Blakes,
President and I visited the Malang missionaries and Branch last weekend. Sister Blake and Tukijan look good. They are working and teaching well together. You can be proud.
Sister Blake is already speaking in Indonesian!
She translated for me when I went out teaching with them.
Enjoy a few pictures.
Sister Groberg
1-missionaries in Malang: Elders Radianto, Garnett, Sisters Tukijan, Blake
2-with new member, Sister Sugiyarti
3- street with red and white Independence Day banners
4-ladies selling sticky rice on kampung street
5-with children on the street
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Aug. 10, 2011 Saya dan binatang-binatang!! (Me and Animals!!)
Hey family!!
It sounds like it a quite an exciting week at home and I can't possibly keep track of where everyone is right now, but really that is ok. I'll just remember that y'all are somewhere in the USA and I am somewhere in Indonesia for the next year or so. I'm glad things are going well with Deborah and Jon moving and also with Ezra. Good luck Dad with just you and Malan at home. That sounds a little dangerous. Try and make some exotic meals for him to eat to help prepare him for his mission, something like mashed potatoes or turkey sandwiches with lettuce and tomato. I didn't eat too much weird food, but I did get served this absolutely disgusting green bean and coconut milk drink. I almost died!!! But I am getting good at not using my taste buds and just swallow. The most exciting thing was that we found a place that serves pork!! That is where we ate on Sunday to break our fast. (The irony did not escape me that we were eating pork to break our fast at the same time the Muslims were all breaking their fast for Ramadan.) Yeah it made me laugh.
Well I thought I would share with you a little bit of the wildlife of Indonesia. I've gotten quite a bit braver when it comes to animals. For instance I have gotten really good at killing cockroaches without even blinking an eye. I don't even need a little brother to do it for me!! But here are some of the pictures of all the animals I've seen.
Number One: Me holding a really, really big snake. I think it was a python but really I have no idea. This was quite awhile ago in Jakarta. And really all I remember is the guy who worked there kept wanting to put it on my shoulders. I was not for it at the time, but maybe if I went back now I could do it.
Here is me and a baby turtle. One P-day a bunch of missionaries went to an island off the coast of Jakarta (don't worry we got permission) and while we were there, there was a turtle breeding place. And because half of us were white they let us in and we got to hold all sorts of turtles. I enjoyed the little ones the best but there were some pretty large turtles there also.
Ok, so this isn't me, but an Elder in my district pretending to eat the little lizards that are EVERYWHERE here in Indonesia. The elders enjoy catching them and playing with them, but I have yet to have the desire to touch one. Maybe when I've been out a year. But literally they are everywhere, but they eat mosquitoes so that is pretty exciting. One time an elder catch one and kept it in his shirt pocket. It reminded me of Saved By the Bell and Slater with his friend the lizard. I laughed but no Indonesian ever got the connection, go figure.
Here I am with the monkey, Kliwon, that lives next to our house. He actually is pretty evil and it is a good thing he is chained up because he would probably attack us. But we feed him bananas quite often so maybe one day he will be our friend and we could give him a pass along card or maybe a Book of Mormon if we didn't think he would get offended.
The last one is me at the zoo last week here in Malang. The zoo was pretty cool and I'm pretty sure had the biggest collection of albino animals ever, including an albino raccoon. But they had parrots that we could hold. He was pretty awesome and kinda heavy, too many crackers I guess. HA! The zoo usually has baby tigers that you get to take pictures with and maybe hold if they are calm that day. I was pretty darn excited for that, but the tigers needed a rest and were not out when we went. I actually think that they were fasting for Ramadan and therefore just couldn't handle the stress of being out to display. Whatever the reason I'm still a little disappointed about it all.
Really from all this I have decided that Indonesia just has no laws about animal and human interaction. And whatever goes, goes. Because I'm pretty sure the snake, turtles, and parrot were just because I'm white and they don't actually do that. But whatever the reason, I enjoy the experience.
Well as for our investigators, Pamela is doing well. Her mother has said that she wants to see real improvement in Pamela and a real desire for her to actually commit to this church. Something that as missionaries we can support so we are working with Pamela on reading the Book of Mormon everyday, not just when she remembers. It has actually begun to work and she is changing little by little. Hopefully in the coming weeks she can keep improving and doing well.
Yusi didn't come to church this week. We were disappointed and don't quite know the reason. We are meeting with her on Friday and so hopefully we can help her.
Vito and Floren are still doing well but still feel like they are being pressured by their mother to get baptized and so don't want to get baptized. It is a little frustrating and we are working with Ibu Hanawati to calm down and let them gain a true and sincere testimony first before they get baptized. But in her mind they can get baptized first and then get the testimony afterwards. So in response, yes, we taught the third lesson about the Gospel of Jesus Christ to her.
This week we had something happen that almost shocked us. We had a former investigator, who learned with missionaries about two years ago but couldn't get baptized because she wasn't married legally, come to church and tell us that she is in the process of getting a divorce and wants to get baptized. (She was married through the church, not the government). We were both pretty excited about it, not the divorce that is sad, but the fact that she just showed up to church on Sunday and stayed the whole 3 hours. We are going over to her house tonight to meet and asses the situation. Her name is Fifi and has a pretty darling newborn baby. I'll keep you posted in the next coming weeks.
Well things are going well here. The work is hard in Indonesia and a little discouraging at times, but I'm learning that as long as I keep working and doing what I can they Lord can send miracles in the form of people who just come to church and say they want to learn and be baptized. I just have to do my part and let the Lord do the rest. This is his work so there is absolutely no better way to get it done.
And now for the funny story: So last week in English Class we learned about family so of course I brought a couple pictures of my family and showed y;all off. Here are some of the consensus from my class. One: Chris you are the most handsome, followed by Hansen. Two: Mom and Dad, apparently you look like my grandparents ... sorry!! Three: Sarah apparently looks like a boy. This one I can't figure out because she was wearing a bow. Four: They guessed that each brother and brother-in-law was my husband. This class can't believe that I am not married. I tell them I can't believe it either, but strange things happen occasionally. And then the Indonesian Elder asked if every single man in America was bald. It was quite the entertaining time!!
I love you all!! Have a great week!! Enjoy the last few weeks before school starts. Blog some more pictures of Ezra and Viola!! I love you all!!!
