Transfers?

My camera just died, so I have no way to send you a picture of my letter this week.  Drat.

Transfers are today, and I probably find out where/whether I'm being sent in about 30 minutes.  If I'm going to Malaysia, I won't be able to take the phone I have now.  This phone has flashcards, Pleco, Hanping, which are all awesome apps for learning Chinese.  it is also really easy to access as I'm out and about, which is how so much of my language study is done.  Elder Black and I want to go look around at phones today after email, to see if there is one worth buying and taking to Malaysia for language study purposes.

[about 30 minutes later]

Oh, I just found out I'm not affected by transfers - I'll still be here in Singapore West with Elder Black. Woot!  I will still want to go look at phones today, but not necessarily want to buy one immediately.  

I'll begin to send you pictures of the Zoo from last P-Day.  I'll look for a way to send you my letter - I don't have time to type the whole thing now, but If I could photograph it I can send it.  

After a while he was able to send a photo of a hand-scribbled letter.  Here is a readable transcript:

 

Hello Everybodee,

You might be wondering how I’m doing.  If you’re not, I’ll still tell you.  I’m doing great!  This week was very full and very fulfilling, even if not everything went my way.  Although we had an investigator drop us and a couple of others say that they are losing interest, and we were totally rejected by a few people on the MRT [mass rapid transit /subway], I felt like I was focused on my goals, I improved my studies, exercises, and plans, and I gave my best effort.  I feel like a “real missionary,” and this is a good, satisfying feeling.

This week, in likening the scriptures unto myself, the theme seemed to be, dearly beloved family, that Elder Black and I cheerfully did all things that lay in our power, and then we stood back in utmost speechlessness to see the arm of our member-present reaching out to take from us our whiteboard marker.  And there was also written upon the board, and moreover, right on top of our plan of salvation, a new writing which could not be read, which did not give our investigator understanding concerning the ways of the Lord, and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the irrepressible eagerness which that member gave unto it.  And thus we see that in a small amount of time, the member can bring about great destruction to our lesson.

Well, we met our goal for member-present discussions, but a couple of our members went a little overboard at the worst possible times and would not be restrained from sharing something completely off-topic or insensitive to the investigator’s level of understanding.  Elder Black and I had several simultaneous face-palms, or sit-back-and-grin-helplessly-at-each-other-while-praying-for-our-investigator moments.

Despite their help (just kidding) I’m really glad to be working with the members, and it’s been great getting to know them.  When I come home, I’m going to welcome a chance to get to know the missionaries in our area and to work with them, because I know how valuable member missionary work is, and how good it is for full-time missionaries to get help from members.  After all, it’s really member missionary work, not just work to be done by those called to serve full-time missions.  As President and Sister Mains like to say, “A release from being a missionary is a call to serve a lifelong mission.”

Love,

Brennan