December 4--11, 2016

December 4--11, 2016

      Actually we flew from Timor Leste back to Surabaya on December 2nd and held training with our missionaries.

 On December 3, we held a Mission Leadership Council with Elder and Sister Evans. In the afternoon we attended the first session of the Surabaya District Conference. On Sunday, December 4 the General Session was held.  President and I both spoke.  Elder Evans asked everyone to obtain their own Temple Recommend--regular or Limited Use.  The Evans left on Monday for Hong Kong.  What a great Mission tour with this wonderful couple!

Cute Christmas decorations in Surabaya.

On December 6 four of our Sister missionaries returned home.  They will be greatly missed!

The next day our new missionaries arrived!

On December 9 we traveled to Magelang in Central Java for the Open House for the new building.

 On Sunday we took a bus from Magelang to the Jogyjakarta airport, but the bus broke down so we had to hitchike.  A nice Muslim family picked us and our suitcases up and took us to the airport--a long way.  Grateful for their kindness and for Heavenly father looking out for us.  He is always there!

November 27--December 3, 2016

November 27--December 3, 2016

Jakarta Stake Conference was held in a movie theater to accommodate the large numbers.  Here's the choir and  our missionaries past and present.

Monday, November 28, we were off with the Evans' to train in Central Java in Yogyakarta.

November 28 we flew to Bali and Elder Evans held a Devotional for the Bali Branch.  On the 29th, we toured  Tanah Lot Hindu Temple on the west coast of Bali and ate overlooking beautiful rice fields.  This food looks really good, but I'm pretty sure this is where I picked up the stomach bug that stayed with me for the next three days.

Bali Branch and Members

We were in Bali because you have to leave from there to get to the country of Timor Leste which is also in our mission.  Elder Holland opened this land for missionary work about a year ago and we have only a Humanitarian Senior Couple serving there.  President Rowley and Elder Evans climbed to the area where the dedication took place. (I made it up part way!)  We met with Elder & Sister Demke and several of the charities they are currently working with--mostly Catholic groups.  We did witness the first baptism to take place here in Timor Leste--an eight year old boy whose mother has recently come back to church after she found out the Humanitarian Missionary Couple, the Demkes, hold LDS meetings in their home.

Timor Leste is a lovely country, but one of the hottest places I've ever been in!

November 20--26, 2016

November 20--26, 2016

Happy Birthday to Burton, Steve and Dave!  We love you!
We attended church in Solo in Central Java.  Subandriyo, our current Service Center Manager and former Area Seventy and Indonesia Mission President held a reunion with missionaries who served under him.  All are current leaders in the church all over Indonesia. Subandriyo is in lower right.  He only has the one name, but when he was made an Area Seventy, Elder Packer said he needed to have two names, so he named him Joshua Subandriyo!

Views from our world:  Lotus flower where I walk in the morning, guys trying to clean/fix our bedroom a/c unit, completed sewer repair, Presiden in his office.

 

Our two Assistants, Elder Wibowo and Elder Lovelock.

 

 We and the Senior Couples hosted Thanksgiving Dinner (lunch) for all the Service Center Employees, our Assistants and the Sister Training Leaders.  Some of them put up our Christmas tree.

On Friday, November 24th, Elder and Sister Evans arrived for the 2016 Indonesia Jakarta Mission Tour.  We first met with the Jakarta Zones followed by the Jakarta Stake Conference.  President and I both spoke in different sessions of Conference.  I discovered I need to improve my delivery when someone is translating for me!

 Our missionaries all lined up greeting people at the Stake Conference.

November 13--19, 2016

November 13--19, 2016

     The highlight of this week was President baptizing his former companion, Suharto.  He's been out of the church for many years but now feels the time is right to return.  What an incredible man to overcome many challenges and come back into full fellowship.  The baptism was so sweet--President and Suharto hugged for a long time in the font after the baptism.  Two of our Zone Leaders taught Suharto and helped him through this process.  Sweet Sunday!

One of our faithful sisters from Solo, Indonesia who returns home in February with her brother who is entering the mission field this week!  Great families who support and send these wonderful missionaries!

 

Our Asia Area Medical Advisor and his wife, Dr. and Sister Orton, toured our mission looking for appropriate hospitals to send our missionaries to when they are sick.  We were in Central Java for missionary training so afterward we joined them at Prambanan Hindu Temple and at a Dinner and traditional Ramayana Ballet.  Wonderful doctor and missionaries!  I talk to him at least weekly and I'm so thankful for his advice and expertise! Elder and Sister Jeffery, in the center, were our awesome tour guides.

Fire Dance and Fireworks!

                            Some new friends....

November 6--12, 2016

November 6--12, 2016

After the Solo Stake Conference, the Jatmikos took us to their beautiful home.  Bishop & Sister Jatmiko have 5 lovely children--one is our missionary, one is the 16 year old Stake Choir director, one is a pilot for Garuda airlines, one is a 12 year old talented musician and smart boy and then a fun eight-year-old brother. Their aunt is in the center of the photo below and she was the first member in this family.

Our driver and all around know everything assistant is Ari.  This is his cute wife and darling boys.

Dinner with President's 2nd counselor and his wife and daughter.

Elder & Sister Hansen and their driver.  He was called to serve as a counselor in the District presidency and President Rowley set him apart in this little town of Malang.

President and his counselor took this angkot out 2 hours to visit far flung members who faithfully come into Malang each week for church.  Because we have a District in our Mission (and also 3 other Independent Branches that are not even connected to this Surabaya District), there are many duties that fall on the Mission President's shoulders that don't seem to have a direct "missionary" connection.  The Mission President has many of the same responsibilities in a District that a Stake President has in a Stake.

Our flight was delayed because of the huge storm.  Glad it was not cancelled!

We came home to a torn up sewer in front of the mission home and office.  Barefooted workers enlarged the sewer so "things" can move out to the ocean easier.  The white pipes carry all of our wastewater from the mission home straight out to the street.  Glad there's lots of rain to wash everything downstream.