19 February 2007
The alarm went off at 5:30 and I managed to get out of bed 15 minutes later. I almost decided not to go to the gym, but realized that was the wrong decision to make. So I went and did some sit-ups and put 15 good minutes on the bike. Not enough of course but at least a start back. I was nicely surprised to find that I have actually lost a few ounces since I was there last. I supposed I had put on a couple of pounds. That gives me encouragement to get busy and try to get down at least a three or four more before the end of the month.
Regular morning after that. We read the Kitab Mormon until the maid came for her weekly cleaning. We will need to do more reading sometime during the day – we did not study during the trip so we are behind.
I got a call from Lukito who told me about the phone card we need for the computer so we can use it anywhere. It will cost about $165 for the card and $30 a month for the service. But that means we can use the computer when we are at the branches on Saturday. I think I will ask for volunteers or perhaps the missionaries to help when we are our office so Sam can at least have a couple of Saturdays off. More thought will have to go into the final decision but I want to make sure we are available to help when the people can get to us.
The young lady came to clean and if she did not move, we would never know she was here. I need to learn enough language that I can at least carry on some friendly discussion with her and others so they do not think we are not interested in them. I am sure they are told not to bother people when she works but we need to let her know we do not consider her unworthy of our attention. We need to let our light shine for her to see.
Mary spent part of the morning getting our request for repayment of expenses ready. She could not find one receipt and she looked everywhere. I finally found it mixed in with some papers that had no relationship to it at all. We are not at all neat and organized – it is amazing we can find anything. Maybe one of the reasons we have this call is to help us learn to be better planners and organizers. If so we have a long ways to go.
I spent much of the morning catching up this journal. It does take time but I think it is worth it. I do need to be better at learning names – or at least writing them down – so I can use them in this journal.
After the cleaning lady left, I took or at least tried to take a nap. Sam came and started to put together the computer table we bought – he ran into a snag and so we just left it until later.
Unfortunately Sam could not find any place that was showing ‘Night in the Museum’ and nothing else was on that we really wanted to see. So we just went to SoGo and did our shopping. Somehow Mary found $90 worth of groceries and other things to buy. I pointed out that was more than we would spend at the store in Utah. At least we should have some good meals from what we bought.
On the way back to the apartment we stopped at the mission home and found everyone except the two office missionaries were gone. I think they all took the Chinese New Year day off. Strange how folks take any holiday off – even if it is not one they celebrate. The president and sister Jensen flew off to Sumatra for the week to be with his new Indonesian family. The A.P.s went to Bogor. The two elders that were left did not look like they were doing much. I was not able to leave our reimbursement request so we will come back on Wednesday, drop off the request and get any mail for the Tangerang elders.
I can not say that we spent the evening in much of a productive way. But we did get to see the first episode of the newest Amazing Race. As we were watching it I said to Mary – ‘Here we are sitting in a nice apartment watching our favorite show – it hardly feels like we are on a mission.’ But now we are going to study from Gospel Principles in Indonesian. Besides it is our P-day – the first really one have had in a month. Excuses – excuses.
Earlier today I did not find anyone on line or at least not with Skype on. I missed not talking to some member of the family on their Sunday. I guess they were all busy. Maybe next Sunday night – their Sunday that is. I wonder if anyone is actually reading these and if Cindy is collecting them for us.
Gospel Principles are easier to read than conference talks but we do not have an English version so we can not really check our translations…which means we take our best guess and hope that we are correct. The next time we are at the mission home, I hope to get an English version. We found that the hardest parts to translate are the scriptural quotes but at least for them we can check the English.
Just wanted to let you know I am enjoying reading your blog! I know a lot more about your daily life now than I ever did while you were home and it is fun to hear about what you and Mary are keeping busy with. Olivia mailed a letter to you today so you will have to let us know when it gets to you so we know how long the mail takes. We love you!