Big Feet and Ants

MOM

     No way—I can’t believe all the snow that Kansas City has been getting!! They cancelled church!  I am so jealous! I forgot how it feels to be cold! Haha, the stair car!  (I wrote Elder Madsen that while on a recent trip to Phoenix, every time I saw an airport stair car I thought of him.  It’s reminiscent of our days watching Arrested Development on Netflix – Martha.) Whenever I have to ride my bike long distances, I day dream about random episodes from Netflix and I just crack up--but, before I know it , BOOM, I'm there, so it keeps me entertained. 

     This week was we had Elder Gong of the Seventy come and talk to us along with Elder Subandriyo, the Area Seventy from Indonesia.  Elder Subandriyo is amazing!  He can speak Malay, so he talked to us in Malay and taught us different sayings that were very funny. Elder Gong trained us on how to teach the Atonement.  It was really, really powerful!  When he walks into the room, you know that there is something special about him. We had Q&A time with him and someone asked him what it meant to be a special witness of Christ.  Elder Gong said that being a “special witness” means knowing for a "surety" that Christ lives and that as special witnesses of Christ, the Apostles can testify of Him to all nations and tongues. Then Elder Gong said that there are "experiences too sacred to speak."  COME ON, we all know what that means and that is so awesome! 

     Transfers are coming up this week and GUESS WHAT?....I am now a Trainer/District Leader! I am going to fly to Singapore this week to pick up my greenie.  I am pretty nervous because my Malay is not up to par, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.  Speaking of going to Singapore, can I have some extra money?  Last time I was in Singapore, I found a place that guarantees that they have the cheapest stuff in Singapore.  If you find a product of theirs that is cheaper anywhere else, you can bring in the receipt and they will refund your money!  This place has all sorts of American brands...like pop tarts, mouth wash, etc!  I fly to Singapore either Tuesday or Wednesday, so it you could add money to my account, I can pick up some things while I am there! 

     I always laugh at myself for how much of a bum I have become. For instance, one of the senior couples saw me eating a fresh picked fruit, but there were ants all over it. (There are over 1000 species of ants here and every fruit is covered with them).  So, of course, I just brush the ants off and eat the fruit.  I thought that the senior couple was going to have a heart attack!   I also found out this week that my feet are too big to be Malaysian.  We went bowling with the Elders quorum the other night and when I told the shoe rental guy that I needed a 10 1/2 shoe, he informed me that they didn’t carry shoes that big. They only carry shoes up to a size 10!  They looked at me like I was a freak of nature!!  

     That is very cool that you and Chris saw a video about the long houses in Miri.  The Ibans (the native tribal people) love to live in their long houses by the water. I really don’t know why they like to live there because they are super, super scared of alligators. You never tell an Iban that you have eaten alligator meat because the Ibans believe alligators can sense if you have eaten their friends and they will find you and kill you! 

     Megan didn’t write me this week!! OMG, that means one of two things.  She has either killed herself or she has a boyfriend. Let’s pray for number two!! 

I miss you tonz momma and love you!!
Elder Madsen