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!!