Christmas

Dear all-

Well this week was Christmas!!! I had a lot of fun, and definately ate a lot. In Malaysia, they dont really do it where the have christmas trees and presents and everything. They just get together with their family and everything and eat a ton. So thats what we did pretty much. We went around from house to house and just ate a ton! the only problem is that every house you go to, its rude not eat there, so they MAKE you eat. So i was completely full after like the 2nd house. But i had to keep eating. I actually didnt like it very much. But i didnt really have to eat the day after that. hahah I was still full

Also this week, I got to call HOME! it was great being able to talk to everyone that i got a chance to talk to. Im super glad that everything is going well at home. and Im super glad that everyone is doing well. Most people would think that the phone call home would be distracting and stuff. But actually it had the opposite effect on me. Me being able to call home made me realize that i am where i shoudl be right now. And made me realize that if i chose to not go on a mission, and stay home,  i would be doing absolutely NOTHING right now other than just sitting around. SO i am very happy that i am out where i am and serving the people of Malaysia. Its what i look forward to every day. haha

So i dont really have a whole lot of stories from this last week. The week was just super busy becuase we put on a Nativity night at the church and that took up a TON of time. and thats what we did for most of last week. 

But Daisy got baptized last saturday!!! and was confirmed on Christmas day. It was exciting to see and i was way happy. The only thing is that her Antichrist uncle actually got to her parents. Her parents dont wanna come to church anymore, and they want to go to church with the unlce. I dont get why. They think that other church is true becuase they went there on sunday and they saw 2 people faint. hahaha. I dont get how the pastor making someone faint makes that church true. It doesnt make sense at all. Dont they get that i could pretend like i fainted if i wanted too?? haha. So Daisy's parents pretty much told us that they didnt wanna learn anymore. But they are totally cool with Daisy still coming to church. Thats not a problem at all. I am just glad that daisy is strong willed enough to come to church on her own, even if her parents are going to a different church. But we're not giving up yet. They said that we could still come to their house in order to teach daisy. But they are usually there too. So maybe theyll sit in and be able to feel the spirit and everything.

Anyway, thats about all for last week. We have another 2 baptisms this saturday. Im not sure if i have talked about them a whole lot. One is Bebe, and the other is Marcos. Bebe is a teenage girl who has been learning for a way long time. Her mom got baptized like 2 months ago. And now Bebe is going to be getting baptized on Saturday. Im really happy. Ive been teaching her since i got here. ANd shes been learning longer than that even. ANd then Marcos. Marcos is a teenage boy. He's about 16 or 17. ANyway, his best friend, Harryson, was baptized a couple weeks ago, and so now hes gonna follow. Hes been coming to church and learning for a long time too. So it will be exciting to see those two get baptized. Anyway, thats about everything.

Elder Trotter

Merry Christmas

Dear all-

This week went by super quick, and was super busy. ME and Elder Polley were completely responsible for getting the whole branch christmas party going. We had to make sure that everyone came, that there was enough food, that the branch had the right budget, everything. it was pretty stressfull, but it all went well, and we had about 100 people come! I have never seen that many people in that building before. A lot of innactives came. They all love the free food, and can make it there for that, but somehow cant find a way to come to church on sunday. I dont get it.

Our branch president just had a stoke, so me and Elder Polley have been doing pretty much everything that needs to be done to keep the church going. The church here is super small and doesnt really know how to be operated properly. So the missionaries here keep everything going. A lot more responsibility than i thought i would have. Thats for sure. haha.

Yesterday was a super exciting day for me and Elder Polley because we confounded the ANTICHRIST! hhahaha. We have this investigator family and one of their daughters is getting baptized this week. ITs Dalsy. I think i have wrote about her a little bit. So i think i was saying last week, that Dalsy's family is now open to the gospel after rejecting it for like 2 years. So Dalsy's dad has a little Brother whos a very smart teacher, and studied religion for like 5 years in college or something like that. WHen this brother heard that we were teaching his older brother, he freaked out and told Dalsy's dad that he cant follow us becuase we are completely false. Anyway, turns out that this brother came to Dalsy's house yesterday when were teaching her family. He refused to speak malay with us. HE would only speak english. Ive never taught any lessons in english yet, and i find it a lot easier to do it in malay. So i was kinda nervous that he wanted to speak in English. But anyway, he kept telling us that we were wrong and everything like that. ANd that he wouldnt let his family follow our church. But we completely stumped him. He kept saying all sorts of stuff, and we would prove it wrong. And he contradicted himself about 30 times in this conversation. Im not even sure he knows what he believes in anymore after that conversation. But by the end of the conversation, he said that his older brother (Dalsy's dad) should choose for himself what is true. Which is exactly what we wanted to hear from him. ANyway, i was kinda nervous, but i was glad the spirit was with us, becuase it definatley guided us with what to say. We had two unlearned 20 year old kids confouding a man that said he had studied religion in college for 5 years. It seems pretty obvious to me where the truth is.

