27 August 2018

On Thursday Indonesia celebrated one of its many national holidays: Sacrifice Day. Cows and Goats were sacrificed at the local mosques, and the meat divided up between the neighborhood. Elder Darby and I weren't able to see the sacrifices on Thursday, because we went on a ward trip. Our ward rented two big buses and we went to a lake. It was a great time to get to know the members more and hear their stories.

On Friday we went to a local elementary school and watched the school's sacrifices. They had bought two cows and two goats. Everyone was involved. First through fifth grade watched as the animals were killed, and the sixth grade class got to cut up the meat. Everyone took it home to be cooked later.

As Elder Darby and I have been working in Solo, we have seen how willing the Lord is to hear our prayers if we will humble ourselves and ask. We have been serving tactfully and efficiently, but that does not always bring the results we hope for.

I have been praying not just to have blessings handed to me, but also so that I can have a vision. A vision of what I am capable of. A vision of how to best help God's children in Indonesia. A vision of what I need to change about myself to become a more effective tool in God's hand.

And God grants it. Miracles come in abundance, and for that I am grateful.

Questions:

Q: What skills have you learned during your missionary service?

A: One of the more tactical skills I have developed includes navigation. As fact due to being assigned to rather large cities, each companionship of missionaries typically covers a decently sized area. I am in my smallest area I have served in, and it covers 10 square miles. Being able to navigate all of the roads in very important. City planning is also a fairly new concept to Indonesia, and as a result, there is not much structure or organization to how the roads are laid out.

Q: What is something that you learned to love on your mission?

A: Waking up early. I like to wake up at 6:00 am and start my day. In Indonesia; however, six is not very early. Most people here, including children, wake up before six, some before five.

Pictures of the Sacrifices below:

6 August 2018

Monday and Tuesday Elder Darby and I were in Jogja on exchanges with the missionaries there. We biked back on Wednesday, then had a really busy day in front of us. On Thursday we flew out to Jakarta to attend a meeting. Flew back Friday, and since then we have been up to our necks in all sorts of missionary stuff.

This week Elder Darby and I have taught a lot of people what will most likely be the last lesson they will hear from missionaries. We love the people we serve so much, but not all of them respond the same way. I am comforted in knowing that success as a missionary is determined not in how many people accept my invitation, but in how I personally extend the invitation.

Questions:

Q: How do you find most of the people you teach?

A: I want to say that we find them by our own efforts talking to people in their neighborhoods, but I know that isn't fully true. When we are working hard enough, and are in tune with the spirit, God will lead people to us. On my mission this has been in the form of people cold calling us, showing up at church, yelling at us on the road when we pass by, and many other ways.

Q: What occupations do most people have? 

A: Lot of people have jualans, which just means they go around selling something all day. They work really long hours and earn just enough to live on. Sometimes they will sell food, or clothes, or anything that they can make enough money on.

Q: Is it common to have a college education?

A: No

Q: Do you teach English classes in Solo?

A: Yes

30 July 2018

Last week I didn't send out an email because I flew to Jakarta and back to renew my documentation.

Since Elder Hansen has gone home, I've been in a trio for a week with two other Elders. Since them we have had transfers, and I am now with Elder Darby. He and I began our missions at the same time, and already know one another well. We get along great and have a whole bunch of new ideas that we are excited to try.

My time in Solo has been really good. I am getting to know the members and area quite well. Something my mission president has been emphasising is the importance of staying excited in anything that we do, especially missionary work. After reading the quote " You can often gauge a man’s desire by whether he hates his alarm clock or considers it his best friend” I decided that I would wake up every morning with a spring in my step. I have really come to realise the importance of a good morning schedule. After jumping out of bed (literally, I am on the top of a bunk bed), I get right at my day. No more being lazy in the morning.

Questions:

Q: Where do you get your questions from?

A: From you. If you have a question or two that you would like me to answer go ahead and send them to me.

Q: Where do people get baptised in Indonesia?

A: In the church building.

Q: What are the meal times?

A: People here eat at the same time we do in America. Although it is common here for smokers to only eat breakfast, and then smoke and drink black coffee for the rest of the day.

Q: Are there breakfast foods?

