Matt's trip to Malaysia for HXP
Matt’s TOP TEN favorite parts of the trip…
All the other awesome builders, the amazing trip leaders, and the incredible parent builders.
Katie and Taylor coming to our trip and hanging out for a couple days.
Racing against an ostrich and winning!
Dinner in an insane cave / trying 100 plus drink for the first time / running and exploring the cave with some of the dudes.
Goofing off / listening to music on the bus.
Cave hike / getting stared down by a huge snake.
Sweet cave temple / big gold statue / monkeys / rambutan.
Surprising Max for his birthday and getting a surprise pool party at night.
Hiking through the jungle / seeing a ginormous tree / playing and skipping rocks in the water.
Playing pool many times a day in the first location on our trip.
Journaling from Matt’s Trip Mom… (taken from the Malaysia Trip 3 Instagram posts)
13 hours in the sky and still smiling! Our first international flight is officially behind us — nearly 13 hours of movies, airplane meals and attempts at sleeping. Some of us caught a few zzz… others were just too excited to even trip. The anticipation for what’s ahead is REAL.
All cell phones have been safely locked away so our hearts, minds and attention can be turned to the true focus of this trip: our Savior, Jesus Christ. There’s something powerful about stepping away from the noise of the world to make space for what matters most. We’re ready to serve, to grow and to feel His presence more clearly. “Be still, and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10
After 13 hours in the air, a 2-hour layover, and another five-hour flight, we officially touched down in Malaysia — halfway around the world and still in great spirits! We were all smiles as we met up with our second trip leader, Alyssa, and loaded onto the bus to head to our accommodations.
FIRST DAY: We ended our first day in Malaysia with a guided night hike, and wow… the jungle came alive! The trails were full of sounds, surprises, and more creatures than we could count. We spotted stick bugs, frogs, giant ants, scorpions and spiders. But everyone was fearless and fascinated. It was the perfect way to close out a long travel day.
This morning we gathered for our first devotional of the trip. There’s something powerful about beginning the day by turning our hearts to the Savior and inviting His Spirit to guide our steps. Following our devotional, we headed out for a cave hike - and what an unforgettable experience it was! We walked deep into the cavern, passing bats, snakes, and yes… more spiders. Malaysia is not holding back. At the heart of the cave, we paused to sing I Am a Child of God. Even in the depths of the earth, the Spirit of God is there.
From there our day continued with a boat ride (and water fight) down the river and a jungle hike - ending with a chance to stand in awe of a 400 year old tree.
Today’s adventure took us by boat once again - this time to hike through the jungle to a waterfall and swimming spot. This group is something special. They’ve clicked from the very beginning - laughing encouraging and lifting each other. Then back to our accommodations for lunch and to pack up our things. The boys are going to miss the pool table!
We got to feed elephants today! These beautiful animals have been rescued from all over Malaysia and are now being rehabilitated at a sanctuary. Afterwards we grabbed burgers and fries and then hit the road to settle into our primary accommodations for the rest of our trip.
FOURTH OF JULY: the party started the moment we arrived at our new lodging. Music was blasting, voices were soaring. Such a fun dance party!
Saturday: fruit, stairs, monkeys and an incredible view. We started the day with crepes and fresh tropical fruit - rambutan has quickly become a group favorite. Then we set off to tackle a staircase that led us to a breathtaking cave temple tucked into the hillside. And monkeys… Fearless and fast. Then we grabbed a quick lunch and headed to the local church building for a hands-on cultural experience. Some of the sisters welcomed us and patiently taught us how to make dumplings and pot stickers. Saturday night we had dinner in a literal cave with spicy ramen!
Sunday was a day of miracles. Everyone looked sharp in their Sunday best. It was a joy to hear from local branch members and a few of our own HXP family during fast and testimony meeting.
Miracle 1: One of the branch presidency members here in Malaysia served his mission over eight years ago - in the very same ward as one of our Builder moms and her daughter.
Miracle 2: the day we arrived in Malaysia, we almost lost our amazing trip leader, Alyssa, due to a sudden family emergency. Through prayer, love and incredible sacrifice, she made the decision to stay and lead our group. We are so blessed she did. To Alyssa - and her family - Thank you for the unseen sacrifices, the strength, and the faith it took to be here. This trip would ot be the same without you. Last year, Alyssa faced another family emergency during this exact week. To honor her, the co-leaders secretly worked together to design and surprise her with custom t-shirts. We all wore them as a tribute to her courage and love.
Miracle 3: One of our amazing builders has a sister currently serving in the very mission where we’re attending church. In a moment none of us will forget, the sister missionaries made a special trip to the building to surprise her. As they walked in, the room fell still - then burst into tears, joy and hugs. God knows our hearts. And sometimes, He gives us moments like this — completely unexpected, and absolutely unforgettable.
Monday, first day at the work site fueled by dance moves and determination. Sweltering heat and humidity!
