September 4--17, 2016

 September 4--10, 2016

On Sunday, September 4th we traveled to Bandung for the Bandung Branch Conference.  Presiden Rowley served as Branch Presiden here as a young missionary and was instrumental in purchasing this building and turning it into a church.  An emotional day for him to be bearing testimony forty years later in the same building that he had bought and seeing some of the original members of the branch.  Leaders from all over the Stake attended and trained that day. 

 Same outdoor baptismal font Presiden Rowley had built in this chapel. One of the nicer ones I've seen.

 You can take a train to Bandung from Jakarta which goes on these elevated tracks to avoid all the hills and ravines.  We came by car--about 2-3 hours.

Top picture is from forty years ago in front of the Bandung Chapel with Elder Rowley with a dad that Elder Rowley baptized and his wife and son.  Lower left is from September 4, 2016 in front of the same Bandung Chapel with the mom who is still an active member and the picture on the right is the son and his wife who now live in Bekasi near Jakarta.  It is such a testimony builder of this work to meet these faithful saints.

After Church we returned to the Mission Home and had dinner and a testimony meeting for the four elders returning home that week.  Well done Elders!  We will miss you so much!

Mission Presidents' Seminar--Hong Kong--September 6--10, 2016

Monday, September 5, we flew to Hong Kong for the Asia Area Mission Presidents' Seminar.  An uplifting week filled with beautiful sights, fantastic food, great friends and inspired counsel and teachings.  The Asia Area Presidency blessed our lives with their guidance and encouragement. Most of our time was spent in meetings and seminars, but they also made sure we saw some incredible places in Hong Kong.  We visited the sight where Matthew Cowley dedicated the Asia Area for missionary work at The Peak, the Hong Kong LDS Temple, Nan Lian Gardens, a local market and met in the beautiful church building which houses three different chapels, a cultural hall, offices and the Area Presidency apartments.  Did you know that Hong Kong has more skyscrapers than any other city in the world?

 Our Hong Kong Church Building is the pink building in lower right corner.

 Sister Wong took us on a private shopping tour and to lunch! REAL Chinese food!

 Live chickens that will soon become the freshest dead chickens in the counter behind them. Sad.
Yummy Chinese Food!

 Christmas Shopping Shhhh....  Crazy souvenir store!

 Panoramic view from The Peak--highest place in Hong Kong.

 Area Presidency and wives (missing Sister Wong--she was with me above) near the dedication site at The Peak.  Left to right -- Presidents Wong, Funk and Evans.

It's hard to see, but this is the date carved into the rock at The Peak when Elder Cowley dedicated the Asia Area.  7/14/49

Nan Lian Gardens below in the heart of Hong Kong.

 Hong Kong Temple where we were able to attend an endowment session.  Flew home on the 10th.

September 11--17, 2016

Sunday, September 11-- Church at the Saharjo Wards in Jakarta.

On the 12th Presiden Rowley DROVE me in a car to the grocery store where I shopped and then he DROVE home where I cooked for upcoming Mission Leadership Council on the 13th, arriving missionaries dinner and breakfast for the 14th and 15th.  Thank you for the cute aprons Sarah!  The nametags are fused onto the aprons--everyone loves them!  Mission Leadership Council below.

Our new missionaries arriving and being trained.

On Saturday, September 17,  I taught with the Sisters while Presiden worked with Elders, we attended a baptism, then drove to airport to pick up two new Senior Missionary Couples, took them back to Mission Home to get settled in, then Presiden spoke at Stake Missionary Meeting and the General Priesthood Meeting while I attended Stake Relief Society Meeting (where they made the cutest Christmas ornaments) and then we flew to Surabaya for Branch Conference...just another lazy Saturday!  (NOT)

Missionary choir at Baptism

Buells and Dempkes fresh from the U.S.A. and ready to work as Humanitarian missionaries in Indonesia (Buells) and Timor Leste (Dempkes).  So glad to have them here!

Stake Relief Society Meeting with all ages attending.  The men met in Stake General Priesthood Meeting at the same time.

That's Sister Linda on my right.  Her husband is Presiden Djarot Subiantoro---the Jakarta Stake President. Wonderful, faithful Saints!  Two of their darling daughters attend BYU in Provo.