Miracles through English Class

This week started off rough because i got sick and tried to work while being sick but it was not effective and probably not safe so i had to stay in a bit. But the second half of the week turned out amazing! Our investigator J*** is so amazing! He attended a baptism for the second time and is preparing well for his. He has read all the way to Alma in the book of mormon! In a lesson with him we asked what he has learned from the book of mormon and how it has influenced his life and he starts in 1 nephi then tells us the story. However he not only told us the storys but what he has learned spiritually from it and how he is applying it in his life. The book of mormon truly works wonders and is the greatest tool we have. The people who see the book of mormon as the word of god rather then a story book are the ones who are converted to it and actually get something out of it. It is our duty to help them see that it is the word of god. 

This week my faith increased in how investigators recieve revelation through attending church and that the members play a big role in that. We are meeting a man who has been searching for truth his whole life and says he has yet to find it. We are using the book of mormon to teach him the truth. He knows he has to read ponder and pray for an answer. Well this sunday he attended church. At church President Euro was assigned to give a talk on the church welfare program. He stands up and says how he was assigned to talk about that but he had a feeling that he should change it. So he proceeds to share his conversion experience and one of the most powerful testimonies i have heard a member bare about the book of mormon. I know that he was prompted to do that so that our investigator could hear it. I am confident that the spirit whispered what he said at the pulpit was true to our investigator. We havent met with him yet because that was just yesterday but i am excited for our next appointment with him to see if President Euros testimony wasnt his answer. I am grateful for the members and their strong testimonies which increase my faith!

As for our miracle this week i would say it has to be J***. He was taking notes during our lessons with him and accepts everything so readily and so happily. He overkeeps our commitments if thats possible haha. We invite him to church and he shows up 2 hours early, we invite him to read the book of mormon and hes already almost finished with it. He is such a good example to me and to the branch here! He is 18 so i am excited to see later in the future what leadership positions he will fill. YSA is exactly what our branch needs so he is a huge miracle. I absolutely love him and I'm excited that the lord has trusted me with this opportunity to help him make the best decisions of his life! I dont know if hes able to see it but i can sure see how much better his life will be as a disciple of christ verses if he wasnt and just pursued his normal life. English class works miracles because thats how we found J***!

We are finally able to get members to come to our lessons. This week we again had more member present lessons then ive ever had in one week in kuching. They are seeing the efforts we are putting in to this christmas goal and are catching on! I believe that we can reach this goal! I am excited to be a part of the lords army at this upcoming special time of the year!

Love,

Elder Schwemmer

Miracles

This week was a great week! I just wanted to share a couple miracles that really increased my faith in how the lord prepares people according to our desires. I have yet to teach and baptize someone on my mission which is a bit discouraging. Recently i have been praying to have a baptism in kuching. Well the lord has definitely blessed me according to my desires. I think i already told  you last week about the man who called us during general conference and asked if we could come teach him. Well that man is GOLDEN. He keeps all of our commitments and loves what we teach him so much. He has no christian background so we decided to teach him the christian basics starting at the godhead. As we were teaching him about Jesus Christ and his atonement he cuts me off and says "i know" I was shocked like what how do you know? And he says "because i read the book of Mormon" It was amazing! I've never ever had someone tell me that on my mission. He didn't read the whole thing but he read enough to know about the atonement. 

His only problem is that he works on Sunday so we he invited him to pray and ask god for help in getting Sundays off and he offered a sincere prayer asking heavenly father just that. He also told us how happy he has gotten because of what we have been teaching him. Haha and the other day we were in district meeting and calls us randomly and says hes here at the church haha so he joined our district meeting. He is awesome and as soon as he gets Sundays off he will with out a doubt be ready to be baptized. 

The other miracle that happened was as we were biking to our English class, we get a text that says "Hi my name is Y*** I am interested to know more about Jesus Christ and want to know if i can join the church to learn about him" At first we thought some one was pulling a prank on us haha no one ever does that. Well it turned out that the person who texted us is one of our English class students! At the end of our gospel discussions we tell them that if they would like to learn more they can contact the missionaries so he contacted us.

