Sister Sydney Sperry

Apa Kabar?!

Another week down and now there's only like 12 days left of the MTC. YAY!!!!! But AHH all at the same time. Yesterday we were practicing contacting on an angkot (like a van) and a bis (bus). It was so fun!! I know when I actually get to Indonesia I'm going to be a little scared but I'm going to open my mouth anyway because I know Heavenly Father is going to to be there for me. I really cannot wait to meet the people of Indonesia. I already love them and really look forward to meeting them.

So we had two members of the 12 show up this week! Elder Holland was in THE SAME building as me!! I never got to actually see him but he was in the apartment below our classroom (our classrooms are the Raintree apartments) and Sister Olsen and one of our gurus saw him. I thought it was just crazy to actually be in the same area as him! Those Elders that got a visit were super lucky. Then on Tuesday our devotional was another Elder from the quorm, Elder Andersen! And...I GOT TO SHAKE HIS HAND! Wow that was AMAZING! So here's the story...

Elder Andersen finishes up his talk on missionary work and then the MTC President got up and said there were reports of heavy lightning and thunder so they were going to keep us in for a couple minutes until it passed. He said we would sing some hymns and then he announced Elder Andersen was going to come down and shake some missionaries hands! Well Sister Olsen and I have a spot at the very front of the Alto section in the Choir so we were lucky enough to shake his hand. Now I didn't need this to know that he is a true apostle who is called of God but the Spirit testified SO strongly of that to me. I know all these men are called and for very specific reasons. I know what they say is true and that it does come from Heavenly Father. I love it when they bare testimony and witness of Jesus Christ and I really am so grateful to have a living prophet and apostles on this earth.

Things are still going pretty well at the MTC. The language is coming along real well and I love learning with The Spirit! (Sis. Sperry reports that she now even dreams in Indonesian. And, according to her companion, she sleep talks in Indonesian!) Also our progressive investigators are progressing! Yesterday we had a really good lesson with Soojin. She is our half "Korean" (which is really Indonesian) half English speaking investigator. Yesterday while we were talking about the priesthood we were talking about how people rejected and killed Christ. That really seemed to hit her hard and she began to cry. Sister Olsen and I didn't really know what was going on at first and then we were both like AH what should we do! We handled it pretty well but really it was all the Holy Ghost. She told us afterward that she realized she has been rejecting Christ in her life and told us she needed to change. It was really amazing and hard hitting and such a turning point for her. I know it wasn't Sister Olsen and I but Heavenly Father and The Holy Ghost who changed her heart. I'm excited to keep working with her.

Jon and Joko are going well too. We invited Joko to church but he doesn't have any money and our church is a 1/2 hour motor cycle ride away. He said he'd be walking close to 4 hours if he was going to come to church. We shared 1 Nephi 3:7 with him and said that Heavenly Father always provides a way. Hopefully we will be able to talk to him again before Sunday and we can think of a way to help him.

Other than that all is well!! I love you all and thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers. And holy cow I feel so blessed with all the mail and packages I've reieved! Thank you Mama Burningham for all of the AWESOME Reese's treats and Elder Browning for the Gator foot :) Also Jen Parks for those homemade goodies. I am a blessed missionary!!

Salamat Jalan!!

Sister Sperry :)