Not for the Squeamish - Part Two

Mom!

Frankenstein Foot

     Yea, I am basically a trooper; my stitches get taken out tomorrow--so, I will be alright.  I was looking at the stitch job the other day and it is mediocre at best.   I knew to be careful about getting my foot infected because a lot of people around here die from infected wounds.  They get blood poisoning, it goes to straight to their head, and BOOM they're dead; so, I have been really careful.  After I got my stitches, the doctor didn't even wrap it!  She just said, "No need!", but I knew better, so I wrapped it in plastic.  I had to sit around the house all day Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.  I was about ready to kill myself from boredom.  The senior couple really expected me to sit on the couch the whole week!  I came to Malaysia to work--not sit on the couch!! So on Wednesday, I took some pain meds, drank some Red Bull, and jumped on my bike. 

    This was week was good though.  We taught our Chinese friend again and he is progressing really well. We watched a movie about Jesus Christ and then asked him if he would be baptized on Febuary 17th--and he said, yes!  I am really nervous because big transfers are coming up on the 14th.  Now I hope that I say in Melaka so I can be here when he is baptized.  If I have to get transferred, I pray that I will either go to Ipoh or somehwere in east Malyasia.

     All of our Tamil families ditched us this week--so, I was kinda depressed about that!!  We did teach a Tamil couple and that went pretty well.  Yesterday (Sunday), one of the members, who always drinks and then thinks he is the smartest man alive, tried to Bible bash with me during church.  I was talking about Elder Bednar's talk on how to gain a testimony and be converted to the Lord.  Out of nowhere the man came up and stood in front of the congregation and started preaching deep, deep doctrine.  He told everyone that to have a testimony you have to know Elohim.  I just let him preach and when he was done, I talked about when Jesus Christ came to the earth, he taught simple truths and then bore testimony of those simple truths.  I said that I have no idea where Kolob is or any of that stuff, but I do know that Jesus Christ came to this earth and was crucified so that we could return to Him again.  I also testified that if we do the simple things in life--like read your scriptures, go to church, and keep the commandments--that we can all return to live with Him again.  After I got done, everyone looked at the man and he was dead silent.  He walked back to the back of the room and sat down.  His wife, who actually is a great strong member, was sooo mad at him--haha!

Batu Caves

    We also went to KL (Kuala Lumpur) this week to the Batu Caves.  We happened to be there during a Hindu festival day called Thaipusam.  It truly was one of the most messed up moments of my life.  The people do some weird chants and then they stick needles through their tongues and mouths as well as put fish hooks on their skin.  Then they take this metal pot with boiling hot water and make "the walk".  They walk with all the hooks and needles in their body and with the pot of hot water sitting on their shaved heads which just burns their heads!  Let's just say that I'm glad to have the priesthood.  It just felt really weird.  I am definitely not going back to the Caves during that holiday again.

    On the brighter side, we moved into out brand new church building this week.  It's in an old mansion and is really, really nice.  The previous owners claimed that there was a ghost in the mansion so they left it vacant for years; so, it was really cheap to buy!  We are pretty pumped about that!

    I am still working hard--already seven months of my mission finished!!  Before you know it mom, I'll be home--don't worry!  I love you so much and thanks for all the prayers!!

Selamat petang,
Elder Madsen