(mama who is extraordinary and sweet above all that is sweet)
I am so sorry! I sent an email last week but for some reason it did not go through, I think the internet was having problems. Or maybe I typed it all out but forgot to send it. Whatever happened, I just resent it so now you will have two emails to make up for these last two weeks of missed time. So sorry momma.
Got the tile grouted ya? It sounds like the house is already totally different! It will be nice I'm sure.
I like your thoughts on the Plan of Salvation and "perfection". Obviously we all fall short of perfection, but I like what you were saying that if we are "climbing even ever-so-slightly in an upward direction, that is its own type of perfection". I think that's so true. I remember one time in seminary Brother Mitchell drew a staircase on the whiteboard. He said that this staircase was infinite in length and the top represented perfection while the bottom represented pure evilness. Then he drew two stick-figures, one at the top and one at the bottom. The one at the top was looking down the staircase, and the one at the bottom was looking up the staircase. Then he asked, "which one is better off?" And the truth is that the one who was at the bottom was better off. In the end, we all fall short of perfection and none of us can climb the staircase all the way to Jesus Christ. So what really matters is which way we're facing. And what's amazing is that Jesus Christ is there at every step to help us climb, to help us get a little higher and be more like him.
This week was a really good one. This was week 11 of training for Elder Vandyarto, which is the week where the trainee has to lead in all teaching and planning situations. Elder Van did a great job and he is super ready to be a great Elder. I was so lucky to be able to train such a stellar Elder :) Here's a little play-by-play of our days this week:
Monday: We had p-day and we played billiards and Dominion. I dunno if you've ever played Dominion or not... It's a super fun game that Elder and Sister Jeffery have. I played it a few times at the McCuens house back in the day. So much fun!! That evening we tried to visit a few people but nobody could meet with us.
Tuesday: We met with this really nice old guy, a new investigator named Pak S. He has cataracts and can't read but his wife can so she can read the Book of Mormon to him and stuff. That was fun to meet with him. We also visited an old investigator, Pak E, who is hard to meet with because his work and whose family is afraid of us. We visited a less active sister, Ibu H, and her husband. This less-active sister used to live really close to our house but then one day when I was in Singapore the Elders went there and her house was just absolutely empty. The neighbors knew she moved but had no idea where she'd gone. A few weeks ago we had been wondering how to find her so we could keep teaching her, and somewhat miraculously we were able to find the place where she moved to. The Lord is helping out His children and we are trying to help Him do it! We also had English class on Tuesday and guess what? D, the investigator whose parents forbid her to learn, came to the class! I guess it is okay for her to come to English class. That was really nice and we just hope we can give her the tools to keep her testimony strong until the day in a few years when she is on her own and can make her own choices.
Wednesday: We met with a great investigator family, Pak J. His family is very nice and he has two young sons, W and S. They love pictures and we are getting closer to them. We hope Pak J and his family can come to family home evening at Elder and Sister Jeffery's house this evening. They are so nice and we pray for them all the time. We really need some solid families to strengthen this branch.
Thursday: Elder Eyre has been sick this whole week, so I had to take a turn to stay with him on this day. I cleaned the house, read lots from the Book of Mormon, and rested for a while. It was a nice little break. Just sitting in the house does get boring though and I was ready to get going the next day.
Friday: We had a zone training meeting in Jogja! So we took an hour drive there, learned some great things from the ZLs about following the Spirit and being better missionaries, and afterwards we got to eat at McDonald's which was a dream-come-true. I never realized how much I love McDonald's until I came to Indonesia. I almost never ate it before but here I love it! After we got back we visited another family. Their son, W, is 15 and wants to become a catholic pastor. So he loves us missionaries and always has lots of questions for us. His family is very very nice and we have invited them to come to family night this evening as well.
Saturday: Today we visited my favorite new member, Brother G. He is about 50, lives alone, and rides his bike to church. He loves lightbulbs. He is a great guy and wants to do what's right. He came as a fellowshipper with us to an investigator and shared his testimony about the Book of Mormon. He is a great help to us! We also got help from our branch missionary, Brother K, to visit Pak S again and visit Pak H and Ibu L, an older couple who meet with us every Saturday. It was a good day and we got to visit lots of people.
Sunday: We went to church, there were lots of investigators who came, and we also got visited by Brother Subandriyo. Brother Subandriyo is from Jakarta and he is the only Indonesian to have ever been in the quorum of the 70. He is an amazing man and his conversion story is so cool. He talked in church and it was a very good thing for the members and investigators. After church we ate and socialized (they have a potluck-type thing after church every week) and then we visited a few people. The highlight was visiting Ibu I and Pak S (husband and wife). They have a child, Y, who has a disability that caused his head to swell, very big. His motor skills are seriously impaired as well. But they love Y and it is inspiring to see a family that loves like that. I think they are beginning to trust us because they also told us about a friend of theirs who became muslim a few years back, is having some problems now, and desires to become christian again. They want us to help their friend know what to do, and we are more than happy to help.
It is amazing how the Lord brings people together and helps us find people to teach through many different means. I am so grateful for His hand in this work and His love in my life. He is amazing to me, and I can't wait for the day I will meet Him again. I want to live my life every day so that I can "return with honor" to my Father and my elder Brother at some future day. I am also doing my best so I can return with honor to you, momma, and Dad and the others. Don't worry about me, the Lord is here helping me and the people here. I love you so much :)
XOXOXO
Elder Paskett
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