Week 25...HE is the reason I am out serving in Malaysia!

This week has been such a fantastic learning experience and I am so excited to start this week with the fire of the Gospel! If there is anything, there is always someone that is out there waiting to hear the Gospel and be changed by it. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord!

As I have been working throughout the week, I thought a lot about Elder Hollands talk in the April 2016 General Conference. I thought about some of our members and also members who are still learning and still working hard to come unto Christ. He says,"The gospel, the Church, and these wonderful semiannual gatherings are intended to give hope and inspiration. They are not intended to discourage you. Only the adversary, the enemy of us all, would try to convince us that the ideals outlined in general conference are depressing and unrealistic, that people don’t really improve, that no one really progresses. And why does Lucifer give that speech? Because he knows he can’t improve, he can’t progress, that worlds without end he will never have a bright tomorrow. He is a miserable man bound by eternal limitations, and he wants you to be miserable too. Well, don’t fall for that."

"With the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the strength of heaven to help us, we can improve, and the great thing about the gospel is we get credit for trying, even if we don’t always succeed."

Sometimes in each of our lives, we have feelings of discouragement, that we are not good enough for the Lord or those around us. DON'T EVER, BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE LORD! He loves you. He wants to help you in every detail of your life. He is on our right hand and on our left. He will lift us up when we have lost the strength and will help us along our way. In the field, there are times when everything is amazing and it seems as though it's a perfect mission day, but then there are days when you hurt inside and wonder how you can even go on. I want to bear my testimony that our Savior, Jesus Christ loves us so much. Even if we mess up, struggle, feel as though we are worthless, don't despair. He is there. Ask Him for help and he will give it. I love the Savior with all my heart, might, mind and strength. HE is the reason I am out serving in Malaysia! I am grateful for His strength and constant love coming into my life.

This week we had such amazing miracles. Each miracle, although sometimes appearing small, is such a blessing! Last Friday, we went to one of the night markets and advertised for the English class and just stood in an area where people were just walking by. For a few minutes nothing was happening but then a person came up and started asking questions. Soon after more people would come! It was incredible to see these people just coming out of nowhere and wanting to know more. We even got free food (which is not much of a spiritual miracle but it definitely tasted good!) The next day, we had our English class, and one of those families we had talked to last night had come. Turns out they are friends with one of our investigators and were even interested in coming to church. Small world. I know for a fact that the Lord prepares each of us from the day we were born. Each of the friends we have growing up is because of our Heavenly Fathers timing and purpose in placing us together. It will always work out; we just need to be there when we need to be there.

Our branch is doing amazing! We have a new member that came from Miri and was baptized a few weeks ago! He is a fire ball! Some of our members and investigators were unable to come and it was sad but what was amazing is that our investigator, ** ****, came dressed in pants and a white button up shirt. I was just, "you look amazing!" He is on date for May 7 and I am so excited! I told him that I would bring him a tie next week so he will be complete! We are working on building a ward council and starting some home teaching. We are excited to see what happens over the next few weeks!

Scripture of the Week: Jacob 5:75

75 And it came to pass that when the Lord of the vineyard saw that his fruit was good, and that his vineyard was no more corrupt, he called up his servants, and said unto them: Behold, for this last time have we nourished my vineyard; and thou beholdest that I have done according to my will; and I have preserved the natural fruit, that it is good, even like as it was in the beginning. And blessed art thou; for because ye have been diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard, and have kept my commandments, and have brought unto me again the natural fruit, that my vineyard is no more corrupted, and the bad is cast away, behold ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard.

The Lord labors with us! He loves us so much! I am so grateful to be a servant of the Lord!