Yesterday was also way cool for another reason. ME and Elder Polley always get calls to come and give blessing in the Hospital. Ive never been to a hospital so many times in my entire life. So i was kinda negative about going there. It will always be some person that doesnt wanna learn from us, but when they get sick, they want a blessing for some reason. I dont get it. But yesterday taught me one of the most valuable lessons i have learned on my mission. So we went to give this blessing to a lady that neither of us knew. She wend to the bedside of an old iban lady that had been in the hospital for a long time. We decided that we would just pray for her instead of giving her a blessing. Its what we both felt was right. SO Elder Polley started to offer a prayer. It was in Malay. We didnt think this lady even understood us becuase we thought she only understood Iban. That usually the case with people her age. Anyway, Elder Polley prayed for her health to return to her and everything and when he said amen, She said amen too. That was super surprising to us. People here dont usually say amen at the end of a prayer unless we told them to say amen. Anyway, she started crying. And we went to shake her hand goodbye and she took our hands and started kissing them and telling us thank you. as we left, she started to hold her hands out to us, like she was reaching for us. Still crying. The spirit was so strong. I felt like us going to the hospital wouldnt matter much. But it mattered to her. it mattered a LOT to her.
That little old, dying Iban lady taught me a lesson. Before i went to her bedside, i didnt even wanna use my time going to the hospital to give a blessing. She made me realize who i am. I am a representative of Jesus Christ. I have no time, or room to be selfish. I have no right to think of myself like that. I represent HIM. HE would have never had negative thoughts about helping someone. Thats the nature of my call. Thats what i do. I help other people come closer to Christ. And every ounce of energy i have in my body for the next to years is dedicated to that purpose. Im not here for myself. Im here for God and his children. Im glad that little old Iban lady was placed in my path to teach me that lesson. I hope i can remember it.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!
Elder Trotter

Dear all-

Sorry I didnt write last week. I didnt have a whole of time last week! Anyway, ill give you a summary of what has been happening these past couple weeks!

We had another baptism! His name is Harryson! He is almost 17 years old and he is way awesome. He is pretty solid in the church, and i really hope that he has the desire to go on a mission.  i know that would bring him the greatest blessing of all! He has been an investigator for quite a while now. He was learning even way before i got here. Anyway, he wanted Elder Polley to baptize him...But I gave a talk on the Holy Ghost. And i also talked about enduring to the end. Becuase is something that everyone here seems to lack a concept of. People usually go innactive here pretty quick. The whole culture is flaky, and the church is still way young here. Almost everyone has only converted within the past 5 years.

Anyway, I forgot to write about this when it happened....But i got a baby here named after me and Elder Polley. Im not sure if you remember, but there is a recent convert here name Singar. She is really awesome. She is the one who was pregnant, and her husband started cheating on her and ran off with some other girl. Anyway, she had that baby about a month ago. And she wanted to name it after me and Elder Polley.  So she names her kid "Sam Jake Anak Laja"  The anak laja part is like their last name here. Everyone has the name anak and then the name of their dad. Anak just means child. So its like saying "Sam Jake" Laja's kid. anyway. I thought it was pretty cool. I forgot to write about it last month. But she told us that she wanted her kid to grow up to be like me and Elder Polley. To grow up to be a person that loves God and everything.

I had a pretty cool experience this week. Elder Polley is a zone leader, so he will have to go on splits a lot of the times with other Elders. So sometimes ill have to bring a chinese speaking elder with me, and go to all of our appointments. He usually just sits there becuase all of my investigators speak malay, and he speaks chinese. So i pretty much have to teach lessons completely on my own whenever Elder Polley is gone. And that usually happens about once a week.
So that happened last week, and i had to go over to Catherines house to teach her some of her recent convert lessons.. Also we teach her neice who is getting baptized in two weeks. But Catherine lives with her younger sister, and her whole family. Thats why the neice is always there. Because she lives there. Her name is Dalsy. But they pronounce is daisy. I dont get it. But anyway....Dalsy's mom does not like the gospel very much. She has sat in on all the lessons we have given Catherine and everything, but doesnt wanna come to church or anything. Elders had taught her about a year ago, but she got dropped becuase she wouldnt progress, and didnt wanna come to church. ANyway, this last week, when i had to go over there and teach the whole lesson by myself, i kept feeling like i should continue to talk to her. So i did.
I kept asking her when she wants to start coming to church and get baptized. So i told her to look at the eample of her sister, Catherine. Cathering was not very happy before, but now she is happy beyond all measure. I asked her if she wanted the same joy that catherine has, and of course she said yes. I told her that meant she wants to join the church then. ANyway, she just kept telling me that her husband doesnt want to and everything and crap like that. But right when she was talking about that, her husband got home from work, and walked in to the room. I invited them all to accept the gospel, and he said ok. Anyway, im not sure if this story makes sense even, but they all came to church this week, and now have a date to be baptized. I am way excited to see their progression! We went over there yesterday, and she was more excited to see us than ever! she couldnt stop smiling and we asked her why she was so happy. She told us it was becuase we can over there to teach her about the gospel!
ANyway, i guess the main thing about that story was that even though she had told us that she didnt ever want to be preached to...i still followed the feeling to talk to her that day, and her attitude toward the gospel has had a 180 degree turn! and this is after over 2 years of rejecting the Elders before. Im glad that i made that decision. She is more happy than ever now!
Anyway, that about all for this week
Love
Elder Trotter

