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