Hey Mom,

     Four months from today, I will be on American soil!!! Crazy to think about that; but, don't worry, I still LOVE the mission sooo much. I remember that Steve Hilton told me that it took him close to a year to love his mission and that is true--it's a love/hate relationship. Do I love teaching people about the Gospel and seeing the Atonement change their lives?? YES! There is no other feeling like it in the world. Do I love waking up at 7 am or knocking doors in the rain?? NO! There is also no other feeling like that in the world!!  As I get closer to the end, my mixed emotions get more and more intense. Sometimes, there is nothing that I want to do more than to finally relax; to sit in my cold basement and not have to worry 24/7 about what I am going to do now. But, at other times, I want nothing more than to just stay in Malaysia and to keep teaching the Gospel forever and ever and never come home. It is kind of hard to explain!

     This week was pretty good. We have been working very hard and found a wayyy good longtime less-active family that wants so badly to come back to church and also to baptize their 10 yr old son!!  We taught him about the Book of Mormon and watched the Restoration video with him and he wants to be baptized way bad!! So we are very pumped for that!

     Ha--funny story!  Yesterday, a member wanted to take us to a birthday party after church.  It was fast Sunday, so we were all starving.  We went to this house only to be told that we were a little late (try one day late!), but they still fed us.  They had this HUGE cake and, Mom, it looked just like a big chocolate molten cake; so, of course we all got a huge place of "chocolate cake."  We took one bite and we all instantly looked at each other...it was molasses cake. Molasses cake is the worst thing that I've eaten on my mission and I have eaten some pretty bad things!!  My companion almost threw up twice, but we sat there and tried our best to eat it.  It was so rough!!  

     Church, however, was really good.  Like I said last week, the attendance has been increasing and we have really been trying to get the members to stay for all three hours of church.  This week we had 41 people at the end of church!! Which is way good!! So, we are seeing progress in Sandakan!!

     I have been working out hard core and so I'm slimming down, Mom!!  Just wait till I come home with a 6 pack!! 

      I have loved my time here so far and I hope that I can finish my mission here!!! LOVE YOU, MOM! 

Elder Madsen