Minggu 43

Monday we had our usual P-day.  As a snack food we have been enjoying some thinly sliced and dried sweet potatoes called "Krupuk" (which is a generic term for crackers) that a girl in English class gave us. She told us she makes these at home and that you salt or season to taste before eating.  When the Elders and Sisters were over on Sunday, we asked how we should prepare them as we tried a couple just out of the bag and they were not all that great.  We were then instructed that you fry them in a wok, like a potato chip, and season them, once fried in oil they are actually an enjoyable snack food.
Tuesday we had 4 of our youth who just graduated come to the church and we had set up a skype meeting for them with the couple that is now doing PEF.  The youth were all about a half hour late which unfortunately is very common here.  Time doesn't always mean much.  They met for about an hour and then we got lunch for everyone.  We then helped the 2 young men, Harto and Samuel, get set up and into FamilySearch. We helped them record what they knew and showed them how to do it themselves.  It was a good productive afternoon.

Elder Sinaga (Tinggi) sent a letter to the Branch and this picture was included.  It is great because it has his trainer Elder James who served in Medan before we got here, Elder Sinaga, Elder Barrus who is now a zone leader in Jakarta but served in Medan from the time we got here until December (great missionary), and Elder Costner, our last district leader.  All but Elder Barrus are in the same house right now.

Wednesday we spent much of the day at the church.  The power has been going out each day here for about 5 hours, so it can be a little disruptive to planned activities.  The generator does provide some relief for those occasions. We were asked to take scans of the native missionaries identification cards, so they will be able to vote in the upcomming election here,July 9th for President. That evening we went to Carrefour and bought some bookshelves for our apartment, so we could get our books and English supplies up off the floor in the spare room.  Also stopped and bought a couple of additional American TV shows while we were in the mall.

Thursday we cleaned the font room.  Also had the Elders come and help Elder lift the stairs back into the font, after having it welded and Elder painting it.  That afternoon we went out to visit Nidianus Harefa and then to visit with his brother Erwin, so we could teach Kevin his older son.   Mom and dad claim to have testimonies, but with such a long distance to church, they rarely (2 times since we have been here) attend, and instead attend a local church for convenience.  They support their son being baptized, and I know that joining the church is important to him and for him, Elders concern is how this 11 year old boy is going to remain active over the years to come with his family situation. Kevin and his sister, Joyce, who is 12, came to church last Sunday and they want to keep coming.  They rode an angkot by themselves all the way to church and back home.

Friday we had DDM and found out we would be having PLD(Zone conference) in Jakarta 22 & 23 July.  We then of course had our lunch.  Steven came by the church to be taught, and also Sara Nababan came to the building with her boyfriend who has wanted to meet with the missionaries, he had meet with them before and discussed the gospel, but Elder thinks this was the first time he has had the missionary discussions.  So today he met with Elder Hedrick and Suwarsid.  Afterwards Elder Headrick said he had committed to a baptismal date.  Hopefully he was making the decision for the proper reason and not because of his relationship with Sara.  On the way home from church we stopped by Gramedia to get a couple of batteries for my "Alpha Link", and a map book for the Sister Missionaries.  We then headed home and dinner for the night.

Saturday we got to church turned and turned the water on to fill the font.  Cleaned the building a little, them went with the Elders to go see if we could visit Albert Lie.  We got there and ended up in the workshop where his dad told us he wasn't home even though his motor cycle and car were both in the garage, oh well.  So we called his number, and he rejected the call.  Elder Headrick noticed that the gate was opening where Albert's car and bike were parked so we headed back out front and his sister was just heading out, and she said that her brother was home but asleep, so she invited us in and went and woke her brother up.  It was about 1 in the afternoon.  He had been up late watching World Cup games.  We had a very good visit, and he said he would try and make it to church tomorrow.  Left there and went to Sister Ezra's house to visit with her neighbor, Samuel, and when we got there she told us she also invited Agus, while we were waiting a couple other neighbors came over and joined the discussion also, then Agus showed up, Samuel never did.  Had a discussion about the restoration, and headed back to church at 3:30.  We think traffic was heavy because of a lot of people were going out to eat as part of their Ramadan celebration, which started the 28th of June.  We ended up taking about an hour to get to the church, fortunately we sent a text to the other missionaries to start English without us.  We ended up with 20 in the intermediate class, and 12 in the beginning class.  Visited with Steven and also Pak Eca who came to the church to be taught after English.  That evening went out to visit Toyo and Roni and had a discussion with them about fasting.  Ibu Merry (their mother) was gone so we couldn't teach her.

Today we had two young men visiting who had been missionaries in Medan.  One of them, Peter Johnson, we had actually had as a study buddy when we were working on our language before we came here.  Elder Tucker had his turn again to conduct Sacrement meeting.  Primary is slowly getting better as we work on a schedule and sometimes we actually use it.  At least we keep the children for the whole time now and not let them go after the first hour.  It does help when all of my people show up to help.  Never know who will show up or if we will have no children or seven.  We had a baptism after church today. Brother Manalu's (our driver) daughter was baptized and also one of her friends.  They are both 12 and really enjoy Young Women.  They both wanted Elder to baptize them.  We tried to get at least Ririn (Brother Manaul's daughter) to have her father do it but she didn't want that.  The family dynamic if not good in that family.  They then had what they call a break the fast but it is with just cakes and other treat type foods.  The Elders were using my computer to show Finding Faith in Christ to Steven so we ended up having to get a taxi to get home.

 Elder Tucker with Sister Zabriskie, Ririn, Ribka, and Sister Believe before the Baptism

Elder Tucker with Ririn and her father, Bro. Manalu