Week #20 – Singapore and Broken Chains: November 28, 2016 – November 22, 2016

Happy Thanksgiving!!! This week we went back to Singapore for Zone Conference. Usually Zone Conference with the Mission President is every other transfer. The past few times, the president has gone out to the area, but in the past, there were 2 large zone conferences in Singapore. It is being changed yet again so there are 4 zone conferences in Singapore. This allows missionaries to not only have training, but to do visa runs. Since it was changed recently, we had another zone conference with the president so that we could all be on the same track again for visa runs. This zone conference was training on how to find and teach better, as well as learning how to become a fully consecrated missionary. This is actually a talk called, "The Consecrated Missionary" given by Tad R. Callister. We were also able to have a Thanksgiving dinner put on by the Mission President and his wife and the other senior missionaries. It was very delicious! 

Upon our return to Malaysia, all of the missionaries in Penang were invited by an American family to have a second Thanksgiving with them. It was also very delicious and fun! One thing I am thankful for is the power of prayer and the safety Heavenly Father has provided for us. One of my companions has a bike whose chain has continually been braking off these past few days. We haven't had time to fix it, other than to attach the chain back on. Luckily through prayer, several kind people have stopped to help us. It has really showed me that Heavenly Father answers our prayers. It also showed me how kind people are to others who are in need of help. It reminds me once of a talk that was given in my home ward at sacrament meeting. The person giving the talk had lived in many places, especially in the U.S. They had noticed one difference in some of the places he lived than in others, kindness. In one place, they were nice, but not kind. In the other, it was opposite. I often sat and pondered that experience. What does it mean to be kind? What does it mean to be nice? What is the difference? Is it the amount of care and charity behind the act? Are we just saying, "Hi!" for pleasantries? Or is there more? What about your neighbor? Would you only wave to them? Or would you stop by to help them? Think about it for a bit? How will you show someone that you care today?

(Sister Vranes could not load pictures this week.)