Well we survived the 18 missionaries staying with us. After washing 18 sets of sheets, and 18 +++ towels, we finally got back to normal. The Gregory's arrived early on Friday while we were still at the office and they made up all the beds for us (8 beds - the rest were just mattresses) and finished up the wash! How grateful we were. They then left back to the US the next morning. How we hated to see them go!!
We thought we would have a quiet couple of weeks, however that never happens - not in the life of a Senior Missionary! We had to make 3 trips to JB this week taking Elders over there to catch buses - twice at rush hour! What a mess! The third trip was in the afternoon and it was a breeze compared to the other times.
We are picking 2 young men up at the airport tomorrow afternoon coming in to be set apart by President Clark before they fly to Provo to the Missionary Training Center there. They are both from Kota Kinabalu in East Malaysia and have never been away from home or flown on a plane. It will be quite an adjustment for them from a Kampung (village) on the island of Borneo to SLC. One will be serving in NY and the other in Dallas, TX. We will take them to get their Patriarchal Blessing and then to our house for dinner. President Clark doesn't fly in until 9:30 p.m. so he can't set them apart as missionaries until about 11. We will then take them to our place and then to the airport at 3:30 a.m.
On Wednesday we pick up the new couple, the Brady's, who will be serving in East Malaysia (Mukah). They will only be here one day before they fly out. We may have another couple staying with us for a month. They are serving in Sri Lanka and are having visa issues and have to leave for a month. We don't know for sure yet, but hopefully they can work it out.
Our oldest grandson's wife (Carrie) is coming at the end of April for a few days. The company she works for is sending her to Penang, West Malaysia for 2 weeks and she will come by here on her way back home. We are so excited to have her visit. We can't wait to show her around. We will try to take a couple of days away from the office so we can spend the time with her.
It is such a small world. We have the granddaughter of friends from California (the Pinkston's) serving in our mission and the grandson of friends from our ward in Colorado (the Johnson's) serving here too. Then last week one of our office Elders got on the MRT (subway)and sat down next to an American. They started talking and found out that he had worked with his dad in Houston, Texas. What are the chances of meeting someone in a city of over 5 million people that had worked with your dad half way around the world! It truly is a small world!
The missionary work is going great here in our mission. There are many baptisms each week as our missionaries work so hard in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with their brothers and sisters in this part of the world. How they all love the people of Malaysia and Singapore! The people are wonderful.
By the time we return home in July, 3 of our grandsons will also be serving missions. One in Indiana, one in Brazil, and one in Chile. Serving a mission is such a great opportunity for them and they grow up so much during their 2 years of serving others - as we witness every day with the missionaries here. How we love our missionaries!
We love each of you too! You are always in our thoughts and prayers.
Elder & Sister Garrett, mom & dad, grandma & grandpa, relatives and friends
The attached photos are of the 3 Elder's and 1 Sister that just returned home and the group of 9 Elders and 2 Sisters that just arrived.
May 2, 2012
Hello all,
Well it's been about 3 weeks since we have had a chance to write our last letter. It seems that the closer we get to going home, the busier we are getting. We had one of our new Elders (Elder Thee) get sick on the bus ride to his area in Penang, Malaysia. He was hospitalized for several days up there and then we brought him to Singapore to get him treated. We took him to 3 different doctors (a GI doctor, a neurologist, and an internist) and none of them could figure out what was wrong with him. He couldn't eat anything and could drink very little (we almost had to force him to drink) as anything caused him stomach pains. His legs were so weak he could hardly walk. He lost 35-40 lbs in 2 1/2 weeks. He is a big guy (has a scholarship as a tackle for college football). His companion had to return to his area and we couldn't stay home with him, so the decision was made to send him home to Hawaii until he gets well. I had an email from his mother this morning and the doctors there still haven't figured it out- they all think it is some kind of bug! Hopefully he will return soon. He is such a great guy. He never once complained and his companion was amazing with him. Elder Thee's father was the first member baptized in West Malaysia (Penang). He then left and went to BYU Hawaii and married a girl from Arizona. They have lived in Hawaii ever since and Elder Thee was born there. He was so excited to be serving in Penang where his father is from and to be able to teach the gospel to his relatives.
We had two more missionaries come in from East Malaysia on their way to London to the MTC there. They are twin sisters. It was the first time they had ever been away from their home and they were so scared but also excited! They kept hugging us and not wanting to leave. After passing thru security, they kept looking back to see if we were still there. We had to motion to them as to which way to go! What sweet girls. One will be serving in North London and the other in South London. They left at 12:30am and then we took Elder Thee to the airport at 3:30am for his 6am flight back to the U.S.
Our oldest Grandson's (Brandon) wife (Carrie) came to visit us this last weekend. She had been in Penang for two weeks working. She arrived Thursday night so we took Friday and Saturday off from the office and Sunday afternoon to show her around Singapore. We visited the zoo, China Town, Sentosa beaches, the botanical gardens, Bugis (discount shopping stalls), Little India, one of the really nice expensive malls, the top of Marina Bay Sands Hotel, a walk along the beach, the top of Mt. Faber (the tallest mountain in Singapore), a boat ride down the Singapore river, and lot fo rides on the MRT (subway). It was so much fun to show her around this beautiful country! It was unusually hot the 3 days she was here. We were dripping wet most of the time. Of course, the day after she left it cooled off some (not that it ever gets cool).
We have another couple coming to stay with us in a week and a half for a Zone Conference and then staying for a special conference where we will have a General Authority from SLC visiting the region on the 18th and 19th. They won't tell us who it is yet for security reasons, but the rumor has it that it will be Elder Dallin H. Oaks. Whoever it is, it will be wonderful.
Serving a mission here in Singapore has been such a wonderful experience and we are grateful everyday that we have this opportunity and that our health allows us to serve. The people are wonderful and we have learned to love them so much - but we still miss our family and friends.
We pray for you all daily.
With our love,
Elder & Sister Garrett (mom & dad, grandma & grandpa, relatives, and friends)
The Huran Sisters at the airport
Elder Thee at the airport
Carrie feeding a giraffe
Carrie with a Lemur
Carrie at the Southern Most Point of Continental Asia
Carrie on a boat ride at Marina Bay Sands
China Town
Carrie on top of Marina Bay Sands
Carrie behind a waterfall at Botanical Gardens
Carrie at Orchid Gardens
Carrie and Sister Garrett at Sentosa
Carrie and Brother Garrett at the Secret Entrance