First Baptism

Dear all-
well, to say this week was eventful would be an understatement. I dont even know where to start. haha. definately the best time on my mission, and the worst. But i guess i will start out with the good stuff!!!

Well, i had my first baptism this week!!!! it was way great. I had the opportunity to baptize Catherine. It was really cool. When our investigators are about ready to get baptized, we asked them who they want to baptize them. Its usually better if a member baptizes them so that they have a friend in the church and someone to fellowship them. All the other baptisms we had this week were done by a member that is friends with the ones who got baptized. Catherine insisted that i baptized her tho. I was honored to be the one who she wanted to do it. It was neat becuase i have never baptized anyone before. I was afraid that i was going to hold her under the water too long or something. haha. But everything went smoothly. It was cool to be able to do it all in another language too. Im glad i didnt mess that part up.

Anyway, all 5 people got baptized. It was Niut, Seta, Jaqueline, Helen, and Catherine. Hearing their testimonies of the restored gospel was way great.

So after the baptism was over, Elder Polley and I locked the church up and everything, and then went outside to go home. But to our surprise.....NO BIKES!!!! yep! someone stole our bikes! the bike that i just bought a little over a month ago is completely gone!!!! we had them locked up and everything. Locked with an inch thick cable!! who ever needed those bikes must have really wanted to get them. Ive been riding this bike for the past week that barely works. So, a new bike is in the making. I need one pretty bad. Surprisingly, i wasnt as mad as i would have been a couple months ago. Of course i was mad about it, but i just figured that there was not a whole lot i could do about my bike being gone. I just hope that whoever stole it needs it a whole lot more than i do.

Anyway, I had my first baptism, and on the same night, got my bike stolen. What a weird day! ahaha

well, also this week, Me and Elder Polley have been working really hard as normal. But we made plans to see all of our investigators more than normal. This week, we had 32 people on date to be baptized!! im just glad to see that all the hard work is paying off.

Well this month, as a zone, we reached our baptisimal goal, so our mission president approved us to go to this really cool place called Kapit! we just got back from there. It a place that you can only get to by boat. There is no roads that lead there at all. It was super cool to see everything. We got to go to a long house. Which is where the Ibans live. Super traditional Iban culture there. The have skulls from when the used to head hunt the japanese. It was way cool to go there and see everything. ANyway, thats about all for this week. Remember to keep writing me! Love everyone!
-Elder Trotter

Busy Week

Dear all-
This week was pretty good. Even more busy than last week. Me and Elder Polley are teaching so many people that we have our schedule all planned our for over a week with every hour filled with someone that wants to learn about the gospel! its pretty cool.
Well this Sunday was pretty stressful for me. We were planning on having around 12 of our investigators there, and i was super excited to have that many at church, but when it came down to it, only 4 showed up :( not cool. I just stressed out about what i cant do better to help these people understand how important going to church is. I just felt like i was doing something wrong, or not doing enough. So Me and Elder Polley decided to step it up a bit and plan everything out as far as we could, and see our investigators as many times as possible in a week to help them with their progression. Its only wednesday, and this week has already been super hecktik. haha. But ill live. It pays off. The reward is greater than you could ever imagine.

Later this week i'll have my first baptisms!! im super excited. We have 5 people getting baptized on this Saturday. Its been really cool to be able to see their progression. We had their interviews yesterday. Our district leader did the interviews with them. But the Problem was that he is a chinese speaking elder and doesnt speak malay. so i got to translate for him. Ive gotten good enough at the language that i was able to translate everything he wanted to say to them in their interview. It was pretty cool. It was also cool to see them answer all the questions and show what they have learned From what Elder Polley and I have taught them.

