December 18th, 2017 Update

Another eventful week has passed in our steep learning curve journey. The longer visits to shopping malls works great.  Including "pit stops" at "warungs" where we can sit & take a break for a while before continuing our "MILT" activity. ( Meet Introduce Listen Talk ) So far, one of those Family History investigators, Yan has visited the Church FamHist Room three times already. He will return as soon as he can add 4 names of grandparents. That's the moment he completes 4 Generations of his family & collects his Certificate of Completion. The other three, Srs. Tutut & Sarina will  be visiting ( we hope ) after the Christmas holidays. Br. Raymond will be contacted next week.

Some serious changes in the young fulltime Elders & Sisters has taken place. We said farewell to Sister Utomo who has completed her mission and will return to Bali. She is so enormously special. She is a pure Angel sent from Heaven who for the duration of her mission was personified into a special human being. I have never before in my life met someone even close to this young Lady. She always smiles, is always upbeat. She loves everyone unconditionally. If you knew, like we do, her history and personal challenges and set backs in her young life so far, you would be amazed why she is able to function the way she does. We have also said farewell to Elder Wijaya who completed his mission & will return to Bogor. What a great missionary he has been. Sister Bourelle has moved to the other side of town, to the 1st Branch. Elder Palmer will be teamed up with another partner this week. We look forward to working with four Elders. No Sister missionaries anymore for some time ( I guess).

Farewell to Sister Utomo. She is a Real Angel disguised as a missionary.  She has finished her mission & goes home to Bali. We will miss her dearly. Other 2 pics are Yan, our FamHist Investigator who came for 2nd session yesterday, Sat
 He returns today for 3rd session. 

Yesterday another young man, Ayra, was baptized ( baptisms here are conducted after the block on Sundays) He is the oldest son in a family we have visited when invited by the young fulltime Elders on three prior occasions way out of town. Exciting because it feels good to see young investigators being baptized. We foresee a great future for the Branch here as part of the gravitation towards becoming a Ward.

Yesterday Br. ( I call him Brother already) Yan visited us after the block. He added some important names to his 4 Generations after calling some family members for details. Yan, a very positive & great guy has a fabulous sense of humor as well. He kept all of us busy for three hours. Including Elder Hansen, one of the Zone Leaders. Br. Yan asked a few questions about the Holy Ghost. Elder Hansen brilliantly answered them. He even zeroed in on the occasion. He looked up a Church site with pictures and explanation on the subject. Br. Yan surprised us to tell us  he met Missionaries before & remembered the Prophet Joseph Smith's name.

  

Meanwhile Elder Hansen assisted us with helping Br. Yan get more skilled on the computer as well. We leave it up to the young Elders to invite Br. Yan to take the next step. An invitation to introduce The Gospel to him. Fortunately for us at this time Br. Yan has no computer at home or WiFi connection. It means that he is coming back for a while. He indicated he wants to learn how to add pictures onto his family tree, as well as stories. Sister Schmid helped Br. Yan to download the app called: Memories on his cellphone so he can take pictures & transfer those to his Family Tree. We hope that the above will make clear that there is never a dull moment in Surabaya. Apart from the chaotic & hectic traffic and enormous "Hujan" ( rain) downpours causing "Djalan2 Banjir" (flooded streets) we enjoy the Indonesian rich culture and the people here a lot.

Elder and Sister Schmid

The Zack Ari Metboki family. Arya, the oldest son in the picture was just baptized.

Yan returned today for additional 4-Generations Online family names.

Surabaya indoor shopping mall at Christmas time...

December 11, 2017 Update

The Family History & Family Indexing Programs in Cabang Surabaya Dua are in place and functioning. Not yet at the intensity we desire but things are in motion.It is moving slowly in 1st gear & hopefully at some point in future, in "over drive". Our 2nd Branch Family History person, Br. Angga has started to regularly attend on Sundays. He has also been very successful responding to our requests to bring in members of Young Men & Young Women department. Sister Schmid is assisting him on getting them to become very well skilled to enter, input the 4-Generations, for themselves and their families, Online on the FamilyTree website. Working equipment has been much improved. 2 working PCs with WiFi/Internet connection. We personally purchased a mobile "HotSpot"  WiFi gadget including a monthly service fee. That "HotSpot" gadget  allows us to connect an additional 32 Laptops. I-pads, Notebooks etc. The room only allows for some 4 - 6 additional units. Thirty two would slow down the reception too much anyway.

We will also use that gadget when we visit members and non-members who have no internet connection or PC or laptops etc.

Yan. One of our investigators in the Family History room.

Family Workshops on Saturday afternoon are operational. We will show up at the members' request or invite people ourselves. Contacting non-members while on our visits to shopping malls works. We have invited several of them already to visit our Family History Facility. Result of last week; 3 Invitations and one show up. We can only handle one per invitation. 

Branch President, Didit Dwinanto has Okayed our request to conduct an individual Family History Course of 3 - 4 weeks on Sundays during Sunday School. He will decide which Family will be attending. They will be taught how to enter, add names Online. Learn how to add pictures Online. Add stories Online. After Completion the Family will receive a "his & her family" Certificate of Completion. Complete with their 4 generation names in print.

