Dangerous, Crazy, Amazing and Sweet!

So this week was crazy.


Something interesting happens every day.  Puchong is so different than KK.  Everyone is Indian, Malaysian Chinese, or Nigerian... and this week I also met people from Myanmar and Cambodia.  So sweet!!!  It's amazing here.  Every day is exciting.  People are CRAZY! And awesome as well.


First off it's a lot more dangerous than KK was!  Sister Jensen and I got followed halfway home by an enormous Nigerian man the other night... but luckily the Elders in the next area over had been with us earlier and (miraculously) hadn't yet gotten on the bus home, so we went into a restaurant, sat down, and called them to come walk us home.  The guy saw us with the Elders and didn't follow us.  It was intense but the Lord definitely was with us protecting us.


When we contact people, it's rare that they know anything about Jesus Christ.  I could never have imagined an actual place where people don't know.  It's hard because a lot of people are not interested because they hold onto their traditions--maybe they come from a family of Buddhism, and although they have never learned about Jesus Christ, they are closed to it because they don't understand what it means or how it can help them.   But then there are others who are curious and interested--somehow the seed has been planted.


It has been a huge blessing to me this week as I've focused my studies and thoughts and teaching on 1) Jesus Christ and His Atonement, and 2) eternal families.  In Kota Kinabalu, I felt that I was bringing the message of the glorious Restoration--at least, that is what I most frequently bore testimony of--and here I feel I will bear testimony first of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior of the world, and of the fact that through Jesus Christ, our families can be bound together in this life and in the next life. (Same message ultimately, but different focus because most people's needs are different here.)  It's so humbling.  So many people will hear a testimony of Jesus Christ for the first time in their lives, from me and Sister Jensen.  All of the people we are teaching right now come either from a Buddhist or Hindu background.  I feel I am truly being given an opportunity to learn to teach and speak simply and deeply.  To testify simply, clearly, and boldly of Jesus Christ.  This is an amazing situation that God has put me in.  I still am trying to figure out how to best do it but I know God will help me.


Also the branch here in incredible.  The members are amazing.  Our branch is mostly Chinese with a lot of Indians... and there are so many FAMILIES.  This is a branch full of families.  It's so sweet!  They are solid and I am so excited to work with the people here.  There are like 15 really strong young men in our branch, also.  The priesthood is way strong here, which is amazing.  I'm so excited to be a missionary here.


My time is up now but next week I will tell (and have) more stories... I love my life!  The Gospel is true! Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and I KNOW that without a doubt.


Sister Gopinath