Dear Family!!!
How are things going there back in Texas? I am glad that y'all are all back safe and sound and had a wonderful trip! I am especially glad to be the proud aunt of my first nephew! I've wondered the whole week when I officially became a new aunt and it is great to finally know. He looks quite handsome and has quite a bit of hair! I love him already! Maren you be sure to tell him all about me so he is not scared of me when I come home and try to play with him. Congrats to Simon and Annie that is so exciting!!! I hope all things keep going well and that he sleeps better than Maren did when she was little. Keep blogging and posting pictures about him so that I can see his growth. I don't want to miss out too much on his first year of life.
Well pretty much everything I did this week pales in comparison to that news, but I guess preaching the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is worth something. This week has been good, lots of work, and lots of searching for investigators and not too much results, but that's Indonesia! So to make up for the fact of lack of big news I thought I would send home some PICTURES!!!! I thought Mom would like some proof that I was really alive and well. Here are 4 pictures and I will try and do better from now on sending pictures home with my emails.
A little explanation of the pictures: The first is me with some random Indonesian girl that is quite adorable. But we were eating lunch at someplace and she was eating at the table right next to me and was pretty hypnotized by my white skin so she just came up and sat right next to me and stared at me. She was pretty cute and finally asked if she could have a picture with me. It was really funny. This was just a couple of days ago so this is my current state of being.
The next picture is from my English class in Jakarta. I taught English at the church once a week to a group of kids. It was really fun and I loved those kids. They were all really good at English and loved to learn. My English class in Malang is pretty awesome too. I'm sure I'll send a picture of them later on.
This picture is me, Sister Nababan, and a set of elders with one of the really strong member families in Jakarta. They were awesome and loved to have us over for Family Home Evening and tried to give us referrals, but nothing has happened YET with their friends. One day it will, because this family is so dedicated to sharing the gospel, one day they will be blessed.
This last picture is for Nan and the pink house. Me, in Jakarta, holding something Vera Bradley!!!! I hope I win the next contest and get to buy some Vera when I come home!!! This is also I think the ONLY day I ever saw the blue sky in Jakarta!! I got sunburned because of it and all the Indonesians were so confused with why my skin was red!! So funny!!!
I hope these pictures work and that y'all enjoy them. I am sure Bevan has taken a total of 4 pictures his whole mission and one day y'all will see those pictures. Probably in two years!!!
Well this week we are hoping to at least have one baptism with Pamela if we can get permission from her parents. They have to sign a letter and even though they have said she can get baptized they are being a little forgetful with the letter or the appointments we set to meet with them. We have one last chance on Saturday and we are hoping and praying that the parents will sign the letter because Pamela really wants to get baptized and has been looking forward to it forever.
Vito and Floren are probably going to wait a couple more weeks to get baptized. Floren is ready and willing and could get baptized this Sunday if she wants but might wait to be baptized with her brother. they are still struggling with a few things and feeling comfortable with everything. But we keep working with them and praying for them. Their mom Ibu Hanawati who was baptized a few weeks ago really, really wants her family to join the church and I think the kids feel a little pressured. We met with them all last night and their father even joined for a little bit which we were really excited about until we found out that he was really trying to be nice and butter me up so I would translate something for him into Indonesian, but I am not allowed to do that for people so I had to say no. We are hoping that it didn't offend him or turn him off.
Yusi we are still working with. She keeps reading the Book of Mormon and meeting with us, but still hasn't come to church. We are hoping and praying that she will come this week so she can be a little more progressive and understand more about the covenant that we make when we are baptized.
We have met with one woman, another Ibu Wahyu, who when we first met her told us that she believed that the true Christian church would have prophets and apostles and no preachers. We were really excited about that fact and think she would love to learn, but she is really really busy and hasn't been able to meet with us. hopefully this week.
Well my funny story this week is actually a joke I made up. So I'm sure you know by now that Ibu in English is Mother and Bapak is Father. Good because it helps for this joke:
What did the Indonesian Father take for his headache?
Bapak-Profen!!!! HAHAHA I crack myself up!!!
Well I love you all and love reading the letters you send me, even if they are addressed to Bevan!! I understand. At least I got a letter! I know this church is true and feel so blessed with this opportunity to share it with the people of Indonesia!! I love you all and miss you!!! good luck to Deborah and Jon and their move I hope everyone survives!! Have a great week!
Love,
Leah
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