Spencer - Called to Serve: Week 76 - Freezing in Air Conditioning, and Lots of Changes

Hello everybody! It has been another wonderful week down here in the spice islands! I will say the weather has been absolutely nice in Jakarta. It is for sure rainy season but when we go out to work we aren't sweating most of the time which makes things so nice. We probably have been floating around 75 degrees. I will say that every time that I walk into the AC I freeze....I never thought I would ever say that in my life!

Just a quick update on the investigators. One of our investigators that we are working with knows that everything we say is true. He feels it, he knows it, just hasn't made the decision to be baptized. He has been learning for a year. We are working harder and harder for him to continue to feel the spirit so that one day he will just have a desire that he cannot deny to make the commitment. Other investigators are like hit or miss. Sometimes they come and sometimes they don't. When they come and can meet they text us and call us however when they don't come and can't meet it is like they never existed just poof! We are working with lots of people and they have tons of potential. One of which accepted a baptismal commitment yesterday after church! Lots of good things. We have a lot of success with less actives!

Yesterday in church, one of the less actives that we have been working with received the Aaronic Priesthood. He went from not coming at all to now just super excited about everything. It was such a blessing to be a part of him coming back and seeing him receive the priesthood. I know that it will bless him as he progresses in the Gospel and continues to strengthen his testimony. This is a huge miracle for me.

Lots of changes have happened this past week! A huge group of missionaries finished their missions and headed home. That includes the Sisters from my MTC group and my beloved trainer Elder King. The very next day, we sent 7 new Indonesian missionaries off to the MTC. They should be arriving on the 30th of December as well as 6 from outside Indonesia if visas and all that is taken care of. Lots of great things coming! On Thursday, I myself got a new companion! Elder P transferred to Manado as the district leader and will do a great job. My new companion's name is Elder H. He is from Surabaya so I have already served in his branch and know his family! His dad is still Muslim but probably one of the nicest people I know. If you look back to when I was serving in Surabaya I think there should be a picture. We are with his parents and his dad is wearing a BYU shirt. We will work very well together. He has worked hard and is a great missionary! We will have a lot of fun together I think!

Saturday was the ward Christmas Party and we had some investigators show up and some less actives and it was a great success. As missionaries, we sang and we helped with the young single adult drama of the First vision. I was able to play the role of Joseph Smith, my companion was Yesus Kristus! Great day!

Miracles continue to happen in this city! Literally miracles on miracles!! This past week we were talking to people on the bus. One guy showed interest and expressed how he was Muslim but his older Brother is a member of the church in a different city. He said that his brother had never shared anything with him about the Gospel and he is actually interested! We gave him a Book of Mormon and will meet with him later. We made an appointment to meet with a 19-year old from England that we met on the street. He has heard of the church and is willing to meet, his parents work here and he actually goes to school here working on a computer science degree. Lots of miracles that happen. I almost think it comes from others seeing the Light of Christ in us but after we leave and all they just get confused and end up not wanting to meet, I'm not sure! The seeds have been planted and now a parable only found in Mark that teaches us that the seeds will grow we just know not how. Later someone will harvest them!! Good stuff!

Thank you all for the birthday wishes! I am officially really old! The video was awesome! This past week I got a customs slip for the package so hopefully I will be able to get that today because I had to pay a small fee for it. The Sisters showed up at Senopati at 6:30 and sang Happy Birthday and brought me a cake and all! Later today we will be getting ice cream! I checked earlier, all the eggs have been eaten and there flour is all gone, miracle in itself!

Selamat Natal! Love you all!

Elder Hayes