KEBEBASAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

well hello hello - i'm emailing you from my hometown, jakarta! i just got here this morning, and am going around with the sisters here until my flight for tomorrow leaves for MALANG! that's right...I'M GOING TO JAVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! now, many people might be wondering, but you've been in java for the last year, but no no no, how wrong you are....west java is an indonesian version of america. but from what i hear, Java is where you actually see the CULTURE of indonesia. and i'm going there! i'll be in a 3-some with sis lie and sis langi (a new bule who's been here for about 2 months) until the new sisters come at the end of december. yay!!!!! i'm seriously so excited, you have no idea.....i loved bandung (the city), but it's certainly time for me to head out :)
so this last week was that...another week in bandung. sis mongan's uncle died, so she and bajodo headed to jakarta to attend his funeral (surprised? haha.... i was too, but that's my mission....) and i was with hasibuan for 2 days, and it was actually lot's of fun. hasi is an incredibly clear teacher, and is good to get the point across, and MAKE SURE they understand (i usually just talk, but she asked a lot of questions, which i liked). we taught one of my newer contacts about the Plan of Salvation, and hasi shared a scripture from the BofM (we hadn't taught the restoration yet, so she didn't know much about it except the short history i gave before they read the scripture), and ibu rosa then said, "wow...i really feel the power of this verse. this really is the Word of God. Can i learn more about it?" totally cool....so i made sure jo and i went there again before i got transferred...yesterday we went and gave the history of Joseph Smith and the BofM, but that wasn't as clear to her, i don't think. she liked the example of Joseph asking for an answer, and then receiving the answer straight from Heavenly Father and Christ (which she said, lol, "Joseph Smith was visited by 2 beings when he prayed for an answer, and i recieved 2 beings when i needed to be spiritually uplifted as well, cuz here you two are!" so cute), but i don't think she quite grasped "the only true church with the keys of the priesthood." hopefully bajodo will do a good job of teaching her and her daughter more...they live DANG far from the church, but are really cool, so hopefully. ibu rosa's daughter, tasya, almost cried when i was leaving, and gave me a bracelet with a pic of her to remember. so sweet. i love the indonesian people!
so a lot of other people i was trying to get in contact with didn't happen, so it wasn't the most exciting week...but we taught Ibu Dina for the last time, and it was a pretty good lesson about the foundation and "building" of the church. i got it from the primary handbook thing (hee hee, they gave it to us as the mtc, but i hadn't looked at it until i had to play the song for the primary program, then i noticed this...it's got some good ideas in there for investigators!), and it's where the foundation is prophets, apostles, and of course, Jesus Christ. above that, you have the Holy Ghost and priesthood, then ordinances and Revelation, and at the top is the scriptures. i think ibu dina is a little at that point of "holy cow, they are getting forceful" but then i have sis bajodo tellin her every week "we're not here to add numbers to our congregation, we're here to let people know about the BofM" so she doesn't get too offended, but then i'm thinking, "no, we ARE trying to get people baptized, and she needs to KNOW what has to be done for her to recieve these blessings"...but ya, that's my life. well not anymore...haha, i'm going to malang!
so i'm happy today, i'm going to malang! this week i've learned that God really does answer prayers, and that there really ARE people out there ready to hear this message IF THE MISSIONARIES WILL GET OFF THEIR BUTTS AND GET TO WORK! it's as simple as that, really. pres groberg this week sent out an email about how we need to start PLANNING where we're going, have a destination in mind, DO things that are worth while...not just wander from here to there. and then find people along the way! i love all that he's doing here to try and change the slump that happens so frequently. a lot of people face challenges on their missions... i've decided mine here is to NOT be able to do all that i know i can to do this work....trying to overcome other people's characteristics while trying to maintain the ones that i have that are so greatly needed in this mission. terlalu semangat untuk melakukan pekerjaan misionaris? bisa ada itu sewaktu di misi? i think not.
so that's my week! next week i'll be writing from malang! i love you all! have a great week, and enjoy getting ready for christmas! from what i've heard, malang has a more Christmassy feel to it than jakarta did last year, or even what i saw in bandung this last week. malang is like the capital city for catholics, so it should feel more like christmas this year...whether that's good or bad, i'm not sure, but either way i'm excited! i love you all, thanks for all you do for me! loves~
~Sister Sara