Transfer to Puchong & District Leader Announcement (Week 24)

(2nd email)

I just got transferred to Puchong!! I'm still in West Malaysia and it is all English! I’m also now a trainer. My new companion is Elder Misa’alefua!! I will travel to Singapore to pick him up and then we will take a bus back to Puchong on Thursday.

(3rd email)

I just found out I’m District Leader too!!! I’m so excited that I’m district leader and training. Already kind of nervous, but I’m excited!

**This is his letter that we got first (see below).  He told us it would take another hour or so to hear where his transfer would be...**

(1st email)

Petronas Towers at night

This week has been pretty good. We had so many lessons this week. Monday we contacted this one guy on the bus going into KL. His name is Steven and he is a refugee from Mynmar.  I gave him a Book of Mormon and he actually came to church yesterday!  He said how he really liked it which was good to hear! We were able to meet with him a couple of times this past week. Also we met with Santa a couple times too. Vicky, he is doing very good! He is on date to be baptized in about a month and he is very excited! I find out today about transfers. So will be an interesting day! I will be staying with the zone leaders in KL until either tomorrow night or Wednesday. Yesterday was a good day at church it's kind of sad because I don't know if it is my last Sunday here or not. It's crazy to think I'm already at my 6 month mark already!  

We went to the Petronas Towers last night when they were all lit up!! They looked so awesome! I got way good video and pictures!! Since Elder Dailey his knees were hurting so bad this past week we weren't really able to bike. So we took a lot of busses! But I'm doing p90x everyday and so I'm doing great with that! We had KFC delivery to our door!  We were able to place 3 Book of Mormons this week and so that was really good!  I took 3 of my 6 pairs of pants to the guy who made my suit to have him make the waists smaller. So that will be nice!! Earlier this week I got my two new badges, one in English and the other in Chinese!

Trina is a beast and is the greatest dog on earth!  I wonder how she will act when I come back home! Ya the food here is really hard to make!  It is just a lot of curry and mixture of foods from different cultures! The actual Malaysian food is very bland though. I love and miss you dad keep workin like a boss!!!! (Sorry this letter isn't as long as usual!)

Hey Mom,  I can't believe it is already transfers again!  Ya, it’s flying by!!  It goes so fast!  I think it would be fun to serve in Singapore!  I want to live there at some point in my mission hopefully. Ya, a lot of people are saying they think I will stay in Klang. We will find out in 20 minutes now! Ya, I love my new suit so much! haha.. It makes my legs and and everything look so much skinner!! haha.  I gave my suit to Henrick and he loves it!  Yesterday there was 31 people at church!  So it is doing pretty good actually. There was probably 20 when I came here. We have really been cleaning up the records with people who no one has seen or talked too ever. We are sending those to SLC lost and found next week. Most are all pretty much 1st generation members. Since the church is still so new here in Malaysia!  I can’t wait for you to get to come and see Malaysia! It's awesome!! I love you so much Mom!! Thanks for everything you do!

Hey Maddie, I found some shirts that you and Lydia would like and they were like 25 RM so like 8 US!!  Maybe when Mom and Dad come here they could get some!! They are so cheap and pretty nice quality too! I Love and miss you keep doing good.

Hey Lydia, I miss the whole family a lot too!!  I’m way happy to be out here and I get to do the Lord’s work!!! I love and miss you keep doing good!

Hey Hannah, I miss the cabin so much and just want to fish! I love you keep doing good with the dogs. School starts in a month!! WOW!! I love and miss you!

Hi Brooklyn, I always have a great day on my mission! And also I miss fishing!! When I come home we can be good fisherman together!  Keep helping Trina and Pepper!! I love you Brooklyn and I miss you!!

Elder Stahle takes time to exercise 6 days a week.
Here he is doing yoga.

[My son? So cool!!! He really has come so far!]

Making pancakes after a morning workout.

