Daily Archives: May 28, 2007

27 May 2007

hubcabs-with-motorcycle.JPGstaghorn-fern-at-church.JPGsunset-from-our-deck.JPG

A traveling hubcap store – notice the Mercedes caps.

A Staghorn fern that is growing on a tree in the yard of the chapel. They grow huge ones here.

A recent setting sun as viewed from our deck – the blue dome is a mosque.

27 May 2007 – Sunday

This has been a great Sunday – probably the best of our mission for me. For sure it was the longest Sunday that we have had.

For only the second time we have been in Indonesia we went to the English branch to try and get some help for our English class. The president had put our plea into the bulletin and also announced it from the stand. It was strange to be actually be able to understand what was being said in sacrament meeting. It was the Young Women’s program and so 6 young women gave their talks. This was followed by an excellent talk by the YW president.

At the end president Weaver mentioned all the rank advancements in the branch during the year. It seems there is a very lively Scouting program with everyone getting from Heart to Eagle. There is no scouting program for the Indonesian saints because there is no Boy Scouts of Indonesia. They do have the Duty to God award program but I have no idea how well it is doing.

After she had spoken Elder Subandriyo gave a short talk that really was meaningful to me. He said that it would be good if we stopped and asked if we were in ‘the plan.’ That it is not a coincidence that each of us are where we are at this time. God knows our heart and thoughts. He knows what is right for us. Through prayer we can receive revelation to let us know what is His plan and what is our part in that plan. He ended with the thought that repentance takes us to a higher ground. I was embarrassed when he said that we were doing what we should be doing.

Even though he suggested we were doing what the Lord wanted us to do, he got me to thinking about if I am truly doing the right things with my time and energies. Am spending too much of this mision doing what I want to do when I should be doing what God wants me to do. This brings to mind Jesus in the garden when he asks that if possible the cup be taken from him – is there a sheep in the thicket – but if not His will be done. I know the Lord tells us in the D&C that men should not ‘be commanded in all things’ but I am afraid I use that as an excuse not to ask the Lord what He would have me do because I am afraid he will tell me to do something that I do not care to do. So I am doing good – but maybe not what would be best for me to do. Sometimes I am sure it does not matter but at other times I think that it does.

After the meeting a few of the members came up and said they could help – unfortunately many of them will be leaving for their month back in the States during June. One of them is a member from Zimbabwe and his English is not very good – I am not sure how we will use him. The ex-pat families are interesting. First of all they are all very well off while serving outside of the US. They would be well off in the US but not like this. All expenses are paid and there is no US taxes on their income – the Indonesian taxes are very small. Their children go to the International School where very good teachers and instructors are employed.  None of the children seem to miss the US – even those who have lived there for some time. When you talk to them they often feel that they want a job that will allow them to do the same thing. It makes a lot of sense since they can retire in their 50’s and serve missions, etc. They also provide leadership in areas where it is really needed.

Sunday School was excellent – it was on some parables about giving up worldly things to serve others and God – we participated and that is something we can not do yet in Indonesian. The same with PH – the teacher there was not as good as in SS but it was still a good lesson.

When the block was over we went to our office to wait a couple of hours for Sam to get out. I thought it would be hard waiting but after doing a few things for English class, we started reading the Kitab Mormon and the time flew by.

As soon as Sam was done we headed off to meet elder Wight and elder Samosir and go to teach the single sister with two children who we have been to before. She is very pleasant and her children are beautiful but she is not reading the Kitab Mormon and have not been out to church so I do not hold much hope for her until she does. After that we tried to meet with an inactive man but he had recently moved to Bogor. Finally we headed over to Sister Paulina who owns the nursery. Elder Wight held a nice discussion with her but as usual she has lots of reasons for not coming. He discovered, as I did the first time we met her, that she should have never been baptized. She had not read the Kitab Mormon, she did not believe that the Church was true, etc. She only joined because her missionary asked her to – I can not see how she passed a baptism interview. As we left I told her in poor Indonesian that God, Christ and ourselves loved her. I also bought a very interesting fern for the apartment.

After dropping off the missionaries we made it home at about sunset – long after we usually get home on Sunday – very tired but quite happy for all that we had a chance to take part in and accomplish today. It has been one of the best days of our mission. It is a shame that so many of our friends are sitting at home instead of being out on a mission where they can feel such wonderful joy in serving. Not that serving in the ward or stake is not rewarding but there are so many who could do that and the need for senior couples are so great.

As usual the evening rushed by. We read another hour in Kitab Mormon – we got in over three hours today. Before turning off the light I read from the D&C.