First week in Malang! Okay I'm sorry if this email is a little short, but this email place is really sketchy and I'm literally slamming on the keys to type haha! Malang is awesome! The members here are so awesome and it's so green here...definitely not a big city like Jakarta! It is still pretty hot here, but definitely cooler than Jakarta. It rains here ALOT..like it will be perfect one second and then it will start pouring rain haha! If I said this week was easy I would be lying, but I'm excited about being here and I love it! My companion and I are pretty much starting from scratch here. I think there were some issues in her last companionship for her last 4 months here and not much got done. I was a little shocked our first planning session...there are no progressing investigators and only a couple potential investigators...but that has already changed since we've been working together and will it keep getting better!
My companion, Sister Suryani is so awesome, she is a convert and she used to be muslim. Her family basacally rejected her after she was baptized and if she returned back to her village here in Indonesia after her mission, she would probably be killed. People from her village are very strong Muslims and they are very angry about her being baptized. She has a lot of faith and I love working with her.
There has not been a baptism here is Malang for over a year. There are two Elders here and 5 Sisters, but Sister Hunt is finishing her mission next week, so she is leaving tomorrow...I already love her! She is a really good missionary and she works hard! I am excited to be here! I know that there are people in Malang that are ready to accept the gospel and we will find them.
The first day here Sister Suryani and I fasted and prayed that we would be able to find people that are ready to accept the gospel. We decided on an area to go and we rode our bikes there and it started pouring rain on the way haha. We got to the area and decided to walk down this small street and there was a lady outside her house and she had a big Christmas tree. We started talking to her and she invited us in. We got to know her and taught her about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. She had a son that died and she told us about his story and we taught her that families can be together forever. The spirit was strong and she was really accepting of our message! We are going to come back and teach her again. I know that was our prayers being answered! We have been trying to just talk to everyone and it has been great. A lot of people are already wondering what a tall white person with yellow hair is doing in their town and how I can speak Indonesian...so that helps haha. We are going to change the work around here in Malang! I know that if we are exactly obedient and have the spirit with us, we can see miracles here in Malang!
The last two days we were in Surabaya for District conference and one of the apostles, Elder Wilson was there and he talked about what needed to happen to have a temple in Indonesia. Right now there are two stakes and we need our District to become a stake. He said if we have three stakes he thinks we will be able to have a temple (there is no ward in Malang, it is just a branch). I get to be a part of helping the people of Indonesia have a temple. We have such an amazing and important work to do here! I know all things are possible in the strength of the Lord! I love the Savior so much. I would encourage you all to read "The Living Christ" (a message from living prophets and apostles called by God about the Savior). I know that this is Jesus Christ's church restored to the Earth by the prophet Joseph Smith. Last night we met with an investigator that is a girlfriend of a member, her name is Tadi. She is 24 and Muslim. We watched the restoration video with her and shared more about the Book of Mormon with her after the movie. The spirit was so strong while we were watching that movie and I know she felt it. She really wants to learn more and we are really excited about her! I love this work...I love it here! I have nothing to complain about...I get to be on a mission!! I love you all and I hope everyone is taking time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas as it approaches! :) Saya tahu bahwa Penebus saya hidup!
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