Nov. 9, 2010
Hello All my wonderful Family and Friends!
Wow. Reading all of the birthday greetings and letters that I was sent this week made me finally realize that I just turned 21. Woah. Lets just say my birthday here was quite different than what it would have been over in the states. I didn't really realize it was my birthday until I read all your greetings. Thank you all sooo much :D
Well, let's just say life is really interesting over here. Its always throwing you new challenges. Twice in the past week we have been abandoned by the Public Transportation. First was last P-day when we were trying to get back home, and second was Saturday night when we were trying to get to our Baptism. Yeah. Seriously the buses would just drive past, not wanting to pick us up, and the vans would see us, but just choose not to pull over. Well....what are you going to do. Luckily both times we were saved. The first time by some Chinese Free Thinkers who didn't want to hear our message, but gave us a ride all the way home! The Second time some members saw us on their way to a different city and gave us a lift. It was amazing. The Lord takes care of his servants, but not before giving them something to worry about ;)
But for my birthday, It was a pretty normal Missionary day, except to end the night some of the members and one of our investigators all gathered at the Branch Presidents house and I sponsored Cake and they all brought food! It was wonderful, short, and definably a good party. In case you haven't seen, Elder Gallinger is quite the Giant, and President Sup's house has a very low running ceiling fan that he just barely fits under, and every time he walks by all the Iban women gasp in Horror, as they think he is about to be decapitated! Hahah, its a great thing to see :D
Also these past few days have just been absolutely amazing. Saturday night at our baptism was my first time translating for a talk, and with less than 4 months experience in the field I was a bit nervous, but I knew the Lord would help. The talk was about The Holy Ghost and was given by a senior Sister, Sis. Erickson, and she gave me her talk ahead of time so I was able to have the general Idea of what she was going to say. But at the end of the talk she just had written "Testimony". "ok' i thought to myself, "just a could 'i know the church is true' kinda things." WRONG!!!! At the end of her talk she launched into 2 full fledged stories about how the Holy Ghost helped and saved her in her life. During the beginning of the talk, the old couple who were getting baptized weren't paying much attention because they have a hard time understanding Malay, but as soon as Sister Erickson starting telling her stories, Kisang (the man) looked up at her and never took his eyes off of her. His eyes even began to water up (rare for Iban men, especially old ones). During his testimony at the end, he said in very quite Iban that while he couldn't completely understand my translation, he understood the Spirit that was talking to him. This very profound statement made me realize even more deeply, that the work that I am doing is 100%, hands down, all about the Spirit. While we may not be able to speak the language well, if we speak by the spirit, the Holy Ghost will carry it unto their hearts. There have been times when we were teaching and you could just feel the absence of the Spirit, and those were the lessons where we struggled to communicate the most. It is incredible.
I know that this work is not doable without the spirit. That is what Elder Gallinger and I have to rely on every day. One thing we are doing now is at the end of the night is telling each other about the miracles that we witnessed with each other. Sometimes one sees the miracle and the other doesn't. It really is incredible. Lately because I have been the senior companion, I have been leading the lessons and taking the larger part of the lesson. However, last night our lesson plan had to change last minute, and when we started I honestly had no Idea where to go. We were teaching a 14 year old boy about fulfilling his priesthood calling and hopefully reactivating him into the church, and right when I ran out of things to say, Elder Gallinger says to me "Let your light so shine, where is that scripture?" Woah.....Elder Steele and I a month earlier prepared a lesson around that scripture, and I knew it was 3 Nephi 12:14-16. We then turned there and began reading, and it literally brought a spirit and liveliness to the lesson that was before dead. It clicked for me how important it is for US as people to rely on our companions. Our companions at work, in our home, in our marriages. This work, this life, is not doable on your own. You need help. That is why you have a companion. :D When I told Elder Gallinger about this little miracle, he hadn't even realized it happened. I love the man, but when I told him my thoughts and feelings at the time, it really did click. We are in this together :D I love my companion. And we should always tell each other about the little miracles that happen :D
Well I must get going. But thank you all sooo much for your love and support. read your scriptures! They hold the keys to Eternal Life.
Elder Kampenhout
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