3/14/16

Well the string of long weeks continued this week. The week started off with my companion being very sick, and he was never really very healthy this week. But even if he was healthy it wouldn't have changed much, because almost every appointment we had scheduled canceled. Sometimes I didn't know whether to laugh or to cry when I heard, oh maaf mas saya nggak bisa ketemu minggu ini, mungkin minggu depan ya? Because I heard that multiple times every day. So yeah this week was super slow, and we spent a lot of time in our house.

On Tuesday, Elder Saunders and I went to one of my appointments because my comp was blowing chunks. It was a super fun appointment because it was in the Savero Golden Flower hotel. Some of the other missionaries passed the hr manager on the street and he said that he wanted to meet with the missionaries. It was so cool, we met with him and some of his coworkers in the restaurant and had freaking good food, and we just really explained why we were here. Then after that we went on a tour of the hotel. It was weird being in something that nice because all day I'm just in the poorest homes.

But yeah other than that everything here is about the same. We had some really fun member appointments this week, and for once the youth in our ward came to sports night (something we host every week). That's something that I have really enjoyed doing since my language is getting better, is speaking with the members. That's something I think that is very different about our church, the fact that 2, 19 year old boys can move into a ward and instantly everyone treats them like family, it is crazy. I'm so grateful for the ward here. They really have become like a 2nd family to me, and they have made the transition into a completely different world easier for me!

3/7/16

Well this past week was also super long. Our stats were much better, but this week still felt unproductive. First off Pak Iwan no longer wants to be baptized. It's so frustrating, the first time we taught him, we asked him to pray to know if the Book of Mormon was true. Then a few days later he called us all excited saying he knew that it was true. So we went directly into the next lessons, and he accepted everything. But then this week when we met with him he said that he no longer wanted to be baptized, because he hadn't received and answer. So then we started talking about prayer, and realized he had never prayed about anything we've taught him. He believes that we only pray to give thanks, and that God already knows what we need, and that we shouldn't ask him questions. I guess I was just too excited to have my first progressing investigator, and I tried to move him along to quickly, but there is still hope because he still wants to meet with us.

My only other investigator right now, Mbak Vita is doing really well. She's been meeting with the missionaries for a long time, and has already been taught everything. She's so ready to be baptized, but she doesn't believe it because she thinks that she must know everything first. But this week we taught her that baptism is only the first step, and that we always need to keep learning more. Then we left with her agreeing to pray about it, and ask Heavenly Father if she was ready. When I walked out of that lesson there was no doubt in my mind that she will receive that answer. The only down side of this story is we had to pass her along to the elders in Jakarta, because she lives there and only comes home on fridays to do laundry.

But yeah, that's about it. My language is moving along really quickly now that I only speak in indonesian. Yesterday Brother Roger wanted to share his testimony so I had to translate. As I was in the middle of translating, I couldn't help but think of how fast I have learned the language, and just as I thought that he said a word that I had no clue how to say. I felt so embarrassed, but a returned missionary yelled out the word to me. Even though I wish I could say I was already fluent, I'm not. I feel like I'm stressing my self out because I want to be moving along faster than I am. But this week I just want to still work hard and remember that I've only been here for 2 months and just keep enjoying being new. Because someday I'll get to where I want to be, but that doesn't have to be tomorrow. As long as I keep working hard I'll get there. This week I just want to try to be the best Elder Monson I can be.