We did our normal Monday activities, except we did get a call from the sisters asking if we could take them to the store to do some shopping for things they could not transport on their bikes. I told them we try not to have Bro. Manalu drive on Sundays or Mondays unless we know in advance so he has some time off, but she told them we would buy the things for them and drop them off this coming week.
On Tuesday we went to the church building just in case the workers showed up to start working. Elder finally sent a text message to Bro. Tatok and in response he said the crew would now arrive on Thursday to start working on the building. In the mid afternoon Sara arrived at the church with Lina, and they got started cooking Soto Medan, for a birthday party for Jesse, Sara's brother, I helped them in preparing the dinner. Lina has been doing very good in coming to and participating in activities at the church and attending on most Sundays the past month or two. We believe Sister Believe and Ana Aritonang (who returned after having attended college and working in Malaysia for 4 years) were instrumental in getting her involved in the church again. Ana is planning to return to Malaysia for work in the next month or two, she will be missed here, even though she has only been back a few months, she had brought some life back into a couple of members and old investigators.
Jesse's birthday party. He can not get baptized until he is older since his parents won't give him permission. All the missionaries and Sara, his older sister.
Today we went directly to Home Centra to buy the stove and oven we got quotes for late last week. We had lots of help making connections in being able to find and purchase the items. First just being able to get a quote last week when Tatok gave us one day to get the quote. We went to look at the electronics store in the Medan Fair Mall, they didn't have the product we were looking for, but as we were going to the store we had noticed a home improvement expo on the first floor of the mall, and one of the booths was operated by the company we were looking for, so with our limited language skills on the topic, we were able to get our quote that day, and send it into Tatok. So we went to the store and as we were walking to the area the appliances were in, a clerk recognized us (recognized us from the expo in Medan Fair Mall), she asked if we were looking for the stove and oven. We told them we wanted to buy the items we got the quote for and after some discussion on their part, they informed us the price quoted was only if you bought them at the expo. So after talking to a couple levels of management, we were able to purchase the items for the quoted price we were able to get approval for. We can pick the items up on Friday. Later in the day we took Sister Edwards, Mintono, Elder Hobbs & Zollinger to Yosep's home for a Malam Keluarga (FHE). He had a couple of friends over from work and a number of members from the branch, Maria Sagala was also invited. We had dinner with all who were there for the activity and headed for home.
At Malam Keluarga at Yusep and Lisa's house.
On Thursday Elder again sent a text to Tatok to see when the crew was planning to arrive. We waited till after 7 for the work crew and finally gave up and headed home, we learned that they finally arrived at about 8:30. We're glad we didn't wait for them any longer.
On Friday we headed to church for District Meeting this morning. The workers had already started making progress on a number of the projects schedule for the building renovation. Elders assignment in this project is to oversee the work and make sure that things are done correctly. After our meeting we had Lunch and then spent most of the day at church with the work crew, they worked on the stand/podium, Roof repairs, and also removing half of the lawn making room for additional parking, so we could get more than one car on the property, along with the becaks and motorcycles. The neighbors do not allow us to park on the street normally, so it makes it difficult if more than one person shows up and wants to park a car there. Home Centra called to tell us our items were in, so we went to the store and picked up the stove and oven. We stayed around the building seeing how the work was progressing until 7 and then headed for home. We gave the sisters some money tonight, since the Mission office has not managed to get Sister Mintono an ATM card or any money yet, and they have been doing everything on Sister Edwards allowance, that includes both of them having to travel this month, which used a good part of their allowance.
The podium they are fixing. It had gotten quite squishy in places.
Where they are taking up the grass for more parking
They are also fixing the roof. It leaks in quite a few places.
I got the cold Elder had so I stayed at home today, and Elder went to the church and first met with Elder Barlow & Hendro and two men and a youth (about 12) who are here as refugees from Sri Lanka, one of them speaks some English and the youth could understand Indonesian, and interpret into their native language, Tamil. They checked and found the Restoration in Tamil, so they used his lap top. Elder showed them how to access LDS.org for translation of the BOM into Tamil and other information that has been translated. Elder then taught English for me.
I stayed home again today. I am getting better but still didn't feel very well and didn't want to pass on the germs. The Youth started practicing their drama for the Christmas party today.
The YMYW and YSA reading through the script that Dearly wrote.
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