Moving, Moving, Moved

So last week I said that there would be no transfers, but little did I know that I would actually be moving the week following transfers. I will be packing all of my belongings, walking to my new house, then unpacking. In Malang the mission owns two homes, one of which was used by the sisters before they were transferred out of the city. My companionship has been asked to move into the new home, approximately two minutes away by bicycle from my old home.

Other than moving, here is a little recap of my week:

Monday: Took it easy and relaxed after emailing. Visited with an inactive member at night.

Tuesday: Taught three investigators back to back, and was starving afterwards. Also the weather let up and it felt like heaven.

Wednesday: Split with Elder Hansen. Learned a lot from him.

Thursday: Ate dinner at a member's house.

Friday: Met with an investigator, then the branch president, at the church.

Saturday: A lesson followed by a meeting at the church, then dinner at a member's home.

Sunday: A less active member I've been working with came to church, as well as my investigator Prisca!

Indonesia feels super normal now. I have a hard time imagining the small details of America without mixing it somewhat with Indonesia. Example: In Indonesia we drive on the left hand side of the road. As an exercise to memorize the roads, I imagine in my mind a place that I have been to, then how I could return from said place to either the church or my home. As I was finishing this exercise, I began trying to remember my city back in Georgia. Without even thinking about it, I began to envision all of the roads back at home, but from the left hand side. It took me a minute to realize that I have never even driven on the left hand side of the road in America.

On to some questions:

Q: Do Indonesians attend public or private schools? What is the education system like?

A: There is no real equivalent of the American public schooling system to be found in Indonesia. Taxing here is done quite differently, and as a result almost all schooling is private. School starts with preschool, followed by Elementary School up to grade 6, Middle School to grade 9, and High School to grade 12. A few Indonesians don't attend High School, but rather go to a vocational school.

Q: Does most of the entertainment (such as movies, music, etc.) originate from America or Indonesia? 

A: It depends. Most of the movies are American, but the music is generally Indonesian. Almost no one pays for cable in Indonesia, and as a result there are nearly more ads than content on television.

Q: What is the role of missionaries in the Malang Church?

A: The Malang Branch is quite strong, and does not need missionaries to teach classes every week. In some of the other wards I have served in the missionaries taught Gospel Principles (Sunday school for people new to the church) every week. We help the branch most by visiting members, strengthening them, and helping them fulfill their assignments and roles as church members.

Pictures:

This is how I bring my groceries back from the store.

Photo of me with Elder Hansen (Zone Leader from Surabaya). He came to Malang and we worked together for the day.

A nice looking farm on the edge of town.