be called Elder Spencer Gordon Ferguson. He’s from Birmingham Alabama and is 19 years old. He really likes music. He has been in 4 Broadway musicals, Beauty and the Beast as Chip, Wicked as a munchkin, Fiddler On The Roof as a Jewish Boy and Les Miserable as Gavroche, the boy who jumps out of the barricade to collect the ammo and gets killed. In Les Mis he was on the main cast and actually had an IMDB profile, but since he hasn’t done anything in a year or more it has now been deleted.  After that he went to BYU for a year or so before his mission.

So ya.

We tried to get bikes for him and Elder Lundquist (Elder Tyler’s greenie, the other set of Matang Elders) but today being the Sarawak Independence Day, there was a no show at the bike shop. We’ll try again tomorrow.

Stephenie is doing well, she continues to go to church, and read. I will only get to teach her one more time though, she lives in the other Matang Elders area.

Katherine, that’s a great picture!!! 

Gladys, I know that you can do it!!!!

Adam, make sure you actually read for seminary, it makes it so much better.

Elder Halpin
 

"Three Generations"

Elder Berger on my left, Elder Ferguson on my right.