Ordered KFC in all Malay and here's the delivery guy

KFC comfort food

Elder Stahle, VJ and Vicky

Klang, Malaysia (Week 23)

New suit fitting

Well this has been a pretty good week!  We met James Bond and Santa this week! James Bond is a Indian man. He told us how he’s very Western. He doesn’t work because he is the husband and so he makes his wife work. (haha) When we met with Santa this week it was a way good lesson. We had him read Moroni 10:3-5. When he read verse 3 he said how his whole body began to tingle. He said he has never felt that way before. So it was a very good lesson.  He really wants to learn more about the church!  This week we went out to go see Vicky and I had a flat tire. So either someone stabbed my tire or I ran over a kitchen knife!! (haha) But I think someone stabbed it...so that's no fun! I had to walk my bike 3 miles to get a new tube and tire which cost 60RM. This week it was raining way hard after a district meeting. We had to walk pretty far to go get on the bus to go home. I decided to go buy an umbrella from Giant. So I got one and when I got outside to open it up it was already broken! So went back into the store and I went through like 4 before I finally found one that worked.  Oh well!

BEFORE -- My old suit...way too big now

I called this guy who Elder Robinson and I had met.  I called him to see if we could meet up soon. He told me to buy him a drink and how he misses me so much. He told me wine and champagne have no alcohol. (haha) We were at the bus stop waiting to go into district meeting. This guy came and sat by me. He started to just fly at me in Bahasa! I was able to respond and everything so that was very fun!  When I was at McDonald’s this past week I ordered in Bahasa! They gave me an extra sandwich and fry!! (hahahaha) This girl that works there also gave me all these free coffee vouchers and food vouchers!!

AFTER -- My new suit and custom made to fit!  I love it!

When I was teaching yesterday in church to Yeni and Henrick it was so much fun! I was able to teach the whole lesson in Bahasa and they understood everything!  That is a huge confidence builder for me!  I feel my Bahasa isn't too bad considering I'm in West Malaysia, which doesn't have a ton of Bahasa! I gave my old suit to Henrick because it is way too big for me now. When he put on my suit coat it literally looked like it was custom made for him! He loved it so much! He started to tear up. So that was very special for me to do that for him!  I love my new suit!  It’s amazing the steamstress even embroidered my name on the inside of the jacket. it is just a great quality suit!

Me in my new slacks

He even sewed my name into my suit

Hey Dad, that sounds so sweet about Trina meeting other people and dogs. I miss Trina and Pepper. Trina is going to be such a good dog!  I cannot believe how hot it is in Utah!!  Here it is always hot, but right now is considered summer I guess!  The rainy season I have heard should be here in about 3 months or less.  It has been pretty good for Elder Dailey and I.  I have actually got to talk to Elder Rasmussen quite a bit lately because we are trying to send some records to Tawau where he is.  I also got to talk to Elder Madsen. He is now a zone leader too. The missionary work here is just like it is anywhere in the world. It’s slow contacting, not always very effective, and we usually meet people when we are just going about our day. Every baptism here is either a referral or you just run into them on the street. Yes, I love my mission!  How many other missionaries can say they have baptized an American, Chinese, and Indian on their mission? Not too many!!  (haha) This mission is so unique! Yes, it is very challenging but very worth it!  Oh yeah, being on a mission is way better than going to college!  I love you so much and I miss you Dad! Keep doing good at home!

Hey Mom, I miss the cabin and just being able to fish which is what I miss so much! Send my package to Singapore because I might be getting transferred. There is a quote in Preach My Gospel that says "studying the gospel changes behavior faster than studying the change of behavior."  I love bike riding now!  I'm still getting in better shape and still losing weight! We bike probably 4 miles a day. This is like one of the least biking areas in the mission too!  I love you so much! Drive safe when you go back home from the cabin. I miss you!

Here is me in my new suit and I gave Henrick my old suit

Hey Maddie, it’s going great out here! Yes that is all we do everyday. All day long we plant seeds! A really good chapter about faith that I share with everyone here is Alma 32 26-43. It talks about faith being compared to a seed.  Keep reading the Book of Mormon. It will help you so much in life!  I love and miss you keep doing good at home!

Henrick and his family

Hey Lydia, that is good you’re having fun at the cabin.  Keep reading the Book of Mormon and praying! I love you so much and I can't believe summer for all you girls is already halfway over! I love and miss you keep doing good!

Hey Hannah, sounds like you are having fun at the cabin and with everything. Keep doing good and reading and praying. I’m glad you liked the bracelets I sent home. I love you!

Hey Brooklyn, wow I am so happy you are good at crawdad hunting!  I can't believe you ate them!! I don’t even like to eat them! (haha) I prefer just to catch them! I love you so much Brooklyn.  Have fun at the cabin! I miss you!