So yesterday we did the interviews with our investigators, and then after that, we went out contacting. Sometimes when we go contacting We have a Chinese speaking elder go with a malay speaking elder  so that we can always talk to everyone that we run in to no matter what. I was kinda nervouse because i dont feel all that sufficient in the language to just contact someone, and have a full conversation about whatever the want to talk about. But i went out anyway, and found 2 new investigators pretty quick completely by myself. I was pretty happy that i could carry out a full conversation with no help from anyone! then i got in to a house, and taught 2 more people and taught them almost all of the first lesson. Then after that lesson, i found 3 more!!! and talked with all them. I did all this in about an hour! i found 7 new investigators all by myself with no language help from my companion. I was pretty happy. Surely the Lord does bless us and lead us to those who want to learn about his gospel. And also loosen the tongues of the messengers to bring them the news of the gospel.

Well there has been a whole of funny stories lately. But i do have 1. This is quite possibly the funniest story ibe had so far. And you had to be there. It probably wont sound all the funny to those who were there, and this will probably sound kind of stupid. Anyway, Elder polley and I decide to go out to this area called Sentosa. Its kind of a little ways outside of Sibu and is like a 30 minute bike ride. Its not too bad, but just kind of annoying to go out there.

Anyway we didnt really know our way around Sentosa all that way, so we decided to meet up with this kid named Willy. HE was so funny. Hes 19 years old, crazy, and doesnt have his two front teeth. He was just so funny. we asked him where we could find people to teach. he told us that he would bring us to a lot of people if we bought him a coke first. So we agreed. We went to this little store and bought him a coke. We convinced him to just chug the whole thing. He said no at first, but then agreed. It was great. He drank the whole thing. And then it all fizzed back up his throat and started puking up this coke everywhere. We were laughing so hard. It was one of the funniest things ive seen.
Anyway, Willy held up his promise. He took us to meet some people. He took us to this house where he said that some less active church members lived. He walked up to their house and went up the staird. Me and Elder Polley just stood by the gate until we knew that it was ok to go in. So he walks up their stairs and opens the door and walks in. Their was a girls inside that waved us in. So me and elder polley go in and sit down and start talking with them. After a little bit, we ask them how long they had known Willy. They said that they didnt know him. That they just met him when he walked in to their house. HAHAHAHA it was soooo funny!! anyway, we kept talking with them, and they really wanted to learn more about the gospel. It was pretty funny. anyway. Its just funny  how the Lord puts people in our path to find the people that need to learn. ANyway, thats all i have for this week!!! dont forget to write me!! i only got one email this week!!!! hahah but its all good!

-Elder Trotter

Dear All-
So this week there hasnt been a whole lot that has happened, and not a whole lot of stories to tell. But everything has been going really good in the mission. My zone is currently leading the mission! as far as numbers are concerned. That pretty cool to be apart of. we are having 17 baptisms in our zone alone in the month of November! thats super high.
Elder Polley and I have been working really hard in finding new people, and helping the progress of the ones that we already have. Last week we got 14 new investigators! so We have a lot of work to be doing. Its really fun and interesting to me to be able to find people, and bring them the message of the gospel. Everyone just takes the gospel differently, and you can really tell when they have been prepared to hear the good word. They hang on every word we say. Like they are just so eager to hear the next truth that we have to share with them. Its really great.
Well i can share a little bit about the pictures that i send everyone. The first one was with me and a rubix cube. I have kinda gotten in to those a little bit. I learned how to solve them, and do it just about everyday now for fun. I just started, so my quickest times arent that great, but the fastest i have done it in is 4 minutes. I wanna get faster. That would be cool. Kinda geeky i know. But im a geek, so it kinda works out.
I put a picture of a Chinese temple. There are a couple of those around here. They are pretty classic looking. Im glad i have the truth in my life, and have temples that are actually the house of the Lord. Lots different from these temples here. But they are still a cool sight. I havent gone in one yet, but ill probably go there some day for something.
I took a picture of one of the ditches on the side of the road in Sibu. Everywhere in malaysia has open sewers. All the drainage for everything is just on the side of the road. So youll have the sidewalk, and then next to that will just be a huge ditch filled with water. You have to be careful when you are walking so that you dont fall in. hahaha. that wouldnt be fun. And it would be really smelly. Anyway, people litter a ton here. so those ditches get REALLY dirty. this is the most dirty of any place that ive ever seen before. There is trash all over the place.
I took a picture of me playing a game with a couple little Malaysian kids. Its called Takraw. Its pretty cool. Its like a mix of volleyball and soccer. Its got the same rules as volley ball, but you can only use your feet and your head to hit it to the other side of the net. its really fun. This was the first time i got to play this game at all.
This place has really cool sunsets, so i put one on here so everyone can see.
I took a picture of my birthday pie. haha. that was my celebration!
OK the last two pictures are the coolest. I got a picture with this really old Ibon guy. Hes in his 90s. Its cool cuz there is a lot of history with the Ibons. So basically the ibons were a tribe of people here in malaysia, and the japanese invaded, and the ibons fought with them. The ibons became head hunters. They would go to battle with the japanese, and cut off all their heads.  So if you look at the picture of that old guy, he has some tattoos. the flowers that he has on his shoulders were given to him for every head that he cut off. So this guy cut off at least two heads. The tattoo on his neck was given to him for outstanding bravery. Which means he killed a LOT of people hahah. haha. He has more on his back for the same thing. Anyway, this guy was an Ibon warrior way back in the day. So i just had to get a picture with him. It was pretty cool!

