Yogyakarta Week 2

My first picture in Yogyakarta! The city is beautiful!

Hello everyone,

A whole week has passed here in Yogyakarta (Jogja)! I have also got past my year mark! This past year really has gone by fast, and I cannot imagine how fast this next one will go. I really do feel changed, even though I still have a lot of progress I can make. My testimony has grown so much, and I have realized the importance of faith in all of our lives. 

A pretty shot of the outskirts of the city. It is so clean and pretty here!

This past week was pretty busy, but boring as well since we just wandered around the city with a few appointments trying to get adjusted and learn the city. We have to know the situation first before we can really progress. The Sisters here have sure been a great help! Here are a few important things or events from this past week:

Our district in Jogja. This was on top of a hill that was so pretty!

My companion, Elder Kusumarmanto, and I have really hit the ground running here. Right away, we started calling investigators and making appointments even though we have not met them before. There are a few possibilities of baptisms here, so I hope we can work hard. In this District, there are also four Sister Missionaries, (Sisters Baantjer, Manalu, Manulang, Sheffield) and one Mission couple. (The Barnards) I really like them all, and we get along great.

In my studies and teachings, two particular scriptures have really strengthened me. One is Alma 32:27, and the other is D&C 130:20-21. We read Alma 32 a lot with many people, no matter their status, because it teaches so well about faith. I liked verse 27, because it taught me that it does not matter at what stage one's faith is at, because any kind of true faith will grow. Even if we can only desire to believe, that will grow within us, and develop into a great knowledge eventually. The other one in D&C just really reinforced the principle that obedience brings blessings. I think that is so true, and many people forget about it; including me!

The Jatmiko family was in Jogja, so they took us out to eat! Just like Solo.

On Sunday, I was able to meet all the members here, and introduce myself. They were all very nice, and really supportive. I think I will have an awesome time with all of them. It was really strange to be in one sacrament meeting with eight Missionaries in total, but I should get used to it.

For P-day today, we went to a beach south of the city. It was super pretty, and we took some cool pictures and explored. There were many places to hike, with new views and scenes. The sun was pretty bright, so I did get a bit sunburnt, but I have gotten used to that. We drank coconuts by the beach, and enjoyed it because the entire place was almost empty!

A really pretty restaurant that is owned by a member.
We go there to teach her son, and always get free, good food.

I really am happy to be here. There are obviously times where I struggle with certain things, but I really think I just need to improve. I think that is what God really cares about. Not about where you are, but what direction you are going. I hope we always remember that when we get down. It sure helps me through some hard times. I love you all, and I want to testify of the power of faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ. Have a good week!

-Elder James

This was a little thing we did with the sisters.
There is a park with two big trees, and if you can walk in between them from a far distance,
you will have your wish come true. 

It is really hard! We all tried it, and only Sister Manalu could do it.

Some guys shooting a movie on top of a part of 'Kraton',
the remnants of the old Javanese Kingdom.

Yogyakarta Week 1

{Elder James sent us a quick email last week and told us the exciting news that he was being transferred to Yogyakarta / Jogjakarta / Jokja (many different ways to say and spell the city's name). When telling us about the change, he said, "I am so happy to go back to Jawa Tengah. I think it is much more 'cocok' for me!" Not entirely sure what that means, but he seems happy for the change, although he will really miss the people of Bekasi. He will be a District Leader there and I think there are only 2 Elders and 2 Sisters. Yogykarta looks like a very beautiful place and it is the closest city to that amazing place he visited, Borobudur, when he was in Solo.}

Hello from Jogja everyone!

I am really sorry that this will be so short. We arrived at our house just an hour ago, since we did not know where it was. The Mission couple took us there and gave us the keys and the phone. My companion and I are 'whitewashed' here, which means we are both completely new. So we do not know anything about the area other than what the previous Missionaries wrote down. We have a lot of work to do! I will try to send a few pictures of my last moments in Bekasi, but this computer is really slow!

I really had a great last week in Bekasi with all the members and other people. On Sunday, I was privileged to baptize the daughter of Sister Hesti, Hilasia. She turned eight, and after learning a bit, she was ready to be baptized. Her elder siblings were baptized by other Missionaries, so she wanted me to baptize her. It really was an amazing experience, and my first baptism I have performed.

I wish I could write some of the other things that happened this past week, but that was by far the most important one. I will have more time next week, and I can write much more. Thank you all for everything!

-Elder James

 

This is Bakso, which I did not used to like, but now I love it! 

This is from a really good place in Bekasi. 

This is a lady hand making a shirt that looked really difficult!

A member's mother watching 'The Five' on Fox. It was pretty funny to see!

Elder Martoyo with a cute puppy.

Elder Martoyo and I at the church service project on Saturday.

Us eating 'Bebek Setan' (Satan Duck) Which is the most spicy thing
I have ever eaten. It was my last meal I bought in Bekasi.

Us with Jordan Greenwell and the Tandiman family. 

A cool picture of the city.

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!