2 months in Jogja... today!

Took this while in our neighborhood, so pretty ya?

Whew this week went by quickly! Is that just I? Siap siap untuk (ready for) weekly highlights ya? 

Tuesday: went to lunch with the ward mission leaders from Medan, but we thought he told us this fancy restaurant The Castle. It was funny because we were waiting there until he came past on his motorbike and we followed him to this little hole-in-the-wall delicious indo food cafe ha-ha. We also got a phone call from president, which was kind of surprising, but he was just curious about the situation in Klaten and asked us to focus there more. We taught Alexcia and clarified some things she had seen from a false YouTube video (sad that so many people have misperceptions about our church from the Internet. Satan is so good at what he does. Thank goodness the truth is better!) She gave us all roses again because she is a sweetheart! We taught one of my favorite families Sis. Wuri, Bro. Ari and Sis. Marman then visited my "first referral" the sister of the missionary we met in the MTC. Everyone spoils the missionaries. Funny story! I was so tired that night, that when I was kneeling saying my bedtime prayers, I fell asleep and tipped over! It was real life cow tipping and you would have laughed SOOOO hard to see it ha-ha.

 

Part of the Carnival, a Parade in Klaten

Wednesday: Cancelled our appointments to go to Klaten. We contacted a TON on the bus ride there but didn't get to meet very many in Klaten itself. There was a parade and so many people wanted pictures with Elder Wood and I haha. Then we had the most crowded bus ride home ever. I quite enjoyed it though because I was smashed against the window and so I had a nice breeze and beautiful view the whole ride home. I love just seeing Indonesia on bus rides! I love my mission! After 2 cancelled appointments we met with Alexcia at her office. Forgive me-- I was showing her how to access something on lds.org and she pulled up my blog! It felt like seeing myself in a mirror but from someone else’s eyes. So odd but interesting! But I definitely repented. We had to bike home SO fast and it was a crazy workout but when we got home there was a surprise... MY PACKAGE! It came!!!!! Thank you x 1,000,000 plus infinity. You are too kind. 

 

At our (the Bule's) favorite Italian Place

Thursday: Tried Gudeg which is really traditional Javanese food and taught two newish simpatico (investigators) who are both so smart. Then for English class we split up and to the more advanced learners I taught/played the game “Do you love your neighbor?” It was so hilarious because all the new return missionaries were there too, and so it was a big group. Then we had an early birthday celebration from Elder Wiradi at that AMAZING Italian food place. The owner was there too and we had them deliver brownies with candles. So fun!

Elder Wiradi's birthday lunch at Super Sambal.
I had telur (eggs), fried eel (too crunchy for me) of course wash pasti
(rice), mango samba, and sayurah peel (vegetables in peanut sauce)

Friday: After District Meeting the elders had an announcement... they are TRANSFERRING! Both of them! Elder Wiradi to Bekasi and Elder Wood to Solo! But it was a sad birthday present for Elder Wiradi and a total surprise for everyone. We had a cake and Sister Barnard kissed Elder Wiradi on the cheek. Too funny! He was so embarrassed. Then for lunch I tried mango sambal, fried eels and sayuran pecel (veggies with peanut sauce). It was a fun but sad day. Plus Elder Wiradi's helmet and presents got stolen from his bike while the sisters were practicing for the YW program. 

The whole district after District Meeting, with Elder Wiradi's birthday cake

But the funniest story of the night. We got home and the sisters2 said that we had caught the big rat and wanted me to take care of it. I took of picture of it (it is huuge) then turned to ask Sis. B. something and I hear sis M. scream so then I turn and I can't see the rat anymore so I shout "what did you do?!" And she is shouting "nothing nothing!" and the rat is running through our feet and out the door! It was that big that it pushed out of the cage! But I was so mad because it pooped all over the floor and had eaten the food inside and had stayed in the cage all day but then decides to just up and leave when we get home. It is not a pet!! I shouldn't have to clean up after its poop. Ugh I'm gonna kill that rat if I ever see it again. 

Sheeesh,  I am so mad at this tikus!

Saturday: change of plans and visited a part member family at the hospital. It was the college UGM hospital and it made me miss BYU a little bit. I love school. But I love my mission more! We met Alexcia and Nurul then went home and roasted my newly sent marshmallows over the stove. (PS did I ever tell you about the person who tried to describe marshmallows to me but they kept calling it roti putih [white bread]? funny ya?) 

S'mores over the stove with marshmellows sent from home

Sunday: woke up really early so we could practice with the YW before church. Then I almost had a heart attack when Alexcia still wasn't at church and since she was just baptized, it was the day for her to be confirmed a member of the church. They did one confirmation... then the other... then seconds before they finished the prayer, I heard the door open and it was Alexcia. She is the spice of my mission lemme tell ya! It was weird to have the Elders give their goodbye testimonies too. The YW did well and I didn't mess up the accompanist part! After church we said goodbye to elders and I made hash browns in true Sheffield Sunday style.  We taught a new member Charlah.

