JAKARTA!

So sorry about last week, things have been crazy! So I just moved from what now seems like a small city,Jogja, to the most populated city in Southern Asia, Jakarta! I saw so many miracles happen in the little ward I was serving in. Our sacrament meetings went from about half of the chapel being filled to there not being enough spots to sit! The Lords work in definitely hastening here, our mission has almost doubled the number of baptisms from last year, and it's so sweet to be a part of it. So Jakarta is seriously crazy, there is just so many people to talk to and there is never a boring day. 

I love my comp!!! So basically her and her comp were doing nothing here over the last 3 months, after this week she just straight up told me, they were just sleeping in and trying to do the least amount of work possible and she felt super bad actually. I had never felt better on my mission than how I felt last night. I have never been more tired in my life. WE WORKED LIKE CRAZY this week, talking to everyone on buses, walking miles everyday proselyting and I can't even count the miracles we have seen. My feet and legs hurt, but I've never been happier! 

We are over two wards here, and one is an English ward, but there's only like 50 people in it and there has only been one convert baptism in 2 years! Missionaries have just kind of ignored that ward and only focused on the Indonesian ward, but we are going to make a change! We've been praying and fasted that we would be able to help strengthen that ward and find Foreigners to teach (there are tons here). We made an appointment to meet with the ward mission leader who was kind of discouraged because of the lack of help from missionaries, but we told him our plan and he's excited to get things going! We seriously saw miracles this week and have met some really awesome people to teach, the Lord seriously just put them right in our path. One night before we headed to our apartment we just stopped and prayed that we would be able to find someone to teach who could be in the English ward. Less than 5 minutes later we met Jon, he is from Africa and he has been looking for a church, but doesn't speak Indonesian so he didn't know where to go...that's a miracle. Okay I'm just realizing this is way long..I'm just stoked on this work! After being in Jakarta for a week, this is already my favorite place to work. There is so many opportunities here and I can't wait to see what is going to happen in the upcoming weeks and months! 

The Lord hears our prayers, he listens and he answers! Pray out loud, pour out your heart to HIM, prayer truly is our greatest tool in life! I love my Savior and I feel His love for me and my brothers and sisters around me everyday! 

MUCH LOVE!! 

Sister Reilly 

Houses and meals like these exist?! Perks of the English ward!

JAKARTA

I don't have much time, but I'm in Jakarta! I got to see three of our investigators get baptized yesterday before I left, it was awesome! I will send the pictures, but they are not very good, sorry! I am happy and loving life! LOVE YOU!!! I'm stoked for the adventures to come in Jakarta! 

LOVE, 

Sister Reilly

Press forward with faith!

It was a great week. But before I explain some things that happened this week I just want to share my testimony of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I have never felt closer to him in my life, and as I grow closer to Him, the more of a desire I have to share my testimony of Him. He lives. He knows you, he knows your name and He has felt all that you have felt and will feel. He loves YOU and is pulling for YOU. I know that my Redeemer lives, I know that He was chosen before the world was to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world, to give himself as a great atoning sacrifice for all that have been and will be on the Earth. He is my rock and the foundation of my faith, and with Him I cannot fail. His hand reaching out to each of us, no matter who we are, where we live, what we have done,, He is waiting for us to take His hand and lead us to better things. To become better, to feel better, to LIVE better, and later to come live with Him and His Father for eternity. HE is the way to happiness. I feel it everyday. His invitation to ALL is to come unto Him and feel of His goodness! COME AND SEE. 

Yesterday was stake conference in Solo. We had to be there for Saturday, but the rest of the members left at 7am from the church to come. Pak Penijo (i sent a pic of him last week) usually gets picked up by a member to come to church, but the member could not take him. He woke up at 4 in the morning and walked to the church. That is about a 6 mile walk, and he is over 70 years old. THAT is faith in action. He is ready to be baptized this week, along with the husband and wife who I have been sending pictures of. They also walked to the church yesterday morning, and although I was elbowing the mom to keep her awake during conference they loved it :). On the way home, our bus had no AC and everyone was just sweating...so hot. I started going up and down the isles of the bus and fanning all the members, they got a good laugh out of it! I LOVE THIS WARD! We are getting so much help from the ward, it is amazing. I will really miss a lot of people in Jogja! Also, Pak Juhartono got the Melchizedek priesthood at conference yesterday...he is so solid and the change in him and his wife since being baptized is so awesome. I love the gospel, I love these people, I love my Savior! 

And I love you! 

Dengan Kasih, 

Sister Reilly

More UPs then downs!

Well, I will be staying in Jogja until the 17th! I don't like sharing bad news, but I should probably let you all know that the Johan's most likely will not be baptized on the 16th. Probably the biggest let down of my mission so far. I have never seen the adversary work so hard on one family before. Basically they just got bombarded with anti-mormon stuff..from others, from the internet, ect. The mom said that now when she tries to read the Book of Mormon her "heart rejects it" and she also felt that her prayers were answered and that the Lord told her she needs to stay at her old church. These last two weeks we have been fasting, praying, working on Pday, doing everything we can to help this family enter into the waters of baptism, but I know that they have their agency and we can only do our part to help them. They still want to learn, but I think we are going to give them a break for a little while and hopefully they will find the truth. 

Although that was super disappointing, It didn't get us down because I feel like the Lord has blessed us with other super awesome people right now. For the first time in my mission, we are getting tons of member referrals! We started teaching this family that was a referral from a member, they had learned with missionaries before and then the missionaries moved and they just kind of got forgotten. They have been to church many times and awesome! They are a family of 5. Next weekend is stake conference in Solo and they are coming! We have also been teaching a part member family (the lady who I've sent pictures of wearing the head covering). The dad works every Sunday because they literally have nothing and live off of what he gets everyday and we've been trying to have him take a leap of faith and come to church and THEY CAME! He left his job that he usually does on Sunday mornings and they came as a family to church. They have a baptismal date for the 16th a long with some of our other investigators...so all is still well, the Lord is blessing us! :) 

I have a book that I write in when I study everyday and I was looking back at all I've learned and how much my testimony has grown since I have been in the service of the Lord. It is crazy. I am so grateful for these 18 months. Missionaries say this quite often, but If I didn't convert a single soul on my mission, I HAVE BEEN CONVERTED. This is an all or nothing church. It is either ALL true, it is either GOD'S CHURCH, or it is all false, build upon the foundation of men deceiving the world, calling themselves prophets. I KNOW without a single doubt that this is CHRIST'S CHRUCH, and that His restored Gospel is the only way to true happiness in this life, salvation and eternal life. I know that Joseph Smith and his successors are prophets of God and I wouldn't trade that knowledge for anything. 

15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night. 

16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ;wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. 

17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him. 

Pak Penijo. He will be baptized on the 16th. The most humble guy ever!

With so much love, 

Sister Reilly