Zone Conference

     I'm doing pretty good. I'm sorry you have been blessed with the bad luck on flights. I think it taught me how to become patient. I wish I would've developed that quality sooner. It might have changed my life a little but oh well we live and we learn. 
      My missionary experience from this week is, I received a referral from the other Elders in Solo about this guy who wanted to meet that night. I looked for forever trying to find it and I even went to the Bishop's to get directions because addresses are so bad in this country. i finally found it. I walked in and he thinks I'm there to teach English but I said I was there to teach him the gospel. He was like I don't have time tonight how about Saturday. I was like sure and he said he would invite all his neighbors. 
     Saturday morning Elder Barlow was sick. We called some other Elders to see if they can go. So I went on splits probably with my favorite Indonesian in the mission. We got there and Elder Wintlo (Indonesian) teaches great, but lets rewind a little. 
    Earlier that day Elder Barlow was doing something. I knew I needed the spirit like really bad. I've been having a hard time feeling the spirit in this language. I prayed for a long time and all I prayed for was the spirit, I didn't get up until I felt it. Now fast forward to the lesson. It's my turn to teach about the Book of Mormon. I taught it perfect no language mistakes and testified with the spirit. I just wanted to show you that the Lord is always ready to bless you if you just ask with faith and have a desire. Show him you love him and show him that you need him. We were blessed with 4 new investigators this week. I'm so glad to be a missionary.

Conference

     My favorite talk from conference was probably Elder Oaks from the Priesthood session, Nabi (President) Monson, or President Uchtdorf. I really liked Elder Oaks because it was just a really good talk about the priesthood it helped me understand it a lot more. I just love Nabi Monson because I feel so loved and he talked about love. It made me change my heart and helped me love these people in Indonesia more. He is just a loving man and I know what he says is true. He doesn't speak with fire or get in your face. He just smiles and speaks from his heart. I feel the Savior's love when he speaks and I know he is a nabi.
     I enjoyed president Uchtdorf because I realized how much I was complaining for no reason. I jsut need to be thankful that I can serve and what I have. My mission might be the hardest mission in the world but I have the best one in the world too. I know the Lord sent me here for a reason. I am super blessed and I wouldn't trade anything in the world to be here no matter how hard it will become, because it is worth it more then anything. 
   I making bonds and I am learning so much more then I ever could about the nature of God, his love, and how he communicates to us. 
     This week wasn't to bad of a week. We taught 10 lessons. We gave away 4 Books of Mormon. I'm super blessed to be able to learn this language. I never thought of having the ability to learn so much so fast. We had two super cool experiences this week. I met this man in a post office last week and he said he went to Philippines a year ago and lived there for four months. He already knew a little about families can be together forever and he was really interested. So we contacted him a few days latter and he said come to my work. We did and it wasn't in our area but we went anyway. Then we find out it that he is teacher at Adventist school for missionaries. We met all these people. One was a white man from America he didn't seem to happy to see us but oh well. We ended up teaching him in his office about families and the restoration. He took the Book of Mormon and asked a lot of questions. He said he would contact us again if he wanted to learn again. I don't know if he will but I have faith that if he reads it will change his life. 
     The other experience was we went to another invesigators who said he was always busy and didn't seem to want to meet anymore. We went over there and he is working outside. He let us in and we taught him about the Book of Mormon and he seems to really like it. The cool part is he already has read to page 237 of Mosiah 7. I thought he didn't want to learn anymore. It was cool to see the Lord is helping people everyday. 
     I know if people read the Book of Mormon and ponder then pray. They will know this is the true church and I have no doubt. I know this is the true church because of that book and that will never change. I invite everyone in the family to read it everyday and I know they can stand as a witness themselves and also fight temptation of daily life. I love y'all and cant wait to see you again!! 

Doing the Work

 Bridge

 District headed to the Waterfall

 Monkey

     It's going good. We could be more effective but we are both pretty young. My companion has been in Indonesia for 7 months. We are getting better each week. We gave away three Book of Mormon this week. One to a lady I contacted in a park. I taught her a lesson by myself and gave her a Book of Mormon. She just kept asking questions and I kept answering. It was awesome. The only problem is that she lives 6 hours away in the middle no where. They have my number and a pamphlet. I know they can get more information on their own now. 
     I'm doing well and I'm super happy and a little sad too. The time is flying by and I don't want to fail the Lord with the little time I have. I'm already at five months and I feel like I left yesterday. I'll be home before I know it. 
     We may have some investigators, finally, but we will see. We are still looking for people each day to give the gospel too. Yesterday I made an appointment with this guy. We go there and we meet his friend and he is so wasted. He kept saying the same thing over and over again. He loved talking to my companion. He just was talking and talking. I was just laughing. Then the guy we were going to teach shows up and we just told him we would come back. He's like come back when this guy isn't here. H kept asking about the book of Mormon. We gave him one and he said he was not going to sleep and read it all night lol. I'm pretty sure he was drunk too. I know everyone needs Christ so we will bless him with the gospel I know it. 

Funny Story

Beautiful View

A Temple

Our new Biking Gear

Jared didn't give us a lot to update the blog with this week. He said the President has asked them to wear those vest during the day and night. He said he feels stupid but is being obedient. He said everybody just looks at them funny. I am guessing it has to do with missionaries getting hit while they are on their bikes. Jacob asked Jared if he had any funny stories from the week and below is what he sent.

    If you didn't know by now people love taking photos of white people. We were coming home from a zone meeting on a train and I was super tired and I didn't have a seat. So I just sat down in the middle of the train, there was this lady in front of me, and I could tell she was taking pictures of me. I got another Elder to sit by me and we just smiled at here. lol  I hope she got all the pictures she needed.