Love,

Elder Stahle

[ C.J. has lost so much weight in his neck and waist too, he has requested we send him 8 new shirts too. Proud of our boy. This missionary loves serving the Lord and he loves this mission. :) ]

Visit to the National Mosque (5 months)

Elder Stahle & Elder Dailey at the National Mosque

This week has been very interesting and very slow! We went contacting for 16 hours this past week and literally found no one to teach. So, we went to the mall because Elder Dailey needed a sunglass case. We asked the store owner and he pulled out a way nice case. He said “Percuma” which means free in Bahasa. So we were shocked and we asked why? He told us that he has seen missionaries in Kuching since 1997. He has always wanted to talk to us but never had the chance. So we got his number and we might get to teach him! He was so happy to talk with us!  I had a feeling come over me and I could tell that he could be very good. He doesn't speak very good English or Bahasa. He is Chinese. So it should be interesting!

We went contacting in a new area this week. We were biking down a back street near all this jungle area. We got to the end of the street there was probably 40 stray dogs. They came out of the jungle trees area and started chasing us!! I've never pedaled that fast in my life! It was so crazy and my heart was going crazy!! (haha) We found this one guy when contacting the same day. He had Trina's brother from Germany!! I got a picture with the guy and his German Shepherd! It was the only normal, nice looking dog I have seen in Malaysia in 5 months! It was such a great looking dog. We went contacting and we found this little stand where you could buy shirts and have photos printed on them. Also like cups and stuff.  I was walking by and glanced over and saw this one family photo.  I was thinking like, hmmm that family looks familiar!  It was Drew Winquist!! hahahahah. You will have to tell him on facebook. It was so funny and random! Yes, I'm getting a custom suit made!  Today I go for the jacket test fitting. So I'm excited about that! It is going to look so good!!!  When I wear my other suit, the jacket looks huge!! Shirts custom made here are 180RM so $60 US.  I'm getting my suit made for 650RM so about $200 US. It is from scratch! So it is going to be super nice!! I'm way excited!  

This week Elder Dailey and I also had a visit to the National Mosque. There was a huge line of people waiting to get in. All tourists...probably 50 people and so I decided to pull the “I can speak Malay card” and so i went up to the guy and I said, “Boleh Masuk?” And he told us we could cut the line and just go in and we had to sign a book to go in and he took it from some lady signing it to give it to us to sign so speaking Bahasa here if you are white will get you more food, get you into things first and cut lines, and do a lot more!!

The heat is not too big of an issue anymore! We were eating dinner a few days ago and this guy came in and sat down at our table. He started talking to us for about an hour. He thought that we were students. He has seen us biking and wanted to talk to us. We gave him a Book of Mormon. He said he’s happy with his religion right now. He wanted the book to read it. So maybe a seed was planted! When we go contacting ir starts to drizzle rain and then it pours. There is no place to hide from the rain. So we just take it!  Why is it so hot in Utah this summer?

Elder Stahle in a Crocodile Dundee hat

Hey Mom, yes I love those chocolate sticks! [C.J. shipped home these chocolate candy sticks, like in straws, to share with the family and his sisters] Can you send me my farewell talk?  I really love the language!  Yesterday, we went to go and see Yeni and her family. They told me how good my Bahasa is getting! Ya, I will stay safe.  I know that God is protecting us. I know that he is helping me everyday in every situation!  Contacting on our own is very hard! I love you and I miss you! I can’t believe it’s already been 5 months!

Elder Stahle in a Charlie Sheen hat

Hey Maddie. Lately every Malay and Chinese girl here tells me I’m handsome. I have lost so much weight. Yes, continue to pray and read the scriptures!!  Thanks for all your prayers. They help everyday!  I love you so much!

Hey Lydia, sounds like you had fun at girls camp and how did you meet Sister Dalton?  Good job on your personal progress and keep doing good with all


of that! Keep reading your scriptures and pray daily! I love you so much and keep doing good. I miss you!

Hey Hannah, the chocolate things are way good huh?!  I miss you so much and remember to play with Trina and Pepper a lot!  I love you.

Look what I found on my mission!
Drew Winquist and his family!
(C.J. played soccer with Drew as a kid and they went to the
same high school)

Hey Brooklyn, I'm having a great day today! That is good you made another new friend! I hope you have fun and like your bracelets! Keep doing good at home and helping Mom and Dad! Have fun at the cabin! I love and miss you!