Anyway, thats all for the pictures. There wasnt a whole lot that happened this week besides a lot of work, and a lot of teaching. My language is continuing to get better, and i think my english is getting better too becuase im not trying to hard to consintrate on Malay. Anyway, i have my first baptism Next saturday. Im SUPER excited. We are baptising 6 people! i have taught them all! its been a really neat experience for me to watch their progression. Anyway, thats about all for this week. Ill be sure to write again next week!

Sincerely,
Elder Trotter

Zone Conf. and Sick as a Dog

Dear all
This week was ok for me. Well first off, It was my Birthday!!!! wooo hooo! i am 20!  I guess im not a teenager anymore. But the way i see it, your age doesnt make you a teenager. haha. So we had ZLC this week.  It was basically just a conference that we had to go to and get training from the mission president and his wife, and the Assistants on how to be more affective. So we all got on a Boat and went to Kuching. Its a city thats about 4 and half hours away from Sibu. It wasnt too bad of an experience. It was kinda fun for me to ride on a boat. I hadnt ever been on a boat like that one before. It was pretty cool. I have pictures of it, but the computer i am on right now doesnt have a USB for me to plug in my camera :(
So i spent like 2 and half days in Kuching for that conference. so that took up most of the week.
Well when i came home from Kuching I was really sick. I think i ate some bad chicken or something. But i had stomach pains like i never really had before. It hurt. and i was pretty dizzy. But becuase i like to think of myself as superman, i decided that i wasnt going to stay in. That i was still gonna go out and teach people. So i did. I took some pills to cork me up, and went out. It was pretty cool. Well ill tell you some cool things that happened this week that were pretty cool. SO we only had about 3 days of regular missionary work. But this is what happened:

One of the recent Converts, Singar was pregnant, and had her baby. Shes the one that has the husband that just left her while she was pregnant. Now her husband has a new wife, and wants nothing to do with Singar or the kid she just had. She had to have a C-section to have this baby. Her husband never went to go see her. He didnt go to see his son. Nor does he care. She has no money to pay her hospital bill. Shes still in the hospital recovering. We gave her a blessing on Sunday.

Catherine- Shes the investigator that is super willing to learn, and has the greatest faith ever. She asked if she could move her baptisimal date up a couple weeks becuase she didnt wanna wait until december. She is super excited to get baptised. Shes getting baptised later this month already. Im so excited!

Niut- She is another on of our investigators who is soooo solid. She got a book or mormon the week before i got here. And started reading it the week i got here. She just finished the book completely. Thats about 3 or 4 weeks, and she completely finished the whole thing!! Shes way excited to get baptised to. She get baptised the same say Catherine does this month.

Well yesterday i stayed in because i was still sick. I threw up a lot and then threw up some blood. I saw a doctor, and i got an antibiotic, and so they made me take it, and not go out. I slept for almost all of yesterday, and then woke up this morning, and felt a whole lot better. I feels so good to feel normal again!! woo hoo. Anyway, thats about all thats happened this week. Thanks you everyone for writing me so many birthday emails!! it was great to hear from everyone!!
ELDER TROTTER

