One of the highlights of our mission has been having the missionaries, recent converts, investigators and members of the church to our apartment for dinner, viewing church videos, sharing spiritual thoughts and having discussions. Unfortunately, we didn't always take pictures.
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Sister and Elder Beaman, Sister Hunt, Sister Canty, Livy from Manado, and Rea from Medan
Brendan Brosnan and his daughter Kira |
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| Sister Beaman, Elder Beaman, Sister Tandiman, Sister Collins, Sister Treyes, and Sister Canty |
Dan and Lena Paul, Sister and Elder Meredith
Sister Treyes, Sister Collins, Sinta, Ruth Bu
Sister Treyes, Sinta
Elder Mulyono, Elder Kester, Sister Pontoan, Ese and her daughter, Tessa behind daughter, Ruth Bu,
Sister Canty
Sister and Elder Beaman, Elders Mocodompis and Kester, Hardianto, Elder Paryoto
Jessie Morgan, Sema's aunt and sister, Elder and Sister Beaman, Sema
Ari Winarto, wife Herma; newly weds Kharisma and Poliman
Sister and Elder Beaman, Tony, Elders K. Johnson and Suharjono
Sister Collins, the Merediths, in back Elders Watson, Wagstaff, Mulyono, Mongon, Ward, Sister Beaman, in front Sinta, Sister Treyes, Elder Dien Narwanto, Sasa's boyfriend, Sasa
Our new young service missionary Sister Whitaker, Rea, Ruth, Tessa, Sister Hunt, and Livi in front.
Sisters Hunt, Hickman, and Tandiman
Everyone has a story: Ruth Bu has two children, one in Semarang living with Ruth's mother, and one here in Jakarta living with an aunt. She sees them when she can. Ese left a cruel husband and is raising two daughters. Tessa joined the church and now her parents won't let her come to church. She is going to a university studying music. She has a beautiful voice.
Sinta is a bright and energetic new member, who is active and creative. We love all these young people, they are future leaders.
Livi, whose given name is Believe, has been a member for a year, she is from another island, from the city of Manado. Her parents would not let her join the church at first. They really opposed the church, but finally relented because of her faithfulness, and her mother and siblings are now being taught the gospel. Livi is 20 years old now and has moved to Jakarta, AND wants to go on a mission. Her parents were very concerned. We had told the Rasbands that we had Livi to dinner. The Rasbands are a senior couple in Manado, and Livi spoke highly of them. Yesterday we had Livi with others to dinner again. She told us about her parent's concerns then shared a letter from the Rasbands. Her mother told Sister Rasband when she visited that when Livi was a child she became very ill and had severe headaches. Apparently it was a prolonged illness, and she was finally hospitalized with IV therapy and at one point they had to use a defibulator. They were afraid she was going to die. Livi's mother prayed for her life, and promised the Lord that if she was allowed to live, they would encourage her and dedicate her to serve the Lord. The Rasbands explained about missions for the church. That was when Livi's mother realized that this was Livi's opportunity to fulfill the promise to serve the Lord.
Sister Hickman's parents went to Viet Nam when she was 4 years old and adopted her and her brother and sister from an orphanage. Sister Tandiman was the first new missionary after we arrived. She is wonderful and enthusiastic. We have so many wonderful missionaries in Jakarta and all of Indonesia...the best. Sister Hunt is from American Samoa, one of the youngest in her family. Sister Whitaker is amazing, she loves the work, and has a beautiful testimony.The sisters we have worked with, and it is the same for the ones we do not know as well I am sure, are strong and dedicated. We have grown to love them dearly.
We flew from Jakarta to Taipei, Taiwan, then to Los Angeles, then to Charlotte, and on to Huntington, WV. 22 hours flight time, 9 hours layovers.
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