Week 44 - Malaysia - The Miracle‏

May 18, 2011

Hello family and friends :D

Nu Nu habalmu?

Haha, so many different languages. I guess that is why I am just going to stick with Bahasa Malaysia. Most everyone can get that one :D

These past two weeks have had some pretty tough challenges, but at the same time, been filled with Faith filling experiences. I would like to share one that currently has me jazzed.

One thing that our mission has stressed lately is to find the investigators through the members, for this has proven to be a most effective method for finding those ready for the gospel. However, this does not rule out other ways that the Lord brings His children to the knowledge of the Gospel. This past week, such an occurrence just happened. 

    One of the hardest things for a missionary to do is to 'open his mouth'. I still remember that as a shy boy, my father made me do all the asking for directions on a soccer road trip (mainly policemen, the scariest people alive). From that point one I have become to be the outgoing person I am. This has helped incredibly with my mission. On the morning that we called our families for Mothers Day, I sat down on a bus at the terminal station and waited for the bus to leave. I remember this young girl getting on the bus, and then quickly getting off, and getting back on. But finding her seat already taken, she sat down next to me. What followed was a usual conversation that started, work, school blah blah blah, but when it came to church I asked her about her church, and she said that her church doesn't have a leader, and that she's very worried about it. I proceeded to give her a pamphlet, get her number, and left with a good feeling about her. That following Sunday, after Ria was unable to make it to our Saturday appointment, she came to church as promised, by herself!!! Extremely rare for a Malaysian girl. With no prior knowledge of what was going to happen, I stuck pretty close to her all Sunday to help guide her around. All except for Relief Society. Who knows what goes on in there. There is probably a hidden spa that they don't tell the brethren about. I guess as a Priesthood bearer I will never know ;)  After an awesome block of Sunday meetings, we were finally able to sit down and have a lesson, and she had a couple good questions. "Do you worship Joseph Smith instead of Jesus?" Where did this Book of Mormon come from?" We then went into explaining about the Restoration of the Gospel, and she mainly just listened. Then at the end, when I asked her what she felt about the things she heard, she began to weep, and expressed her sincere gratitude for the truth and knowledge we had brought her. She told us how "here I feel as if I am with family." It is your family. :) Her response to a baptism invitation was "Yes please!" It was incredible. I was so grateful to be able to witness such an event take place. The Lord had led and prepared Ria to one of his servants, and all I had to do was open my mouth. His lost sheep are out there, all we have to do is open our mouths and call them. If a shepherd tried to chase after all of his sheep, his work would be impossible. However, if we open our mouths, how many more sheep will heed their Master’s call? How many sheep are still wandering lost because of mouths left closed because of  awkward feelings, shyness, not in the mood, it’s not worth my time'?  

   There are so many more miracles that I are happening, I wish I could tell you all. One of my goals is to find the Daily Miracle. It is usually pretty amazing once you start doing it. Where are the miracles in your lives?

Your Loving Friend, Brother, and Son,

            Elder Willem Kampenhout