Wild Monkeys

Dear Family,

This week has been pretty good.  Fast, and long, at the same time. As always.

I'm at a loss for what to write....

We're working on locating all of the 'lost sheep' on the branch directory.  The other day, we found a name for a lady who stays up behind the national zoo, so Elder Scott and I thought we should go take a look.  haha, we didn't realize that the neighborhood it was on was a super steep hill up near the mountains, and that it was one of the uber fancy areas outside of downtown.  It was up a green canyon, it rained slightly, and the weather was much cooler.  It was so nice walking up there, a needed breather from the city.  We finally found the house (it had an audi r8 parked in the drive way O.o ) and found out that the family had a divorce, but we were able to locate a new address for the church member.  As we were walking, a pack of wild monkeys surprised us, and were swinging on the branches just like the movies.  I find monkeys quite creepy, especially these ones.  later that night, we found some more houses in a sketchy part of downtown.  If you saw the addresses that were recorded, and then the street system in this town, you'd understand the miracle that finding these houses is.  I'm always shocked when I get an impression to just look up, or to the left, and there is the place we're looking for.  It gives some encouragement and reassurance that what you are doing is right, when it seems like all related efforts are useless.  Most of the time we just find empty flats, or the current resident has no idea who the person is.  I wonder where they are right now, and what they remember from when they were welcomed in. 

We actually found one man, and he hadn't been to church in years after his baptism because he never received his baptismal certificate. 

We were able to have our quarterly personal interviews with President Mains the other day.  Elder Scott and I got to meet him in his hotel, and had our interviews in the hotel's super fancy board room (interesting location).  It was nice to be with him- always is.  He has a lot of pressure on him from so many different sources, and still looks bright and happy when we meet him.  It always helps us.  He also makes it a point to thank us for what we're doing.  It feels nice to know that what we're doing is appreciated.  During my interview, he asked me how my Bahasa was... which makes me think that not much longer and I will be sent over to east malaysia. 

We've been praying to find a family for some time.  We're actually meeting with Alice's daughter and son-in-law's family tonight.  We hope that this is the answer to our prayers.  Alice is becoming such a strong member of the ward, and I think her conversion will be an example for her children's families.  Hearing how happy and thankful Alice makes all of us, including Alice, eager to share it with her family. 

I think it was overall a pretty hard week.  We had a lot of people fall through, and a lot of the people we count on to help were either too busy, had surgery, or fell off the face of the planet.  We also had some issues with a companionship in the Zone.  It was an interesting experience trying to sort things out, while still maintaining good terms... especially when that wasn't a mutual concern.  Oh well, I think it turned out alright.

Maybe I should write some good things that happened. 

I went on exchanges with some chinese elders, so that was pretty fun.  Elder Stahle went on exchanges with them, and stayed with us at our house.  He's always fun to have around, although he likes to pillow talk way too late! haha.  We also had an appointment with our indonesian investigator Debora.  When she walked up to us in the mall, she was beaming.  when we met with her, she talked about how her whole attitude is changing, and how she is seeing life so differently.  We can't take much credit for any of it, because she attributes it all to the promptings she receives as she reads from the Book of Mormon, and the guidance and comfort she receives through her own prayer.  I'd rather have it that way anyway.

One of our waay cool investigators John came to church yesterday, and went to the YSA fireside last night.  He is doing so well, and loves listening to the talks at church (we need to get more people around here to have that attitude haha).  Sis. Moore gave him an assignment to teach part of the ysa lesson next week, and he accepted!  He starting from the ground up when it comes to learning about Christianity, but in his own terms, he is beginning to understand the language of God through the feelings he is experiencing. 

We will actually be in Singapore this thursday/friday. 

Elder Steadman was an old AP.  He is really cool.  He was Elder Trotter's companion in the MTC.

bai
Elder Robinson