Love,
Leah
It sounds like it a quite an exciting week at home and I can't possibly keep track of where everyone is right now, but really that is ok. I'll just remember that y'all are somewhere in the USA and I am somewhere in Indonesia for the next year or so. I'm glad things are going well with Deborah and Jon moving and also with Ezra. Good luck Dad with just you and Malan at home. That sounds a little dangerous. Try and make some exotic meals for him to eat to help prepare him for his mission, something like mashed potatoes or turkey sandwiches with lettuce and tomato. I didn't eat too much weird food, but I did get served this absolutely disgusting green bean and coconut milk drink. I almost died!!! But I am getting good at not using my taste buds and just swallow. The most exciting thing was that we found a place that serves pork!! That is where we ate on Sunday to break our fast. (The irony did not escape me that we were eating pork to break our fast at the same time the Muslims were all breaking their fast for Ramadan.) Yeah it made me laugh.
Well I thought I would share with you a little bit of the wildlife of Indonesia. I've gotten quite a bit braver when it comes to animals. For instance I have gotten really good at killing cockroaches without even blinking an eye. I don't even need a little brother to do it for me!! But here are some of the pictures of all the animals I've seen.
Number One: Me holding a really, really big snake. I think it was a python but really I have no idea. This was quite awhile ago in Jakarta. And really all I remember is the guy who worked there kept wanting to put it on my shoulders. I was not for it at the time, but maybe if I went back now I could do it.
Here is me and a baby turtle. One P-day a bunch of missionaries went to an island off the coast of Jakarta (don't worry we got permission) and while we were there, there was a turtle breeding place. And because half of us were white they let us in and we got to hold all sorts of turtles. I enjoyed the little ones the best but there were some pretty large turtles there also.
Ok, so this isn't me, but an Elder in my district pretending to eat the little lizards that are EVERYWHERE here in Indonesia. The elders enjoy catching them and playing with them, but I have yet to have the desire to touch one. Maybe when I've been out a year. But literally they are everywhere, but they eat mosquitoes so that is pretty exciting. One time an elder catch one and kept it in his shirt pocket. It reminded me of Saved By the Bell and Slater with his friend the lizard. I laughed but no Indonesian ever got the connection, go figure.
Here I am with the monkey, Kliwon, that lives next to our house. He actually is pretty evil and it is a good thing he is chained up because he would probably attack us. But we feed him bananas quite often so maybe one day he will be our friend and we could give him a pass along card or maybe a Book of Mormon if we didn't think he would get offended.
The last one is me at the zoo last week here in Malang. The zoo was pretty cool and I'm pretty sure had the biggest collection of albino animals ever, including an albino raccoon. But they had parrots that we could hold. He was pretty awesome and kinda heavy, too many crackers I guess. HA! The zoo usually has baby tigers that you get to take pictures with and maybe hold if they are calm that day. I was pretty darn excited for that, but the tigers needed a rest and were not out when we went. I actually think that they were fasting for Ramadan and therefore just couldn't handle the stress of being out to display. Whatever the reason I'm still a little disappointed about it all.
Really from all this I have decided that Indonesia just has no laws about animal and human interaction. And whatever goes, goes. Because I'm pretty sure the snake, turtles, and parrot were just because I'm white and they don't actually do that. But whatever the reason, I enjoy the experience.
Well as for our investigators, Pamela is doing well. Her mother has said that she wants to see real improvement in Pamela and a real desire for her to actually commit to this church. Something that as missionaries we can support so we are working with Pamela on reading the Book of Mormon everyday, not just when she remembers. It has actually begun to work and she is changing little by little. Hopefully in the coming weeks she can keep improving and doing well.
Yusi didn't come to church this week. We were disappointed and don't quite know the reason. We are meeting with her on Friday and so hopefully we can help her.
Vito and Floren are still doing well but still feel like they are being pressured by their mother to get baptized and so don't want to get baptized. It is a little frustrating and we are working with Ibu Hanawati to calm down and let them gain a true and sincere testimony first before they get baptized. But in her mind they can get baptized first and then get the testimony afterwards. So in response, yes, we taught the third lesson about the Gospel of Jesus Christ to her.
This week we had something happen that almost shocked us. We had a former investigator, who learned with missionaries about two years ago but couldn't get baptized because she wasn't married legally, come to church and tell us that she is in the process of getting a divorce and wants to get baptized. (She was married through the church, not the government). We were both pretty excited about it, not the divorce that is sad, but the fact that she just showed up to church on Sunday and stayed the whole 3 hours. We are going over to her house tonight to meet and asses the situation. Her name is Fifi and has a pretty darling newborn baby. I'll keep you posted in the next coming weeks.
Well things are going well here. The work is hard in Indonesia and a little discouraging at times, but I'm learning that as long as I keep working and doing what I can they Lord can send miracles in the form of people who just come to church and say they want to learn and be baptized. I just have to do my part and let the Lord do the rest. This is his work so there is absolutely no better way to get it done.
And now for the funny story: So last week in English Class we learned about family so of course I brought a couple pictures of my family and showed y;all off. Here are some of the consensus from my class. One: Chris you are the most handsome, followed by Hansen. Two: Mom and Dad, apparently you look like my grandparents ... sorry!! Three: Sarah apparently looks like a boy. This one I can't figure out because she was wearing a bow. Four: They guessed that each brother and brother-in-law was my husband. This class can't believe that I am not married. I tell them I can't believe it either, but strange things happen occasionally. And then the Indonesian Elder asked if every single man in America was bald. It was quite the entertaining time!!
I love you all!! Have a great week!! Enjoy the last few weeks before school starts. Blog some more pictures of Ezra and Viola!! I love you all!!!
Love,
Leah
Aug. 3, 2011 Saya tidak bisa Bahasa Jawa!! ( I don't speak Javanese!)
Hey Family!!!
This week went by so fast that it was hard to believe it was time to write y'all again. It is hard to think of what I did to write in the letter. I'm glad to hear things are good in America and everything is going well with Deb and Jon moving up north. I hope everything goes well. Be sure to blog about you new digs so I can see it. I'm sorry to hear about Ezra. It came as a bit of a surprise to me but I know he will be fine and healthy. I am always praying for him (as with the rest of my family) and I am glad to know that he can go home. Keep holding up Simon and Annie. I am sure he is just scared that Maren is going to squish him with all her love when he goes home. It is a fright for most of us!!
So here in Western and Central Java there is a dialect called Javanese which was the main language until about 40 years ago when Indonesian became the national language and schools and all government things were done in Indonesian. So most people know Indonesian except the old people who refused to learn Indonesian and just wanted to stick with Indonesian. That's all fine and dandy except for the white person that is still trying to learn Indonesian and doesn't have time to learn another language. Let just say it is frustrating. Especially because it is the old people who usually freak out about my white skin so when you have an old lady following me around blubbering something that i don't understand, petting my white skin I decide i don't like Javanese. I've learned a few words and it is pretty hard, so I think I will just stick with Indonesian. There are actually quite a lot of dialects and most Indonesians know Indonesian and another language, but Javanese is most definitely the second most spoken language after Indonesian.