 He is an 18 year old boy which is exactly what the branch needs and he is also GOLDEN. He came early to English class so that we could teach him and then he attended the baptism at the church and then on Sunday he came an hour early to church and stayed for all three hours. To put the cherry on top he texted us to set up his own appointment for Friday! I am amazed at the miracles that come from English class. We have them both on date for baptism! I am really excited about these 2 and with no doubt i know that if they keep our commitments (which they already do very well) that they will soon be baptized! I am grateful for the fast that we did on Sunday and we have already seen the blessings come from it! I have faith that we can reach that goal.

For pday last week we had our zone activity and went to the cultural center which was way fun. Today we played badminton and will be going to a restraunt to attemp to eat a giant 60 dollar 1 kg burger in 20 minutes :)

Love yall have a good week! :)

Fun week!

Hey yall, sorry i dont have much time this week and im sorry this is coming in so late. We had our zone activity today. We went and explored the cultural jungle of borneo :) I got some good pics and souvenirs but unfortunately i dropped my camera into the water!!!!! :( It might be a while till you gets pics again. I'm sorry. But it was way awesome!

Last week for pday we went cave exploring!! It was so awesome! We had to have super bright lights and be way careful. The caves were FULL of bats it was crazy!

This week we got a couple of solid investigators from English class! Finally my efforts in english class are paying off. My investigators are doing well. We finally got some to church and they are both on date for baptism on November 12th. I'm way excited!

Conference this weekend was great!

Love you all have a great week!

Love,

Elder Schwemmer 

Exchanges for the week

Hi sorry this is going to be way short I don't have a lot of time today!

This week i havent been able to serve with elder shirley because one of the zone leaders got in an accident so he went on exchanges for a week. So ive been with my "dad" elder brown. He goes home tomorrow!! Its has been so awesome serving with him again!

We are teaching a guy named A****. I love him! He has had some family struggles that i have been able to relate to and bare my testimony how the gospel can help him with them. He has come to church twice in a row and will soon be getting ready for baptism :)

For Pday we are going to a long house!! Its a big iban house out in the jungle. Ill take lots of pics! 

 

Sorry today is so short! I love you all have a great week!

Love,

Elder Schwemmer

English Class

I have had an experience this last week that I want to share. So in Sibu i taught English class. We had the most successful English class in Malaysia. We had 50 students come and i taught them all. I absolutely loved teaching them and helping them get acquainted with the church. And they absolutely loved me haha. We had such a good time during that hour of English every Friday. 

There is a special family that is very dear to my heart. They have been coming to English class since about 3 weeks after i got to sibu. It is a family of 5 kids and four of them are boys. I have got a special bond with these 4 little guys. Their mom loved us and would always make food for us. They would all always care for the elders. Well after the news came that i was transferring to Kuching, there was a going away party for the elders leaving. I invited this family. They came and we had a great time. When it was time to go i gave all the little boys hugs and said my goodbyes. When i hugged one he started bawling. Then as i said goodbye to the others they all started bawling as well. 

I walked them out to their car where they were all crying and i bore my sincerest testimony that if they learn of the gospel nothing will make them happier. They are such a nice humble family and it was so hard to say bye to them. I just got a call from them while emailing :) then i said goodbye to the rest of the members which was also way hard.

The Glass is Half Full

Well, its official, this last friday i hit my year mark. Time has gone by way too fast. It scares me thinking that i only have one year left. I would just like to mention some highlights and things ive learned so far on my mission. 

-I have gained a testimony of the truthfulness and divinity of the restored gospel and the prophet joseph smith

-I have fallen in love with the people of malaysia

-I have become a very unpicky eater :)

-I have learned to speak and understand mandarin chinese (somewhat) ;)

-I have become more patient

-I have become more holy

-I have discovered who i really am and what i really want in life

-I have learned how to study and apply the gospel

-I have learned how to talk with people and not make things awkward

-I have learned how to go out of my comfort zone

-I have learned how to manage my time

-I have learned to be more virtuous and noble

-I have learned and become deeply acquainted with the atonement of our savior Jesus Christ

-I have learned how to work with others

-I have learned to become more christlike

-I have learned the blessings of obedience

This list could go on and on. But i just wanted to say how grateful i am for this year of my life. I am so very grateful for the full one year i have had to do nothing but serve the lord. I am grateful for my parents and family and friends back home who are all supporting me. I am grateful for the mercy of god in providing us with the restored gospel. I am thankful for the founders and pioneers of the church. I am thankful for my savior Jesus Christ who has given his all so that i may live with my family for eternity. I am grateful for all the people of malaysia and the things they teach me and for their humbleness and friendliness. I am grateful for all of my past companions who have taught me the things that they have taught me. I am grateful for all the many hard times i have gone through this past year as i can now look back and see the progress that i have made towards eternal life. I am grateful for the gospel and how incredibly unique it is. I am grateful that i have not only been able to see a change in myself but in others as they learn of the restored gospel. I am so grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ. Without him we are nothing. I am so grateful that i still have one more full year to be on the lords errand. To put all my heart might mind and strength into preaching and testifying of the restored gospel.

