So Many Rules: Adult Mission Story for May 31, 2025

By Andrew McChesney

Tragedy struck Febiola’s life before she was born in Indonesia.

Mom was three months pregnant with her when Dad died.

Then Mom died when she was 18.

Two years later, Grandmother died. Grandmother’s death hurt the most. Febiola had lived with her grandmother for most of her life, and she couldn’t imagine living without her.

Febiola was studying to become a nurse when her grandmother died. She was living in a dormitory at Klabat University. Her older sister had recommended the Seventh-day Adventist university.

“You can stay in the dorm,” her sister had said. “There are rules in the dorm, and rules are good.”

Febiola wasn’t so sure that the rules were good. The university seemed to have so many rules. It was almost overwhelming compared to her old life with her grandmother. Febiola felt so oppressed!

One rule stated that dorm students had to attend dormitory worship in the morning and evening. Another rule stated that students had to go to worship services every Sabbath at the university church.

Febiola had no interest in God or the Bible, and she complained to her sister about the rules.

“Just continue,” her sister replied. “You won’t regret it. Rules are good.”

Febiola still wasn’t so sure that the rules were good. But she decided to give the university a chance.

Febiola shared a dorm room with three Adventist roommates, and they invited her to join them in praying and worshiping together in their room. They invited her to welcome the Sabbath together on Friday evenings.

Febiola wasn’t thrilled about mandatory attendance at evening and morning worships in the dorm and Sabbath services in the church. She couldn’t understand why her roommates not only enjoyed the worship gatherings but also wanted to extend them in their dorm room.

Curiosity rose in her heart.

“Why should we worship on Sabbath?” she asked her roommates.

“If you would like to know more about worshiping on the Sabbath, we could ask the pastor to teach you more,” a roommate replied.

Febiola said she didn’t feel ready to discuss the Bible with the pastor.

“That’s fine if you don’t feel comfortable,” the roommate said. “You’re required to take six religion classes at the university. You can learn more about the Sabbath there.”

All students at Klabat University are required to take six religion classes, and Febiola found answers to her Sabbath question during those classes. When she finished the last class, which was about the book of Revelation, she told the teacher that she wanted Bible studies.

The next semester, the Bible studies began in earnest. The dormitory dean, Delly, and her husband studied the Bible with her.

In time, Febiola decided to accept Jesus as her personal Savior. She gave her heart to Him and was baptized.

In the months since her baptism, a new joy has filled her heart. Despite losing her father, mother, and grandmother, she has gained a new family at the university. The dormitory dean and her husband are like parents, and her roommates are like sisters. In addition, she no longer feels oppressed by the university rules.

“Now I think that rules are for my own good,” she said with a smile.

The Edelweiss dormitory where Febiola lives at Klabat University near Manado, Indonesia, was built with the help of a Thirteenth Sabbath Offering in 1981. Febiola is among a number of young women whom the dormitory dean and her husband have led to baptism. With God’s blessing, the impact of your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter will be as long-lasting as the offering that built the dormitory at Klabat University about 44 years ago. Thank you for planning a generous Thirteenth Sabbath Offering on June 28.