This week I had the fun pleasure of trying some good new food: duck and eel. Duck is actually really good, kinda expensive, I mean I spent about a dollar and ten cents on the meal. But I really, really liked it. It is kinda hard to eat with your hand (only one, because it is rude to use your left hand for anything so you have to eat rice and meat and everything else with one hand) but I'm learning. I plan on being a pro when I come home and teaching everyone how to eat rice with one hand. Eel on the other hard was not the best. It wasn't terrible but it was weird. From what I could tell they just took the eel out of the water, waited for it to die, and then fried it and gave it to me to eat. I tried not to look for it's eyes but I think I saw them. I don't know if I will ever try it again. But a happy memory and don't worry I got a picture. Sorry I forgot the card reader today, I'll try to remember next week.
I'm glad that you enjoyed the pictures I sent home last week. I hope they made it on to the blog and all have been able to see and enjoy. Are you still keeping up on my blog or was that lost about two months ago? And yes that was me that took money out of my account. I plan on using it to buy some fabric. It is really cheap here in Malang and I am pretty excited about it. Maybe I will buy something for y'all too... still no nativity mom, sorry. I could find you a nice al'koran or picture of a mosque if you want but nativity is proving to be a little bit harder. Sorry!!
Well the investigators are still doing good. The exciting thing was that Yusi finally came to church this week! We were very excited. She even brought a friend (who by the way was wearing a Texas sweatshirt. Crazy!) but then she has been in the middle of finals or something like that at school so we haven't been able to meet with her at all this week or talk to her at all about her experience so we are hoping that she still wants to come next week.
There wasn't a baptism at all this week, which was a little disappointing but at the same time has proven to be good to allow each of them a little more time to prepare. Pamela's parents really want to see a big change in her actions so that they know that this church is actually good for her, before they will let her be baptized. And that has proven difficult for the quite emotional 15 year old. Slowly though she is changing and it might take awhile but hopefully one day she will have permission to get baptized.
Vito and Floren aren't quite ready to get baptized. It is a hard situation because their mother is really pressuring them to get baptized and the more she pressures the more they don't want to learn and come to church. So we are working with Ibu Hanawati to try and get her to basically chill out and give them time, but that has also proven difficult. We are just trying to take it slow and work with these two teenagers also and not ruin the delicate situation with them. Over time I am sure they will come around, they are just acting like typical 15 and 16 year old. These teenagers!!!
Well now a funny story!! So we were teaching this less active lady and we were sharing a part from a conference talk from the last conference. We had the Liahona with us, the one with all the snowy pictures and everything. Well after the lesson she was looking through the Liahona and finally stops and says 'Sister Blake I have a question. Do all of the trees in America look this weird?" "Well what do you mean Sister," was my response. "Why don't they have any leaves and why are they all white?" She couldn't figure out the snow!!! She had just no idea what it was! Oh so funny!! But I guess to them who have lived in Malang Indonesia their whole lives and aren't that educated snow would be quite foreign. I try and tell them it is really not that exciting and pretty miserable and they don't believe me.
Well I hope everyone has a great week and I will be praying for Ezra all week. I hope everything will turn out ok. Of course it will with our Heavenly Father in control how could things not turn out ok. My testimony on that matter has certainly grown over my mission. Heavenly Father is always watching over us and all things are to help us learn and develop. I know and am so grateful that He loves us so much, each person in America, each person in Indonesia, each person everywhere. What a blessing!!! I love you all! Have a great week! Miss you!
Love,
Leah
This week went by so fast that it was hard to believe it was time to write y'all again. It is hard to think of what I did to write in the letter. I'm glad to hear things are good in America and everything is going well with Deb and Jon moving up north. I hope everything goes well. Be sure to blog about you new digs so I can see it. I'm sorry to hear about Ezra. It came as a bit of a surprise to me but I know he will be fine and healthy. I am always praying for him (as with the rest of my family) and I am glad to know that he can go home. Keep holding up Simon and Annie. I am sure he is just scared that Maren is going to squish him with all her love when he goes home. It is a fright for most of us!!
So here in Western and Central Java there is a dialect called Javanese which was the main language until about 40 years ago when Indonesian became the national language and schools and all government things were done in Indonesian. So most people know Indonesian except the old people who refused to learn Indonesian and just wanted to stick with Indonesian. That's all fine and dandy except for the white person that is still trying to learn Indonesian and doesn't have time to learn another language. Let just say it is frustrating. Especially because it is the old people who usually freak out about my white skin so when you have an old lady following me around blubbering something that i don't understand, petting my white skin I decide i don't like Javanese. I've learned a few words and it is pretty hard, so I think I will just stick with Indonesian. There are actually quite a lot of dialects and most Indonesians know Indonesian and another language, but Javanese is most definitely the second most spoken language after Indonesian.
This week I had the fun pleasure of trying some good new food: duck and eel. Duck is actually really good, kinda expensive, I mean I spent about a dollar and ten cents on the meal. But I really, really liked it. It is kinda hard to eat with your hand (only one, because it is rude to use your left hand for anything so you have to eat rice and meat and everything else with one hand) but I'm learning. I plan on being a pro when I come home and teaching everyone how to eat rice with one hand. Eel on the other hard was not the best. It wasn't terrible but it was weird. From what I could tell they just took the eel out of the water, waited for it to die, and then fried it and gave it to me to eat. I tried not to look for it's eyes but I think I saw them. I don't know if I will ever try it again. But a happy memory and don't worry I got a picture. Sorry I forgot the card reader today, I'll try to remember next week.
I'm glad that you enjoyed the pictures I sent home last week. I hope they made it on to the blog and all have been able to see and enjoy. Are you still keeping up on my blog or was that lost about two months ago? And yes that was me that took money out of my account. I plan on using it to buy some fabric. It is really cheap here in Malang and I am pretty excited about it. Maybe I will buy something for y'all too... still no nativity mom, sorry. I could find you a nice al'koran or picture of a mosque if you want but nativity is proving to be a little bit harder. Sorry!!
Well the investigators are still doing good. The exciting thing was that Yusi finally came to church this week! We were very excited. She even brought a friend (who by the way was wearing a Texas sweatshirt. Crazy!) but then she has been in the middle of finals or something like that at school so we haven't been able to meet with her at all this week or talk to her at all about her experience so we are hoping that she still wants to come next week.
There wasn't a baptism at all this week, which was a little disappointing but at the same time has proven to be good to allow each of them a little more time to prepare. Pamela's parents really want to see a big change in her actions so that they know that this church is actually good for her, before they will let her be baptized. And that has proven difficult for the quite emotional 15 year old. Slowly though she is changing and it might take awhile but hopefully one day she will have permission to get baptized.