Catherine

So this week was pretty good overall. One of the main thing that happened that i wanted to write about was one of our investigators named Catherine.  Catherine, 3 weeks ago was in the hospital having an emergency C section. I guess her placenta broke inside of her, and her baby died inside of her or something like that. She was only 3 months pregnant. Anyway, while this happened she got super sick. (this all happened right before i got here.) So my companion, Elder Polley, went to go give her a blessing. The next day she was completely healed, and was able to go home. This whole time she was in the hospital, her husband never even came to see her. But her brother, who is a member, came to see her everyday.
3 days after she had been home, her husband was mad at her becuase she didnt go and plant their rice paddies. He told her that she needed to be outside working to plant their rice. (they plant their rice in a little village outside of the city) She said that couldnt go becuase she wanted to stay in the city to be able to go to church. ANd besides, she had just had a pretty big surgery. Her husband told her that she couldnt follow any churches, and that if she wanted to go to church, that she would have to choose between him and God. She chose God. They got a divorce. Hes already gone off and found some other person to be with.
She left her husband, and everything she had (when you get a divorce here the woman gets nothing) to have the gospel. And she hadnt even been taught the first lesson yet. She didnt even know the name Joseph Smith. All she knew is that she got a blessing and it was from the power of God that she was healed.  We went over to her house for the first time this week, and have taught her three lessons since then. Its amazing the faith she has. She knows that every word we are saying is true. Here this lady is, gave up everything she has for the gospel. Its people like that, that make me feel like crap sometimes. What have i given up to have the gospel? I still have a good family, a nice house, and everything taken care up. She has no husband anymore, has no money, and lives in a 10X12 box with her sister. Its amazing. I also had a pretty amazing experience at her home yesterday. Yesterday we introduced the Book of Mormon to her for the first time. But she cant read. She doesnt know how. It was sad for me to hear that. But she was so happy to get this book. She was just beaming. The only thing we could tell her to do was to open it up, look at the words, and pray about it. To hold it in her hands, ponder it in her heart, and know for herself thats its the words of God. I cant even express the love i feel for this investigator that i just met. Her faith amazes me. She cant wait to get baptized. We mentioned her baptisimal date yesterday (she already had a date) and she just got so excited. I am so honored to be the one to be able to bring this gospel in to her life. Im not sure what i ever did to be able to bring so much joy to this person. I know its not me bringing the joy. Im just the messenger. But i dont feel worthy enough to be the messenger.  im just a 19 year old kid. Im bringing the message that will change these peoples lives forever. Im actually doing Gods work. I know ive heard that so many times in my life, but now, its taking more meaning that it ever has. this call is a great one. This responsibility is a great one. I feel so honored, and so humbled to be where i am right now. I dont really know how to put it in to words.

Love,
Elder Trotter

First week in Singapore

Well this week has been so crazy that i dont even know where to start. honestly. i cant even describe it here. Its jungle and its crazy. But until i taught a couple lessons, i couldnt quite understand why malaysia is a 3rd world  country. I mean, it obviously looks super poor and everything, but not third world. Or so i thought. I thought that until i got in to the homes of the people. Its amazing how they live here. If someone in america was to live like the people do here, they would be considered homeless. Every family i have seen literally lives in a 12x12 box. And thats where the WHOLE family lives. Its amazing to see how an entire family lives in a room smaller than any room ive ever had growing up. And they are so happy. so happy. A lot more happy than most everyone in America. And think about this. How many people in America do you that have ANYTHING and EVERYTHING they would ever want, but are still unhappy? The people here have NOTHING and are still so great. and so happy.
It just goes to show that happiness doesnt come from material things. or money. or from things you can buy. true happiness and joy really does only come from family, and keeping the commandments.
So ive had already taught a bunch of lessons. We have like 15 investigators or so right now, and they all want to be baptized. its really great. Last night i got the chance to introduce the Book of Mormon to a guy named Robert. It was really a neat experience. Im already starting to understand the language a lot better and be able to hear what people are saying to me. I can hold a regular conversation decdently well. We teach a lot of Mothers that have a couple kids, but no dad. Its sad to see how the men treat their wives around here. We are teaching this recent convert right now whos name is Singar. She has a little boy who is about 2 years old and is pregnant as well. Her husband just walked out on her and married some other lady. I dont get how you can do that, but i guess it is legal here. And she is so sad. Its just crazy to see the way people live here. Her husband told her that he doesnt want her or the kids anymore.  Super sad.
Well, people say that you should expect miracles on your mission, and already witnessed my fair share. This week, me and Elder Polley went to go look for new investigators to teach. we do what we call "faith finding" We pray and set a goal for what type of  family we think we are going to find a teach. We even pick out one street that we knock doors to find that family.  So we prayed that we would find a house with a young couple with either one or two kids that will want to learn about the gospel. We rode down the street until we felt impressed to stop at a particular home. I felt impressed to stop at this one house. We went and knocked on their door, and a young mother answered and invited us in pretty easy. He husband was in the other room with their baby. We sat down and spoke about the gospel, and she said that she wanted to learn a lot more. That was miracle number one. When we got her number to set another appointment with her, we went down the road further until we found another house we felt impressed to stop at. We walked up some stairs to the door we thought we should knock on. We didnt even need to knock. the door we felt impressed to go to was already open, and there was another young mother outside with her child.  she said she wanted to learn from us, and invited us in. As we talked to her about baptism, she immediately said that she wanted to be baptized. Shes already got a date picked out, and we havent even finished teaching her the first lesson yet.
So thats my two miracles right there. We prayed to find a young couple with one or 2 kids. We only went to two doors that day. And not only found one couple, We found two. Coincidence.......i think not. haha
Well there has been some other fun things i have done just since being her. Last night i ate some interesting food......Chicken feet, and chicken head. Yes, the whole head. Even the brains. it was pretty weird. not gonna lie. Ate the neck too. Elder Polley kinda set me up. He thought it would be pretty funny. He asked one of the members to get some of that for me to eat, becuase he knew that i hadnt ever had it before. So then last night we go over to this members house, and they have chicken for us. But.....its the feet and the head. Elder Polley told me that they usually dont give the head to people, and that if i didnt eat it that it would be rude. I asked the membe if that was true and he said yes. After i ate the chicken head Elder Polley started laughing pretty hard. I asked him why he was laughing. He said that they barely even eat the chicken head. They dont usually give it to be people. They give it to their dogs. So he didnt really lie to me. He said that they dont usually give it to people. And thats the truth. hahahahah.
So i feel like i could just go on and on with things that have happened this week. Its been really great. haha. I dont think ive ever gotten so many comments for being big. Litteraly eveyone i see looks up at me with really wide eyes and says "ahhhh kamu besar!" which just means "Your big". its pretty funny. One time we were sitting down teaching a lesson to a recent convert family, and we asked them what my name would be if i were a malaysian. They said King Kong. It was super funny. But for real though, i havent seen anyone that even comes up to my shoulders here. I feel huge. They are all maybe 5 feet tall. I might have seen one or 2 that are like 5 foot 2. But thats about it.
Love,
Elder Trotter

