Saya bersyukur untuk... (I Am Thankful For...)

Elder Simanungkalit and I had a really fun miraculous week. We've been working really hard to try and find more people who want to be baptized so we can help the Harmoni Ward grow. And as we've "wrestled with the Lord" through prayer, He's blessed us with more teaching opportunities. Like yesterday we were coming home from church riding the busway and I met a fellow from Nias who was interested in learning. At the same time, a nice Muslim man was trying to convert my companion. Another kid came and sat down next to Elder Simanungkalit and asked if he could see the Kitab Mormon he was holding. Poor Elder Simanungkalit was getting his ear talked off by the guy sitting to his right, so amongst the crowded busway, he shouted to me "Hey Elder Barrus!! Can you contact this guy?!" His name is Anton. He's also from Nias. We only had like 2 minutes to contact him because then we needed to get off, but we got his number and have been texting him. 

We've been pushing our investigators to come to church and a few said they would come and didn't come, and a few said next week. So we sat down in church with Aleks (awesome guy--I'll share about him later) when this guy came and sat down with us on the end of the bench. His name is William. He's a member referral. He's divorced and looks like he could use some much needed spiritual knowledge. We're meeting him on Wednesday. 

Aleks! He's on target to be baptized when he returns from a family trip to Bali on the 4th of January. We met with him last week and he said it's like Satan also knows he wants to be baptized soon because all of a sudden, some of his relatives are sending anti-Mormon stuff to his parents and saying how bad the church his son is going to is. But Aleks is not swayed at all. His baptism is going to be such a sweet day! 

Elder Jones and Elder Prayitno are also living in Senopati with us until we can find an apartment for them closer to the church building. It's fun to have them in the house.

Our Ward Mission Leader is the coolest guy on planet earth. His name is Jonathan. He just got off his mission maybe 7 months ago and he's a fireball! He always asks to fellowship with us and last Saturday, he followed us all around Jakarta the whole day visiting less actives and contacting people on the busway with us. And he looks exactly like our beloved American President, Mr. Obama. That or Will Smith. Or a mix. I attached a picture below so you can judge.

Elder Barrus, Elder Prayitno, Elder Simanungkalit, Sister Olsen, Sister Sheffield,
Elder Jones, and Jonathan, our Harmoni Ward Mission Leader, Jonathan

Elder Barrus, Poli and Elder Simanungkalit. He's gonna get baptized someday. But he just went back to Nias for the month of December. But he wants to meet again in January. Bahasa Nias is a weird language, man...

I heard about Grandma's passing last week and I've been thinking a lot about that. I'm grateful for my testimony and knowledge of the Plan of Salvation in which we can all be reunited with the ones we love for all eternity as we remain faithful and true to our covenants we make in this life. Tell Grandpa I love him and I'll be praying for him. :) 

What usually is brought up in missionary moms? I'm 81 kilograms now. (179 pounds) I eat a lot of catfish because it's cheap and close to the mission home. We already put our Christmas tree up and sister Donald gave us some Christmas lights. There's a mission tour from the 13th to the 15th of December with Elder Funk.  What do you want to talk about in missionary moms? Anything from my emails is fine to share. 

"Strength and struggle go together. The supreme reward of struggle is strength. Life is a battle and the greatest joy is to overcome. The pursuit of easy things makes men weak. Do not equip yourselves with superior power and hope to escape the responsibility and the work. It cannot be done. It is following the lines of least resistance that makes rivers and men crooked." Miracle of Forgiveness pg 164. 

Hope everybody has a great Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving here this year will be a little different than last year. We'll just be taking a normal pday today. And then on Thursday, we'll probably go eat at KFC or something for lunch. And then on Friday, Elder and Sister Luccerini are making us a Thanksgiving lunch after our district meeting. No football. :) But I haven't had any football for the last year and a half, so it's all good. Rasa Syukur! (Thankfulness)

Elder Barrus