Vito and Floren aren't quite ready to get baptized. It is a hard situation because their mother is really pressuring them to get baptized and the more she pressures the more they don't want to learn and come to church. So we are working with Ibu Hanawati to try and get her to basically chill out and give them time, but that has also proven difficult. We are just trying to take it slow and work with these two teenagers also and not ruin the delicate situation with them. Over time I am sure they will come around, they are just acting like typical 15 and 16 year old. These teenagers!!!
Well now a funny story!! So we were teaching this less active lady and we were sharing a part from a conference talk from the last conference. We had the Liahona with us, the one with all the snowy pictures and everything. Well after the lesson she was looking through the Liahona and finally stops and says 'Sister Blake I have a question. Do all of the trees in America look this weird?" "Well what do you mean Sister," was my response. "Why don't they have any leaves and why are they all white?" She couldn't figure out the snow!!! She had just no idea what it was! Oh so funny!! But I guess to them who have lived in Malang Indonesia their whole lives and aren't that educated snow would be quite foreign. I try and tell them it is really not that exciting and pretty miserable and they don't believe me.
Well I hope everyone has a great week and I will be praying for Ezra all week. I hope everything will turn out ok. Of course it will with our Heavenly Father in control how could things not turn out ok. My testimony on that matter has certainly grown over my mission. Heavenly Father is always watching over us and all things are to help us learn and develop. I know and am so grateful that He loves us so much, each person in America, each person in Indonesia, each person everywhere. What a blessing!!! I love you all! Have a great week! Miss you!
Love,
Leah
Monday, February 6, 2012
July 27, 2011 akhirnya biru! (Finally Blue!!)
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
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
July 20, 2011 Mate Nyamuk!!! (Die Mosquito!!!)
Hello Family!!!
Sounds like everyone had a pretty amazing trip and I'm glad that Dad was able to make it home safely. I also hope that Malan and Hansen have one good week at EFY!! I think my favorite year at EFY was the one that I went to BYU. But it still doesn't beat living in Indonesia!!! This week has been good. Dad is right, yesterday was my 6 month mark. A little surreal to think that I only have a year left. It really has started to go fast, but only when I don't think about it. The second I start it goes pretty darn slow. And as I think over the last 6 months of service I am amazed at all the things I have learned and how I have changed. Not only am I more or less fluent in another language (I don't actually know at what point I get fluent...), but my testimony has grown so much and I have learned to rely so much more on the Savior for help and guidance. But I would say that the way I have changed the most is the development of one impressive talent... killing mosquitoes out of the thin air with my bare hands. I'm pretty darn good at it. In Jakarta there weren't too many mosquitoes and I really didn't wear bug spray, but here in Malang they are everywhere. I wear bug spray everyday and still manage to get bit once a day. I wear it to bed too or I wake up in the middle of the night itching like crazy. I sit there in our house at night and I can catch four or five mosquitoes in a manner of minutes. Let's just say by the time I leave Indo my plan is to have the species of mosquitoes extinct!! It will be a great and marvelous day!!
This week has been a good one, not too much exciting things have happened. To answer Mom's questions the missionaries from Indonesia all go to the MTC in Manilla. They have sessions there that start every 3 weeks in English and if the missionary is good enough in English the missionary can start whenever he is ready. If not they wait until a group of 8 or 10 missionaries are ready to go and they send a teacher from Indonesia to teach them. Sometimes when this happens the missionary will start serving his mission and can serve 3-4 months before he goes to the MTC and the only reason that he goes to the MTC is so that he can go through the temple. And before they formed the new stake in Jakarta they also got their patriarchal blessings there, but now there is a patriarch in Indo so that's hopefully already taken care of. The missionaries can serve anywhere in Indonesia except in the branch/ward they come from. Which means that for my current companion even though she grew up just a few hours outside of Malang since she left for her mission and her records are in Hong Kong she is able to serve in Malang. We have run into her little sister a few times. I think that would be pretty darn hard!! But missionaries from Indo often see their families at church meetings or often are given permission to go home for family events such as funerals or weddings. Pretty sweet!! But at the same time I don't know how much I would like serving in Denton while everyone is in Carrollton!! But each missionary from Indo is pretty excited to serve in their county and help the church to grow here. They are also pretty determined to learn English well enough before their mission so that maybe they can serve in the States. It has happened for 5 Indos.
The church here in Malang is pretty small. Just one branch. It used to be two but was condensed about 4 years ago. It has been a pretty hard transition since I don't think the two branches liked each other very much before the change. It is a pretty interesting branch with quite some strong personalities. It is like the Indonesian version of the branch from Baptists at our BBQ. They also love to teach about how they become like a Branch in America. One Brother taught from the pulpit that all American member families have at least 6 kids and he wasn't going to the Celestial Kingdom because he only had 2. Oh dear!!! It is quite an adventure in this Branch.
As for investigators this week: Vito and Floren are still hoping to get baptized. They are still wanting to learn and wanting to get baptized. I'm still not too convinced whether it is for the social aspect or for their own personal testimony. But they are always at church and at all the youth activities. There has to be some belief inside of them. I'm really impressed with the youth group in this branch. They are strong and have great testimonies.
Pamela is still good. She is hoping to get baptized on the 31. She even has invited her parents to come to the baptism which would be great. She has a great opportunity to be a good example to her family and hopefully one day they will want to learn and follow suit.
We are teaching a pair of sister Yusi and Desi. Their mom is living in Hong Kong and is a member and really want them to get baptized. They basically started learning with no actual desire to do anything just get baptized to please their mom. We have started teaching them and helping them understand the importance of the baptismal covenant and it is not just something you do. They are still willing to learn and we are hoping that they come to church this week. It is pretty hard since Desi is Muslim and Yusi has only enter Christianity for a few years. Their knowledge of Christ and the Bible is limited. But hopefully they can keep understanding and progressing.
The funny story this week is in answer to Dad's question of if I have eaten any weird things lately. Yesterday we were at a member's house and they bring out this purplish soup thing for us to eat. The Sister explains that it is a purple sweet potato and banana soup with "a bit of durian just for taste." I have no idea why you would add durian for a taste of anything. I couldn't believe it! It was so gross and awful and I don't think I will ever be able to eat sweet potatoes again!!! The whole time I just thought Malan should not be called to serve here because there is no way he would've been able to eat that!!! I was able to eat the whole thing, but my stomach hurt the rest of the day. Gross!!!