 

The remaja putri had a program during sacrament meeting
and here they go all out with stuff like this--
sewing dresses fit to each young woman and the leaders.
But they are absolutely beautiful!

Today: went to the pasar and just have had a good day of studying and shopping and cleaning! I also made an appointment to play tennis with these neighbors later... but they are all really good! And have way nice rackets and so hopefully Sis. Manalu and I don't make a fool of ourselves haha. 

 

Belnja (grocery shopping) at the pasar tradisional (traditional market)
just this morning.
I bought sooo many fruits and vegetables. I am almost broke!

It has been a great week. I really feel like I am growing here. I am a little worried that I got put in the best city with the best ward with the best companions and so it is going to be a wake up call someday when I don't have it perfect like here. But I have been thinking a lot this week about being more of a disciple for the Lord. There are many blessings in store as we try to do God's will. I really, really, pray and try to accomplish Heavenly Father's plan here in Jogja. I also have been reading a lot from Nov 2012 conference (I am so excited for conference this October!) and there are 3 talks in a row about feeding the Lord's sheep. Holland "the First Great Commandment" about Peter's exchange with the resurrected Lord, Pres. Monson "Consider the Blessings" about being an answer to prayers and Hales "Being a More Christian" again repeating Peter's experience. I loved both of your thoughts about entering the kingdom of the lord and that love w/o kindness and service is dead. You talked about being in the world but not of the world. As a missionary I have been set apart or in other words set above the world.  I really feel like this time I have, is going to be a waste if I don't start trying to really consecrate it more. I wear Christ's name always over my heart but do I always do what He would be doing if He were here? How am I worthy to represent the Lord? Maybe I'm not but I sure am going to try to serve as much as I can and take Dad's kindness challenge.

 

This picture sums up Indonesia so well. Anciently old woman carrying groceries
on her back, a million motor bikes, a food stand on the side and the pasar
is behind the tin wall on the right. So I like this photo.
It is like the old lady was taken
 from a story and placed in a busy city.

What a fun week you have had! I love that things are still the same there. School shopping, birthday celebrations together, Dad working, Mom planning stake dances... The boys look so handsome and already growing up. Jangan terlalu ganteng... Itu bahaya (don't be too handsome, it's dangerous!) Oh I am a little jealous that school starts again. Who would have thought I would miss school ya? But good luck waking up on time to all of you! Say hi to the teachers for me. PS Mom have the hose ready ya? I am always praying for you all. Thank you for being such a great example to me, to the world and to each other. 

PS I just got 2 more letters from you on my way here but I haven't read them yet! dated the 8th of august. and one from the Lloyd's! Sheesh I am so spoiled. Give my love to the ward! 

Alma 34:38

~Sis Em Sheff

First Baptism

August 19 2013

How was Jacob's baptism?! (Congratulations) Selamat Jacob and Andrew too.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSHUA!!!!! Waduh you are getting so old. HAPPY 22ND ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD!!!!! Waduh you are both still so young ;)

Sis. Sheffield, Alexcia and Sis. Manalu

 

To answer your email, Alexcia's baptism was great! She was baptized at the church and she asked Elder Wiradi to baptize her. (haha but more about that later!) Thank you for your prayers for her. It really did help! Kasihan Andrew! (poor andrew!) So funny about his baptism pants. Samuel looks so old in his birthday pictures! Are you sure he is only 10?

Now for the weekly highlights... Tuesday- after WML we taught Alexcia and asked her who she wanted to baptize her. She asked if President Thomas S Monson could! We all had a good laugh and then she said, "no but really..." then she said she would ask President Monson on his facebook but she would ask Elder Wiradi to be her backup hahaha (3 laughs dad!).

Wednesday- we finally caught one of the rats in the trap! Haven't seen once since that day. I also learned Indonesia's nat'l anthem in prep for Indonesian Independence day on the 17th. We were at an appointment and asked if we could help with anything. Then an old man we were teaching, out of the blue, said "well my back hurts and I would love a massage" so Elder Simanunkalit (Zone Leader) gave him a massage! We were laughing so hard that he actually agreed!

Thursday- I woke up so lazy which is really bad missionary behavior but after dragging my feet for a while I finally just said a good long prayer and then we said goodbye to our Sister Training Leader, Sister Neis and said hello to Sister Manullang who returned from the MTC. (sorry for throwing so many names at you!) We practiced baptism with Alexcia.

 

Picture right after teaching English to UCP (United Celebral Palsy) in Jogja 

Friday- taught english at UCP like we do every Friday. Then we had a good DDM and then waited for ALexcia but she never showed and never answered her phone. We finally just went to another appointment and taught a potential investigator too. Our neighborhood had a little party but we could only stay for a little bit since we have an early curfew you know. :)

 

Hari Raya, We matched perfectly and without really planning it.

