Spencer - Called to Serve: Week 8 - Eating Fido, Language Challenges and Building the Teach Pool

First off, thank you so much for all the support and emails. They really make my day. As for Solo, I told my area a little wrong. Instead of Solo Jebres, I'm in Solo Banjarsari. I have already met Sister Sperry, so I will try and get a picture with her this upcoming week. As for other photos we'll see how they go, there is very little time to take some because of all the work and appointments we have everyday! My new companion's Elder King and he is from Fort Worth, Texas and for the record, I asked him if he knew any Marshalesse speakers there and he hasn't even heard of that hahaha!

It is a whole new world in Solo than it is in Jakarta. Jakarta is a super super huge city and Solo is kind of like a small village. It's not as hot here in Solo as I thought it was going to be and I'm thankful for that. Also, I'm thankful for our house! Apparently it is the biggest and one of the nicest in the mission and I totally believe it, it is pretty large. Here in Solo we ride bikes so if you can imagine we look like the typical missionaries haha!

Well, I have to confess, I have already eaten things that you could probably never even imagine eating. I've eaten dog! Yes i know weird! It was not the greatest tasting thing in the world, but some members gave it to us and I didn't want to be rude so I ate it. Along with that, I've eaten Chicken liver, cow liver, and so much more that I don't even know what it is, I just eat it. The people here feed us until we are about to die. If you finish your plate they add more without even asking and honestly it gets to be too much! Things are spicy but the food is sooooo delicious! I have a new found love for Susi and Juice. Susi is sweet and condensed milk with ice, coconut milk that is freshly drained, water, and freshly scooped coconut. OH my, it is to die for!! Then juice is great. You tell them what fruit you want and they take the fresh fruit and just blend it with sugar and basically it's a smoothy and it is so good. We'll have to see how much weirder the food actually gets.

There is a tie store here and it is so cheap. Ties that would normally be $50+ in America are the equivalent to only $5 being the most expensive here! I love that store and plan on buying lots and lots of ties because I can and they are the greatest things ever.

For this weeks work, Elder King and I have kind of been trying to build up our teaching pool. The one thing here is that there is a church that teaches that any church that believes in Jesus Christ will all end up in the same spot and that is the hardest thing. They don't ever read from the Book of Mormon and try because they think that we are all the same when clearly we aren't. Also, the number of inactives is out of the roof. They kind of just forget their covenants and all that they made and it is really sad to watch them think they are happy but in the life to come they are going to receive all Hell, Fire, and Damnation. Elder King and I have had that come across our minds a few times but we think it better come from Heavenly Father and not us. However, one sister that apparently hasn't come to church in a very long time came this last week which was really exciting!

With that being said. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE HECK PEOPLE ARE SAYING! I really thought I had a good grasp on Indonesian but I can't understand anything they say. Plus they speak Jawa here so that mixed with Indonesian has my mind all over the place. I can't wait until I can understand it and speak it better.

The little kids here are crazy! They say like one thing in English and then laugh until they realize we can speak Indonesian and they really all know where we live.

Today's P-day is being spent fixing Elder King's bike. Needless to say he had a rough Saturday with it so it is being repaired today.

One story from this week..... So I was looking through a very old Potential investigator sheet and I read the name of P.. J.. and just felt really good about that name, I didn't know why. When I say old from 2012 and 2007. Elder King called him up and he knew exactly who we are. We met with him and he still had the old translation of the Book Of Mormon, so we gave him the new one and he took the lesson so well. Hopefully, we can really get far with him. Another lady stopped us and asked for the Book Of Mormon. She immediately went home and read it and the next day finished it and has wanted to come to church and learn more but she has been sick so she is hopeful too.

Anyways, I'll try and take more pictures but I'll send the few new ones that I have. I love you all and hope school and everything that you do will all go great.

With Love,

Elder Hayes