I have had some amazing experiences this past week which are too long to write or describe. I will just say that I am so grateful for Elder Shirley. We had a talk the other day that changed me. And on the night before my year mark i made a decision. I decided that i am going to ACT! I am not going to lest this last year of my mission slip through my fingers but i am going to give it my all and leave my heart on the field. I have made a rock hard determination to be the absolute greatest i can be and nothing less. I have made a theme for the next year of my mission and it goes like this "Prepare myself to be a noble husband and father by changing to become Christlike through turning outwards to others" I mentioned that i discovered who i am. Well these past transfers with elder Pearce has really helped me to discover who i really am and what i really want. And i want nothing more in my life then to be the best father and husband that i can possibly be and have a happy family who is strong in the gospel. I realized that my mission is the best way to prepare me for that. I reflected upon a talk that i listened to in the MTC. It was given a by Elder Bednar and it is called "The character of Christ" The character of Christ is that when he is put in situations where the natural man would turn inwards and worry about himself, he would turn outwards and worry about others. Nothing he ever did was for himself. And thats how i want this next year to go. I am turning it over to the lord and i want nothing to be for myself. I want to turn outwards. I want to help others. I want Christ to change me by following his example. I want to work as hard as i possibly can and fulfill the potential that God promises i have. I am so grateful for my life right now and this amazing year i have had of it. The glass is half full :)

Love,

Elder Schwemmer

BCF

Heyooo

Whats up yall, this week was an awesome week here in sibu! This wednesday we had zone conference. The zone conferences have changed from what I've emailed you before. So rather then all of east Malaysia or west Malaysia going to Singapore at one time, President Simmons just comes to us. He came to the sibu zone on Wednesday. I liked it a lot better! It was more personalized for our zone and I got a lot more out of it this time. Although, I will miss seeing all my buddy's in Singapore. But its ok we will still go on visa runs to Singapore.

A super funny story I've got for you this week. So on Friday I went on exchanges with my district leader Elder Horsbourgh. He is a Malay Elder so i got to work in a Malay area with Malay people. So the people they work with are called "Ibans" They are natives to the Borneo island. They are so friendly and so nice and absolutely love white people and Jesus. So we went to this one less actives house where there were a bunch of ibans just chillin spittin sunflower seeds on the floor and having a good time. So we got the less active and went with him and his wife and kid into another room. We were in there with the husband his wife and their 3 year old son. We were right in the middle of teaching when all of a sudden the mom lifts up her shirt and starts breast feeding her 3 year old son!!! Haha she had no shame! It caught me by such surprise i had no idea what to do! It was quite the lesson ruiner haha. I guess that's the culture of the Ibans and it means nothing to them.

Anyways that's about all this week! I love you all! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Schwemmer

"The last squadron transfer!"

Selemat hari raya!!!!!!!

What up yall! I hope you all had a great 4th of July week! While yall were celebrating Americas birthday I was in a Muslim country celebrating the Muslims biggest holiday of the year! Its called Hari raya! It's the thing where the Muslims fast from sun up to sundown every day for a month then at the end of the month they have a big party. Well this week was that big party! We went to a bunch of Muslims peoples houses and they fed us a ton! All we had to do was walk down the street and we would have everyone shouting for us white people to come in and eat food. Haha I wish they treated me like this in America. We went into one house and the lady was obsessed with Pink! Everything that could possibly be pink in her house was pink. Her car is even all pink. I have pictures. IT was way fun I love Muslims so much! They are the nicest people in the world! It was weird though because when the girls are in their house they don't wear their hijabs and I've never seen a Muslim woman with out one of those on so that was cool.

The work was slow this week. We taught V*** again. He is progressing nicely and we have a great relationship. Not much else spectacular happened tho.

