13 June 2007 – Wednesday

I slept very well and did not wake until almost 5:30. Regular morning with 2 ½ pages read from Kitab Mormon. I wrote in this journal, washed the dishes and changed the water. By then it was time to go to the office. As I was finishing up yesterday’s journal, the weight of the many things that needs to be done here as far as education and employment are concerned came upon me. I must remember Elder Subrandriyo’s caution that we can only do what we can do – we can not solve all the problems, we can not feed all the poor, we can not change the world in a day. But we must do what we can do and not just part of what we can do.

We read from Kitab Mormon. We would have liked to have finished the book before the Jensen’s leave but it does not look like that is likely to happen. But as soon as we have finished we will start again and hopefully this time we will get through in less than 6 months. I would like to read it at least 3 more times before we are released. I believe reading the Kitab Mormon is a good way to learn the language but until we start speaking it at home and with Sam we will not be able to communicate with other people.

Sam and I got Mary started with the class and then we headed off to Carrefore to have some print cartridges refilled – we are going through them like mad – and to pick up some office supplies. I decided to try another company for re-fills – I am not happy with the quality of those we have been getting and I want to see if another company does a better job. I also bought one brand new HP cartridge to see how it works.

While we were waiting for them to be filled, we paid the apartment phone bill – actually Sam sat and waited to be helped while I went to the ATM to get some cash. Then we bought some bakery goodies for the class treat and finally got the refills. We are spending a good deal of money on this class – some of our own and some of the Lords. Hopefully it will be a very good investment that will pay off in the future.

By the time we got back the morning class was over and so Mary and I ate lunch while waiting for the afternoon class to start. Mary used the time wisely – she took a nap on the couch in the foyer. I talked to a couple of the students about their future and what they wanted to do.

The Petersons were a little late and I made them later by talking to them. They are supposed to go to Medan on Friday to be part of a closing on a wheelchair program but it seems the chairs have not cleared customs so they may not go. If they do not go they will be able to teach on Friday. If they do go we will teach.

Once they get settled in, we have Sam drive us home. He then went back so he could take them all to the Guttormsen’s for their evening lesson. Later in the evening I received a call from the new English Branch president – Rick Smith – asking if they could come over on tomorrow night and have dinner at his home. I thought it was a great idea – especially since I would like the president to arrange for FHE somewhere in the branch for the next two Mondays.

I believe that this inter-action with the English branch is one of the better ideas that Lord put into my mind. Not only did we get some excellent teachers, but we also are letting the ex-pats see the quality of the students and I believe in the future we will get even more help. I would like to see a couple from the branch called to be in charge of the class in the future. I am sure there is a teacher in there somewhere who could do a better job at this than we are. However I am not going to suggest this until we have at least two classes under our belts.

The next class will be much more structured with a pre-planned schedule laid out as to what gets taught when and by who. I want to build a foundation and then go from there as needed. I feel we a little unorganized this time. But the Lord is blessing us in our weakness and I trust that the last 2 weeks will see a great change in the students.