Sibu Success

     Yes Mom, we do have a code word if we are in trouble.  It is "RUN!"  The stupid Filipinos did keep attacking Malaysia, but they were just some pirates from the Philippines who were taking on the whole Malaysian army!!!  I think they have it all under control now.

Inside view of Iban Longhouse

     This week is the famous Iban holiday Gawai. We got to visit all the members in their longhouse and ngagat (Iban dance).   We also had a huge Gawai party this week and it was so much fun! I had to ngagat in front of everyone and, of course, all the Ibans just laughed at me.

    This week I am baptizing Koko on Thursday and an Iban girl named Shela in two weeks!! We don't do too much door knocking because we spend most of our time working with all the less actives that are here, but once Shela and Koko are baptized that is the end of our investigators; so, haha, we will have to start knocking on doors again.

    Today was a really sad day.  Last Tuesday, we went to the hospital to visit a member’s mom who has breast cancer; she is only sixty but she looked like she was eighty.  When we first saw her, she was doing okay.  She was talking, eating, and looked fairly normal.  After we gave her a blessing, she progressed really well for the next couple days. But then, these past two days she really dropped! We went to visit her today and she looked bad.  You could see that empty look in her eyes and her body was swollen all over.  You could tell that she was ready to go, but her body just wouldn’t let her.  Her family also knew that she was dying and the one thing about Ibans is that they have ALOT of family. So there were about twenty people watching her through the glass.  Her daughter was in the room crying by her mom. The daughter had fasted for two days and had so much faith that she just knew that God could heal her mom. So with everyone watching through the glass, I went in there and gave her mom a blessing. As soon as I started, I knew it was the mom’s time to go.  When I blessed her that she was going to a place that was filled with peace and comfort, her daughter just lost it--and then so did I!! It was so sad.  I doubt she will make it through the week. I think that she is still alive because of her daughter--she will not leave her side.  It scares me because she is younger than Dad!  Tell Rick to keep running everyday so he will be alive when I get home! (It would also help if he laid off the late night pantry raids - Martha)

     Next week we leave for Singapore for Zone Conference!   I am so pumped to be in mini America again.  I love you mom so much and I miss you!!  Only about a year left!

Elder Madsen