Sorry this ones so short! Love yall!

Love,

Elder Schwemmer

七月四号快乐！！

Happy fourth of July! There is nothin like celebrating America in Malaysia! Today for the 4th of July we played indoor soccer with the zone! There are 12 Elders in the zone. My team was team Trump and the other team was team Hillary. We won all 6 games ;) Then we celebrated by doing the most american thing you can find in Malaysia which was eat at mcdonalds :) Recently I have been trying to catch a biawalk. A biawalk is a giant lizard that is everywhere in Malaysia. They are basically mini alligators. I have bought a bunch of chicken hearts and a hook and a string. They have eaten the chicken hearts clean off each time but the hook hasn't set. I'll let yall know when I catch one. After we catch it we will eat it!!! 

The work was a bit slow this week. We weren't able to meet with V*** but he has this whole week off so we will meet with him a few times.The less active we have been working with has come to church 2 weeks in a row now. It has been great to see the light that has filled her eyes as she partakes of the sacrament. She is way good at fellow shipping and we are going to try and teach with her! 

Alright that's all I got this week! Have a great birthday America! 4th of July is my 2nd favorite holiday. Don't mess around with fireworks!

Love,

Elder Schwemmer

Saya tidak sukah lelaki

What up yall! Another great week in Sibu! Last pday we played indoor soccer with the zone which was super fun! Last week was also transfers. I'm staying with Elder Pearce. Elder Pearce dies this transfer so I'm working him hard! :) We taught V*** again this week. For this lesson we taught repentance and the word of wisdom. We made a plan with him for him to stop smoking. He accepted it very well! We also got him on date to be baptized on July 30th :) I am so excited for him. He is the best investigator I've ever taught. We are still working hard to find the kingdom builders of Sibu. We are finally getting the branch to open up to us and help us with missionary work. On Saturday we went over to the branch Presidents house and they fed us an AMAZING dinner. I got the opportunity to eat Pig tail! :) It was pretty tasty but not much meat on it haha. I love his family so much. They make me feel right at home and remind me of my family. 

As for miracles this week we had some awesome ones come from English class! English class in sibu is very successful. We had 38 people attend last week. Well earlier this week we received a call from a random number. It was a woman who asked us to give a blessing at the hospital. We had no idea who it was but we went. As we were sitting there waiting at the hospital we hear an "Elders!" we turn around and see one of the mothers of a non member family who comes to English class! She asked us to give a blessing to her friends mother. We gave the mother a blessing which got the whole family in tears. They agreed to meet later. It was so amazing, I don't even know how she knew that we give blessings. But it was great and we will begin teaching them soon! Also this week we were finally able to meet with some less actives! And for the first time on my mission we were able to get one to return to church this Sunday! It felt so good seeing her take the sacrament again and bask in the warmth of the spirit in the church. The branch was happy to see her because they haven't seen her in years!

Today for pday we will be playing pick up basketball :)

Love you all have a great week! 

Love,

Elder Schwemmer

P.s. I'm starting to learn Malay as well, hence the subject ;)

父亲节快乐！

大家好！

Whats up yall! This week was another great week in Sibu! Nothing unique or special happened this week except that I crashed my bike twice in one day haha. The first time it was raining and I was being a dare devil and doing stunts. I went off a jump landed it and then rode in a serpentine maneuver and my tires slipped and I skid and crashed. Right in front of 2 Malay women hahaha. Then the next one I just wasn't paying attention and I rode off the road. 

This week for investigators has been good. We don't have as many people to work with as we'd like but we are trying as hard as we can. Chinese people are SO HARD to work with. They are not open to change. Especially the Methodists! Basically everyone here is Methodist and their preachers talk crap on us and bag on the Mormons. Its just like the great and spacious building :) But we are working with one man who is amazing! His name is V***. I think I have mentioned him before. He is one of the most sincere Chinese people I have ever worked with. This week we met with him and had one of the best lessons I've had on my mission. We are helping him to quit smoking by developing faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement. He is so humble and I am confident that the lord will work in him and change his heart. I have never loved any Malaysian more then I have V***. He is progressing well and our relationship with him is one that I hope will never be lost throughout my life. Also he has the cutest dog I have ever seen in my entire life.

