Minggu 26 Amazing things can happen

Last Sunday we were hoping to break 60 at church as we had encouraged the missionaries to let everyone know that it would be Elder Murphy's and Sister Jibson's last Sunday in Medan.  We were just amazed as we saw the people who came to church.  The Mendrofa parents even came and it is the first time since we have been here.  They have a son who is a missionary right now on Java.  A sister came who lives about 5 1/2 hours away.  She makes it about 1 or 2 times a year.  She would be very active if she lived closer.  She always pays her tithing when she comes.  We ended up with 71 people in attendance.  After church we went with Pres. Rico to his home for a quick lunch and then with him and his wife to visit a family, the Herefas, that we have visited before a few times.  They had been friends before they stopped coming to church.  Which was over a year ago.  While we were there (they live about 40 minutes to an hour away depending on traffic, etc.) we they said it was cost that kept them from coming, so we challenged them to try and come at least once a month.  We think it is more than cost but they haven't been forth coming.  They agreed to come once a month at least.  We then spent the evening at home.
Monday was transfers so we ended up getting up early and driving all of the missionaries to the airport and then we took Elder Costner and Sister Hasibuan to breakfast and we ran some errands with them and came back to the apartment for awhile.  We then split up and I went with Sister Hasibuan to finish a few things in her house and Elder Tucker and Elder Costner went to the Church to do a few things. We all spent some tie at the church so  the missionaries could look at their email and send in their reports..  We then were taken back to the Sisters apartment so we would be there when her new companion arrived.  Sister Believe her new companion showed up and shortly after Elder Tucker came to get me.  We then ran an errand or two and went to the Elders house so Elder Costner could meet his new companion.  The other two new Elders were not getting in until late that night..  We then went home for the evening.
Tuesday we went to the Church about noon.  It had been raining pretty hard that morning.  The Sisters were there teaching a lesson.  The Elders showed up so we were able to really meet all three of the new Elders.  Elder Suwarsid (Bekasi),  Elder Sutarno (Solo) and Elder Davies (England).  Sister Believe (Manado).  The Elders took off to learn about the area some and we took the Sisters after another appointment at the church to go look for rain ponchos since neither Sister had one.  Sister Hasibuan has been using mine but I will want it back because it is a good one and I may need it myself.  Didn't find any so they will keep looking.  We took them back to the church so they could go to an appointment and we headed home.
Wednesday we found out Sister Hasibuan had been hit by a motorcycle the night before and her one wheel was bent and the brake not quite right so we took her bike and the Sisters to the bike shop to get it fixed.  We then took the Sisters to their appointments.  We went to visit Sis. Ezra, Cindy, Ibu Futi and Ibu Nermauli.  The first two are recent members and the other two are investigators that we have met before.  We then took the Sisters to get the bike and took them home.  We then got home about 6:30.
On Thursday we spent the afternoon at the church and then went to the store to buy some food.  It is hard getting to much because we don't ever know when we will be home to eat and our freezer is very, very small and doesn't hold much. 
On Friday we had District meeting.  Elder Costner, our district leader flew to Jakarta Thursday for a zone leader meeting and came back late Friday night. We had District meeting with out him.  We then did lunch again from the padang place.  We then took the one Elder and meet the other two at the bike shop so they could pick up a bike.  We then ran a few errands, getting a phone cable and a few other things.  We then went to the mall for some of the errands and bought a few movies.  They sell them for a dollar a disc.  I got Mr. Poppers Penguins for 10,000rp or less than a dollar.  We then went home. 
Saturday we went to the church about noon.  We had BLM(Branch mission leader meeting) at about 2:30.  We then taught English.  We only had about 2 students plus 2 missionaries.  The Sisters taught 3 young girls.  Our numbers haven't gone back up since we had to cancel the one class due to us going up to Sinabung.  We should be getting a written curriculum soon that the Area Presidents wife put together.  I have been winging it with what I can find on the internet.  It will be good to follow a basic schedule and then just keep repeating it.  We then took all the missionaries out to dinner so they could have pork.  Not a lot of places in Indonesia that it can be found.  We all got bebeka except Sister Believe who is vegetarian.  The Missionaries all left to go to appointments and we went to the mall to pick up some fruit so Elder could make a drink for the missionaries tomorrow since invited them for dinner.  We drove around the parkir and found no parking places.  It was packed so we decided it wasn't worth it and we just went home.

At the place that has good pork.  Elder Sutarno, Elder Davies, Sister Believe, Sister Hasibuan, Elder Costner, Elder Surwarsid and Sister Tucker

Sundays we get to church about 45 minutes early to get everything turned on and ready.  Yesterday I was finishing up something and I looked out the window and saw the Herefa family, minus dad, walking down the road by the church to the front gate.  I called to Elder to let him know and we both had tears in our eyes.  Also Sister Mendrofa came to church again this week.  I think she really missed it and decided working on Sunday during Church just wasn't worth it.  We also had a baptism.  Desma, a girl who lives in the same kost as Ruf and Fenny was baptized by her boyfriend who is the son of the other councilor in the Branch Presidency.  To watch the ripple effect is wonderful and we can finally see that our work of visiting these inactives really does make a difference in their lives.  Ruf was inactive as we mentioned in an earlier post and we finally got in to see her and she has been coming ever since and her kost mate (Fenny) was baptized about a month ago and now Desma.  Elder created a message list on his phone of all the numbers we have of members from the branch list and also and email list and so when anything is going on, like a visit from Mission President or a branch activity he always sends a message to these lists.  A lot of these people have not had contact with the church since they stopped coming and nobody has gone looking for them.  We want them to know that we care and we need them and want them to come back and haven't forgotten about them.  Even if it is just making contact for starters.  We had 62 at church today.  We need to average 80 for a year and they can get their own building.  That is what we have been tasked with by the Mission President.  Also we found out that one of our new missionaries had brought Agus's mission call with him but didn't know him so didn't say anything until Sunday when he brought it to church.  Unfortunately he had to work.  Elder Costner texted him and told him we had it.  We then invited him over for dinner with the missionaries.  He calls us his step parents.  His mom is the one who's funeral we went to in November and he said his dad is dead.  He does have a step dad who is the father of his sister.  Anyway he came over and we all got to be there when he opened his call.  He is going to stay in Indonesia.  He reports to the MTC in Manilla on May 9th.  We are so excited for him.  Tinngi should get his call in the next couple of weeks.

 Sister Hasibuan, Desma and Sister Believe

 Fadlin, Sister Hasibuan, Desma and Sister Believe

 Ruf, Sister Hasibuan, Fadlin, Desma, Sister Believe and Fenny(the three kost mates)

 Agus opening his mission call to Indonesia

 As we were getting ready to eat at our apartment.  Nine people gets a little crowded but we still have fun.

Rebecca We, Our branch presidents daughter.  Sister Emma his wife calls me Grandma Tucker.  Every time I see them she goes, say hi to Grandma Tucker or listen to Grandma Tucker, do what she says.  She helps me get my baby fix since I miss my own grandbabies,  all 22 as of this coming Wednesday.

We love you all.  This is a marvelous work and we love it.  We need more couples.  President told us just this morning that at this point it doesn't even look like he will be getting a replacement couple for his office couple that is supposed to go home in June let alone for any of the rest of us when we leave.  We have two couples leaving in June and 1 in August.  That will only leave us, the Manado couple and the Welfare, Humanitarian couple.  These other two couples came in August but they are only here for 18 months so they both have less than a year left.