A: Hard no. Anything you eat for dinner here (rice) can be eaten for breakfast as well (rice again). Missionaries always cook breakfast at home; I typically cook some eggs and eat it with toast and juice.

Q: Do most people in Indonesia have a smartphone?

A: Yes. In fact it is quite common for Indonesians to have two phones; one smartphone for playing games on and the second a dumb phone for business. There has been quite a push in the mission lately to get smart phones for the missionaries. Everyone in Indonesia has a smartphone, but no one uses any service plan other than data. Whatsapp is used for almost all communication; without it most people can neither text nor call.

For P-day today Elder Darby and I biked to Jogjakarta (Jogja), a 40 mile bike ride. Here is a link of the route:  Bike Route. We biked to Jogja and we will be having splits tomorrow. On our way to Jogja we passed a Buddhist temple and took some picture.

3 July 2018

Yesterday a meeting was held in Jakarta for all the mission leaders throughout all of Indonesia. The treat of the meeting was that we got to be the first of the missionaries to meet the new mission president, President Mackay (pronounced Mac-EE).

Elder Hansen and I flew out to see what this new mission president was all about. We flew with questions and concerns.

The meeting turned out to be a huge success. Our mission president turned out to be a super humble man. He emphasized the importance of simplicity and that we should never lose sight of the basics. 

 He wanted to know what was currently happening in the mission, and he asked us for our opinions. For a few hours we, the missionaries, led the discussion while President Mackay sat, taking notes. At the end of the counsel I asked him how he felt to be in a position asking for the opinions of 19 to 20 year old boys, considering that fact that he himself is a 58 year old accomplished lawyer and former stake president.

His response: "It's refreshing."

The principles that he taught us that day will stay with me for the rest of my life. What he taught us was so good that there came a point when I asked myself why he had not been my mission president since the beginning of my mission? I was quick to conclude that I have learned valuable lessons from each of my prior two mission presidents. That being said, I can confidently say that the Indonesia Jakarta Mission is in good hands.

Elder Hansen and I flew back to Solo this morning; our flight was delayed by three hours. We flew home with excitement and determination.

This week will be a very busy. This is Elder Hansen and I's last week together. We have zone conference over the next two days, then a lot of stops by members and others as he says goodbye. He is a really great missionary who has done a lot of good and taught me a lot.

Mission leadership meeting at the Mission home in Jakarta.

New mission President Mackay and wife Sister Mackay

Flying back to Solo with Elder Hansen

Reunion with some of the missionaries from my MTC group.

25 June 2018

This week I read The Great Apostasy, written by James E Talmage. The
summary goes as follows: the divine institution organized by Jesus
Christ and called by his name was quickly corrupted by the infirmities
of man after the passing of the twelve apostles. That this apostasy is
prophesied by scripture, realized by history, and confirmed by the
Holy Ghost is my testimony. The loss of priesthood authority,
pollution of doctrine once pure, and erroneous inventions of man
changing church government are all part within the apostasy. The evil
deeds performed in the name of deity are evidence to the universal
apostasy. The dark background of the apostasy is a striking contrast
to the bright horizon of the Restoration.

Missionaries are told to have daily contact with the people they help
come unto Christ. To do this, my companionship sends out a large group
text. At the start of this week we sent out Alma 5:27 "Could ye say,
if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have
been sufficiently humble? " We got a lot of funny responses. Just
about everyone told us that they aren't ready to die.

Everything else is going good. Below is the picture of the baptismal
service held this week for Asri.

Awesome Week

This week was so great. Started with a fun trip on Monday, and ended it with four baptisms on Sunday. In between Monday and Sunday Elder Hansen and I flew to Jakarta for a meeting. The taxi ride from the airport to the mission home was longer than the flight itself. Also got to go on splits with another great missionary from Indonesia.

Below are pictures of the baptisms. The first was the unbaptized son of a member family, Seive. The second was a family that Elder Hansen and I have been teaching this transfer. We really love them, and were really excited to see them baptized. The plan was for a member to baptize the father Waluyo, and I the two children. After baptizing Amor, the son, Asri, the daughter, was too scared to go into the water. We might have to get her used to being in water before she can be baptized.

