wait are you doing ramadan, or lent??

Can you believe I've been gone for five months? I can't. Monday was the start of Ramadan here and we decided we're going to "fast" from some things for the month. The way Sister Wong described it, it sounded a little more like Lent! I'm just amped for the "Mormon" fast we're all going to have for Y & I soon.

Let's see...this might be a boring email, it's only been like four days since the last one and nothing has really happened. It's been good for me though, I've had some time to evaluate D&C 64:33 style. Do you remember when Elder Bednar had that great talk about the brushstrokes in a painting and how you only realize the big picture once you take a step back out of the details and observe what they've built up to? That's how I feel about our area right now...in conjunction with D&C 64:33. It's only been small and simple things so it might be hard to notice them, but we sure have a pretty solid foundation being built up here and I'm amped. August is going to be the kicker, I just feel it. I could really be tempted to think that not much has happened here, that it's the same as we found it in the beginning of May, but it's SO MUCH MORE. We just haven't noticed the results of all our efforts. We love the members of the Church in our area. We love having our friends who we're teaching over to visit them. There's a good trust relationship between us and the ward and that's exactly what we said we wanted when we first got here. Check. We've found a lot of people to teach also, it will all start rolling if we just keep pushing and praying. Not pushing people though...that wouldn't be nice.

I had to take this really nice attitude or else I could be really bummed by the fact that B & NG were supposed to get baptized this coming Saturday. Nadai! NG got a new job, which is so, so wonderful, but she doesn't have enough time to meet with us and learn everything before Saturday, so hopefully next Saturday will be more realistic. She still wants it. B is just same old same old and we don't know where to go from here.

We had a pretty cool experience at church on Sunday, a group of about eight uni students showed up to Sacrament Meeting and then came to Sunday School after. Right before class started, they said that they were working on a project for school to research the difference between the LDS Church and other churches here in Singapore. I jumped right on that and told them that Sister Howard and I were full-time missionaries, we teach people about the church all day, every day, and we'd be delighted to meet with them and answer any questions and share a bit :) They took us up on it...right after Sunday School. Three of the ward missionaries and the mission president's wife joined us. I felt like we were at a press conference with them all circled around with their lists of questions. It was awesome though. Pretty laid back and we all just talked and laughed and got to know each other a bit. They said they felt inspired and uplifted by that hour and a half :) We've been SMSing with one of the girls and we know we at least planted some seeds of faith and got rid of some false notions about the Church here. There are so many weird rumors about the Mormons here. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Alison's mom and sister were baptized! It was another great service. It wouldn't have happened without Alison being a pioneer for her family and leading the way. I'm so proud of you and I love you, Alison! The blessings will just keep coming…just keep doing what you know to be right.

Uhhhh I have nothing else, sorry. I love you all very, very much! I got your letter, Kimmy! I'll write back as soon as I can! Tell Nate I'm waiting for my letter! That's all now.

Sayangi!

Sister Norton

HFI