Minggu 50

Monday we took our 4 missionaries to the Beach.  It was different than the first time we went to the beach almost a year ago.  This time it was high tide so there wasn't as much that the missionaries could do.  We had them home by about 12:30 so they had plenty of time to email and do all of their other p-day chores before 6pm when they go back to work.  After the trip we went home and did our p-day chores also.

 There was not much beach this time to walk on.

 Last time this were completely out of the water.

 Elders Barlow and Pujianto and Sisters Believe and Wihanda

 The pillars holding up this pier were completely out of water also.

Elder Tucker digging for water.  He found it.

Tuesday we met for our PEF class.  We had for young adults that showed up.  We spent about 5 hours working with them to finish their workbooks and then we got on the computers and filled out the applications.  We got most of it done with them but still needed some information to finish.  We decided we would finish the applications on Saturday or Sunday if they had the rest of their information found. We finished about 6:30 and headed home.

Wednesday morning about 10am we picked up our two Elders and went to the Airport to pick up their new companions.  They flew Lion Air so of course their flight was over an hour late.  So while we waited we ate lunch at A&W in the Airport and went or people on the branch list. They finally arrived and we got them all into the car and headed home.  Elder Hansen is from Cache Valley, Utah and Elder Zollinger is from Burley, Idaho.  They are both fresh from the MTC and will be training in Medan.  On the way home they decided to try and find an address of someone who had moved out near the new airport.  We spent some time looking and the Elders got to go talk to people while they were looking for the address and person.  Never found him or the address. We then stopped at a place so the Elders could get some lunch.  They all, including Elder Tucker ate again.  I did not eat as I was not hungry and nothing at that time looked really appetizing.  We got the Elders to their house at about 4pm so we decided to go home since there wasn't much we would get done at the church that late.

When we got to the church on Thursday President Rico was there with a contractor to give him a quote to enclose the upstairs patio since it is where they broke in both times.  I spent some time talking to Sister Emma about things.  Our cultures are so different when it comes to family and expectations.  Elder spent some time cleaning up stairs and securing the doors up there while I did some reading in my Indonesian Book of Mormon and took care of some bills.  Later that afternoon we went to visit Lya's mother. After that visit we headed home.

Friday we had DDM and then lunch with the missionaries. Then Elder spent some time getting things ready for Branch conference and the audit that they do at the same time.  We then went and did our grocery shopping and also bought a small rice cooker for a new member who is struggling and has some other issues.  When we got home I made cookies and brownies for English class on Saturday.

We got to the church about noon and did a little cleaning. Visited with some of the members and then started English class.  It was our last class of this Unit.  We had 5 students show up.  It was a fairly hard class and was to hard for most of those who where coming.  The next class starts on September 6th and will be much easier. Not beginning, but not intermediate either. We just played some of the games we had played over the weeks of class as a review and then we ate the cookies and brownies.  We also shared with whoever else was around.  I then had Batasi Mendrofa come in and we finished up his PEF application and sent it in.  We will see how it goes.  It is short notice for it to be approved.  In Indonesia their schools only start in August/September so if we don't get it all approved then he has to wait a whole year to get into school.  Elder Tucker was doing the audit so I had to wait for him.  It was about 9pm when they finally stopped.  We gave Pres. Meyer a ride to his hotel and then we went home.  We had to spend some time getting ready and printing things for Church the next day.

Sunday was Branch Conference.  Sacrement meeting went about an hour and a half and then as things go here all the other classes seemed to run over, except for Primary.  We got out on time.  I was alone again with 2 boys, 8 and 10.  Elder Tucker was put in as the 1st counselor in the Branch Presidency and Batasi Mendrofa was put in as the 2nd counselor.  Poor guy, he has only been off his mission for 2 weeks.  Samuel Hutabarat and Bro. Manalu, our driver, were both made Elders. Our Branch now has 7 active Elders.  After church I helped Samuel finish his PEF application and we got it submitted.  I am working on getting them set up with a skype interview with Pres. Donald or Elder Kusumarmanto for their PEF loans.  They are our Stake people since we are not in a stake or district.  Elder Tucker was in meetings until about 4pm and then I got a taxi to take us home.