Hard work was in full swing today but we enjoyed every moment along the way. The generous family who owns the land surprised us with buckets full of rambutan and mangosteen. At the end of the day we had the chance to sit down with the homeowners and ask questions about their land and livelihood. Their main income comes from harvesting rubber plants for a local factory.
Rise and shine at 6:30am sharp. We stepped outside our breakfast spot and found a group of local school children taking their recess nearby.
Gardening sounds easy… until you’ve done this kind of gardening. Fixing up over 100 gardening towers that have shifted since last year. Each tower has to be straightened out, smoothed with no wrinkles, soaked through, and seeded again. After work we headed out to visit a local mosque to learn more about the Muslim faith. The architecture inside and out was stunning - every detail had meaning. Learning about another faith didn’t take anything away from our own — it deepened it. Dinner at a local restaurant — a 7 rice plate, each scoop of rice seasoned differently. Delicious and totally unique. For drinks we had a jelly herbal tea known for promoting circulation and health and it was actually really tasty.
Bus rides = bonding time. Our drives have become more than just transportation - it’s where the magic happens and really our only down time.
Back on the worksite. One thing that’s really eye opening is how scare water is in the area we’re working. Watching these families make do with so little has been incredibly humbling. It’s muddy, sweaty, repetitive work, but everyone is doing it with so much heart.
Another epic evening adventure: we headed to the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur! First stop was the skybridge and then we went all the way up to the 86th floor - just two floors shy of the top. The view was breathtaking. The view from below was just as epic.
Dinner at a Chinese Muslim restaurant. (Matt said this was one of the best meals! They just kept coming back with more food.)
Took the train tour through an animal park, fed some very enthusiastic ostriches, and even got fish manicures. The highlight? Ostrich races. A few of our crew (MATT!) actually beat the ostrich to the finish line - which basically never happens.
To kick off Max’s birthday celebration, we took the crew to McDonald’s for dinner - a stop they’ve been begging for since we landed. They were so excited. Totally worth the wait. (Matt says the McDonalds there was so much better there than it is here) After dinner and birthday cake, we announced a surprise pool party!
The most beautiful mosque. We had the chance to be there during prayer time, which made the experience even more meaningful. Stunning architecture.
Built more Haden towers than we did last weekend. Everyone came back from the weekend totally refreshed and ready to roll. Had a LOT of rain, but it didn’t stop anyone. If anything, it just boosted the energy. We danced, played spike ball, and lived our best lives in the mud. Ended the day with sports and pizza - and a quick swim.
Breaks with the children we met on the work site was one of the best parts of our trip. They’d challenge us to soccer and tag, master secret handshakes and cheer us on like we were super heros. They live so simply and love so big - it’s humbling.
Last night in Malaysia was a total blur! Raced home from the work sit, packed, showered and ran out the door for one last adventure: shopping in Kuala Lumpur! We went to the Chinese Market (where knockoff name brands are legendary) and the Central Market (full of authentic Malaysian treasures). Ate a late dinner. Tired and happy.
Amazing trip leaders: Alyssa and Isaac! They showed up every single day - running on barely any sleep - to lead devotionals, check in on each and every builder and somehow still managed to juggle finals, grad school apps, and family stuff behind the scenes. You’d never know they had anything else going on. Their hearts were in it!
Builder Spotlight: Matt! This guy is always up for an adventure - whether it’s lending a hand, flipping through the air, or diving into the work with his whole heart. His quiet strength, kindness and Christlike patience made a big impact on our Malaysia family. We’re so grateful he was part of this experience. It wouldn’t have been the same without him!
We packed our bags and said goodbye to Kuala Lumpur - but not before one last snack run. Then off to Taipei, Taiwan. After a long travel day, we navigated our way through train station tunnels, grabbed dinner from 7-Eleven (which, by the way, is nothing like 7-Eleven in the US. Think full meals and tons of options!)By the time we arrived at our lodging, it was nearly midnight and tucked down an alley, but honestly, it was super nice.
Awesome 7-Eleven breakfast, then made our way to the temple by foot and train. Huge shoutout to Matt, Aiden and Kamree for keeping the morale high despite the heat and the long walk. I jokingly called them the 3 Stooges, but let’s be real - they’re more like the 3 Amigos. Before we entered the temple, Lyssa led us in a beautiful devotional that helped get our heads and hearts aligned with the Savior. It was the perfect preparation for the sacred experience ahead. The baptisms were peaceful and powerful. After the temple caught the changing of the guard, then made the long trek back to our lodging to clean up and repack. Then grabbed one last bit to eat at McDonalds. Loved Taipei.
After nearly 3 weeks of detox… everyone got their phones back. Surprisingly, a lot of people didn’t even want them. (Including Matt). Turns out, the peace and presence that came from the digital break was something we all needed. One last family hug and teary-eyed goodbyes as we each headed off to our connecting flights.