Well that's all for this week. Happy fathers day to all you wonderful fathers out there! I am grateful for my own father and the example he has set for me in working hard and enduring trials. I am also grateful for a Father in heaven who loves me perfectly. I hope you all will appreciate him and your earthly fathers this day as well!

Love,

Elder Schwemmer

"This guy was selling live turtles to eat! I was so close to buying one!"

Elder Schwemmer and Elder Grant!

Indoor soccer!

大家下五好

你们好!

这个理白果的很好！

Oh sorry i forgot you cant read that ;) Haha this week I have officially started to study Chinese characters. My goal is to read the Book of Mormon in Chinese twice before I end my mission. Then for everyday of my life after that :) Anyways, this week has been a great week! We went to Singapore again this week! As always it was awesome! We got there and had a full day to do whatever we wanted. So we went to marina bay sands and walked around the craziest mall I've ever seen. Literally every single store was only things that millionaires could buy. Louis Vuitton, Tom Ford, Gucci, Chanel, anything you name it this mall had it. We went into this one store that was selling 30,000 cell phones that are only for Bentley vehicles. It was insane. But yeah we had a great time.

The work is going great and we have an amazing investigator named V***. Every time I have been with him I have felt the spirit. The other day while I was teaching him I was speaking Chinese words that I didn't even know I knew haha the gift of tongues is real! I am beginning to fall in love with Chinese. I am way excited to start reading it!

Thanks for everything love you all have a great week!

Love,

蘇长老

Maximum

This week was another terrific week in Sibu. I am loving it here! My faith increased this week as I went on exchanges with the zone leaders. I went with Elder Ngatikaura to his area in sibu jaya. It was one of the funnest days of my mission! We taught a lot of great lessons and had a way successful day. It was gawai day when I went on this exchange. Gawai is a huge holiday out here! It is basically the Christmas of Malaysia! Everything shuts down for 2 weeks and everyone returns to their "kompong" or hometown. Sibu Jaya was one of those hometowns. The first thing we did that day was go to a big flat or like a giant apartment complex. So we get there and basically all of the Sibu Jaya branch is from this flat. We show up and everyone starts singing and dancing and yelling for the giant white guys haha. We walk into a room where we taught an investigator. Then we ate. For gawai what they do is everyone has a ton of food and drinks at their house and they keep their doors open and people just walk in and eat food. So we started at this first house and then went to house to house eating boatloads of food! I have never eaten so much in my life! At the end of it we went to a total of 9 houses where at each one they filled our plates with tons of food. I could barely move after haha. That night we went to a Less Actives house. This house was super fun because they had a pet monkey! I was playing with the monkey and I made a very baad mistake by giving it my flash light. Haha the monkey just went to town on this thing. He was biting all the rubber and just destroying it. We tried wrestling him for it but he wouldnt give it up. Then we tried trading him food for it but it still didnt work. He was getting mad and started running at us and swiping at us haha. Then finally they owner brought out this little cookie thing and when the monkey saw it he straight away dropped my light and got the cookie haha. It was super fun but monkeys are evil.

 I learned from Elder Ngatikaura some great planning techniques. Often times in our area we are left with no plans and nothing really to do besides "contacting" As you probably know putting contacting as your plans is not very effective and not a very motivating thing to have in your plans. Elder Ngatikaura invited me to start thinking of new ways to find people rather then just contacting. So what me and Elder Pearce decided to do is when we meet someone we have to make them smile before we just go straight into contacting them. The ways we have done this is things like play basketball for 5 minutes with them, or do a trick on our bikes for them, or we just simply smile really big at them and they smile back. I have noticed that people are much more willing to talk to you if you connect with them through a smile. I have enjoyed doing this much more then just simple "street contacting" and it is much more effective. Another thing we have been doing that has increased my faith is serving our members. We have been going to members houses and almost forcing them to let us clean up a bit haha. I have truly felt my love for these people grow as I have smiled with them and served them. I have began to realize that that is what missions are all about. Is loving the people and helping their lives to improve through service and the gospel. I have also enjoyed doing small acts of service around the house for my companion. I love giving service it just makes everyone feel so good.

