Malaysia - Week 54 - The Goose has flown, and The Eagle has landed‏

July 26, 2011

HI Ya'all!!! (As our southerner Senior Couple [Larsons] would say)

   This past week sure has been event filled for sure!!

  First off, The mission president (President Clark) and Elder Subandriyo (Quorum of the 70) came to Kota Kinabalu and split the Branch into two! Woot!!! It is super exciting and has been ready to split for some time, and now that it has happened, I have a feeling that there will be an increased portion of the spirit here in KK. I can already feel it :D There will be challenges, especially in our branch. The majority of the Leadership of the original branch all lives in the KK 1 branch area, while only a handful of leaders live in our KK 2 branch. However, those few leaders are some of the most capable of them all. It will be much like my Kota Samarahan days :D I can't wait :D We are meeting the branch President tonight at his home.  :D

  Second of all, we went on splits with the Assistants to the President and with President himself. President Clark also gave us a super amazing training about the Old Testament. He told and expounded before us about how if we want to understand why the world is the way it is, we must read the Old Testament, especially when it comes to Middle Eastern politics. The Old Testament, while old, is still the word of God, and he encouraged us to read it all through our mission. Can!!!!

  Thirdly, my belated companion Elder Sorensen has honorably finished his mission, and is currently on a flight back home to his family. He has truly began his journey in life and is being shaped by the Savior to become one of his sons :D Everyone will always remember the "Angsa" (Elder Sorensen’s nickname). He received that name because his first companion thought his name was Swanson, and so the members in Johor Baru gave him the Malay name Angsa, which means Swan or Goose. Here when they have a hard time saying your name they will sometimes find a new name to use. Or sometimes they will give you a name because they like you. Elder Watkins (whom i replaced) was called Turkey or "ayam belanda". Sometimes the Elders Quorum President will call me "ikit" which means duck, cause I sneeze like a duck. Haha. And now my new companion is Elder Hawkins....or Elder Helang (eagle). I guess KK is just an attraction for all kinds of birds ;)

    It sure has been interesting to see Elder Sorensen go home. It made me realize how sometime I too will finish my mission, and this life will be left behind. I don’t like thinking about that day....

   But! Elder Hawkins arrived yesterday and we moved him in and went out and had a couple really good and powerful lessons together. We even met with an old Investigator from Sandakan who has come to KK for schooling, and we miraculously bumped into each other the other day. She is so incredible and so receptive to the spirit. She speaks her mind, and it builds my faith. Just yesterday after our lesson she said "I just feel so peaceful".... :) It was sweet music to my ears. I love hearing responses.

   We are also now meeting with this incredible group of Phillipinos who live next to our apartment complex, and they feed us ALL THE TIME!!! Even last night. We had two separate meetings set up, and they feed us at both! I’m going to get so fat. Not! Jeffrey (the brother) comes to the gym with us every morning and is pretty much our trainer. He’s a way good one too! And he knows what he is doing. What a sweet kid :D I love Phillipinos.

Well I must get going. I hope you all are doing well and healthy. Are you feeling the summer heat now? Well....I'll tell you now. It’s nothing compared to here ;) It was 86 degrees in our room the other day, and it felt cool. I’m glad I don’t go home in the middle of winter.

Your Loving Friend, Brother, and Son,

     Elder Willem Kampenhout

Week 52 & 53 - Malaysia - Sandakan Express‏

July 19, 2011

Hello family!

   So I have literally spent 28 hours plus on a bus this week flying down two lane highways over hills and mountains, dodging semi-trucks, cars and potholes. Such is life on a Sabah Bus going from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan, Friday, Saturday, Monday and Wednesday. It has sure been an adventure.

  The work has been a bit slow in our area. A lot of our investigators have gotten busy with work or family things, and a bit of the fire has kinda fizzled out. We all go through tough times, but I just hope it doesn't last for very long.

  This week has also been a bit interesting as we have been kinda starting over in finding a lot of new investigators, and it is so incredible to see how the Lord will guide his servants sometimes. There are no accidents in missionary work. Everywhere you go, you will find people that the Lord has placed in your path. Just yesterday, we got out really early to meet a street sweeper woman whom I had contacted at a member’s hair salon, and when we met her that morning, she was so incredibly closed to listening and accepting it was amusing. Then after missing a bus back to our district meeting, we waved down a bus which pulled over for us, and in the back I sat next to a man who hadn't been to church in a long time, wasn't super interested, but was a nice guy. However I just felt inspired to ask him to come to church and to learn again about Christ. We exchanged numbers and I made a mental note to call him later that week. The rest of the day continued to kick us in the face, and when things were kinda looking down, we suddenly got a text from Rowl (the man in the bus) and he was soooo excited to come to church and to meet us and wants to learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was such a brightness to the day, and came as a confirmation that the Lord will lead you to his chosen people, you just need to take the step first. Sometimes there are a couple thorns that will hurt, but the end goal is worth it all :D