Off to Sibu

 Well, ill just tell you a little about Malaysia now. So i flew into a city called Kuching, and from there, I took a small plane to my area, Sibu. You should look all this up on google maps, so you know where i live! So i got in to Sibu, and the airline lost all my luggage. EVERYTHING. so that was just last night. So now, i have absolutely nothing and i have no idea when ill get my bag back. If i ever do. It kinda sucks, but im trying to be positive about it. Last night, when i got in, we went to a grocery store to get some food. Food here is really cheap, but SUPER weird. I didnt even know what to get, or what would be good. But there was a music store by the grocery store! and i got to play guitar and drums for a bit! it was soooo great!!!! there is another Elder I live with that plays guitar, so we played music together. It was really great, because i havent played guitatr for over two months. And thats super long for me, and i was missing it a lot. Well this country is definately different than home. thats for sure. Im not really quite sure what to think yet becuase i havent seen a whole lot of it.  But i do know that we dont have a church building. We just meet in some rented building somewhere. Haha.  Me and My companion have to teach a mission prep class tomorrow. That will be interesting. I hope my malay is pretty good.
SO  singapore was pretty great. Its a really nice city. I was there for only two days for training, and meeting everyone. And then flew out here. When we were there, we took a lot of public transportation everywhere. They have a really convenient Subway system throughout the whole city. I think I saw some of the nicest cars that i have seen in a while. It was pretty cool. There is a lot of English there too. SO it was pretty easy to get around.
My new companion is super cool. He is from Arizona and his name is Elder Polley. He is pretty laid back, and more relaxed than Elder Steadman. Im glad i got him as a companion. We both kinda have the same sense of humor, and like to be pretty sarcastic. Which is good. He said that he used to rope cattle and stuff back home, and was kinda a cowboy. I wouldnt have guessed that though. He just seems like a normal guy to me. Thats pretty cool. At least i know hes not a pretty boy. I couldnt deal with that.

 Thats about all thats happened since i got here. Well its been a lot of stuff, but i dont really know how to write about everything. My P-day is Wednesday.  Oh ya, not using toilet paper has been kinda weird. You pretty much just use a little shower head to clean everything up. The challenge is to do that without getting water EVERYwhere. hahah. its pretty tough. But i will probably get a lot better at it. Also, The shower is just the bathroom!!! its weird. You have the loilet and the sink, and the shower head on the wall. And the whole bathroom is tile. I Dont really know how to describe it. Maybe i cant take a picture and just send it. Anyway, thats about all. I got to go bike shopping now! love you! dont forget to write back!!!
Love
Elder Trotter

Arrived Safely in SINGAPORE!!!!!