Saturday- Hari Raya! Indonesia Raya! Merdeka! Merdeka! I bought a red dress especially for today and we had a ward party in the morning. We played the funniest game where you have string tied around your waist and an eggplant giving you like a tail and then you have to play golf to hit a ball to the other side of the lawn. Those pictures of me are not that flattering but really funny. I taught them Ooga Booga too. Then we sang and had a potluck Indonesian style (lots of rice and gorengan (fried snacks)). Guess what! An old investigator who had been learning for like 6 years but stopped with the previous sisters showed up and asked Elder Barnard to baptize her before he and Sister Barnard go home! So she asked US if we could start teaching her again. WHOA! Miracle. More about that later too.

 

Sis. Sheffield, Elder Wiradi, Alexcia, Sis. Manalu, Elder Wood

Sunday- BAPTISM! We had 3 homecoming talks and 3 baptisms! (Indonesia always has baptisms on Sundays since the members are all already at the church) It was a little hectic but it was fantastic and Alexcia was beautiful! SHE DID IT! She will be confirmed next week! Another cool thing is that the stake president came from Solo. He called the missionaries in and asked about the work then told us to focus on a non-member daughter of someone in our ward. Turns out Sis. Manalu and I had already started to teach her that week because we felt it was time she started learning again and then Stake President said he had this impression about her too! Another miracle! (more later if you see where I'm going with this...). Also I have been practicing alot alot alot with the YW for their special musical program since I am accompanying one of their songs.

 

Futsol on P-day with the newly returned missionary from our ward.
Can't get enough! I love it so much!

Today! We played futsol with the new RM's from our ward and the Zone Leader's (ZL). Then we cooked a special mexican feast headed by one of the ZL's who goes back to the states next week. We had FHE with a member and all the missionaries. It was fun but they brought up that Elder Wood and I should get married and then it was out of control laughing and finger pointing and eye-rolling and explaining that he is basically my little brother. Oh boy, we are both learning a lot of patience with each other on days like this.

Now to the miracles! So you know how I have felt unlike myself in Indonesia. Well Sister Manalu has sparked something new in me. I want to be just like her when I grow up. She is brave and funny and charming and smart and easy-going and a stand-alone member in her family, a hard worker and wonderful. Since I have been with her I have felt more like myself and have also noticed that my old talents are coming in more use. My language has improved a lot too, which has helped. So don't worry, I am not giving up on myself, just improving! You have helped so much and I love the suggestions you have all given. 

 

Cleaning the font before Alexcia's baptism.

Remember how the Indonesian ward fasted for missionary work in Jogja? Well this week alone we had 2 people ASK US if they could be baptized. We also have found 1 new investigator, the other sisters have found a couple new investigators and Alexcia was baptized. I really feel like Heavenly Father is parting the red seas for us to find who He has prepared. We and the Stake President had an impression about this lady in the same week?! That is NOT a coincidence. I know that the work here is difficult, but I keep reminding myself what a miracle it even is that a Muslim country allows missionaries! I pray everyday that I won't screw up this big responsibility especially all of these souls that Heavenly Father has obviously directed us to.

Found our families run-away bird.
Like in the movie Rio, he came back to Indonesia.

I love you all so much and I wish you the best with school starting back up! Give my love to all the ward. I was thinking a lot about them this week. We have such a wonderful ward don't we?!

Until later, all my love,

Sis Sheff

3 month mark and actually felt the ground shake

Selamat Pagi Keluarga! (Maybe not morning for you haha)‏

 

At a temple near Prambanan

Whoa! You have been so busy! I don't have much time at all this morning so I will try to make it short! ALEXCIA GETS BAPTIZED THIS WEEK! I get goose-bumps thinking about it. My first investigator that I have taught from the first contact until their baptism... and my first baptism! She said she has such a rough week (she was out of town) and I know Satan is opposing her since she is going to be such a great member! She already is a great missionary and always has referrals for us! I can't wait to see how her story ends.

This week was a little crazy with the STL Sister Nevis coming in to do exchanges and be Sis Baantjer's comp until Sis. Manulang gets back from the MTC. So basically I have had a different comp every day and today is going to be my first day with just sis Manalu. It also means that we have gotten lost every day that I have tried to "remember" the way to an investigator's house haha. I am terrible with names so I can't remember the name of the street or the members' name or anything so it is always an adventure!

