Christmas in Surabaya

Christmas has come and gone yet it doesn't seem like we celebrated Christmas this year!  On the 23rd some of the elders came over and assembled food baskets to take to members, investigators or neighbors in need.  Since it was also Elder Barlow's birthday we also had chocolate cake and ice cream!

On the 25th the first set of elders arrived at 6:30 am to begin Skyping families!  The Skyping  and facetiming went on all day....literally!  We ate several times during the day...cold cereal, French toast, omelets with bacon and hash browns.  We had juice and milk and fruit as well!  The elders watched four or five animated movies (Mega mind ... Lion King ... Toy Story 2 ... Mulan ... not sure what else).  It's fun to listen to them laugh and just have a good time watching movies.  We read the Nativity from Luke chapter 2 and passed out Christmas stockings to each elder.  Around 7:00 pm they headed for home :).  The only downside was Elder Anderson has been sick for nearly two weeks...fever, headache, intestinal problems...he spent much of the day in the bathroom or sleeping!  The elders gave him a blessing and I'm praying he will get better soon!  

Bagging rice for food baskets

Elder Barlow's birthday cake....yummy!

Our tree

Elder Gil Skyping with his family in Miami (6:30am our time)

The cooking begins...

Watching videos

Christmas goodies...Elder Johnson Skyping in the bedroom

Miracle #2

The elders had left our apartment and were walking to a nearby store that sells some American food.  The streets in Surabaya are so congested...traffic comprised of thousands of motorcycles and hundreds of cars...and no traffic rules for staying in lanes or passing other vehicles!  While the elders were crossing in a crosswalk to get to the store, a motorcycle sped around a stopped car and hit Elder Kester who was in the crosswalk.  The man flew off the motorcycle and his head and helmet hit Elder Kesters head.  The motorcycle skidded down the street as did the driver.  And Elder Kester just stood there!  The other elders described the scene saying it looked like the motorcycle hit a brick wall!  Elder Kester had a small red mark on his temple where the man had hit into him but no other marks or injuries...just remained standing!  The man on the motorcycle got up and yelled at the elders for crossing the street!  Go figure :). Just before they left the apartment Elder Anderson had been voice for prayer and had asked The Lord for protection for these elders.  We know our prayers are answered!

Elder Kester at our apartment prior to the accident

The day before transfers:  Elders Kester, Honda, Rogers, Suryono, Hall, Barlow, Lopis, Anderson

Music...and my second major blunder!

The Indonesian people love to sing!  In every meeting we attend they sing out with loud voices and everyone sings!  For District Conference each of the branches in the District prepares a special musical number.  Since we are attending the Barat Branch this month, we are singing with them.  You know how musical The Anderson's are....not one of our strengths..but we are right in there providing member support and performing with the branch members.  Our conductor, Sister Endang, has a beautiful singing voice and an ear for music.  During our practice on Sunday, she walked amongst the singers with a scowl on her face....I believe someone was off-key.  She never said a word but guess who she kept coming and standing next to?  On Sunday I'm going to follow Miss Ann's counsel to Amy when she was in Girls Glee in high school...just mouth it :)

Guess what hymn we're singing for District Conference...

Now for my second major blunder...

On Sunday morning I found out I was delegated by my companion to be a speaker in Sacrament meeting...very last minute since the request came at 8am Sunday morning and we leave for church at 8:30!!  I was the second speaker, and after my talk we sang a 'rest' hymn.  I must have been feeling quite relieved that the talk was over because I began singing the hymn while the pianist was playing the introduction.  Here I am...sitting on the stand...singing a solo until I realized I was the only one singing!! I later asked Tony if he could hear me out in the audience.  His reply:  "Was that you"?  He told me that someone behind him started singing when I did...someone either felt really sorry for me or wasn't paying any more attention than I was!!

Giving Thanks

The first Thanksgiving of my life spent without extended family....could have had a pity party but instead had a great day with the elders in our district!

Spent ten hours baking on Wednesday....no Betty Crocker here!

Elder  Anderson prepping the fruit salad

One half of district

The other half

Playing 'gobble gobble'

Watching '17Miracles'

The end of a fun day!

The Lord loves and protects His missionaries

Last night we had two of the elders over to have dinner with us (a different companionship each week).  While we were visiting after dinner Elder Mendrofa shared an experience he had last week.  With his permission I'd like to share it...

The elders were on their bikes and were crossing a busy street at a crosswalk.  It happened to be one of the few crosswalks in the city that actually has blinking lights and emits a beeping sound.  As Elder Mendrofa entered the crosswalk and got about halfway across, a car came speeding towards him and did not appear to be slowing down.  His companion Elder Hall was just preparing to enter the crosswalk and saw the car heading straight into Elder Mendrofa.  As Elder Mendrofa reported, he clearly heard a voice say 'dorong' (push) and literally felt himself on his bike  pushed laterally....not forward, but sideways!  The car slammed on its brakes and came to a stop right where Elder Mendroza had been on his bike!  Elder Hall watched in awe as the bike and rider were miraculously moved from their original spot!  He could not fathom how they had moved sideways...but both elders knew they had just witnessed a miracle!  

