General Conference! So, since I am on the other side of the world, I have not seen General Conference yet. We are expected to watch it with our ward, in our mission assigned language this coming weekend. So pray for me as I sit through eight hours of Malay. I will have to watch it in English in my own time. NO SPOILERS.
I have heard a lot about Indonesia, and everyone here in Malaysia are praying for their neighbors in Indonesia. We haven't had anything out of the usual. Maybe some more thunderstorms than usual. But I am safe, and I feel your prayers. Thank you!
Just real quick, Miri-cles this week!!
So there is a real language barrier here with some of the people we are teaching. I mostly teach a group of people called Ibans (E-bon). Malay is their second language, and while the youth learn Malay (Chinese, and English) in school, the adults and older generations don't speak Malay very well. Malay and Iban are similar enough where you can kind of understand, but sometimes it is really hard.
We are teaching an older Iban women, and she interviewed for baptism this last week. We were so confident that she was going to pass without a problem. But after the interview, our district leader told us that she didn't have a testimony of Jesus Christ.
We were very put out. We felt like we had failed, because Christ is the center of what we teach. How could she explain the Law of Tithing, but say she didn't have a testimony in Christ? We visited her every day this week, but she insisted she didn't have a testimony of Christ.
Finally we brought a returned missionary as a member present who spoke Iban. In almost three minutes, she had explained what it meant to have a testimony, and the person we are teaching bore her testimony on Christ. Her baptism is this coming week, and we are so excited for her.
I think that we all have a testimony of Christ. He is in all of our lives even if we choose not to see him. My job as a missionary is just to help you see that he is there by your side, and helping you in everything you do. Once you find Christ in your life, don't be afraid to share your testimony.
On another note, Sister Ray has been determined to go door knocking this week. Although I don't think we actually ever knocked on a door, because most houses have gates around them. and also, with the wooden houses, people don't have air con, so they keep their doors open to let the breeze in.
We went "door knocking in a little area of wooden houses by the river. In result though, along with 50 new mosquito bites, We ran into a less active family, Melvin (Have I told you all about Melvin?) and the best friend of a person who we are teaching, who has been telling everyone in the neighborhood that those white people actually speak Malay and are very friendly! So we are going to keep that up! It's not always easy to find neighborhoods that aren't completely Muslim. But when we find Iban neighborhoods, miracles happen! I have learned, just keep going, keep searching. Don't give up. Diligently seek! You will find!
I love and pray for you all! Have an amazing week!
Sister Skinner
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