I'm glad things are going so well at home. I hope Ezra is born safe and sound this week!!! I will expect a lot of pictures. I love you all and know this church is true. It is an amazing blessing!! I miss you and love you! Say hi to BYU for me. Not the MTC I don't care to go there ever again!
Love,
Leah
Sounds like everyone had a pretty amazing trip and I'm glad that Dad was able to make it home safely. I also hope that Malan and Hansen have one good week at EFY!! I think my favorite year at EFY was the one that I went to BYU. But it still doesn't beat living in Indonesia!!! This week has been good. Dad is right, yesterday was my 6 month mark. A little surreal to think that I only have a year left. It really has started to go fast, but only when I don't think about it. The second I start it goes pretty darn slow. And as I think over the last 6 months of service I am amazed at all the things I have learned and how I have changed. Not only am I more or less fluent in another language (I don't actually know at what point I get fluent...), but my testimony has grown so much and I have learned to rely so much more on the Savior for help and guidance. But I would say that the way I have changed the most is the development of one impressive talent... killing mosquitoes out of the thin air with my bare hands. I'm pretty darn good at it. In Jakarta there weren't too many mosquitoes and I really didn't wear bug spray, but here in Malang they are everywhere. I wear bug spray everyday and still manage to get bit once a day. I wear it to bed too or I wake up in the middle of the night itching like crazy. I sit there in our house at night and I can catch four or five mosquitoes in a manner of minutes. Let's just say by the time I leave Indo my plan is to have the species of mosquitoes extinct!! It will be a great and marvelous day!!
This week has been a good one, not too much exciting things have happened. To answer Mom's questions the missionaries from Indonesia all go to the MTC in Manilla. They have sessions there that start every 3 weeks in English and if the missionary is good enough in English the missionary can start whenever he is ready. If not they wait until a group of 8 or 10 missionaries are ready to go and they send a teacher from Indonesia to teach them. Sometimes when this happens the missionary will start serving his mission and can serve 3-4 months before he goes to the MTC and the only reason that he goes to the MTC is so that he can go through the temple. And before they formed the new stake in Jakarta they also got their patriarchal blessings there, but now there is a patriarch in Indo so that's hopefully already taken care of. The missionaries can serve anywhere in Indonesia except in the branch/ward they come from. Which means that for my current companion even though she grew up just a few hours outside of Malang since she left for her mission and her records are in Hong Kong she is able to serve in Malang. We have run into her little sister a few times. I think that would be pretty darn hard!! But missionaries from Indo often see their families at church meetings or often are given permission to go home for family events such as funerals or weddings. Pretty sweet!! But at the same time I don't know how much I would like serving in Denton while everyone is in Carrollton!! But each missionary from Indo is pretty excited to serve in their county and help the church to grow here. They are also pretty determined to learn English well enough before their mission so that maybe they can serve in the States. It has happened for 5 Indos.
The church here in Malang is pretty small. Just one branch. It used to be two but was condensed about 4 years ago. It has been a pretty hard transition since I don't think the two branches liked each other very much before the change. It is a pretty interesting branch with quite some strong personalities. It is like the Indonesian version of the branch from Baptists at our BBQ. They also love to teach about how they become like a Branch in America. One Brother taught from the pulpit that all American member families have at least 6 kids and he wasn't going to the Celestial Kingdom because he only had 2. Oh dear!!! It is quite an adventure in this Branch.
As for investigators this week: Vito and Floren are still hoping to get baptized. They are still wanting to learn and wanting to get baptized. I'm still not too convinced whether it is for the social aspect or for their own personal testimony. But they are always at church and at all the youth activities. There has to be some belief inside of them. I'm really impressed with the youth group in this branch. They are strong and have great testimonies.
Pamela is still good. She is hoping to get baptized on the 31. She even has invited her parents to come to the baptism which would be great. She has a great opportunity to be a good example to her family and hopefully one day they will want to learn and follow suit.
We are teaching a pair of sister Yusi and Desi. Their mom is living in Hong Kong and is a member and really want them to get baptized. They basically started learning with no actual desire to do anything just get baptized to please their mom. We have started teaching them and helping them understand the importance of the baptismal covenant and it is not just something you do. They are still willing to learn and we are hoping that they come to church this week. It is pretty hard since Desi is Muslim and Yusi has only enter Christianity for a few years. Their knowledge of Christ and the Bible is limited. But hopefully they can keep understanding and progressing.
The funny story this week is in answer to Dad's question of if I have eaten any weird things lately. Yesterday we were at a member's house and they bring out this purplish soup thing for us to eat. The Sister explains that it is a purple sweet potato and banana soup with "a bit of durian just for taste." I have no idea why you would add durian for a taste of anything. I couldn't believe it! It was so gross and awful and I don't think I will ever be able to eat sweet potatoes again!!! The whole time I just thought Malan should not be called to serve here because there is no way he would've been able to eat that!!! I was able to eat the whole thing, but my stomach hurt the rest of the day. Gross!!!
I'm glad things are going so well at home. I hope Ezra is born safe and sound this week!!! I will expect a lot of pictures. I love you all and know this church is true. It is an amazing blessing!! I miss you and love you! Say hi to BYU for me. Not the MTC I don't care to go there ever again!
Love,
Leah
July 13, 2011 Tahunya enak sekali! (The Tofu is really Good!)
Hey Family!!!
How are things going in Canada? I love all the blog posts Hansen! They are so cool and great photos of the trip. I feel like maybe I was there. That's cool that you got to go to the Cardston temple. I have always thought it looked pretty cool and would be a cool one to visit. It sounds like you have had one exciting trip so far, not nearly as exciting as living in Indonesia, but as close as you could get. The bears looked cool as did the rodeo. And isn't that the third time the Blake family has been to the mammoth place? That's crazy!! Well things here are going well. I realized this morning it was Alice's birthday which means one year left for me, which is kinda crazy. It has gone by pretty fast and I hadn't really noticed how much I have changed through out this experience until I said the sentence in the subject line with a straight, serious place. That's right I complemented someone on their tofu, because it was good. It was crazy!! But I guess I am beginning to like tofu. That being said, I am looking forward to a year when I do not have to eat it anymore. And I also imagine that this will happen again one day when Malan writes home from his mission telling us that he can now eat a potato without gagging. I don't know which will be more of a miracle!! I also ate chicken feet for the first time this week. It was really good and surprisingly tasted like chicken. Who would've thought?
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALICE!!!!! HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!!