I can't remember if I have explained Transfers yet or not, but allow me to. A transfer is a six week period ending in the opportunity to move into another area or change companions. My first transfer ended with Elder Hansen this Sunday. I have seen a lot of improvement in the both of us. This coming transfer will be Elder Hansen's last, which means that I will be his last companion. The best part is we get along great.

Heading into this next transfer, the future looks bright. My mission president, President Subandriyo, will be released on the 30th of June, being replaced by the new mission president. We are all excited for the new change, and will miss President Subandriyo. It has been very interesting seeing the different styles in which President Subandriyo and President Rowley have led the mission. I am sure I will learn even more from my third mission president.

I am eager to improve, and continue to seek for guiding inspiration. This month my goals is to start and finish the entire Book of Mormon. I wish everyone success in the month of June.

Solo Week 2

TLDR - Elder Allen is doing amazing. He is learning a lot in Indonesia, and really loving the people. The church is true, the book is blue. Also, there are pictures at the bottom!  
  
Two weeks in review:  
  
Shortly after moving to Solo from Mando, Zone Conference was held. For those who don't know of zone conference allow me to explain. Missionary organization goes as follows: A mission covers some defined land mass, in my case, Indonesia. This area is again divided into zones, each contain around four districts, or cities. Each district typically has four to six missionaries, which means that at a zone conference there are some 20 missionaries, which makes for an exciting time.  
  
This most recent zone conference however, was different. Not just one, but two zones came together for two fun days of training. This meant that there were exactly 46 missionaries who all came together.  
  
The first day started by eating McDonald's breakfast, a true treat in Indonesia. We then all took a bus to Borobudur, an ancient Buddhist temple. After seeing the temple, buying some sunglasses, and riding an elephant (All pictured below) we ate at a member's hydroponic restaurant,which is just a fancy way of saying that everything we ate was grown on site. Except for the ice cream. The rest of the day was spent in the church learning.  
  
The second day was held entirely in the church. We learned a lot. My mission president, President Subandriyo taught us about independence in life and in church. He had each Indonesian missionary stand, and he told us all the names of their parents or grandparents, and their conversion story. One was similar: a poor but self reliant family was found by the missionaries, baptized, and remained active I'm the church until their own children and grandchildren could serve missions.  
  
Seeing the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ in these saints lives is very clear. My personal testimony was strengthened that missionary work really does build people. The gospel, because of Jesus Christ, has power to change people's lives.  
  
Coming home from zone conference, with Stake Conference on Sunday meant that we had to work hard with the time we had left. Elder Hansen is a great missionary, and we set a goal to get a certain of people with baptismal commitments. It was Saturday when we realized that we probably wouldn't achieve it, we were still two short. Then Saturday night and Sunday evening, with two investigators whom we hadn't even considered giving baptismal commitments, we were able to achieve our goal. It really showed us that the Lord is truly on our side.  
  
Stake conference went well. I met a returned missionary visiting his old areas. He had finished his mission two years ago, and he has already been married for a year. This mission really does bless people's lives! For the Sunday session of conference we heard a member of the 70, Elder Williams, who is from India. He shared his personal conversion story, the story of how he met his wife. He told us that a person's most important choices in life are (1) the choice to follow Christ's church and (2) the choice of your eternal companion.

One funny aspect of serving a mission in Indonesia comes from the native Indonesian missionaries. It is a well known fact that they will probably see their family at least once while serving a mission. During this stake conference, we had two missionaries who met with their families. One even got to see his girlfriend. A lot different from other missions for sure.
 
At stake conference BYU's choir also performed. They sang five songs, two of which were in Indonesian. I think everyone was pretty impressed. I also knew someone in the choir. She was in my ward from BYU.
 
On preparation day Elder Hansen and I emailed, then played ping pong at the church.We ended the day by riding the bus three hours to go on companionship exchanges with some Elders in the city of Magelang.
 
The next day started by immediately returning to Solo. Long story short there was a problem with a foreign missionary's immigration papers that created a big problem for everyone. We didn't end up going on splits in Magelang, another companionship had to be sent out of the city as well, and the Elders that stayed had to remain at home the entire day.
 
This week Elder Hansen and I have been waking up at 6 to go on runs. Often our runs ends at the church building where we play table tennis, or at the market where we buy groceries for breakfast. Its been a lot of fun.
 
