Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear Family,

I’ve had another great week!  Once again, most of our plans for the week were obliterated by forces beyond our control.  The only goal we achieved this week was copies of the Book of Mormon placed, and we were cutting it close on that one, too.  Elder Black is teaching me so much about planning, preparing, then going to work; I’m so glad that my first companion in the field is a master goal-setter.  

Well, I’d like to tell you a little more about my week than just the members and mudaoyous (investigators) that didn’t show up.  On Monday (Sunday night for you), I spent P-day at Pulao Ubin, an island for hiking and biking through the jungle.  I went with Elder Black and two other Sisters, and this small group made for a really pleasant and relaxing excursion.  We rode bicycles along paved and unpaved roads through the rainforest, admiring 100-foot tall trees, wild pygmy hogs, and a birds-eye view of the island from a high viewing tower above the trees.  Of all the days to forget my camera!  Rrrgh!

My Thanksgiving feast with Elder Black

Mmm . . . gelato!

 On Thursday, Thanksgiving was celebrated with an unhealthy amount of delicious food from Wendy’s and then gelato from a local gelateria I discovered the day before.  I had a super-delicious cup of pistachio and tiramisu, instead of bell pepper, and it really made me think of home.  I came home (haha, to my apartment) and made some of the Olive Nere [black olive] pasta, which Elder Black and I downed in about 5 minutes.  I had a satisfying Thanksgiving, and I hope you all did, too.  I’d love to hear about it!  Over Thanksgiving, I felt especially grateful for the people in my life.  I love my companion, the other missionaries, my mission president, and my investigators.  I’m even more grateful for you, my family.  I’m grateful that you’re willing to follow the commandments God has given us to keep us safe and happy.  I’m so thankful that I know families can be united forever, not just in mortality.  So many people here have never even considered that.  One lady I met on the MRT even scoffed, rolled her eyes, and said, “How can you believe that?  Nothing is forever!”  I felt so sorry for her, but thankful for the knowledge and testimony I have of the gospel of Jesus Christ and its power to guide us in this life and forever.

Pistachio-tiramisu

I love you all so much and thank you for your prayers!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving duck with a member

Love,

Brennan

Yikes!  Transfer News! 

I am staying in Singapore, but Elder Black is going to West Malaysia.  I'm going to be in a 3-some (tripanionship) with the Former AP, Elder Harper, and with an Elder from Sichuan, China, Elder Wang.

This is really exciting, but I'm not sure in what way.  I'm going to really miss Elder Black, but I see so many opportunities to learn from these other two elders.  I hope I don't have to fight to keep a positive attitude this transfer, because I foresee it being more difficult than last.

Wow, I'm kind of in shock - the whole mission was changed because of this - several threesomes, new areas opened up, missionaries who haven't finished their training will now be training, some have been called to speak a different language, lots of new missionaries coming in (mostly sisters, called to speak English), and new leadership all over the place!  Elder Wadsworth and Elder Fabiano are still together, but they are whitewashing Johor Bahru (JB) in West.  (Whitewashing means that both missionaries are new to the area, and that there will be no "veterans" in the area to help them.)