How are things going for y'all? I'm sad to hear about the hot weather you have been having, sounds brutal. It has actually been pretty hot here too and people say that it is the sign that the rainy season is about to start of which I am NOT looking forward to. But I have my umbrella all ready and am praying that my shoes will be able to keep up, hopefully we have a few more weeks of dry before it starts. It sounds like things are going good at home and everyone is enjoying school. I'm glad that there is a trip to Utah planned in the future, if there wasn't this family wouldn't know what to do with ourselves. Enjoy being there with Ezra and Maren and I guess their parents, but who really cares about them... Just Kidding. In fact Happy Birthday Annie and Happy Birthday Deborah in a few days. I hope y'all each enjoy your days and have fun with whatever things you have planned. And I'm sorry I forgot to wish you mom and dad a happy anniversary last week. I'm glad it was good. Wait, so if Edward putting in his papers or has he gotten his call already? Tell him I hope he comes to Indonesia!!
Well and now for my confusion... You see, I live in the biggest Muslim country in the world. The mosques on every corner and pretty much every woman wearing a jilbob is a constant reminder and so you would think that there would be no confusion over what day Ramadhan ended on, but there is!! In fact I'm still not even sure when or if it ended. All the calenders (of which Indonesians love, there is always at least 2 in each house) say that it was supposed to end on Monday but then as we got nearer and nearer to Monday is came out that maybe it was supposed to end of Tuesday. I don't know how it happened, but some people celebrated on Monday and some on Tuesday and now the celebration continues. Right now it is Lebaran which is the two day celebration to the end of Ramadhan which pretty much the time that everyone goes back to their roots and gets together with family and hangs out. Yesterday we celebrated with a less-active lady who is half muslim half kristen. It was pretty fun with a lot of food. I think I gained back all the weight I have lost! And then last night I was kept up all night with fireworks going off in all directions. It was crazy but not fun when I couldn't fall asleep. It has been a great experience to see the true Ramadhan but I will be grateful that places to eat will now be open in the middle of the day! Something I've missed!!!
Well the work has been a little slow this week with everyone going out of town and just busy with the holidays and will probably be slow for another week too. But that's ok... I bet Indonesia is probably the only mission that has no setbacks at all in December. But the miracle this week was that Vito decided that he wanted to get baptized. He says he got his answer and feels that the gospel is true. It is pretty exciting and just goes to show what a blessing time can be. He was hoping to get baptized on the 4th, but I don't think the ZL's can come into town to interview him (since the elders/DL also teaches him too) this week so we might have to wait another week. Floren still needs time and only likes to learn when she wants to. We just keep praying for her.
Pamela has taught me that I'm sending my kids to grandma and grandpa's house to live during their teenage years. She has decided that she doesn't need to learn with the missionaries until she gets permission and is being a little unreasonable. She I guess is just a typical 16 year old girl... they are all the same whether from America or Indonesia. Hopefully we can reconnect with her again and help her continue to progress.
We met with Ibu Wah this week and she seemed very open to the idea of eternal families and very excited about that. We think she is great and hope we can help her understand, but we are a little scared because she said she has to ask her preacher from her church if she can meet with us... which when that happens it doesn't usually turn out good for the missionaries. But we just keep praying for her.
And now for the funny moment... So Indonesians usually get pretty creative when they guess where I am from and usually the older and less educated a person is the crazier the guess. I get China a lot, which I don't get. Mexico comes up occasionally. England, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Holland, Hong Kong, Canada, and Italy have all been guessed. Only once has someone actually guessed America. But this week I had someone ask me if I actually came from Indonesia!! I still am confused... But I guess take it as a sign that maybe my accent... and my tan are getting quite impressive!! I still don't know. And then right after that I got proposed to... again!! It is pretty awesome!!
Well I love you all and am glad everything is going well. Enjoy school and work hard!!!! I know this gospel is true and love it a lot!!! That is exciting to hear about Bishop Mayne's daughter and son-in-law. That is awesome. This gospel blesses lives. I love you all! Have a great week!!
Love,
Leah
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