We asked to start with a very Strong Family so that after they complete the course, others will follow their example Remember the Dutch saying: "Als er 1 schaap over de dam is, volgen er meer" ( When 1 sheep crosses the dam, more will follow.") 

Family History

Basis of our approach is : "Family History gets investigators through the entrance gate. ( Literally ) Involve the young 4 full-time Elder Missionaries and 2 Sister Missionaries while introducing the 4 Generations from the beginning. Turning the investigators over to them after they know each other makes more sense. After completion of the Family History part, the young full-time Missionaries will encourage as well as invite them to enter inside the Comfort zone of membership. Yesterday we enjoyed the first visit of hopefully many more, investigators. Yan showed up and received the introduction session of entering his 4 Generations Online. He is returning next Saturday for the next one. After completion he will receive a Certificate of Completion in color with his 4 Generations printed on the Certificate.

Elder and Sister Schmid

Great week so far!

Brother and Sister Schmid

Christmas Time at the Mall

Today 9 Dec '17 a few of the  many requests ( by them) photos with friendly Muslim Surabayans. Lady next to Mom holding Church Family History brochure. 

Sister Schmid enjoying Indonesian food :)

Moms plate I'm sure...

Yuuuum

Another visit to our fav Indonesian restaurant  "Bon Ami". This time I ordered, "Nasi Pincjuk".

We talk Church to everybody & hand out our "business cards, cuz we mean business. Even to a group of Ladies in the entrance hall of our apartment tower. The result often is a request for a picture or "selfie". 

We had an awesome Zone Conference this past weekend. Starting on Friday 3 December with an 'action-packed', long day of Missionary Training. The day was Presided over by a General Authority.  Elder Funk, a Seventy and the Asia Area President. His wife, Sister Funk taught & captivated all from the moment she took the stage. The ever-energetic Mission President  Rowley, who we know is so incredibly passionate about Missionary work, made another strong impact on the all Missionaries as well. Emphasis on Work & Passion. Sister Rowley presented us with another variety of encouraging messages as well we know from her every time she shows up.

Elder Funk & Sister Funk took time to talk with both of us personally for quite a while during lunch. Listening to them was an awesome experience.

Elder Funk, a General Authority & Asia Area President, took some time during District Conference to chat with Mom & me personally. 

*** Here is a lesson on truth both Mom and I learned. We both invite ALL of you who read this to share, like we will from now on, with anyone & everyone you talk to:

At one point Sister Funk conveyed to us that: 

"The Vision was an Answer to a prayer of Joseph Smith".  Eureka !!!

That line stood out to me. It hit me like a ton of bricks. As well as it left a profound impression on me. I never realized before in my life how important that fact is. Neither did I realize the enormous & important impact on the world, from that moment on, of that Historic fact. Here is the reason for my elation:

Joseph Smith personally "Initiated" that contact with The Lord. That started the subsequent Historic Restoration.

Here's my point: I have, for most of my life, knowing that in order to start a Conversation one first needs to open up a line of Communication. The Lord did not initiate or start this communication. For Obvious reasons!  We elected to come to earth, have a body and be apart from God on our own during a probationary time with an agency to choose right or wrong & be accountable for our choices & actions. Finally, the dots are connected in my mind and understanding.

Because: During that time of separation The Lord's line of Communication Always remains open. I, on this side of the line, am not always keeping that line operational. He, The Lord is always ready to accept calls. In order to have a conversation with Him, I have to initiate contacting Him by calling on Him via The Lord Jesus Christ in prayer like Joseph Smith did on that one Historic day. However, I for one, am often distracted by the, it seems, ever and rapidly increasing distractions in life that are readily available to me. Even promoted, amplified and advertised to such an extent and level, it is astonishing. The electronic age is so powerful, colorful, well funded and overwhelming that you can't cross the road, watch TV, listen to the radio, read the printed press, go Online and such, and miss the intent of the destroyer to make men miserable as he is. Often, one is unwillingly and unintentionally exposed to those "distractions", to use a rather mellow term to describe them. President Rowley suggested setting aside one day a week as a "Screen Free Day".

Than Elder Funk gave us the other powerful counsel in "tandem/concert" with sister Funk: "Start Introducing the Restoration early on when teaching investigators". Brilliant ! Since all members are Missionaries, that means that when we have a Conversation with others about the Church or initiate one, that we also, introduce the Restoration early on in the conversation. The Restoration, among others, sets us apart from other denominations and Christian churches. Including that we know that God The Father and Jesus Christ are two distinct persons who are One on Purpose. That we enjoy modern-day Revelation. A living Prophet and more. 

*** Again folks, we invite and urge you to Share ( Bagikan) the above truths. The Vision was an answer to a prayer by, the then young man, Joseph Smith.  Start introducing the Restoration early on in teaching & conversations about The Church.

Elder and Sister Schmid

2 busloads from Malang attending District Conference. ( Stake Conference). Total attendantds this time 280 members & investigators

And..... folks she decided not to wear the "required" uniform. Our Branch Youth Choir. The little Lady in red. Sings loud & clear and knows all the hymns off heart. Precious.

Oma waiting....a bit bored....