Christmas in Malaysia

Fun at the Masai Branch Christmas beach party! (Photos courtesy of President Schollenberger)

Well, Merry Christmas from Malaysia!

I'm doing just swell out here! Life on the other side of the world just couldn't get better. I realized yesterday that this is going to be the most un-Christmas Christmas ever, but whatever. It's hot here, and no one decorates with Christmas lights, or anything like that, so it's not much of a Christmas! I still have a giant Christmas box to open from home though, and talking to my family (!!!!) is going to be awesome, so that will make things seem a little bit more like Christmas. It's tough because in JB, my city, the vast majority of people are I s l a m, and that just makes it hard to see anything Christmas-y out here. But, occasionally the grocery store near our house plays Taylor Swift Christmas music! Totally can hahaha so life is still great!

Erika is on track to be baptized on January 4. I'm really excited for her, and it will be my first investigator to be baptized! It is such a huge blessing to have seen her progress. When we first started with her, she had a hard time praying, and didn't really feel comfortable doing that, but in our lesson yesterday, she volunteered to do the opening prayer! She's really doing remarkably well and we feel very good about her.

Everything out here is going great. I really have gotten pretty close with Elder Jackson, who lives in the same house as me. He is a brilliant guy and really helps me out whenever I need it!

This week we had Christmas Conference and got to watch the Christmas Devotional in Singapore! Because I am in one of the Singapore Zones, even though I'm in Malaysia, I only saw those serving in Singapore. I'm like the only missionary from my group of MTC missionaries in the Singapore Mission in West Malaysia or Singapore! Yikes! I miss them all haha but I feel like I'll be seeing them soon.

Keep up life back at home everyone and try to be like Christ for me! :) do a good turn daily and think of Jesus! :) Love you all!

Malaysia Boleh!

Elder Coleman

Ps hahaha the Malay word for the week: responsibility . It's epic: tanggungjawap. To make some one responsible, or give them responsibility, is mempertanggungjawapkan. SO GREAT.

Lunch at the beach party -- chicken heads and feet! 

(Here's a link to a blog post by Elder C's district president with all the details of the Christmas beach party, including the technique the Malaysians use to eat chicken feet!)

In the middle of a speed eating game! That's why everyone is watching him!