Bekasi Week 14

Selamat Siang semuanya! Semoga anda baik dan sehat!

There have been many changes this week, and lots of things happening. I can't believe I have been in Bekasi for three months already. With all these changes, I realize how long it has actually been! I have made so much progress recently in many ways, and my companion and I are working really hard. Here are a few highlights of this past week.

I hate to begin on a sad note, but Brother Heri, the father of Daniel, passed away on Thursday. He had cancer, and died peacefully with his family at his side. I was really close to his family, since my companion and I taught his son, Daniel, before he was baptized. I was really sad when I heard this news, but I know of the reality of Families being together forever. He was a great man, and I wish the best to his family and friends. 

This week, all three of the other Elders left Bekasi, and Elder Martoyo came. 

Elder Mongan

Elder Mongan went to Bandung, where he will spend two weeks, and then go home. 

Elder Mulyono

Elder Mulyono was finished, and went home! 

Elder Johnson

Elder Johnson went to Manado, and he is so happy to finally leave the Jakarta area. My new companion is not really new, since he was my trainer in Semarang. He is really great, and a very hard worker. We will get a lot done here. It is strange to be in a house alone with just my companion, but I am glad because I will learn a lot. 

Elder Mongan and I at the Hasibuan house, eating 'Siomay'.
It is a pretty strange dish, but not bad. It is hard and gross to explain, so I won't haha.

We were able to visit a few members this past week, which always means eating a ton. The first was the Hasibuan family, where we ate Siomay, a traditional dish that is really hard to explain. We also went to Brother Syaiful's house, and spent some time with his family. His daughter was so cute! I kept taking pictures of her, and she loved it. Elder Martoyo was not feeling to great at this point, so we went home and rested.

Elder Martoyo kept feeling pretty sick, so he started to do many of the traditional treatments to himself. I helped with one that is called 'Croaking'. You put this oil with menthol on the skin, and then rub lines on the skin with a coin. It must hurt like heck, but I have not tried it yet. Elder Martoyo said I did a really good job! Maybe I can become a traditional doctor here! But I will not comment if I think those treatments work. We told President, and he said to go to the hospital to get his blood checked. We did, and nothing was wrong. After a few days, he felt much better, and we went to work! 

On the 17th, it was Indonesia's Independence Day. There was a ward party that we went to, and it was a lot of fun. 

They sang the national anthem, told stories from their families, and sang karaoke. 

An elderly Sister got up and told from her memory the revolution when the Japanese were here. She was only six, but remembers it quite well. Everyone listened intently to her story. I was very impressed. 

The food they served was very traditional, and I liked it a lot. We had to leave a little early since we had a few appointments, but it was fun.

There are a few things that happened to me this week! Next week, we will be super busy since it is just myself and Elder Martoyo covering two wards and areas. But I am really happy to be busy serving the Lord. I have also gained a stronger testimony of the reality of Families being together forever. I can't imagine it being any other way. I love my family so much, and I am so grateful for the wonderful plan that God has given us so that we can return to him with our families. Jesus Christ is the center of that plan, and I know that he lives. I feel his love so much right now, and I hope others will be able to feel the same, especially when hard times come. Thank you for all the support, and I hope your week goes well. 

-Elder James

This is Brother Syaiful's daughter. She is so cute! She made this face while taking a
picture because the camera has an orange light before the picture is taken. It was funny!

A lizzard that got into our Fridge, and died eating cookies.
A good way to die I guess?

Since there are only two of us in the house, we each get the best of everything, 

and the house is really clean! This is my set-up for my bed. It is really cozy!

Do you remember the free rock I got in my food from the cheap 'wartug'?
Well yesterday I got another free item in my food! A caterpillar!