19 October 2015

Hello all, 

This has been a good week. Exhausting but good. To start out, for our morning work out, we started running to this basketball court near our house to play basketball in the morning. It has been way fun. However the other day, we were playing 2v2, and I went in for a layup and at the same time, another missionary was coming down after jumping up to block me, his hand in a fist headed for the ball. However, me putting the game ahead of my body, moved the ball out of the way at the last second and his fist coming down was met halfway by the very middle of my face. I got a nice bloody nose and a week of a head ache and really weird allergies. I made the shot though so of course, that's all the really matters.

A great event this week was the baptism of one of the Chinese Investigators! One of the Chinese Elders who came in with me, baptized an awesome guy.. He is the brother of (our district presidents wife! He is so awesome. He has some physical deformities but it's just way cool to see someone with such hard trials, show just great faith. Way awesome. At the baptismal service, there was an Indian guy that walked in off the street. He was way cool and I talked to him for a little bit just about what baptism is and things like that. It was a way cool experience.

Another thing about Indians, this week, my companion and I went to go to the mall to get some groceries and while we are locking up our bikes, this group of all these Indian dudes saw us from across the street and ran over to us. They knew no English, Malay, or Chinese. Only Hindu. But I guess they did know the word selfie. That was it. So we got put as centerpieces in these selfies of all these dope Indian guys. I had no idea what they were saying and they had no idea what we were saying. I have no idea how they are even surviving here.. they don't know any of the languages haha. It's all good though. I guess Indians seldom see the white man.

Also this week, one of our missionary aged members, started their papers! I'm way pumped for him! He is such a cool dude. Has the nicest flippin hair I have ever seen. See for yourself. He is way excited and it's way cool to see someone go through the same process I had to. It's always way cool to see that the church is true and the same all over the world! Dang. Way cool. I'm sorry I don't have a ton to write this week. At least dropbox is working. There will be some pictures from our 1/2 zone meeting. Also I'm going to Singapore next week for zone conference so I am super pumped for that! Hopefully I'll be able to get back into Malaysia though... Did you know that sometimes missionaries get black chopped? It's not a rare thing. We'll see though! It's so excited! I love you all and I love your support. You're all the best.

Love,
Elder Hanks

Address for mail:

Elder Matthew Hanks

253 Bukit Timah Rd.

Singapore, 259690

Singapore