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