Week 100

Elder Nathan B Watkins Week 100 (23 Months)

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Hey Everyone, 

Well this last week was good no complaints. Last week after KL we were pretty dang busy trying to see everyone that we missed and just working on getting Jeffry Baptized. So with that, he is getting baptized tomorrow, June 2nd so, it should be good. It turns out he likes to fish so he and Pres, Wieland went fishing this morning so it should be good since Pres Wieland is a pretty big fisher also so it should be some good BRT. When we were there last time I helped him fix his fishing rod just like Dad used to help us do so many times while we were fishing on the river. He had a tangled line with the arm on the reel broken so I fixed them both for him.

Monday and Tuesday of this week was Ka'amatan which is the harvest festival down here basically when the harvest ends and they just celebrate. In KK it is pretty huge and they have a big party selling stuff like beads, swords, clothing, and yean.... since Saturday things have been really quiet because they have school break for 2 weeks and everyone is gone back to Kampong and then with Ka'amatan even more have gone back so things have been a bit slower.

Yesterday we went in search of a lost recent convert here. He apparently moved to a new place called Sungai Kayu which is far and far from where he used to live. We were pretty unsuccessful in finding him over there...  It was a pretty, dang huge area and a lot bigger than we were told.

Afterwards we went and taught Rosmini and her daughter their RC lessons. We went and saw a PM/LA Family and as well. The father is the only member he has 3 kids and his wife that are not members and the only reason they didn't learn before was because the elders didn't speak Malay or Chinese and church was in English. But, now they are willing to listen and learn so we are going back on Saturday night to teach the whole family he was a pretty nice guy.

We also contacted a cool referral from a sister here…it is her niece. Her Name is Ebi, she is Christian but, never really learned a whole lot from the Catholic Church and really didn't understand it, she said it was just hard. So we taught her the restoration and it was a good lesson and she asks good questions. She is really looking for an answer. Another cool thing is she reads and she understands the scriptures too.

Rosmina and Melvin are doing well but, didn't make it to church last week cause of Ka'amatan. We will have to push their date back another week because of that. We thought after Ka'amatan Rosmina was going to move to Kampong for 3 months and Melvin would still be here and work but, he only went back to kampong last week and she is staying for another month or so, Melvin will still be here working for a lot longer.

Irene is doing alright she still hasn't read a whole lot of the Book of Mormon on her own but; we have been reading it with her and talking about prayer. She is still coming to church which is good we just hope we can get her to read and then pray about it on her own.

Next week is Youth Conference here and they'll all be heading up to KK for it so there won't be a whole lot of people here in Sandakan for 4 days.

Well I can't think of anything else really.  I am going to KK on the 6^th and then, I go to KL after for a MLT (Missionary Leadership Training) it’s about the new things they are doing with the simplified doctrine that they have to teach everyone here. All the new missionaries get it in the MTC now so they are just teaching the oldies...like me.

Mejumpa Vagu Ingin Oku Diikau,

Elder Watkins

P.S. Congratulations on the Babies.

Picture from Sister Wieland...Here is a closeup of the bracelets they just learned how to make using glass beads. Elder Watkins learned how when he was in Sarawak, where they make beautiful beadwork vests that sell for hundreds of dollars, and he agreed to come teach them.  Next week's YW lesson is making hot peppers and lizards with beads. (I can hardly wait to see those pictures)