Happy New Year

Monday, December 30, 2013
With his Christmas gifts--small things that made him happy, like the Chick Fil-A sauce :)
We LOVED getting to "see" our elder on Christmas day!! 
Hello all!!

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas! And that it was more Christmas-y than mine! Don't think I'm complaining, I think Christmas traditions over here are hilarious, but it's definitely weird not being home!

I got to Skype home for the first time on Christmas, which was so great! Anyone who knows our family knows we are a talkative, lively bunch, so the hour I had to chat with them vanished like smoke! It was amazing nonetheless. Really makes you appreciate your family even more when you're not with them for Christmas!!

This week was interesting, as my companion Elder Cook got really sick and was essentially bedridden the whole week! The poor guy. I kasihan him a lot (pity in Malay, but that's how the Elders here talk hahaha). Luckily, we did exchanges with other missionaries a couple of times so I was still able to get out to my area!

We started an English Class out here! That's been fun and we hope that our members can start bringing their friends in weeks to come! hahahah So funny though. Malaysians cannot, not even to save their lives, correctly pronounce the "th" sound. There's no similar sound in Malay or Iban and it's so funny to watch them try to say it.

So. Christmas in Malaysia. People just jalan-jalan, or walk/stroll/travel around, going from house to house, eating random people's food! Even M u s l i m people get into it and jalan! hahahah it is so funny! So, after a delicious meal at the Senior Couple's home of ham and rolls and green beans (SO GOOD), we went to 4 houses and ate a full plate or two at each of them! I ate a chicken foot, more rice and noodles (mi [pronounced 'me'] in Malay) than I want to remember, and some REALLY REALLY REALLY gross meat that was claimed to be babi hutan - or wild boar. Literally, it had the taste of... well, poop! It was SO GROSS. Whatever! You only serve once lah!

Anyways, I've just been so blessed that I haven't gotten sick. I'm really grateful for that. Oh, and I gave another talk in sacrament meeting! In Malay! Such good times.

Love you all! Please keep giving service to be like Christ! :) I'm trying to, so give it a shot! Happy New Year!


Malaysia Boleh,


Elder Coleman
His much-loved advent calendar...every day he got to open a note from a family member or friend.
He says it was a treasure!

Before he opened his gifts! I don't know what time it was but knowing him, it was EARLY! :)



With Santa! aka President Schollenberger at the branch Christmas party
The Kota Masai Branch