We are so blessed to serve with these faithful young men!

Elder Mendrofa (on the floor)

Elder Barlow (Braxton's clone) on the chair

Elder Hall (on the table)

Elder Lopis on the floor

The Trip to Bali

It seems crazy to write that in the midst of serving a mission we took a four-day vacation to Bali with another senior couple...but we did!  (And with the blessing of our Mission President!!). We ate, relaxed, ate, went sightseeing, ate, spent a day in the beautiful clear water of the Indian Ocean, and ate some more!  We got to explore Hindu temples and shrines, visit a batik factory and watch them waxing the fabric by hand to prepare for each layer of color, snorkel in the Indian Ocean, walk along beautiful white beaches and wade in very warm ocean waters!  We had a wonderful time!!  Elder Anderson was able to place two Book of Mormons while we were there as well as share the Plan of Salvation pamphlet with a young man.....always a missionary :)

At the airport with Elder and Sister Knorpp

Wading in the warm ocean waters

The view from our hotel room balcony

Detail of Hindu temple

At the entrance to our hotel

Visiting the monkey temple...I do not  like monkeys!!

We had just been snorkeling...a first for me :)

Hindu temple on a cliff overlooking the ocean

Another view of the cliff temple.  We were not allowed to go up to it because there was a sacred ceremony taking place

Another First

We had the opportunity to attend a wedding on Friday.  I thought it might be a little awkward since we didn't know the bride, the groom, or either set of parents!   But they made us feel welcome and wanted!  It was quite different from our typical wedding...we opened and closed with prayer and a hymn; a spiritual thought was given before the actual  ceremony, and after the ceremony President Andi gave a blessing to the groom and then the bride.  Afterwards we were all given a box containing two rolls and a cup of water as we left the church :).    Oh...they place the ring on the right hand and when told he could kiss his bride the groom kissed her on the forehead...it's not acceptable to kiss on the lips in public!  A fun evening!!

The bride and groom as the ceremony began

Photos taken with guests after the ceremony

Yes, they even insisted on a photo with us :)

Sister Novi with her new baby

Hendi, Christin and Vina

Idul Adha

Tomorrow (October 15) is the Muslim holiday Idul Adha, commemorating Abraham and his son Isaac ( so I've been told).  Families purchase a cow or goat and take it to the mosque to be sacrificed.  Before the animal is beheaded the sins of the family are placed on the animal.  The celebration begins at 6am and lasts long into the day.  Once the animals are sacrificed the meat is given to the poor.

For the past weeks stalls of goats and cows have appeared all over the city.  Today we've seen many being mournfully led to their last meal!  We will observe the proceedings from our apartment balcony tomorrow...

Cows along the tracks

Pens of goats

Visiting Teaching

I'm assigned to visit five sisters each month....a pleasure to do but a challenge to schedule.  For three of the sisters it takes over an hour to get to their homes and trying to coordinate days and times has not yet  been successful :) I took for granted the blessing of being able to walk in five minutes to any sisters home while  in the Rexburg Sixth Ward!  I love my sisters in both locations and love visiting with them :)

Preparing to share the message in Indonesian

We meet with Sister Christin and Brother Hendi in their A/C repair shop.  They are both so musically talented...their voices harmonize perfectly!  They always include a song as part of our visit :)

Sister Ira and her daughter Joyce...they welcome us with so much love! Joyce sang "shine on" for us from the Primary Sacrament Meeting Program

Met up with the Elders when we stopped to visit Sister Yenni 

Our cute Sister Jenni!  She can pull herself up and stand on her feet for a few seconds now...progress in regaining her strength is slow but sure!

Saturday Sights

On Saturday morning we typically go grocery shopping before going out to visit members with President  Soewardi.  A few of the sights we see regularly and one or two we don't ...

Crossing the bridge

Traffic...both kinds

Creepy ghoulish figure where we cross the train tracks...sometimes her clothing is changed but she is always there watching...

Pulling into the parking lot of Giant, the store where we often shop

At the gas station...these little trains are all around Surabaya.  They drive through neighborhoods giving  rides to children

Children pushing their little jalopy down the street

Cattle and goats everywhere!  Not typical!  October 15th is a Muslim holiday and at every mosque in the country they will be sacrificing a cow and a goat, after which they are roasted and eaten by the people

Homemaking Meeting

Arrived for homemaking meeting with Barat Branch on Thursday at 4:00.  At 4:30 (we hadn't started yet) I was asked to give the mini lesson .... anything I wanted to share!!  One suggestion was to share how to get rid of the smell of shrimp when cooking it 😛. Suggestions??  

The meeting began, I shared some parenting tips, and learned to make yam balls!

Mixing yam balls..which include shrimp

One finished product...they were delicious!