Minggu yg lebih baik

This week has been a little tougher on the investigator side of things. we're trying to figure out which of our investigators are the most effective/interested, but it's difficult to know. we met with pak johan on saturday, though, and we officially put him in the "simpan" or in other words, wait a few weeks and see what he thinks after he reads the BofM....he hadn't read it at all since the last time we'd met 2 weeks before cuz he's reading a world religions book that he has to return this week. AND he hates religions that think they're the best, and refuses to go to any church....which, ya, isn't exactly the best foundation for us to build on with Joseph Smith restoring God's one and only church to the earth again. but i still think he's cool.
Pak Budi and Ibu Dina read the BofM!!!!! they read Alma 32, and absolutely loved it, and we had a really good conversation about faith, and being humble, and especially grateful for all the blessings that God's given us. Budi prayed, but not every day...so our challenge for him this week is to pray every day, and we're texting him every day to remind him. it's definitely little steps with this family, but i can already see a huge difference since when we first got there. i feel like every time we show up, they all have the weight of the world on their shoulders, but by the time we leave, they seem so much happier and ready to take on the world....it's amazing to see that kind of a change, and know that you really are helping someone. hopefully they feel that as well.
a guy called our cell phone yesterday to see if i'd teach an english class on fridays for about 20-30 people at a university about 30 minutes away...which i'm excited about. i seriously can't teach english, but i'll do my best....but this is gonna be an awesome place to get referrals, that i'm sure of. the english class at the church is really not doing good....last week there wasn't anybody that showed up, and this week there was only one.....so hopefully with this english class, we can get more to come to the other one.
basketball is a little on the awkward side right now....the coach wanted me to actually PLAY for the team, and was going to go through all the holes to get me permission (and who knows how much money that would've cost), and so when i told him that i couldn't play competitively, i could only help coach if it was for real games, he wasn't very happy about it.....so there we go again. i feel like if i give anything, people always just expect more and don't understand WHY i can't give more. so then they're offended or sad, or whatever ya wanna call it, and things just get awkward. hopefully this doesn't last too long tho.
this week as i've been studying the talk that you sent mom, along with other things i've been reading, i've been noticing how much everyone talks about the House of Israel, and decided to answer those questions she asks, but with my patriarchal blessing instead of the entire BofM. amazing the things that are in there. it really does help to see the importance of the House of Israel, even though i know i still don't understand the importance of it as much as i need to. but i figure thats something that's more in depth, and i can study it more when i get home. but, as i was reading my Patriarchal Blessing, i thought about how it really has shaped my life in the last 7 years. it's been so important in helping me know what to do with this big decisions that i'm making at this time in my life. even with things just like exercising....usually, i start exercising again cuz i've read my patriarchal blessing. so...spiritual thought for the week is get your patriarchal blessing, cuz you have no idea how much it's going to help you in your every day life, and especially with those big decisions that come along. i have a firm testimony just from my PB that Heavenly Father knows and loves me, and i know anyone who reads theirs will be able to feel those same feelings. what a blessing it is to have the knowledge that we have about this restored gospel, and what direction that gives to us!
oh, so funny story real quick...last friday i was doing my laundry, and the dryer was acting all funky, so i had sis lie come and help me figure it out...and as she was fixing the thing, i felt something on my foot, and looked down to see a rat running across my feet!!!!! AHHHHH gross! yes, i immediately screamed, freaked out, ran to the kitchen, continued freaking out, and then washed my feet with soap and water to try and clean the dirty rascal's germs off me. all the while, sis lie and jo had no idea what had happened, and kept asking me what happened, but i was too busy freaking out....so when i finally could control myself enough to talk and told them, they laughed for the next 1/2 hr straight....i think cuz it's not in my nature at all to act like that, and they'd never seen me like that, so it really surprised them. haha. i thought it was hilarious tho.
anywho, that's my week in a nutshell....i love you all so much, and pray things are going well! i think it sounds like from all of our emails we're all missing each other quite a bit....which means we all need to refocus a bit, and work even harder so this precious time we have apart will be all the sweeter when we get back together. i love you all so much, and have a good week! loves~

~Sister Sara