Well don't worry I am not feeling too homesick because of the road trip because we went on a zone trip to Bromo, the volcano national park that is near Malang. It was absolutely beautiful. We got permission and left early so that we could watch the sunrise there. It was amazing!! I looked everywhere for a stamp so that I could start my own stamp book but they didn't have one. I did by a postcard so I am keeping Dad's legacy going. I tried to buy a magnet or keychain for y'all (sorry no spoon or cards or hats) but they were quite expensive, only because I was white though. The Indonesians tried to buy them also and the price was cut in half for them. Crazy!!! No but it felt like a real Blake vacation. Malan would've died on the way up the mountain. The roads were curvy and the incline was steep. He would not have made it. And I freaked out at each turn just like Mom would've done. And the driver kept assuring me that he was okay and knew what he was doing just like Dad would've done. It was a really fun trip and definitely a place that is prettier than anyplace in America. I felt very grateful to be in Indonesia and see that. Definitely a once in a life time experience.
The other exciting news was the baptisms this week. Ibu Hanawati and Ibu Sugriarti were baptized. It was amazing because they both have been investigators off and on for at least 4 years. And in their testimonies at the baptism they both talked about all the missionaries that have taught them, from the ones who found them to me and Sister Tukijan who were here when they got baptized. It was amazing to just realize and feel the everlasting effect that the simple acts of missionaries can have, even without us knowing it. I think it is especially true because so many investigators learn for a number of years before they are baptized, just because most of them are newly Christian and are still struggling with who Jesus Christ is and what the Bible teaches and then to add in the need for a restoration and the Book of Mormon is oftentimes overwhelming for them. But at the same time there are a few success stories and occasionally they do get baptized. But it was a great encouragement and testimony builder to me that even when I think that my actions aren't doing much, and probably I will have no idea, but I am doing some good for God's work.
Ibu Hanawati's kids, Vito and Floren, are still learning and are planning on getting baptized on the 31 of the month. They just still have a few hesitations with the word of wisdom and all the commandments. But they are trying and really have a desire to be baptized. They both do feel a sting of guilt for not staying with their father, who is a pastor in another church, but they know that it is right to be baptized and want to do it. We keep praying and asking for the softening of the father's heart to be more open and accepting of the faith.
Also planning on getting baptized on the 31 is a girl names Pamela. She is 15 and is definitely not the brightest bulb in the box and has been learning and coming to church for the past 6 months or so because her two best friends are members. She has been asking to be baptized for the past 6 months but missionaries have always postponed it because she hasn't understood anything about the church. It has been a long process but slowly and surely she has started to read and pray each day. She has stopped drinking tea and is living more of the commandments. She is doing good. We think the 31 will give us enough time to really make sure she is ready. She really wants to get baptized and one day she will when she really truly understands it is a covenant with God and not something you do because your friends did it. She also saw a picture of Malan and decided that she is going to learn English so that she can write you a letter. Don't be too flattered Malan that is just what Indonesians do!!
To answer your questions: Dad yes I do use my flashcards and they have really helped me. I would love some more. Mom the bathroom in this new house is actually pretty nice. It actually has a shower head, but no hot water. So rather we heat up water and take a scoop bath each day. It is pretty depressing to see the shower head and not be able to use it. But it is really cold water!!! I can't remember if there were anymore...
Funny story of the week: So we were walking down a street leading into a neighborhood and trying to talk and contact people on the street when a lady saw me and asked me to sit next to her. I asked her what she was doing and she said that she was stringing badminton rackets. That is really source of income. She offered to teach me so I could help her. I sat there are strung badminton rackets with her for like 15 minutes while I contacted her. She was Muslim and not interested at all, but she offered me an opportunity to be her assistant and do that for my job too. I said I think about it. I guess if BYU doesn't work out and I never get married I have a fall back plan. It is very comforting to know. And don't worry I took a picture with her and my racket.
This week has been a great one. I have had a lot of opportunities this week to share the gospel and what i believe to people on the street which is a rare opportunity seeing as how I can only tell people I am a spiritual builder and not a missionary. But it is always a great feeling to tell people what I believe and see their reactions. And while none of these contacts gave me their numbers or said I could come to their house, I hope and pray that they will read the pamphlets or church material I gave them and one day decide to learn more about Christ and His Gospel. Who knows maybe they will be baptized in 7 years or so. I know this Gospel is true and love it so much. I always feel so blessed and so loved when I think of this gospel and who it has allowed me to be. I love you and miss you!! Have a great rest of your trip. Keep Blogging Hansen!
Love,
Leah
How are things going in Canada? I love all the blog posts Hansen! They are so cool and great photos of the trip. I feel like maybe I was there. That's cool that you got to go to the Cardston temple. I have always thought it looked pretty cool and would be a cool one to visit. It sounds like you have had one exciting trip so far, not nearly as exciting as living in Indonesia, but as close as you could get. The bears looked cool as did the rodeo. And isn't that the third time the Blake family has been to the mammoth place? That's crazy!! Well things here are going well. I realized this morning it was Alice's birthday which means one year left for me, which is kinda crazy. It has gone by pretty fast and I hadn't really noticed how much I have changed through out this experience until I said the sentence in the subject line with a straight, serious place. That's right I complemented someone on their tofu, because it was good. It was crazy!! But I guess I am beginning to like tofu. That being said, I am looking forward to a year when I do not have to eat it anymore. And I also imagine that this will happen again one day when Malan writes home from his mission telling us that he can now eat a potato without gagging. I don't know which will be more of a miracle!! I also ate chicken feet for the first time this week. It was really good and surprisingly tasted like chicken. Who would've thought?
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALICE!!!!! HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!!
Well don't worry I am not feeling too homesick because of the road trip because we went on a zone trip to Bromo, the volcano national park that is near Malang. It was absolutely beautiful. We got permission and left early so that we could watch the sunrise there. It was amazing!! I looked everywhere for a stamp so that I could start my own stamp book but they didn't have one. I did by a postcard so I am keeping Dad's legacy going. I tried to buy a magnet or keychain for y'all (sorry no spoon or cards or hats) but they were quite expensive, only because I was white though. The Indonesians tried to buy them also and the price was cut in half for them. Crazy!!! No but it felt like a real Blake vacation. Malan would've died on the way up the mountain. The roads were curvy and the incline was steep. He would not have made it. And I freaked out at each turn just like Mom would've done. And the driver kept assuring me that he was okay and knew what he was doing just like Dad would've done. It was a really fun trip and definitely a place that is prettier than anyplace in America. I felt very grateful to be in Indonesia and see that. Definitely a once in a life time experience.