Hey. Ive been in singapore for a couple days now. Its crazy. Im in the airport now heading out to east malaysia for my first area!!!! im going to Sibu. im so excited. My companions name is Elder Polley, and it seems like we are going to get along great!! Sibu is exactly the place i wanted to be. its going to be awesome. no one speaks a word of english there. We were largely with a native tribe called the Ibons. They speak a little  bit of a different dialect than just regular Malay, so it should be really interesting. I guess they are very receptive to the gospel, so i am excited to be able to teach them. The area i am going has been an area that only zone leaders can go. Im the first Elder to be in this area that is  not  zone leader, let alone a greenie, in 3 years. How cool is that? i guess the lord has a lot planned for me, and trusts in me a lot. Im just glad to be here.
Ive been sweating since i walked off th plane. thats no lie. You walk outside, and its like walking in to a sauna. but im doing alright. I will be able to manage. Sibu is pretty much just surrounded my jungle, and there are a lot of poor people that live in shacks. There are a lot of people that live in Kampungs. (villages) and dont really have anything. Im super excited to get out there. haha.
Go ahead an look up Sibu on google maps so you can get a pretty good idea of where i am at.
So there is a couple of natives Elders that i have met. Ive had full of conversations with them in Malay, and understood them almost as if it were english. That makes me feel a lot better. I hope my language is good enough to be able to teach adequately enough. But im sure the Lord will bless me, and give me any help or strength that i need. Anyway, gotta catch my flight now. Love you all!!!  I will be able to write a lot more about everything on P-day. love you!

Dear all-
 well this is the last p-day i have in the MTC. I will be leaving next monday at 4 oclock!!!!!!!! im super excited!  We got our travel plans last thursday and it was super exciting. I go from SLC to LA. and have like a 5 hour layover. Then from there we go to Taiwan. super cool. Its kinda of dissapointing cuz our layover in taiwan is only like an hourl. I was really looking forward to eating at every legit chinese place there was in the airport. i guess thats not going to happen. i LOVE chinese food, but i guess ill just have to pick one. And then from Taiwan we go to Singapore. I cant believe its already here.  Ive been out for 2 months already. In one sense it seems like ive been in the MTC for my whole life, and in the other sense it seems like i just got here.  So we will go to Singapore and sleep. And then the next day we assigned out senior companion and trainer. Then i think we go out and buy anything that we dont have that we need, and then we ship out to our area. Im super excited to be speaking the language, and actually have real investigators to teach and affect.
So about mail- DONT WRITE ANY DEAR ELDERS PAST SUNDAY NIGHT. if you do, i wont get them. but....that only leaves the rest of this week for letters....so write as much as you can!!! it takes 2 weeks for a letter to get to singapore! and i really wanna hear from EVERYONE before i leave. so please write me sometime this week! After this upcoming week, you can send me letters in Singapore. Like i said, they take like two weeks to get there, so i probably wont be able to reply back for a little while, but i still would love to hear form everyone as much as possible!!! Make sure you address it to Jake Trotter. DO NOT PUT  "ELDER" in front of my name. So here is the new address that you can write me letters at.

JAKE TROTTER
253 BUKIT TIMAH ROAD 4TH FLOOR
SINGAPORE 259690

Thanks for all the letters and mail to everyone that i have gotten them from already. getting mail is the greatest!

So also this week i finished the Book of Mormon!!! its was super cool. I had a goal to read the whole book when i got in the MTC. So i started reading it about a week in to my mission, and i ended with about a week left. it felt good to read the whole book that quick. It took me about 6 weeks. I read at about the speed of a sloth, that was the quickest ive ever done it. haha. I can thank my dad for that. But the scriptures have had a lot more meaning to me since ive been on my mission than they ever have before. Ive known the BOM really well for a long portion of my life, and all the stories and verses and everything, but this time they seemed to have more personal meaning to me. The whole Book of Alma seems like it was written for me. That whole book is on missionary work, and service, and everything that im going to be doing these next two years. it was really great to get that much out of it.

Well thats about it for this week. Next time i write my email will be when im in Singapore! it will be great! and i Cant wait! ill be sure to tell everyone how everything went.

Dengan Kasih,
Elder Trotter

Was so excited to get a letter and pictures from Jake today.  He is doing wonderful and of course said to keep the letters coming.  Here are the pictures he sent and the description he gave of each.

The Church is true in every country and in every language!

 This is when all of us Elders went to the furthest corner of the MTC during the BYU vs. Utah football game.  The field is close enough that you can hear the announcer.  It was awesome!  Even though BYU got crushed!  But this is all of us trying to hear what was going on.

This is me and my buddy Elder Brown.  He isn't my companion, but is going to Malaysia with me.  We room together here in the MTC.  This when we thought he might be able to hear the BYU vs Utah game a little better if we got him up a little higher.  It didn't really work, but made a good picture!

This was right when I opened your box of chips that you sent me.  I was so excited.  I was freaking out pretty good.  Haha.  Thank you so much for sending them!  Seriously though, look at how happy I was.  I look like a little kid!

 I was so excited that I just had to take a ton of picture with me and my chips.  Look how big my smile is haha!

 A whole box. FULL OF THEM!

 First chip! Success!

 This is me and a couple of my buddies in front of the Provo temple giving our best "model pose"

Thought you'd like this