This week we saw a miracle in finding a sincere investigator. It is hard to find people that are humble and sincere out here but this week we found one. I contacted him using my "word of wisdom contacting" approach and the contact went wonderfully and i felt the spirit. Since I contacted him I had him keep popping up into my thoughts telling me to call him and meet with him. While we were advertising English class we ran into him again which usually means god is telling us to meet with him. So the next day we set up an appointment with him and he is well prepared. He listens intently and has an actual desire to change. I am excited that god has trusted me to work with this man.

As for members we had a great miracle as well. There is a family from ukraine in our branch who are very strong members. The dad got called to the branch presidency this week and he is just awesome! He is a great leader and he actually gets things done. The branch here struggles with leadership but now this brother is pushing things forward.

Thank you everyone for all the love, prayers, and support! Have a wonderful week!

-蘇长老

Appa Khabar!!

Whats up yall!

This week was yet another great week in Sibu!! I love this place! I have bonded a lot more with the members here and I love them! Missionary work in Sibu has been very slow compared to KL. There is not a fraction as many people here as there were in KL. But we are still working our hardest to get things done! We currently have one investigator on date for baptism. His name is L***. Hes a great guy with a great family.

As you know this week was my birthday. One year older and wiser too! On my birthday, we didn't have any appointments because we had weekly planning and then English blitz and then FHE. For the branch family home evening they brought me a nice cake. That was way nice. I bought myself a nice gift though. Its like this thing you can hook onto your chair or lay on or whatever and gives you nice massages! It also heats up. My back has been hurting from wearing a back pack so this was way nice. I fall asleep to a massage every night :) 

Opening birthday packages!

One fun thing that I have done in Sibu is something you all may not know about me but I play the piano for church hahaha. I know what your thinking.. What?! Elder Schwemmer plays the piano?! haha well yeah I do. I taught myself while being out here on my mission and no one in the branch can play so I play prelude music for them haha. I can only really do the right hand though. The left hand is slow and a bit shaky but hey I've been playing for 7 months!

This week the spare bike that I was using got a flat tire. That bike was terrible but I had to use it because my bike is still being shipped from Ipoh. So I had to use the even worse junkier spare bike. Well I was sitting at a stop light when all of a sudden a gun shot goes off right next to my ear! Lol just kidding.. it was just my back tire exploding haha. The guy filled my tire with way too much air. I couldn't hear for a while after that. So now that that bike was broken I had to move to an even worse bike! This thing is just terrible, the front wheel is barely staying on and wobbles as I ride. Only half of the chain works, and the best part... there is no seat! :) Lol it's so slow and terrible. Hopefully my bike will get here this week.

Thank you all for your support and prayers! Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes and gifts! 我很爱你们！！！

-蘇长老

Best week in Sibu!

你们好!!!

Whats up everyone?! I hope you all have had a good week as I most certainly have. 

This week was one of the best weeks of my mission! I absolutely love Sibu! I have been so happy here. I have felt burdens lifted and weights off my shoulders. If any of you out there are doubting, I promise you the healing power of the atonement is REAL!!! I have tasted it. I have felt it. And I KNOW that Jesus Christ suffered for each and every hard thing we have in our lives. I promise you that my favorite scripture and my mission plaque scripture is true!

 Mathew 11: 28-30

28 ¶Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

If we will just come unto Christ and accept his Atonement and love for us he will lighten our burdens. He will give us rest. I am a living testimony of that. I hope you can all use the Atonement more in your lives and see if your life doesn't get better. I am grateful for the joy I have experienced this week and wish you can all find it in your lives as well. 

We had a wonderful miracle with English class this week! The week I arrived in sibu we started to do English class blitz's. And this last Friday we go 30 NEW PEOPLE!!! That was huge! English class has brought 30 people into the meeting house of the lord where they had the chance of being connected to heaven by feeling the spirit as we sang and as we were inside the walls of the church. I had so much fun teaching! There were lots of families there as well and the class was so fun! Everybody was laughing and having a good time and left with smiles on their faces! We now have all their numbers and we are going to offer the gospel discussions and slowly but surely be acquainted with the church and hopefully one day be baptized!

Last week for pday we watched Ephraims Rescue and ate snacks. Today we are doing an escape room. 

Thank you all for the birthday wishes! I wouldn't want to spend my 19th birthday anywhere else in the world but Sibu Malaysia! I love you ALL! 

