Dec. 9, 2010
So this letter comes a bit late because our p-day (aka hour of emailing) was delayed until today because all of the Missionaries in Sarawak (42) all met in Kuching for a training on the new methods of how Missionaries are going to be trained. This has happened in times past, but now was taking place in our own city! Well.....our area is still a 30 minute bus ride away, but close!!
But the time before the conference was really awesome. Elder Gallinger and I have been doing some finding this week in order to avoid a Tidal wave (where all your investigators get baptized and then you have no one new to teach! Ah!) so we went to some newer areas, mainly Kampung Melaban. Well lets just say they didn't really want to listen to us there, but we found this awesome little dock and took a picture of it :D But we have been getting some new investigators and looks like we will survive :D
So this past weekend was fast and testimony meeting, and as custom, the missionaries bore testimony to avoid silence in the building. For all of you that know me, when I get up in front of people I usually get a bit antsy and nervous, but when I stood up this time, in front of a foreign crowd (only 3 other white people) and bore my testimony in a completely other language, it felt comfortable. I never thought I would be able to talk comfortably in Malay, but it looks like it is finally coming. What matters most is that you give your heart and your mind and strength to the work, and God will take care of the Rest. He has single-handedly blessed my language skills so much, it is incredible. When I tell people that I've only been here 5 months they kinda get this funky look on their face, and when they ask how, I tell them "through the blessings of God." 'Cause it really is a blessing. The Malay language is very very non-descriptive, so I definitely miss English at times while teaching, but it really does make you simplify what you are teaching. The kind of people we teach are 90% like children, so it has been so incredibly humbling in teaching. While during my personal study I am having super deep and revelatory insights to scriptures, with the investigators we need to humble ourselves and use pictures, songs, and short scriptures and stories. But it's working. It's working because the spirit is there, and HE is the great teacher. He is the great comforter. He is everything, and all I am as a vessel. President Clark has asked us to start singing in all our appointments, and Elder Gallinger and I also sing every companionship study. This equates to about 5-6 hymns a day (if not more). That frequent singing has often led me to just sing hymns to myself at random too, and it is so uplifting. I would challenge all of your to sing at least one hymn a day with your family, and when doing so, you will find it draws you closer to your Heavenly Father, and will find hidden treasures. You don't have to be a good singer to sing. Trust me. When I stop singing so I can listen to them sing, they quickly fall out of rhythm, tune and tempo. Its funny ;) But what matters is that you are singing your heart unto the Lord. Doing so brings such blessings. I can't explain. Just try it.
So the Leadership training was absolutely amazing! Pres. Clark was right, in saying that "what we give, we will receive." What a wise and inspired man he is. All the work he is doing is truly inspired by our Heavenly Father, and it is having profound effect. One thing we have been asked to do is to teach with "inspired questions." For the longest time we wondered, what is an inspired question? Well, he told us it is a question that opens someone's heart to the gospel. True....but how? This is what I learned this time. It is a question you don't know the answer to. Whoa. So many times we as missionaries like to ask questions that will lead the investigator down a certain path or train of thought. While good for examples and learning, for getting them to open their heart it is manipulative and not of God. However, when we humble ourselves and ask them for their feelings, their thoughts, and questions, they truly do begin to think and open their heart to the gospel. Elder Gallinger and I are super excited to implement this as best we can. The only hard part is that Malay is not very keen on questions. Ha ha, its a strange language at times. But I know through the guidance of the spirit it will be good :D
Well I must get going, but I hope all of you are going to have a wonderful Christmas Holiday as I am going to. Given I don't have snow, they still play lots of Christmas music in some of the shops and wear hats! Its great. For a Muslim country, its kinda funny that they have Christmas as a public holiday :D I enjoy it very much. I Love you all, and remember to read the Book of Mormon every day! Doing so will bring happiness and insight you could never believe.
Your loving friend, brother, and son,
Elder Kampenhout
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