Love, Elder Stahle

**We love packages from our missionary :)**

Klang, Malaysia (Week 21)

I love this quote. We got it from Zone Conference!

Well this has been a very interesting and very busy week. We had a lot of lessons with recent converts and less actives this past week. It was more than I have ever had in a week. So it was very productive. At church yesterday some of the members paid their tithing. It was awesome to see! It was so good to see how happy they were when they paid their tithing that they have been saving up! Beh got to bless the sacrament yesterday for the first time! He did so good!

This week was very fun! Elder Dailey and I were contacting and this guy yelled "Ular" which means snake! So we went over to go look at it. It was a massive 7 foot python! I will send pictures, it was so big and I was talking to the guys in Malay. I asked if I could hold it, but they told me no. We were biking to go see VJ and there is this one roundabout and as I was biking this car cut over from the inside lane and hit my front tire.  Let’s just say this car has a huge black mark now!

Huge python

My Bahasa has actually been doing pretty well! Before when we would go see some members I wouldn't really talk very much. I would just let Elder Robinson talk. Now that he is gone I have to speak and I have actually surprised myself!!  I can

talk to people for not really being in a Bahasa area yet!!

Hi Dad.  Yes, it has been very hot here lately! It hasn't rained in over a week again so it is very dry and hot. I think I actually might need to start wearing lotion because my face is drying out. I don't know how that is happening! It has been so much fun speaking Bahasa!! I love this language! I'm so excited when I get to go to East Malaysia where that is all I can speak to people! Last night at Yeni's house I was able to have a full conversation for about 30 minutes, not really even thinking twice about it!  We were meeting with Beh earlier this week. He said how reading the Book of Mormon in Chinese has been really hard. I would definitely say I was blessed with the gift of tongues.  I had him listen to Siri (iPad) in Chinese say a verse.  I helped him to understand it and it was amazing!  I'm learning a lot of Chinese church words so I'm excited to get more into that when I get home! I love and miss you so much Dad!

Hi Mom. That is way cool about all the people leaving soon to go on missions!  That should be fun for the girls to go to girls camp! Ya it is always hot here everyday, all day! My language has been getting a lot better. I can understand quite a bit of stuff now when I hear it. Speaking it is getting a lot easier for me! The air is finally getting better here. It’s not as nasty anymore. Still smokey when we wake up in the morning. My back is doing good and I'm doing great on my bike! When I get home I'm getting into biking like everyday!!  I love biking!! I love you so much Mom keep doing good at home!

Hey Maddie, this week has been really good! We have got a lot of work done.  It will be good for you to work on your personal progress and go to girls camp!  It should be way fun!  I love being out here and hopefully you can come here someday. I love and miss you and have a good week.

Hey Lydia, jeeze you are just having so much fun this summer!  Wow, you better ride jet skis for me!  Do not touch my fishing poles!  Everytime it rains I have to go out in it. It seems like its a fire hose just getting opened up on us! It rains so hard here! I miss you so much and love you!

Hey hannah, I've been great! Have fun with Brooklyn this week with watching her and take care of the dogs! I love you so much!

Hi Brooklyn, I am having a great day on my mission everyday! I want Trina to have puppies too! Keep doing good at home. Brooklyn, I love you so much and I sent some presents home last week so look for them in the mail :)

Love, Elder Stahle

Smith's bag.  Crazy...I had to buy one.

Crushed cheecak lizard I killed last night with my water bottle that I threw from 15 feet away.

Buta Caves (Week 20)

Tallest Hindu statue in the world

This week has been pretty good but also very tough! We had 6 appointments fall through, but somehow we still managed to get 10 lessons in this week which is a lot! We were supposed to have an appointment with a man named Santa! He canceled on us so Santa is now on the naughty list (haha)!! Compared to how many fell through, we could have had a ton. We made some new contacts but they were pretty much impossible to get a hold of.  Maybe this next week we will be able to meet with some of them.

We went to Batu Caves!! I took so many great pictures and videos. We got to play with monkeys! We took up Lychee (fruit) and we were feeding the monkeys and stuff. I got to legitly play monkey in the middle!! I got it all on video!! It was so much fun! It was super smokey so the pictures are not as clear as they would be on a clear day!  I can't wait to send home my SD card so you can see all the videos and the fun stuff that we get to do here!

