Week 6 from Elder Greenway's perspective

Well, the photos I sent showed part of the English class that we taught. Again, I don't know if we mentioned, but anytime you do anything with the Indonesians - out come the cameras and camera phones for the requisite pictures. One thing that is somewhat pervasive throughout the culture is, as Sister Greenway mentioned and shyness or humility. It comes across as (and I don't know another way to put it but) somewhat of an inferiority complex toward bula's (boolays). An English student will feel that they learned more in class today because they were taught by Americans. Even the teacher was visibly pleased by our positive comments about her teaching and her command of English. They really have no reason to feel as they seem to feel because we have seen their accomplishments and their drive.
The movie night was fun. The Grovers have been getting the YSA together just to socialize. They have shown a Hallmark series - the name of which escapes me - but the movie is show in English with English sub-titles to help them with - yes - their English. As we have mentioned, a command of English is a real pluss in the job market. And it is really needed. We have delt with some "English speakers" at the bank and the airport, and they leave a lot to be desired. Most of the members that we deal with have excellant English from missions and contact with the missionaries - like us. As an example, we have four members who have volunteered to help us - Rico, Sonia, Aster, and Amtok. They just come right over to where we are sitting and offer to translate, Amtok even went to the podium with me when I was asked to bear my testimony. Then during SS another brother asked if I wanted a translator.
As S Greenway noted, I also went to our weekly District Meeting. Still a bit confusing because its all in Indonesian. We got six new elders into Solo and I sent their photos yesterday. (If you didn't get them, let me know.) We now have fifteen missionaries her in Solo including the senior missionaries. Four elder pairs, three sisters, the Grovers and the Greenways. Too bad the Grovers are going home the end of November. However, we moght be getting another couple from Tasmania who have been in Indonesia before - however, the last word we had was they hadn't been called, yet. We may find out mere this week at the Seniors Conf.
This will be a busy week beginning with Zone Conference, followed by the Senior Conference followed by Stake Conference or District Conference I'm not sure because we heard it announced in church today and its the first the Grovers had heard of it. We'll let you know next week.
I'll end with some photos of the nineteen native missionaries that just returned from the MTC in Manilla. Because of regulations here in Indonesia, young men and woment have about 21/2 years from HS grad. to their entering university. If they wait too long they loose the opportunity for scholarships - so as soon as a young man graduates from HS at 18 he is called onto his mission. He might even go straight into the field without the MTC - because Indonesia has to send it own trainer along with the missionaries to the Manilla MTC so they have to "save up missionaries" and then send them as a group when the trainer is also available. Therefore some of these missionaries have already been serving - had to be pulled from their area to go to the MTC. These pictures were taken just before they went to Manilla. SOme of the "new" missionaries in Solo were in that group having returned from thier three weeks at the MTC. I also included a picture of President Groberg who was a missionary here in 1972.







Selamat malam - Saya tahu Ingil betul. Saya berterimakasih bagi berkat-berkat saya. Saya berterimakasih nabi yang hidup dan Tidak Mormon ada betul.
E Greenway