Valentines Party

YThe Timur Branch had a Valentines Party (aka talent show) on the 15th.  We couldn't believe how many of the members performed....and they really get into it!  We even danced during one couple's duet :)

Young girls performing a dance routine...lots of sass!

Some of the priesthood brethren singing "I Want to Break Free"

When they announced their song I thought they said "I Want to Break Wind" 😳...and they said it two or three times!! I could hardly contain the giggles!!

I asked one of our Australian elders if he thought they knew what 'breaking wind' means and if it meant the same thing in Indonesian as it does in English...he started laughing and told me what they actually said!  

Some of the sister rockin' the moves!

Sister Christin and Brother Hendi were our MCs...they are the cutest couple!!  So talented and fun!!

Keluarga malam

Sister Ira, Brother Darius and their daughter Joyce came for dinner and FHE Monday night.  Brother Darius is not a member but is very supportive of his family.  We made Neumans Chicken served over rice, garlic bread, sliced watermelon, and blonde brownies and ice cream for dessert.  So far the Indonesians we have invited to dinner have NOT liked the food I have made!!

Christian Cemetery

Stopped by a Christian cemetery during our travels last week...

All of the graves have jugs next to them...we were told they are for watering the plants (???)

These two little boys were gathering flowers that fall from the trees in the cemetery.  They get paid according to the weight of their gatherings.

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Lunch at Sister Elly's

Sister Elly invited the Barat missionaries to lunch this week....delicious fried noodles, chicken, rice and soup!  The food was so good but the company was even better!  She invited several branch members and her parents to join us....so fun to get to visit with people outside of Sunday meetings!

The Elders

President Siswoyo (counselor in District Presidency) and Elder Anderson

Sister Catur and her adorable little boys

Sisters Tanti, Catur, Anderson, Soewardi, Irene, Elly, Ana, Emmy

I love these women...they truly have become my sisters!

Monkey Band

On Saturday we drove out to Gresik to visit a family...takes about an hour to dive there.  While we were in their home two young men with their drum and performing monkey came down the street and stopped for a performance! Of course we had to come out and watch...families living in the the kompon were all out to watch.  The monkey is on a leash and rides a scooter or 'motorcycle' up and own the street with one man loosening then pulling on the leash.  The other young man squats at the side of the street beating a drum and something else that sounds like something between a cymbal and a horn.  At the end of the performance the monkey carries a bucket around to collect money fom the observers!  Quite entertaining :)

Visiting Sister Endang's  family in Gresik

The monkey and his 'motorcycle'

Drum player on the left...monkey at far end of the street

Can't really see it but at different iMessage the monkey puts on some pretty grotesque masks!!

Love Notes

Chinese New Year

Brother and Sister Bench invited us to her mothers home for a traditional Chinese New Years celebration.  From 1966-2000 the Chinese were forbidden to celebrate the New Year in Indonesia.  Their schools were shut down and many were forced to change their names in order to avoid persecution.  All of this in spite of the fact that most had been born in Indonesia....their parents had immigrated to this country.

Sister Bench's father and his first wife.  This shrine was the first thing you saw as you entered the home.  As family arrived they each took three sticks of incense, lit them from the candles, stood in front of the shrine and offered prayers, bowed three times and placed the incense in the silver container.

Family members in traditional Chinese clothing 

A gift brought to the home...everything is made from chocolate (the oranges, the bowl, the plate, the chopsticks, the sign)

Our apartment lobby decorated for Chinese New Year...it's the year of the horse