Also this week was the biggest holiday in Indonesia to end Fasting Month (Christmas/new years too are big) so no one wanted to meet but there was NO ONE in the city! Everyone goes back home this weekend so the bigger cities empty. I felt like I was back in Utah the roads were so empty. Except the really touristy street Marlboro which had more bule's and tourists than ever! It was sooo coool to ride down the street and see fireworks everywhere and hear parades/chants. Didn't get any sleep but... just kidding, you know I can sleep through anything. ;) We went to the Winoto's house for a celebration and taught a lesson. They are such great missionaries for their family and we hope that we can teach them all. Funny story though. They have sugar cane crop (like the picks from a couple weeks ago) and so the grandpa of the family is this really old kind of mischievous guy and he is Muslim. He pulls out this sketchy looking old soda bottle and says that it is sugar cane juice so Elder pours me a little to try. But it was REALLY fizzy... yeah it was fermented! Elder Wired totally knew too! Ugh. And the day before that we accidentally started to eat what we thought was a chocolate pancake but it was mocha. So yeah broke the word of wisdom but don’t' worry, I repented. :)

We tried to find new investigators and one lady we taught was asking for our addresses in America and asked if she could come live with us after our mission so her son could go to school.... what? I was like maybe I heard that wrong. But she really did just invite the missionaries over to try to get a place to live for free in America! Hahahaha GILA! (crazy) We also taught a family who had a family living upstairs and they both were curious about what we were teaching but it is in the other sisters' area so we will see!

Last Thursday was my 3 month mark! And I felt an actual earthquake that day! We were just sitting in DDM and we all felt it! I thought someone had run into the wall that I was sitting next to. Sis Barnard says it was a 5.5 earthquake but nothing even fell off the piano so there wasn’t any damage outside either.

The whole zone at
Temple near Prambanan

Yesturday for P-day we went on a Zone trip to another old Hindu temple. I got to spend a whole P-day with Sister Jibson! We are so lucky to be in the same zone right now! We went to a more touristy temple called Prambanan and so there were tons of cheesy photo opportunities and of course lots of people asked for pictures with us. Then they all came to Jogja (about 40 minutes away from the ruins) to go to Malioboro and shop. It was funny that Sis Jibs and I just wanted to sit and talk but we are in this chaotic crowd so we bought a Mcflurry from the Mcdonalds at the mall and just wandered around. Just so you get an idea for prices. The tickets for all the Solo Missionaries to go home was 10,000 each, the same price as the Mcflurry which is a minified version of what you buy in America. But I tried Indonesia McD's for the first time!

Really touristy at Prambanan, but still got to love it.

Something really gross now. I washed my sheets and was going to rotate my mattress before I put them back on but when I picked up the mattress there was a dead mouse under my mattress! It was all decayed but still preserved somehow! Needless to say I slept on this mattress pad last night, HA! Amazing how my tolerance for some things like that is really high here. It didn't really phase me that we were at an investigator's house and I can feel a rat eating the seat cushion I'm sitting on. Only in Indonesia!

Temple, with a fancy setting on the camera

To answer your email:

Have you gotten my handwritten letters yet? What did you share about me in sacrament? Haha hopefully the good stuff right?

Andrew, Andrew, andrew. Patriarchal blessing recommend/baptizing Jacob... It will be his first baptism this week too! Haha and maybe almost at the same time with the time difference! Whoa I'm gonna cry! And everyone is getting ready for school. Fun to hear about their teachers too.

PS there actually is this ice cream man on a bike who drives past our house every day and I am a frequent customer haha. If you are willing to pay and maybe search around a while, then you can find just about ANYTHING here. I just found off-brand frosted corn flakes this week too!

All the technology and missionary work makes me so excited! But it will take a while before it gets here. President wanted to open Bali for missionaries since there is a branch there but the Area Pres. in Hong Kong said no since we are supposed to "grow from our centers of strength". 

The sisters at Prambanan and Elder Simnanunkalit

I am feeling more myself this week than ever before. It feels so good but I also wish that we were teaching every single person we pass on the street! SO many people who don't even know that God is their loving Heavenly Father.

Dad I hadn't really thought about the parable of the talents. I think I am going to study that today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your mini messages. Tay-tay emailed me a scripture from D&C 33:8 about becoming like Nefi (Nephi) and I just thought about that a lot this week. He was always so positive and always did what the Lord asked, quietly being the example or publicly helping others see what the Lord's will was. I have always been so excited to meet him in heaven but this makes me more motivated to be like him now! I always carry the ensign with me so that on down time I can read. It has helped me feel more focused and keep my thoughts on the work even when we are traveling or waiting for an appointment. I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON! This week my testimony of its power has really increased just from my personal study and I am going to try even harder to share that. Pres. has asked us to walk around holding a Kitab Mormon and it has changed my perspective. I love Joseph Smith History 1:25 "I knew it and I knew God knew it. I could not deny it." That is how I feel this week. I know it! I am going to always live it so that people can know even without asking that I follow Jesus Christ.

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Happy birthday Samuel!!!! :) 10!!! Waduh anda sudah tua sekali! haha

Talk to you all soon! <3 Sis SHeff