Solo has awesome members. This week as we were out teaching, we had a period of two hours between two appointments with nothing to do. Just as we were finishing a lesson and getting into our bikes, a member called telling us that we had to come to her house asap. We went over there to find her sitting down with a man in his 30's. She simply explained that he had just showed up to get his hair cut, and that he was Christian. She then invited us to teach him.
 
The lesson was really good. We taught him half a lesson on the spot, finished it the next day, and he came to church on Sunday. The Lord is preparing people for the gospel.

Church turned out to be really good. Nine awesome investigators came to church. The members were all so surprised. They will have a lot of baptisms to attend!


A few questions:
Q: How far away is Solo from Manado?

A: Too far to walk. Around 1,000 miles.

Q: What are some funny phrases in Indonesian?

A: The first thing that came to mind was actually not a phrase in Indonesian, but actually one in Javanese. Literally translated, the phrase for 'excuse me' in Javanese means 'ask for a thousand.' Doesn't make too much sense does it?

Q: What city is Elder Hansen, your companion, from?

A: Pocatello, Idaho

Q: Does Indonesia have ice cream and chocolate?

A: Yes, but I rarely eat it. It just isn't too good, and it is very expensive.

Q: What is your favorite area so far?

A: Just as parents don't choose a favorite child, missionaries don't choose favorite areas. That being said, my favorite area so far was probably in Manado.

Surakarta or Solo, Indonesia

This past Wednesday I had to say goodbye to Manado.  I was only there for six weeks, but I came to really love the people. The city was awesome, I absolutely loved living so close to the ocean. I am not sure how many opportunities I will have like that in my life.

I am now in Solo; short for Surakarta. This is my first ward that I will be serving in. The city of Solo has four wards divided into two buildings. The stake has a total of seven wards, one branch, and twenty two full time missionaries.

Elder Hansen is my new companion. He is from Idaho, and true to his nature, is a hard worker. We get along great, and I have learned a lot from him. He has been serving for 21 months, compared to my 11 months.

My new area is really nice. I live in a nicer part of the city. Solo is just a tad bit cooler than Manado, but is hardly noticeable. For those wondering, yes, Indonesia is still a tropical islands, meaning it is still very hot here. The city of Solo is also pretty flat, which makes biking a lot easier.

My mission home is really cool too. I share it with just Elder Hansen and myself. We are putting up inspirational quotes on the walls and I just love it.

I don't have much more to say. The church is true; the book is blue. Keep on living what you know. Love God, and love your neighbor.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surakarta

Manado Tua

This week was one of my best weeks on the mission. I am enjoying every moment of it, and really embracing the culture. Manado is such a cool place, but it wasn't enough. This is why last Monday all the missionaries in Manado took a boat to Manado Tua!

Warning: Missionaries work very hard each week. Every Monday they are given a Preparation Day, in which they are given free time to relax and prepare for the coming week. This day, often called P-day, is not a Play day.

Manado Tua was an hour boat ride from Manado. We played on the beach for a little bit, then went hiking. It was around a 4 hour hike up and down. The trail was really rugged. I felt like I needed a machete.

Below you will see a picture of me squatting a papaya tree. All I have to say is that you can take the man out of the gym, but you can't take the gym out of the man.

I feel that I haven't been writing too much about my spiritual experiences on my mission as of late. Be assured; however, that I am having many. I feel like that as part of my progression to become more Christlike it was first necessary to pour myself into the holy scriptures and study as much as possible. I still do this now, but more important is how it changes me. Reading the scriptures is not a passive activity. We do it not just to increase our knowledge of the gospel, but so that we may help others.

I have really loved this past general conference, and all the we learned from the prophet of God. With the new changes in home/visiting teaching we really see the need for more caring and personalized service, the same type of service that the Lord gave. That is probably one of my favorite things about the gospel. It doesn't just helps mormons, americans, families, christians, indonesians, old people, or any other profile. No, this gospel is universal. And we will universally be judged by both our acceptance and commitment to the gospel.

Manado Week 2

The hardest thing: Getting rained on when I was coming home, waking up feeling crummy, then getting rained on the very next day. I think all the missionaries were sick at least once this week here in Manado. 

The weirdest thing: When my companion and I taught two 18 year old girls in the food court at a mall. The lesson was good, but it totally felt like a date.

