Why I Am Here

Hello my wonderful family!!!

How are you all?? How was this week?! I hope it was amazing! I hope you all laughed and sang and smiled and maybe even cried a bit (but definitely not too much crying!). And most, I hope you made some else laugh and sing and smile (but not cry haha).

Wow I just love you all so much!

Okay so highlight of the week - Pak B was baptized this Sunday!! As in yesterday, that is! It was so great, all throughout Church the members were SO accepting and welcoming to him! Our Elder's Quorum President had him stand up and introduced him and he was mentioned and welcomed in the Sacrament talks and also it was a great Baptismal service after. He asked me to baptize him, which was a great honor! He's elderly, but he's still strong so there weren't any problems. Anyway he is so great and he is so funny. He made us all laugh during Gospel Principles. Anyways, it was just a really great experience!

But the rest of our week was just crazy - sadly we had a lot to do that took a lot of time from our actual missionarry work.

So this is kind of a short summary of our week:

Monday: P-day, didn't do that much just kind of relaxed and then had a good appointment that night.

Tuesday: We went to Bekasi to interview one of the Bekasi Elders' Investigators for Baptism. She was really prepared and had a strong testimony. Great experience!

Wednesday: We went to be interviewed by President in preparation for PLD (or Zone Conference with President). In West Java, we combine both the Jakarta Zone (Jakarta, Bekasi, Medan) and the Batagor(Bandung, Tangerang, Bogor) Zone. IT was way fun because I also had to get my Kitas ( a part of the visa) so my entire MTC group came in and we went together to get our Kitas renewed. It was SO fun to see all of them. Wow, they are all so amazing! Such incredible missionaries and people! It was just wonderful to see them all - it took us back to the great times together in the MTC. So after that we also had interviews and we had to order all the food for PLD, so that took a lot of time which was frustrating, but it was important as well!

Thursday: we went on splits with the District leader and his companion. I got to go with Elder Tracy ( who is an amazing person and great friend ). We went and interviewed Pak B, because we literally could not find a workable time with our District Leader Elder Gasio. So that was great and then we had to go back and pick up another missionary because they had come from Bandung for interviews and we didn't want them just wandering around Jakarta themselves. I was with Elder Sukarlis, which was WAY fun, since I haven't seen him much since Magelang days.

Friday: PLD. This was great - we learned a lot about how to teach like the Savior! It was great. Elder Johnson and I did a role play and it was great because President was able to give us specific council about how to improve our teaching. We learned a ton and it is always such a blessing to be with all the amazing missionaries in our mission.

Saturday: President asked us to speak at the Stake Ward Mission Leader and Bishopric meeting - a little nerve-wracking haha but great. And then we got roped into translating for the general priesthood session - which was great, but again a lot of time. We filled up the baptismal font while this was happening. Later that night, about 10:00, Elder Johnson turned to me and said "Elder, we forgot too turn off the water." My heart just dropped. SO we had to make the call of shame to the Assistants, jump in a taxi go turn it off and get home. Got to bed a bit late haha. But thankfully a wise man had designed the baptismal font to self drain and nothing was flooded!

Sunday: great day with Church and Brother B's baptism!

It was a sweet experience to see Pak B be baptized and to hear his testimony and see how he has changed. It just reminds me of why I am here doing this. I am here to bring others unto Christ the Savior of the world. I have been thinking about Mosia 2:41 and about the blessed and happy state of those who keep the commandments of God. I just know that God loves us. We ARE His work and His glory. Everything He does is truly for us. And He has given us the Gospel of Jesus Christ and all the commandments to bless US. not for himself, but for US! Isn't that amazing?

I know that as we follow His path, that is what will bring us the MOST happiness in life.

I love you all SO SO much!! Have a fantastic week!! and don't forget to share smiles with everyone you meet :)

Love Elder Brown