The other exciting news was the baptisms this week. Ibu Hanawati and Ibu Sugriarti were baptized. It was amazing because they both have been investigators off and on for at least 4 years. And in their testimonies at the baptism they both talked about all the missionaries that have taught them, from the ones who found them to me and Sister Tukijan who were here when they got baptized. It was amazing to just realize and feel the everlasting effect that the simple acts of missionaries can have, even without us knowing it. I think it is especially true because so many investigators learn for a number of years before they are baptized, just because most of them are newly Christian and are still struggling with who Jesus Christ is and what the Bible teaches and then to add in the need for a restoration and the Book of Mormon is oftentimes overwhelming for them. But at the same time there are a few success stories and occasionally they do get baptized. But it was a great encouragement and testimony builder to me that even when I think that my actions aren't doing much, and probably I will have no idea, but I am doing some good for God's work.
Ibu Hanawati's kids, Vito and Floren, are still learning and are planning on getting baptized on the 31 of the month. They just still have a few hesitations with the word of wisdom and all the commandments. But they are trying and really have a desire to be baptized. They both do feel a sting of guilt for not staying with their father, who is a pastor in another church, but they know that it is right to be baptized and want to do it. We keep praying and asking for the softening of the father's heart to be more open and accepting of the faith.
Also planning on getting baptized on the 31 is a girl names Pamela. She is 15 and is definitely not the brightest bulb in the box and has been learning and coming to church for the past 6 months or so because her two best friends are members. She has been asking to be baptized for the past 6 months but missionaries have always postponed it because she hasn't understood anything about the church. It has been a long process but slowly and surely she has started to read and pray each day. She has stopped drinking tea and is living more of the commandments. She is doing good. We think the 31 will give us enough time to really make sure she is ready. She really wants to get baptized and one day she will when she really truly understands it is a covenant with God and not something you do because your friends did it. She also saw a picture of Malan and decided that she is going to learn English so that she can write you a letter. Don't be too flattered Malan that is just what Indonesians do!!
To answer your questions: Dad yes I do use my flashcards and they have really helped me. I would love some more. Mom the bathroom in this new house is actually pretty nice. It actually has a shower head, but no hot water. So rather we heat up water and take a scoop bath each day. It is pretty depressing to see the shower head and not be able to use it. But it is really cold water!!! I can't remember if there were anymore...
Funny story of the week: So we were walking down a street leading into a neighborhood and trying to talk and contact people on the street when a lady saw me and asked me to sit next to her. I asked her what she was doing and she said that she was stringing badminton rackets. That is really source of income. She offered to teach me so I could help her. I sat there are strung badminton rackets with her for like 15 minutes while I contacted her. She was Muslim and not interested at all, but she offered me an opportunity to be her assistant and do that for my job too. I said I think about it. I guess if BYU doesn't work out and I never get married I have a fall back plan. It is very comforting to know. And don't worry I took a picture with her and my racket.
This week has been a great one. I have had a lot of opportunities this week to share the gospel and what i believe to people on the street which is a rare opportunity seeing as how I can only tell people I am a spiritual builder and not a missionary. But it is always a great feeling to tell people what I believe and see their reactions. And while none of these contacts gave me their numbers or said I could come to their house, I hope and pray that they will read the pamphlets or church material I gave them and one day decide to learn more about Christ and His Gospel. Who knows maybe they will be baptized in 7 years or so. I know this Gospel is true and love it so much. I always feel so blessed and so loved when I think of this gospel and who it has allowed me to be. I love you and miss you!! Have a great rest of your trip. Keep Blogging Hansen!
Love,
Leah
Thursday, September 29, 2011
July 6, 2011 PLD di Surabaya (Zone Conference in Surabaya)
Dear Family,
Hello everyone! How are things going in South Dakota or Kansas or where ever y'all are? It sounds like y'all have had quite the fun trip so far. I'll be excited to hear all about it. Not to be outdone, I went on my own summer (or I guess winter) vacation this past week. It was zone conference so we got to go to Surabaya, which is the second biggest city in Indonesia and is about 2 hours north of Malang. So, me and my comp and the 3 elders here in Malang got to ride in a stinky bus for 2 hours on Sunday after church with probably the least amount of leg room known to man. But it was all made up for when we checked into our hotel. Since there are no sisters serving in Surabaya, my comp and I got to stay in a hotel and since it is vacation from school right now and all the other hotels were booked, the hotel we stayed at was nicer than any Hilton we've ever stayed at. Boy, it was nice. Really, I just loved the fact that it had a shower with hot water. I took two! And the dinner that we ate there with our mission president and mission mom was pretty nice. I ate Gado-Gado, which is an Indonesian dish that I can buy here in Malang for about 4000 Rupiah (40 cents) but at the restaurant in the hotel it was about 30000 Rupiah which is still only about $3 but still pretty darn expensive. It was quite the fun experience. However the sign on the TV in the hotel room that advertised the American channels it carried including ESPN was pretty hard to handle. But don't worry I overcame that temptation! Zone Conference was also pretty good. It was all about unity and working with the branch and ward leaders which is definitely a challenge here in Indonesia, but hopefully we can make it a little better. After two hours of playing indoor soccer and then eating at A&W Root Beer we were back on the road to Malang, which decided to have crazy traffic which made us not get home till midnight. I was quite tired the next day to say the least, but it was a great trip all together.
Other than that, Malang continues to be great. Me and Sister Tukijan work really well together and we pretty much never speak English which is nice. We have 4 baptisms planned for this Sunday but aren't too confident they will all pan out. Ibu Hanawati is positively getting baptized this week. She has been looking forward to it for a long time and can't wait. It is exciting to see how excited she is about the Gospel. Her two kids, Vito and Floren, also are planning to get baptized. They really want to and have a lot of good friends here in the branch, but how much they know about the gospel and the commandments is a little iffy. I think the social aspect is what draws them a little bit more to the church. Their baptism might get postponed a couple of weeks. We will see. Also Ibu Sugriarti also is planning on getting baptized. She is ready and prepared and has a good strong testimony. Scheduling an interview is just the problem. She is really busy and also who is interviewing her is really busy. It might be proposted another week just because of that. But I know it is worth the wait so that's ok.
Our other investigator Ibu Wahyu is doing good. She didn't come to church this past Sunday and we don't know why but she said that she has started to read a little bit in the Book of Mormon which is exciting. I learned this week that I guess her daughters who are members aren't the most active so she will only come when her daughters come. I think we might change our focus a little and work with her daughters at the same time and see if we can't strengthen them all at the same time. It is a great family that I love and I hope that she continues to progress and all become really strong in this gospel.
There aren't as many investigators here so we spend a lot of time visiting less active members. There are a lot here! And they are have different reasons for why they aren't active but they all come back to the fact that they feel like they don't have friends or feel accepted in the branch. It is sad to see, but I've gained a strong testimony of why we have home and visiting teaching. It isn't too prevalent here and I think if it was a lot of people would come back to church. But we had a couple come to church on Sunday which was exciting to see.