Most Frustrating thing: A rat came into the house and peed on my white shirts hanging up in my closet. I am thankful for the modern blessing of washing machines, laundry detergent, and bleach.

Best tasting thing: Birthday cake. A sister missionary had a birthday this week and she shared her cake with us. It was the first time this year that I've eaten a real cake.

Worst tasting thing: Kinda lame but I didn't eat anything too bad this week. Although I did eat fried bananas and spicy chili sauce. At most it is a weird combo that is surprisingly alright.

Funniest thing: My companion was laying on his bed, which is on the bottom of our bunk bed. While he was laying on it the frame broke, and his mattress fell onto the floor. His expression alone was hilarious.

Craziest thing: I get "Hey Mister" or "How are you Mister" at least 20 times a day in Indonesia. But this week was the first time that I have heard "F*** you Mister." What is even funnier is that the person who said it was a little kid with a big grin. He couldn't have known what he was saying.

And Pictures!

1st Week in Manado

So just a heads up I only have 10 minutes left to send out my email so I will have to make it short. I will only be doing my Q&A this week. Also I won't be able to upload any pictures because it takes a very long time to upload. I am trying to attach 4 pictures and it is taking over half an hour. Hopefully next week the internet will be a little faster.

Q: How many missionaries are in your mission? How many of them are from Indonesia?

A: There are a little under 80 missionaries currently serving in the Jakarta Indonesia mission. Compare that to the 90 something that were here last year. And of the 80 missionaries here, about 40% of them are Indonesians.

Q: What is different between Manado and other areas you have served in?

A: Well Manado has a much more modern culture. Everyone here plays really loud music from their cars, and I recognize some of the songs.

Q: Were you scared to travel by yourself?

A: No, it was just weird not having a companion for so long.

Q: Is your house better than your last home?

A: It is about the same, although here my kitchen is outside. We also have two bathroom here, but only one of them has a working toilet. The bathroom with the working toilet also happens to be the bathroom without a light fixture. Using the bathroom at night can be fun sometimes.

Q: What is something you learned about the language in Indonesia this week?

A: I learned that all proper titles (ie. Mr., Mrs., Ms) are different here in Manado.

Q: What is something that made you laugh this week?

A: Hearing the Indonesian song "Itu Anjing Kecil," or "It's a small dog." The song is very interesting.

Photo from a meeting with mission President Pak Subandriyo and his wife Sister Subandriyo with Elders Rapp, Palmer, Allen, Sutadi, Elder/Sister Mongan, Sisters Inoke and Sindoro.

A view from of the roof tops of Manado.

Goodbyes & Hellos

Goodbye Malang. You taught me a lot. It was in Malang that I had my first two investigators baptized.

Goodbye Java. You taught me Indonesian. You taught me the culture.

Goodbye Elder Putra. You taught me patience. With you I trained for the first time, and got to lead us as a District Leader.

Hello Manado. I am really excited to serve all the people here. I am really excited to see the beach each and every day. Although I had to travel some 1400 miles by myself to get here, I know that I will never be left alone.

Hello Sulawesi. I have no idea what you have in store for me. I am moving from a 'cold' city, to one of your hottest cities (no parenthesis needed).

Hello Elder Sutadi. You are also from Solo, and you can speak English. I know I will learn a lot from you before you go home in three months.

Questions:

Q: How comfortable do you feel speaking Indonesian?

A: I will answer with another question: How comfortable do you feel driving your car. You probably feel comfortable driving under normal conditions, but under poor weather, racing, or extreme off-roading you probably wouldn't fair too well. And if your car broke down you would probably have to ask someone who knows a bit more than you for help. I feel the same with my Indonesian. I do good under normal circumstances, but there is still a lot of stuff that can through me off. I study a lot by reading from the Book of Mormon in Indonesia.

Q: Do you have any superstores like Walmart in Indonesia?

A: There is no one huge store in Indonesia that sells everything from home goods, to auto supplies, to fishing poles. Although we do have supermarkets, but they only sell food.

Q: How involved are members in missionary work?

A: It depends on the member, but most are pretty willing to help if we give them a good heads up, and it isn't too far from their house, and granted it doesn't rain. So ya, I guess fairly normal.

