20 September 2007 – Thursday

We did not have an internet connection for most of the morning – something to do with the main switch at Giganet – it is a pain when there is no way to read the mail or look at blogs. I just got a call from Jemmy Mongan postponing our meeting. I was sorry to hear this because I am getting excited about planning the activities of our couples conference.

We worked in the office until it was time to head for the mission office. English as usual took much of our time but I also sent e-mail to those I met last night. Hopefully I will get some good contacts from them. The excitement came when somehow a gecko got its tail cut off and if fell on the desk in front of Mary. I was amazed at long it twitched  – Mary was not as interested.

At the mission home, we got to see elder Smith who was in to get his visa updated. He seems to be doing well in Surabaya and it sounds like there may be some baptisms in his future. The crew enjoyed the pineapples we left for them to eat. They cut up the last one while we were eating so I had some for dessert. While Mary taught her class I talked to elder Subandriyo, president Marchant, and John. Each time I am with the president I learn something. Today he mentioned that the Lord has blessed him with that which he needed to say and know “at the moment” he needed it. I realized that my not attempting to speak Indonesia showed a lack of faith in the Lord to provide that which I needed “at the moment” I needed it.

The afternoon and evening at Tangerang went well. We found that elder Hadi Suyatmo is going to Bogor on Monday and will be a zone leader serving with elder Teng. They should be a good pair but I am rather sorry to see him and elder Peate being broken up. I feel they are an excellent pair of missionaries. Elder Suyatmo taught a lesson on how to teach more effectively. He suggested that first we had to gain a knowledge of the gospel so that we have a basis to teach from. I just thought about how this is usually what the Lord draws on “at the moment” it is needed. Seldom does He provide knowledge that we do not already have. Of course to be effective teachers we must use the spirit to both guide us and to testify to the investigator. I mentioned the need to establish a relationship of trust so the people will want to listen to you because they know you actually care about them.

The English class went well. We went through the first four articles of faith, prepositions and then opposites. We played the match game and everyone enjoyed that. The investigator came but I could not just teach him because the children deserve to learn. Hopefully before we leave, I will have them carrying on conversations in English with me. After the class we took pictures of the district – this will be the last time this particular group will be together in this district. I had them pose for a straight picture and then let them clown for one.

Mary had cut up a pineapple this morning and we had kept it cold in the cooler. I told Agus and Catherine that this was the sweetest pineapple in Indonesia. They said the sweetest ones came from Sumatra. But after they ate the Bangdung pineapple they decided it was the sweetest. In fact Catherine wanted to know if we had put sugar on it. I told her no, that it came that way. It was fun to introduce an Indonesian to something from their country that they did not know about.