Love,

蘇长老

Personal Revelation

NI HAO

This week has been a wonderful week! I am so excited that I have the opportunity and privilege to come here to Sibu. It's nice to have a fresh start with a new area, new companion, new people, new everything! So far I have loved sibu! One thing I'm most excited about is Chinese. Out here hardly anybody speaks English and the branch is a Chinese branch. My Chinese has improved already within the few days I have been here. On Sunday I blessed the sacrament in Chinese and gave a talk and bore my testimony in Chinese!  I discovered that I know more then I give myself credit for. I'm excited to continue to learn and progress in the Chinese language.

 

My faith has increased a lot within these past few days, especially today. I had a wonderful experience last night and this morning in receiving personal revelation. At church we watched a video about receiving personal revelation and it showed the experiences of Joseph smith receiving revelation for the Doctrine and Covenants. It then related how we ourselves can receive personalized revelation and explained to us how to do it. That video struck my and made me feel the spirit. I kept reflecting on it that night. So in my nightly prayer last night, I followed the videos guidance and seeked for personal revelation. Upon asking my specific question a thought began flowing into my head like someone was speaking to me and told me what I must do. As it happened I felt a nice peace and sort of like I was not in my own mind. After the thoughts stopped flowing I received a distinct impression to "write it down" So I wrote down what I had heard. The answer helped me as I fell asleep last night. I fell asleep in peace and my soul was comforted. This morning however, when I woke up, the doubts came in and I began to question if what I heard was just my own thoughts telling myself what I wanted to hear. And I flipped open to the scriptures in Luke 24: 36-38. And it says: 

 36 ¶And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

Verse 36 and 38 really stuck out to me and helped me feel peace that it was revelation. When it asks "why do thoughts arise in your hearts?" there is a foot note on thoughts that say "doubts; hesitation" And so I asked myself why do I let thoughts of doubt and hesitation keep holding me back? After that I read a blessing that Elder Avery gave to me while we were companions that I had written down. And the words of the personal revelation I had received lined up almost word for word with the words of the blessing. And it confirmed to me that it was revelation and brought much peace unto my soul and weary heart. It has increased my faith in the Savior Jesus Christ and his gospel. I know that this church is true and I know that God loves me. I know that he has not forgotten me and is on my side cheering for me. I love God and I love this church.

As for miracles this week I would say that experience was the biggest. But this week we did have a member who brought his cousins to church and we were able to meet them and will be trying to teach them soon. The branch here is very small only about 20 or so at sacrament. I hope and pray that I can find a leader who will build the kingdom and the Chinese branch here.

I love my companion Elder Pearce! He is so fun and we clicked right away! He is from Utah. He went to Brighton high school. We have a great relationship already and I am excited that the Lord has put me with him.

Also, Elder Avery Grant is in my district!!!!! I am so pumped!! We were good friends in high school! I am so glad to see him out here on a mission! I got so lucky that he is in my district! We have seen each other a lot this week.

Elder Schwemmer's good friend Elder Grant from high school!

 

 

The other Elders in my district are Elder Knight, Elder Ee, and Elder Meacham. Today for pday the district is having a movie day. Sibu is pretty empty so there's not much to do. Today its raining pretty hard anyways.

 

Our house that we live in is HUGE!!!!! Just Elder Pearce and I live in it. It is so big and empty. There's a cool story behind our house. So in Sibu there are a bunch of Chinese gangs. Well, many years ago, some missionaries met the big boss of the gangs. They taught him all of the lessons. He was about to be baptized but if he wanted to be baptized he would have had to confess all his sins. But he didn't want to. However, he absolutely loves the church and the Elders. The only reason we have a big house is because he is the land lord of it and hooked up the church with a way good deal on it. The other day he also saw us eating lunch and he came and payed for us. He protects us haha its way sick.

 

Another funny story: This week I crashed for the first time on my bike haha. I'm using a crappy left over bike while my good bike is being shipped over here. Well I was riding no handed on the main road and there was a big puddle coming up. So I looked behind my shoulder to see if there were any cars coming so that I could go around the puddle. Well when I looked back there were some huge bumps in front of me that I didn't see and I totally ate it haha. There were so many cars there and they probably all saw haha. At first, my pride was more hurt then anything but I got over it. Haha even a couple branch members saw and talked to me about it at church lol. I got a bunch of scrapes and a bruised hip but I'm doing fine haha.

Well I love you all! Thanks for everything!

Love, 

Elder Schwemmer