I'm glad that Elder and Sister Merideth emailed you. That District Meeting I taught to 22 missionaries including my mission president and mission mom. A little nerve-wracking but I think it went good. And I was wearing a new shirt. I've bought two here and a pair of plastic shoes to wear when it rains. So not too much. It was all really expensive in Jakarta but here in Malang it is not so much. One P-Day might just be spent buying batik. It is like the Vera Bradley here in Indonesia! Mom would love it. Yes Mom the necklaces were still in the box. It didn't seem like anything was taken from it. The next package just send to the mission home in Jakarta and they will get it to me. My comps first name right now is Tri (pronounced Tree).
I'm glad everything is going so well on your trip. That salt mine looked pretty fun, but I don't think I could have handled the elevator. Good thing I'm in Indonesia. And that bathroom looked a lot cleaner than some of the ones I have seen here. At least it was a toilet! I'm sad though that I am missing the Medora Musical, a priceless treasure from my childhood!! Keep having fun and be safe!!
Funny Story of the week: So on Saturday we went to a wedding of the daughter of our landlord, who has been taught the gospel off and on for a couple of years. It was a pretty nice, fancy wedding. The outfits were pretty traditional, including a flower head dress for the bride and a skirt, slippers and sword for the groom. The food was amazing and delicious and it seemed like nothing was overlooked and the price was not thought about. So what would the give as the hostess gift for all the guests? That's right you guessed it: Fingernail Clippers!!! I'm still confused!!
Thanks for all the love and prayers!! I pray for you each day too. I know this church is true and love being a missionary sharing the gospel. It is such a great blessing in our lives!! I love you and miss you!!
Love,
Leah
Hello everyone! How are things going in South Dakota or Kansas or where ever y'all are? It sounds like y'all have had quite the fun trip so far. I'll be excited to hear all about it. Not to be outdone, I went on my own summer (or I guess winter) vacation this past week. It was zone conference so we got to go to Surabaya, which is the second biggest city in Indonesia and is about 2 hours north of Malang. So, me and my comp and the 3 elders here in Malang got to ride in a stinky bus for 2 hours on Sunday after church with probably the least amount of leg room known to man. But it was all made up for when we checked into our hotel. Since there are no sisters serving in Surabaya, my comp and I got to stay in a hotel and since it is vacation from school right now and all the other hotels were booked, the hotel we stayed at was nicer than any Hilton we've ever stayed at. Boy, it was nice. Really, I just loved the fact that it had a shower with hot water. I took two! And the dinner that we ate there with our mission president and mission mom was pretty nice. I ate Gado-Gado, which is an Indonesian dish that I can buy here in Malang for about 4000 Rupiah (40 cents) but at the restaurant in the hotel it was about 30000 Rupiah which is still only about $3 but still pretty darn expensive. It was quite the fun experience. However the sign on the TV in the hotel room that advertised the American channels it carried including ESPN was pretty hard to handle. But don't worry I overcame that temptation! Zone Conference was also pretty good. It was all about unity and working with the branch and ward leaders which is definitely a challenge here in Indonesia, but hopefully we can make it a little better. After two hours of playing indoor soccer and then eating at A&W Root Beer we were back on the road to Malang, which decided to have crazy traffic which made us not get home till midnight. I was quite tired the next day to say the least, but it was a great trip all together.
Other than that, Malang continues to be great. Me and Sister Tukijan work really well together and we pretty much never speak English which is nice. We have 4 baptisms planned for this Sunday but aren't too confident they will all pan out. Ibu Hanawati is positively getting baptized this week. She has been looking forward to it for a long time and can't wait. It is exciting to see how excited she is about the Gospel. Her two kids, Vito and Floren, also are planning to get baptized. They really want to and have a lot of good friends here in the branch, but how much they know about the gospel and the commandments is a little iffy. I think the social aspect is what draws them a little bit more to the church. Their baptism might get postponed a couple of weeks. We will see. Also Ibu Sugriarti also is planning on getting baptized. She is ready and prepared and has a good strong testimony. Scheduling an interview is just the problem. She is really busy and also who is interviewing her is really busy. It might be proposted another week just because of that. But I know it is worth the wait so that's ok.
Our other investigator Ibu Wahyu is doing good. She didn't come to church this past Sunday and we don't know why but she said that she has started to read a little bit in the Book of Mormon which is exciting. I learned this week that I guess her daughters who are members aren't the most active so she will only come when her daughters come. I think we might change our focus a little and work with her daughters at the same time and see if we can't strengthen them all at the same time. It is a great family that I love and I hope that she continues to progress and all become really strong in this gospel.
There aren't as many investigators here so we spend a lot of time visiting less active members. There are a lot here! And they are have different reasons for why they aren't active but they all come back to the fact that they feel like they don't have friends or feel accepted in the branch. It is sad to see, but I've gained a strong testimony of why we have home and visiting teaching. It isn't too prevalent here and I think if it was a lot of people would come back to church. But we had a couple come to church on Sunday which was exciting to see.
I'm glad that Elder and Sister Merideth emailed you. That District Meeting I taught to 22 missionaries including my mission president and mission mom. A little nerve-wracking but I think it went good. And I was wearing a new shirt. I've bought two here and a pair of plastic shoes to wear when it rains. So not too much. It was all really expensive in Jakarta but here in Malang it is not so much. One P-Day might just be spent buying batik. It is like the Vera Bradley here in Indonesia! Mom would love it. Yes Mom the necklaces were still in the box. It didn't seem like anything was taken from it. The next package just send to the mission home in Jakarta and they will get it to me. My comps first name right now is Tri (pronounced Tree).
I'm glad everything is going so well on your trip. That salt mine looked pretty fun, but I don't think I could have handled the elevator. Good thing I'm in Indonesia. And that bathroom looked a lot cleaner than some of the ones I have seen here. At least it was a toilet! I'm sad though that I am missing the Medora Musical, a priceless treasure from my childhood!! Keep having fun and be safe!!
Funny Story of the week: So on Saturday we went to a wedding of the daughter of our landlord, who has been taught the gospel off and on for a couple of years. It was a pretty nice, fancy wedding. The outfits were pretty traditional, including a flower head dress for the bride and a skirt, slippers and sword for the groom. The food was amazing and delicious and it seemed like nothing was overlooked and the price was not thought about. So what would the give as the hostess gift for all the guests? That's right you guessed it: Fingernail Clippers!!! I'm still confused!!
Thanks for all the love and prayers!! I pray for you each day too. I know this church is true and love being a missionary sharing the gospel. It is such a great blessing in our lives!! I love you and miss you!!
Love,
Leah
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