New Companion, Our House is Haunted, and Andre's Baptism!

Hello all of my family and friends, I hope everyone is just having a great time. This week has been a good week. My new companion came into town last Monday. His name is Elder Setijawan and he is a really funny, short Indonesian guy. We spent most of this week visiting all of the investigators and members and intorducing each other with the new missionary in town.

So a couple weeks ago my investigator Andre had a strong faith in the church but was hesitant to get baptized because of some other problems he had. We continued to help him and strengthen him. Then not too long ago he told us that he was totally ready to be baptized and yesterday he got baptized! Miracles can happen every day in the mission.

So we have also been having some paranormal activity in our house this week. All the members already knew that our house was haunted and stuff, most of the buildings here in Indonesia are haunted. But this week my companion saw spirits or ghosts 2 different nights and Elder Zollinger had a pretty tragic experience a couple nights ago that left him pretty scared and shaken up. He relates his experience to Joseph Smith's experience right before the first vision when the Devil tried to stop him and how he couldn't even move. I personally have never seen or experienced anything paranormal yet but pretty much every Indonesian has and a buch of missionaries have too. Really interesting and a little scary.

Well today for P-day we were planning on climbing Bukit Tidar with the Elders and Sisters from Jogja but it didn't happen, so we will do it next week. So today I think we will just eat at KFC and go to the mall or something.

Have a great week!
- Elder Hymas

Threesome again, the Hot Season

Hello from Magelang Indonesia!

This week has been a good one. Transfers were on Wednesday. Elder Zollinger and I are still staying in Maglelang; Elder Widigdo and Elder Lie left. Elder Zollinger's new companion Elder Sutadi came in on Wednesday, but my new companion hasn't moved here yet because he has a baptism that he wanted to see, so he is coming into town later today. So until then we have been in a threesome together. Being in a threesome is alright but I like the normal two people better.

Yesterday at church was a great day. Between the two companionship we had 11 non-members at church, that was almost half of the people there! Oh and also, the newest member in our branch Brother Hendrik got the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday. And my investigator Andre is totally ready to be baptized. We did a practice baptism interview with him yesterday and he passed with flying colors. So on the 31st of May he will get baptized for sure. There is really good work going on here in Magelang, and I'm glad I can be a part of it, this branch is really growing and will become a ward and get a new building in no time.

Today for P-day we aren't really doing much. We will eat at KFC later and then wait until my companion comes into town. KFC is really different here then it is in America, there isn't any mashed potatoes or mac and cheese or rolls. There is just chicken and rice haha. That's all they need here though. It is still pretty good though.
Okay, have an awesome week!

- Elder Hymas

The branch president's cool golden retriever Conan

I also ate some frog today, pretty good actually

A ward activity

3 Months in Magelang, 3 Months to go

A whole ton hasn't happened this week. Elder Zollinger was at the hospital for a while this week in Jogja, and another elder from Jogja stayed with his. So his companion Elder Lie joined with Elder Widigdo and I this week and worked with us. It went well and we worked hard.

On like last Wednesday my skin started turning red and itching on my hands and arms, and my feet a little. It was weird and I didn't like it, maybe it was an allergy or something. Anyway it went away and I feel fine again. Just annoying that's all haha.

We had a Zone meeting together in Solo on Friday. It was good and I remembered that Solo is a lot hotter than Magelang. I really love how (relatively) colder it is in Magelang.

So I am getting a new companion this week. The moves are happening on Wednesday but my companion is not coming until Saturday so I am going to be in a threesome with Elder Zollinger and his new companion Elder Sutadi. My new companion is going to be an Indonesian again! He is from Bakasi and his name is Elder Setijawan, ( I probably spelled that wrong).

It was really awesome, I got the chance to Skype my family for mother's day this morning. They all looked so great and happy. I am SO blessed to have such a great family like them!

Love you all! Have a great week!

- Elder Hymas

Branch President and I

Traditional Dances, 101 Degrees, and some Dos and Don'ts about Muslims

Hello,
This week was a good one. It started off like any other week. We had our district meeting and learned about the power of testimony. On Friday we went to Solo for a big stake activity. It was a dance show. Every ward/branch did a different type of traditional dance. The dances were very cool and very traditional haha, there isn't any dances like those in America. Being in Solo was cool, I got to see some members form the Jebres ward that I served in before. I got to see my old investigator Herdik too, he is doing good.

That night though I got sick with a fever and probably only slept about 40 minutes. They next day I still had a fever and I was tired. The next night I slept a little better but still had a fever the whole night and hurt. Then the next day after that was church and I was super cold at church because of the A/C. then after church I think my fever went up more and I was really hot haha. The members here were all really nice to me. One of the gave me a massage, another checked my blood pressure, another one gave me some medicine, and our investigator Andre got me some food and a drink. Then they wanted me to go to the doctor so I went with them and the doctor gave me a shot and some medicine haha I don't remember what was in the shot but I felt better afterwards and right now I feel lots better. I don't enjoy being sick.

Today for P-day we went to Jogja with the mission couple because we had to drop off Elder Zollinger at the hospital there. There is a mall in Jogja that has a Wendy's. I was really happy when I saw that and we bought some Frostys there. It has been a long time since I had a Frosty and they were as good as I remember.

So yesterday at church Hendrik got confirmed a member and got the Gift of the Holy Ghost. He is doing great and will get interview for the priesthood next week.
Andre is doing great. His family already gave him the green light to join the church but there is still a problem he wants taken care of before he is baptized, so hopefully it gets resolved soon.

So to answer your question Dad about Muslims, it is against the law to actively approach a Muslim and try to convert or teach them about Christianity. This is why we can't go knocking on doors and why proselyting is tricky. We have to be more creative about how we do it. If they ever ask us what we are doing, or why we are wearing white shirts and ties, or why is an American here in Magelang. Then we can talk to them about the church and why we are hear, but they have to be the ones who start it. If they are interested then you are fine to teach them and baptize them, you just have to make sure they are not going to have any family problems if they want to join the church. If the people we talk to are not interested in hearing what we have to say even a little bit, and they are Muslim, then we have to be respectful and let them be, because we don't want any trouble.

Alright well have an awesome week! I can't wait to Skype my family on Mother's day!

- Elder Hymas