New Companion New Adventures

     This week was a good one. I had a great time. My new companion just wants to work hard, and I love it. He is a great young man. We are going to do great things together. We did a lot of proselyting. We asked where the Christians were and of course the Muslims were like over there. It was really good and some people received us. We taught 5 lessons this week to investigators  I just feel like I actually did something this week. It's a great feeling. 
    On Monday went to a family night. We taught about enduring to the end. It went really well and I could really feel the spirit. Then the next day we followed up on someone in our area book. We went to their house and some guy walks out and talks to us. We talked for a while and then we asked if we could share a message. He really wasn't understanding or something. He kept saying he was sick and stuff. Then he goes and says he was a sakit jiwa. which means a sick soul or retarded. I couldn't help but laugh. I'm pretty sure the dude was higher than a kite. My companion agreed. He did tell us about two Christians who lived across the street.
      We went across the street and just knocked on the gate and asked if we can come in. He said we could share a message so we did and we taught the restoration. It was going really good until we pulled the Book of Mormon out and his whole attitude changed, but he said he would read and pray. He also said he would be busy the whole month and we couldn't come back until April. It looks like missionaries are going back to his apartment in April. 
     We met this guy on the street. He was super cool and was asking all these great questions. We taught about the Book of Mormon and we were about to give him the Book of Mormon. Then this guy comes out of no where and is like religion is a lie and all this stuff and destroyed the spirit and everything. The other man received our pass along card and I hope he receives another chance. 
     Fast forward to Friday. We decided to go walk around close to our house. We were walking and talking to the kids and stuff( the kids love the white people). Then this lady asked what church are you from. That church over there or over there?  I'm like no, we talked through the gate for a minute or two and she let us in. I start teaching the restoration and my companion was like we should teach the gospel of Jesus Christ and I said okay and thats what we taught. They really enjoyed it and we are going back there tonight. 
     Yesterday a guy we met on Wednesday said we could come. We went there and he isn't home. His wife is there and his brother and sister. and all these people are talking to us and then he finally shows up. We didn't have enough time and half the people there were Muslims. They have so much potential it was awesome. We didn't teach cause you aren't allowed to teach a Muslim unless they ask to be taught. That is only the highlights. It was a great week and I'm going to really enjoy working with Elder Barlow. toady for P-day we are going to a waterfall and Buddhist temple. So yeah it should be fun. love you all. tuhan memberkati 

Week #12

First Baptism

Masks for the ash from the volcano

Ash

     The ash is finally gone and it just feels great. Transfers got pushed back a week for some reason but Elder Hendro moves the third of March. My new companion is Elder Barlow.
     The first cool thing is the lady I taught who lived in another area got baptized yesterday. but the coolest thing was one of her kids asked me to baptize her. I feel super blessed from the Lord and loved also. I know he is proud of me and I just feel a lot better. Secondly that same day someone called the church and was like I want to learn about your church. He lives in my area we are going to try and meet with him today at the church. Please pray for me to have the spirit. I want to help change this mans life also. I know I can do it through the spirit because thats how all people are converted. 

Side note for baptism: I said the ordinances really well. Her name was pretty easy too but I kind of slammed her in the water I felt a little bad.  but she was for sure baptized  lol

Week # 10

 Kamdo Dragon

    This week I'll just send one email to everyone. I'm doing really well. I'm really starting to be able to understand the spirit more, and i love it. Me and Elder Hendro are having a hard time with investigators but we are doing great with in-activates. I have two young men that I see about once a week and they are starting to come to church more often. I'm glad to able to put my arm around them and uplift them. I think that's one of my talents from Heavenly Father and it might be the reason I was sent here. I just try to share the love to everyone. 
     Sometimes church is  a struggle for me. I don't really understand what's going on, and I like to ponder about things. Half of the time I don't even know whats going on. I'm doing better then before. I'm super sad that in about two weeks Iwont be with Elder Hendro anymore. We have gotten really close and he helps me so much with the language. I will be forever grateful for him. 
      We are going to some museum today and eating steak after. I don't know which one I'm more excited for. I have been in Indonesia for two months already and its going to be three before I know it. The time really flies bye. My Language is getting really good. 
     Mom when is my b-day package going to get here? I think its lost forever! Madison you can tell your mom I got her card, and tell her thank you, means a lot. Mom tell Sister Frances thank you for her card. 
      I have been thinking a lot about trials and faith and what I've learned so far. How faith and trials are just connected. We gain faith thorugh trials but the only way we can get through the trial is faith. I guess what im trying to say is we always have to do something. So I decided to quit whining and do something about it.I started just asking anyone everyone if they know anyone I could teach. I think it's working. It helps me get to know the members and show them I care. I don't do it in a mean way but I want to do something. 
     Well I got a little story and then I'm done. We got a referal to this ladies salon. We contacted her and taught the first lesson. She started crying and said she wanted her whole family to learn. So we said we will try next week and invited her to church. Sunday rolls around and me and Elder Hendro wait until sakramen starts and she still hasn't come, so we went in. About five mintues later she comes in and sit down with her friend from the other ward. Then like another five mintues goes by and her friend  pulls her out and takes her into Relief Society in her ward and I was super confused. It turns out she lives in the other ward boundaries. So we give them to the other Elders and her whole family has a baptism date for this month. I'm not baptizing them but we found her and got her to church. So i feel pretty good about that. 
Love,
 Elder Haws