    This is Elder Sorensen's last week on his mission too, and we have been having a lot of good chats at night and just about life in general. Really brings a lot of things into perspective. He is a good missionary and I will certainly miss his little giggly laughs and his countless comedian acts that he can just pull out of his brain. It really is incredible.  :D

   Kota Kinabalu continues to be a great one, and I would suggest touring here if you ever get a chance to come. It's amazing! :D

Elder Kampenhout

Week 48 - Malaysia - Weak things shall be made Strong‏

June 14, 2011

Dear Everyone,

    Oh what an event filled week. We had Zone Leader Council in Kuala Lumpur (in West Malaysia) and then had a Missionary training the following day, followed by a flight home (nearly 3 hours) that night in which I sat next to and talked to a young recently married Chinese woman, who couldn't quite understand that I wouldn't stop my mission if I 'met a girl'. Ha ha. For about 5 minutes it went like this "So if you meet a girl.....then how?" "Elder Kampenhout responds" "Ok....but if you meet a girl and like her.....then how?" "Elder Kampenhout responds and talks about how he can marry after his mission." "Ok...but what happens if you really, really like her...then how? You stop mission?" Ha ha. It was quite entertaining.

   We then visited some great member families and we even invited to go with our investigator Liliana to a Birthday Party with a members family, in which LOTS of in-actives came out, and we were able to make contact and get information. It was an amazing environment of love. It was good for Liliana too, who does not know a whole lot about Christianity, which has been a struggle, but she is working and now living with one of the most Gung Hoe missionary members in the branch. Sister Dorkas. She is the one who is celebrating her daughter’s birthday, but being is such a warm and loving environment, it has been incredible to see how much Liliana has grown. The other night we gave her the Joseph Smith Pamphlet as homework, and when we met again, she had read it 7 times!!! It was amazing. She could almost even give us word for word. Talk about incredible! :D Her example has highlighted a principle which we were taught by Elder David A. Bednar. The Power to Act.

 Heavenly Father loves us and knows us perfectly. He knows us so well that he just knows what we are going to do, but he still gives us the choice. The power of Choice really is an amazing thing. 1 Corinthians 10:13. No matter what our situation, we can always choose good. We are here as Agents to act, and not be acted upon. There is such power in that. Take this next week and think about how in some situations when people are acted upon, their performance is mediocre. However, when someone acts as their own agent, they are endowed with heavenly power. It is quite amazing just to see this principle applied in our teaching. Mind blowing actually.

   I gotta skip along now, but know that the work is pushing on here in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia. It’s pretty rad. When you think about the big picture of all things, it’s amazing.

Your Loving Friend, Brother, and Son,

      Elder Willem Gerrit Kampenhout

Malaysia - Week 51 - Airplane‏

July 5, 2011

Dearest Keluarga,

   Another incredible week in Missionary work. Last week we flew to Kuala Lumpur again for another Zone Leader Council, in which we gave reports on our Zones and where President Clark and the assistants gave trainings which they want to be distributed throughout all the missionaries. This line of communication is very important, as we are to carry out what the Lord and President Clark wants all of his missionaries to learn. I am just grateful I get to hear it from him face to face. The hard part is relaying that same message and doing it in the same spirit to those whom I have stewardship over. This can only be done with the Lord's help. Can anything in this work be done without him? Nope :)

   I have truly gained a testimony of this work, the work of salvation amongst the children of men, helping them become the children of God. The only true, honest, and effective way to do it is through His Spirit, and in His spirit. As we rely on Him, we are able to assist in His work. If we don't rely on Him, then we are really just wasting Hs time. Often times we will do things to assist us, such as set goals, do activities, but these are only effective if done in His Spirit. As soon as these become "our" goals and not His goals, then we are no longer receiving His support.

   But some interesting news :) There are about 4 people we know (2 of them church members) who are going to have babies this week. It’s been really interesting seeing these pregnant women everywhere, and really makes you think about their divine calling as mothers and caretakers of their children. 3 of them are first time mothers. What an exciting experience to go through.

   As for me though, I am ok :) We also nearly crashed into the Airport Terminal on our return flight from KL, as we were trying to land in pretty horrible storm weather, but thanks to some quick hands by the pilot, we pulled up and flew over top of it. It was just like a movie! :D So after circling around for a while in which they dimmed all the lights and no one said anything, we flew over to the country of Brunai and sat on their runway for an hour plus, where I had the chance to talk with some Australian Pentecostals. Extremely nice people, but once talking about religion they get a bit aggressive. It was certainly new talking to white people though. But then we flew home and arrived home nice and safe. :D

   So the work continues forward, and the Kingdom of God rolls forth :) I'm happy as a clam at high tide, and hope you are all well and happy :) Jaga Diri :D

Elder Kampenhout  

Bus to Kota Kinabalu

It looks like a celebration, a birthday??

Not so sure he's comfortable.