Q: What's the biggest change you've seen in yourself?

A: Loading........... I hope everyone else will be able to figure this one out when I get back home.

Family

Sometimes I find myself at the end of a week, not knowing what to write about. Mission life in Indonesia all seems so normal now. Sweating 24 hours a day. Eating lots of spicy food. Multiple trips to the bathroom. I love it.

Rather than tell everyone how my week has been, I would rather hear how everyone else's week has been. Send me an email or two and I will be sure and read it.

I was just looking through some of my photos, and I saw the pictures attached below. On my left are my Grandparents, Peg and Rudy Allen. On my right are my other Grandparents, John and Donna Power. From these four individuals came my two parents, and then myself. I am so greatful to have such a strong heritage. My grandparents and parents, in addition to many aunts, uncles, and cousins, have served missions, setting a clear example for dedicated lifelong service to the Lord.

I am greatful for all the lessons I have learned from my family. Whether is has been seeing my Aunts and Uncles serving in their calling, passing and blessing the sacrament with my cousins, or going to the temple with them, I have found myself surrounded by great examples. These examples come not just from the church and its appendages, but also from seeing the good lives of my family and friends who are not of this church.

Never have I thought that I could have been born into a better family. And while we do all have our weakness and imperfections, it is our togetherness that makes us family, and not a group of akward individuals.

I have made a committment to leave my family for two years, and serve in Indonesia. This is a committment that I intend on keeping. Indonesia can be trying at times; I certainly never thought that I would be expected to put up with all this and still exlaim "this is better than anything I had ever imagined!" But it is so true. In a misisonary publication I have read "You [the missionary] have a front row seat to the greatest miracle of all: the effect of Christ’s Atonement on individuals and families."

I testify of the reality of this miracle. Nothing changes our lives, our hearts, our desires, and our beings more than a love for Jesus Christ and a knowledge of his Atonement. I feel very blessed to be able to serve in Indonesia, and all the efforts from so many people that have made this dream a reality.

I don't have much time left to write, so I just want to close by saying thank you. Thank you to everyone who has loved me, and continues to do so. Thank you for always being there, and for all of your prayers. Keep on being awesome, and lift where you stand.

Sincerely,

Elder Justin Allen

A Big Thanks

Before I begin I just want to give a big thanks to everyone who has been emailing me. Keep up the great work so this kid in Indonesia still has some people to talk with.

Monday: After emailing I went shopping, but got bored pretty quick. Played tennis near my house, but then it started raining. At night I taught an investigator who never finished elementary school.

Tuesday: Companionship exchanges with Elder Zebua. We visited a lady who is 110 years old, making her older than the country of Indonesia, which will celebrate its 73 year of independence this year.

Wednesday: Taught my awesome investigator, Mas Dasrial, who has a baptismal commitment for the 24th of March. My companion taught piano lessons to a member, then we ate at a different member's house.

Thursday: The first day of zone conference began. We role played teaching a lesson by using the hymn book and singing a song. Then I got to meet my new mission president for the first time. He is from Indonesia, but can speak English.

Friday: The second day of zone conference. I learned a lot from my new mission president, and the nutritionist he invited to speak to us. For zone conference all the missionaries wore matching ties and skirts, all thanks to your truly.

Saturday: Back to Malang with a busy schedule. Helped a member pack up his house, move, then unpack into his new house. We ate with him, had a meeting with our branch mission leader, then played volleyball at the church with members and some investigators.

Sunday: At church two members gave their mission farewell talks, making it a total of three missionaries currently serving from the Malang branch, with two more to follow. Ended the week by eating at a member's house.

Questions:

Q: How is your church schedule in Indonesia different than in the States?

A: It is the same. But, in Indonesia there is no mid week activities for the youth. Seminary and Institute meet once a week on Saturday night.

Q: What kind of activities do you do on preparation day?

A: Email, hair cuts, cleaning the home, buying food for the week, and shopping. Still can't go to the beach yet. It's killing me.

Q: Have you ever dreamed in Indonesian?

A: I dream in the location of Indonesia, but its 50/50 whether the language used is Indonesian or English. Most of the time I feel more comfortable speaking Indonesian rather than English, but I still think, read, and write in English.