This past week flew by starting with 3 missionaries finishing their service up last Monday. We held their farewell devotional and sent them back to their families where I am sure they were greatly missed.
We had the wonderful opportunity to hold splits with the zone leaders in Solo. On Wednesday we flew out there and actually split the first day with one of the district leaders and then the second day with the Zone leaders. We came back Saturday. It was really fun to serve a couple days in that cultured city. One of the coolest things was that I was able to meet with H again. I don't know if you remember him, but he is the one that my companion and I found and then the other companionship baptized. He told me a testimony building story that almost brought me to tears that goes like this. He was sick for three months and actually in the hospital for most of it. The doctors were unable to diagnose him and were confused. One day a member visited him and suggested that he meet with the bishop, "he will have the solution." When he finally had the strength to visit the bishop, he did. The bishop gave a couple suggestions and a solution and finally gave him a priesthood blessing. H then explains, " I was healed!" He said that he had spent 3 months in the hospital but with one simple priesthood blessing was healed! He told me how that just strengthened his faith. It also lifted me up and was a wonderful experience.
We made it back Saturday and met with our Wml. We discussed the less actives and the investigators that we are working with. Sunday came around and no one came to church! In fact, there was only a total of like 25 people at church because of the morning rain. We are working with these people trying to move them towards baptism but getting stuck. Hopefully their testimonies will continue to grow. However, after church, suddenly a couple walked into the church and mentioned that they had met with missionaries before and that they are interested in learning about the church. How much bigger of a miracle could you get? We taught them just a little and got their contact information and will meet with them again later this week.The miracles continued yesterday! We were riding the bus for the day because of the rain. The miracle started with this Papuan man that stood about 5'2 walking and taking a seat next to us and super interested. From that discussion, another man came over just looking awkwardly at the Book of Mormon. We gave him a copy and started teaching him and he was very interested. From that conversation, there was a guy the same age as me next to me that started asking questions. This is all from the very first one. It was like a chain of contacts and teaching that lead us to home where we finished haha!
My foot is healed!
It is for sure rainy season in full swing. It rains everyday and here in Jakarta our access to a lot of the city is cut off and lots of members and others' houses flood. We are expecting to be doing a lot more service here in the next few weeks.
As a mission, we are starting the 80 day challenge again. We will be reading the Book of Mormon in 80 days starting tomorrow, the first. I'm super excited!!
I'm still trying to figure out how a week can be so good but at the end be stressed. The work carries on!
Elder Hayes
 |
| First Day of Splits in Solo |
 |
| 2nd Day of Splits |
 |
| Out of the City and Back on a Bike for a Few Days |
 |
| Heading off to Solo for Splits |
 |
| H. & I |
 |
| Back in the Concrete Jungle |
No comments:
Post a Comment