The web site was being very stubborn today. Nevertheless, you have my email now, and that's what's important. President Skelton said this is the smartest thing to do in this situation.
Suguna is doing wonderfully this week. She has really been changing noticeably lately. She was a pretty heavy drinker before, but she went five days without alcohol, and said it was in large part because someone believed in her and kept reminding her. She showed up to Church on Sunday. The shock must have been evident on our faces or something because she said "See! I promised to come to church this week, and I came, didn't I!" Her living circumstances are basic. She wears old clothing and talks in a rough way, but when I am around her I can feel she is making the changes she needs to make. She talks a lot more about her children, how she
hopes for a better life for them.
We did get to go see the Petronas Towers. Someone said they're the second tallest buildings in the world. There's a huge mall in the bottom, and that's where the Chili's was. The food there was delicious. The service was terrible. They just didn't like a big group where people just kept showing up. I don't know how similar it is to the Chili's in the U.S. I only went twice that I can remember.
Zone conference was excellent. Ours was President Skelton's last zone conference, so it was bittersweet for him. He is an amazing man. During my last interview with him, he commended my progress in confidence, and encouraged me to continue to try to teach part member families, calling it a "good strategy".
The last words I heard President Skelton say as he was leaving for his taxi were "Cheerio! Goodbye!" Cheerio. Who says that?
I'll send pictures of me in front of the towers some other time.
Elder Hall caught a flu after we came back. I must be a curse to the health of my companions here in Ipoh.
We've got a few new Indian investigators that are really good. We'll have to see how they progress.
It's still really weird for me to think that time is passing, that the world still turns even when I'm here.
I read a fantastic article from the October 2002 General Conference from Elder Eyring. He talked about callings, and mentioned how when we are putting forth effort into our calling, we recieve great help from the Spirit. That help can sometimes come so frequently that we stop noticing it. He told about being released as a bishop and how someone came to him the day he was released to seek counsel on a problem. Reluctantly, he sat down like he had done for years, and listened to the person unfold his problem. When the time came for Elder Eyring to give the counsel, he waited for the advice to come to his mind, but nothing came. It just really got me thinking about being a missionary, about the daily miracles we see when we happen to arrive at the right place at the right time to meet somebody. Several times every day I am able to completely change my personality to enthusiastically deliver a message to someone I don't know very well, often in a different language. When questions come, I can give precise, simple answers that encourage the asker of the question to turn to Heavenly Father. I spend 24 hours a day with someone who is very different from me, yet rarely have an argument. And I am never too far from the quiet whisperings of the Spirit. It really makes me grateful for the present to realize that one day those things will be taken from me.
Love,
Elder Muffler
Click Pictures Below to see larger size.
Elder Muffler in front of the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia:
Elder Muffler's Zone:
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