Buta caves - 277 stairs to the top

My breakfast of champions

Being senior companion is a big responsibility! We get along really well!  It’s very good to be companions with Elder Dailey. Everyone always is confused who is talking on the phone. When we answer, we say who it is but they are still kind of confused. So he says Elder Hari Hari, which means Daily in Malay!! (haha) 

People here have small families. It seems like either they are older people or younger. So they don't have many kids.  It seems like when we go contacting they say, "Oh I am already a Christian. Go find the non-Christians.” Then we try to find the non-Christians and they say, "I don't want to be Christian. Go find the Christians." So it is very hard! It is kind of like at home. I ask Dad if I can do something and he tells me to go ask Mom and I ask her and she says go ask your Dad!! (haha)  It seems like when we go out contacting and set aside time to do it we find no one. But as we go about our day with like riding buses to meetings, or at the store or haircut that is when we find people. God really does have these people cross our paths at the right time!

#americanboystatus

This week has been very hot except on Wednesday! We were staying in doing some planning for the week. We had a appointment with VJ at 4:30 PM so we were leaving our house at like 4:00 PM to bike there. The whole time we were in our apartment the weather was great and sunny! When we leave it starts raining harder than I have ever seen it rain in my life! We had to go see VJ. I was soaked from head to toe in about 1 minute of biking from our apartment. I had about 4 cars drive by and soak me with like the huge wave sprays from cars! When I showered that night I had gravel in my hair and everything!! When we got to VJ's place my shoes were full of water! I took them off and literally poured out a ton of water!! It was crazy!

My new favorite drink called Revive Epal
 (apple flavored) and it is so good. I got
all 3 bottles for 6 RM! They are usaully 4 RM
each and with my Bahasa (Malay speaking), I  got
them down to 2RM each!!

I have seen a lot blessings this past week with my Bahasa (Malay). We went to see an investigator and she only speaks Malay. When I would go to see her in the past with Elder Robinson, I would rarely talk. This time I was talking a ton. I have seen how God has had a hand in my language ability since I am with Elder Dailey now! It is so fun to speak it now!!! I'm still not very good but people here can understand me!

I had a Mega Mac at McDonalds!! It was very good. It has 4 meat patties on it!! (haha) Big Mac's are my favorite thing at McDonalds now...hands down!! That is crazy it has been that hot in Utah. It has been super hot here the past 2 weeks!! It has only rained one time and usually it rains everyday, so it’s miserable outside!

We are pretty busy today. We are going into KL! Elder Dailey wants to go to Pasar Seni (cheap Chinese stuff).  So that should be fun today. The smoke isn’t too bad anymore. The air was terrible when we had to wear masks for about a week!!

I love you so much Dad and I miss you.  Keep doing good with everything!!

Hi Mom, yes making plans for everyday is very tough and stressful!! We always want to have something to do for every hour of the day. I have really had to "simplify" my English. Other missionaries say that I sound so strange now when I speak. They say I talk like I'm talking to a little kid. It’s true. I have noticed it big time! My back is doing good! I can definitely tell that I am getting stronger everyday!  Yes, the girls need to do all that they can to get their young women’s values medallions! It will boost them up so much and so will seminary! That would be so cool if the girls served missions! It’s way fun and totally worth it!  That will be fun for Hannah to get braces! I had braces forever because my teeth are stubborn.  It has been super hot here too!  I pray for everyone every day! I love you so much Mom! I will continue to work hard out here everyday!

Hey Maddie, being senior companion is fun, but very challenging. You need to get your young women’s medallion so you can be the best Mom and woman you can be! I love and miss you!

Hey Lydia, that is too bad they sent you the wrong size of shoe! They actually sell a lot of shoes here at the place I bought all the glasses! They do have high tops I think. The bracelets here are nice and they have so many different kinds! I love you so much and get your young women’s medallion.  It will help you so much in life! Read your scriptures! I love and miss you!

Sunset in Malaysia tonight

Hey Hannah, I have been having fun, always! That is good you might get braces soon! Maybe they will be off before I even come home!  I love you and miss you!

Hey Brooklyn, I love you and miss you Brooklyn! I got to play with lots of monkeys here!!  I will show you pictures and videos! I love you and miss you so much!

Love, Elder Stahle