We are in the End Times

 Here we are again in that same uncertain phase we've been in 3 times before on this multi-country mission. " Do we buy another bag of oatmeal before we leave"? "Honey, don't spread so much PB on your toast and this jar will get us to the end". Suddenly without warning, our credit cards have started acting up and denying taxi payments and grocery purchases when they've been steady and reliable the whole time. Gah! Our computer, which was quirky and unreliable to begin with, is now slower and more unresponsive and has about had it's last day. Oh how it likes to spin and spin like an ancient LP record on a  turntable. We are experiencing the trials and tribulations of the End Times! And time seems to slow down when you start anticipating  something, no? We've seen on social media most of our original MTC group and several of the Wisa Vaiters complete their missions before us. It still feels unreal it's going to be us soon enough. We're in a similar situation as we were in India with a good friend getting very near to being baptized. You may recall Joel and his baptism being two days before we left India. Sister Lee here has already said as much that she wants to be baptized. She said so at her son's baptism in May. But as of our knowledge, she's only had the 1st discussion, possibly the 2nd one this week. So we are starting to assume we will miss being a part of her "rebirth" day. Rats. But no matter, this happens all the time in mission circumstances due to transfers. We're just glad to know it will happen whether we're here for it or not. While we are waiting for the formal lessons to happen with the young elders, the Levesques invited Sister Lee's family and the Rorings and us to their home for an after-Sunday meal. It was honestly the best of both worlds- Sister L's sweet and sour chicken and rice, potato salad, cole slaw and chocolate chip cookies and Sister Lee's chapchae and kimpop. Let's call it Koreamerican cuisine! 

Everybody got to bring their companion to the party. Even Jeremy got to invite his best friend Kai from the ward. 

     They speak the cutest English to each other  

        Practicing bird calls, their 2nd language 

We contributed by bringing watermelon and a Family Home Evening lesson. Because Sister Lee is in the beginning experimentation of planting the seed of faith in her heart, we used the sermon of Alma to the Zoramites as the object lesson. We gave Jeremy seeds and soil to plant a seed to see if it will grow along with his mother's faith, to see what will happen if they will both nourish and tend to the seed they've planted. Sister Lee was touched by something that was said and she cried and gave a sweet testimony herself. She is praying and has stopped drinking coffee which shows she is doing her part and serious about her conversion. There was lots of love and the Holy Spirit too as others bore their testimonies of the truthfulness of the gospel and their love for their Savior and the Book of Mormon. 

    

                               Love at Home

                    Jeremy in perpetual pucker

                            United in faith

Another cherished experience happened this week. Brother Hiresh the artist, who I've introduced to you before, invited us to come to the HELP school. An apt name. This is a school for refugee children run by volunteer refugees themselves. No one, including Brother Hiresh is making any salary at this school. In fact it costs them quite a bit in transportation to even get to the school. They are all in the same situation; students and teachers both displaced in Indonesia unable to hold real jobs but doing amazing things with the meager donated funds they have to work with. Days before we came, he and the young energetic principal Zaki took an otherwise blank wall and made homemade bulletin boards for hanging announcements and artwork on. I admire their resourcefulness and can-do spirit!

The Volunteers who could use some volunteers  of their own. 

                When life hands you scraps...

                       create something useful

When we arrived a few days later, it happened to be Parent's Day/ Report Card Day combined so we got to observe the students, their parents, and the teachers. Everyone was cordial and friendly towards us. All the teachers spoke English, the parents, not so much. I counted 40+ children but learned this was only K-2. Because the building is so small, they hold primary grades in the morning and grades 3-6 in the afternoon and online classes for older children all throughout the day. I wanted so much to take pictures of the bright and darling children and the incredible teachers but was not given permission to do so except at the very end before we left, a couple of pictures during one art class. 

Wasn't art always the funniest part of the school day?

               Making due with limited space

If there was ever a time we wished we were independently wealthy, this was it. Never was there a happier group of people doing the best they could with so little! Could we just beam the whole lot of them up to Zion where there is no poor among us? It was inspiring, it was joyful, but it was a little bit sad and humbling too, knowing how much we take for granted in our abundant life, the blessing of education. We were wishing we had the means to make their lives and their school a whole lot better. We did promise them that we'd have the Humanitarian missionaries of our church come for a visit and see if there were improvements and projects they could fund for the school. The Levesques are always on the lookout for worthwhile projects. They keep busy visiting villages and writing up proposals to get grants for clean water and child nutrition projects. We know they can't give cash donations of any kind which is probably what this school needs most of all but who knows, maybe they can provide books and supplies, or computers, or build a 2nd floor for more space. It behooves all of us to donate our excess to worthy causes like the Humanitarian Funds of the Church or other organizations where you know your dollars are actually going to the people and causes who need it. Our attitude towards many things has completely changed because of our mission experience. My hope is that we don't get back to American culture and revert back to our old ways of thinking about things. Of course we were a bit counter-culture and odd to begin with, but even moreso now. Fair warning!  I know I had a hard time adjusting to America when I returned from Korea once before when I was 23. But we've just seen too much neediness during this mission to be able to look at wealth and what people spend it on to think we're going to fit right back into American society. Who knows, maybe we're all in for some hard times that will humble us all? We do hear enough news to know things are getting tough all over. We have learned for ourselves that our only safety is in our baptismal and temple covenants with Jesus Christ and so we stress that to our refugee friends, to not put faith in any politician or president to make the world a better place for them. They hear only propaganda and it scares them. We preach nothing but faith in Jesus to them, that He alone brings peace to our hearts and His promises are absolutely sure. His Prophet and Apostles are trustworthy guides through these times. For that reason alone, I'm glad we are here and can speak the truth to them and give them hope. That's a good enough reason to be on a mission for a few weeks more. 

"I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day".

Alma 36: 3