October 20, 2014 Letter

Yes!!  We had a baptism this week!!  I put a photo of the whole family!!  Now just in case I didn't explain, when the Wintolos got married Sister Wintolo was a member of the church, but Brother Wintolo was a leader of a Masjid (he is Muslim).  So after they had kids, they decided that the boy would follow his father and the girl would follow his mother.  Well, when the boy got older, he wanted to join our church and serve a mission.  So, he did just that!!  And right now he is the trainer to Elder Martineua (my MTC companion) and funny enough, Elder Wood (my trainer) trained Elder Wintolo.  So, with that all being said, the missionaries have been teaching Brother Wintolo for 10 months!! And for a long time he didn't progress until right before I came, he started to come to church and really listen to the lessons, and two months down the road, we got him into the waters of baptism!!  If you could hear this man's testimony, you might cry (people here did) and the family got permission to have Elder Wintolo come and baptize his father then return serving!!!  The Lord is in the lives of the people we are teaching and the gospel changes lives!!!
 
Next week we have two more baptisms; Mama Valen and Valen who is the daughter!!
 
Mom, what you said about the knowledge and the peace you have found by really trying to understand this gospel is just so true!!  We get more converted every day!!  Always if we let God work through us we will be changed and for the better, stronger, and wiser!!!
 
FAMILY:  something that I have come to miss so much!!!  The people who take care of you and love you...well, to say the least I am very sad that I didn't really understand how wonderful my family was until I was half way across the world!!
 
I have trials...I know this might come as a shock to some people, but life isn't always rainbows and skittles.  Sometimes my faith is tried and things don't always look so great!!  It is hard after the tenth person of the day doesn't realize he just set his salvation away, BUT that does not mean I loose faith!!!  That also doesn't mean I think of giving up!!  Trials are so valuable and sometimes it seems like too much...if that is the case, you are forgetting your main weapon!!!  Which is an all powerful, loving Heavenly Father who at anytime you can pray to!!
 
Prayer has been the thing that has strengthened me the most!!
 
Things that made me smile:
 
1) Splits with the Zone Leaders!  Wow, the ZLs are the coolest missionaries!!  I learned so much when I spent one day with them!!  And they give me joy and hope that I can be like that one day if I will give it my all now!!
 
2) Families!!  With my family and the Wintolos family...I can see why they are so important to our Heavenly Father!!  Now Mama Valen is starting her family in the gospel!!
 
3) Crocheting! I still crochet here!!  There are ladies in the ward that still have me help them!  And I have made my companion a tie or two :)  It really is the one thing that just will calm me down and put a smile on my face!!
 
Love you!!
 
HURRAH FOR INDONESIA FOR INDONESIA HURRAH!!!