The Museum

Exploring!

We just spent three wonderful days with two other senior couples...Elder and Sister Williams from Malang and Elder and Sister Lisk who are the office couple in Jakarta.  We took the train to Malang Friday morning, were met by the Williams', picked up Lisks at the airport then off to the beach!  Spent Saturday in Bantu hiking to a waterfall and then visiting an amazing museum!  After church on Sunday we caught the train back to Surabaya.  We had such a great time!!

Our first selfie-on the train to Malang

A small Hindu temple located off the shore of the beach at Balekambang

Andersons, Williams, Lisks

Waterfall in Batu

Indonesians often ask to have their photo taken with bules...we are quite the novelty

The children in Indonesia are beautiful!!

Along the path to the waterfall

Traditional Javanese Wedding Reception

OWe attended the wedding reception of a cute young couple...Sister Renny was just baptized and Brother Ferry is a returned missionary.  They are both so warm and friendly and outgoing...you just feel good being around them!

A Javanese dancer 'leads' the couple, followed by their families, down the red carpet to the stage for the receiving line

The bride and groom leading the family processional

The grooms aunt, mother, brother and uncle...most in traditional Javanese costumes from Solo

The receiving line...photos are taken with each guest/ guest family

From the photo booth....us with our 'Surabaya Sons'

The Inspector

Each month we are supposed to inspect the elders' apartments to ensure that they are safe, reasonably clean, somewhat organized and that the elders' needs are being met.  Elder Anderson sits back and lets me inspect, assisting with repairs when necessary, but not saying much.  

This month I was so happy that the Timur elders apartment looked so good...clean windows, clean kitchen, defrosted refrigerator, organized desks and work areas....and I really complimented them on their diligence!  They kept grinning at me, but I thought it was due to the compliments.  As I left to get their treats from the car, Elder Rogers asked me how I liked their cockroach on the wall.  There in all its glory was a huge dead cockroach!  The elders then proceeded to tell me it has been there for four months...they were waiting for me to notice but finally decided to point it out :). I guess you can kill them dead on the spot with toothpaste!  

So much for my inspecting skills....

Elders Marsudi, Wills, Norris, and Rogers with 'friend' (above and to the left of the map corner)

Barat RS Birthday Celebration

Friday, April 18th 2004

Baking Cakes, Sharing Lunch, Women's Health Symposium

Schedule:

9:00 celebration Begins

We arrived at 9...one sister was there, no one from the presidency

I helped Vivi grease and line cake pans

10:00

Four sisters were there

Began making cakes...two mixers and two bowls

11:00

Prepared containers to take cakes to sisters unable to attend

I made some bows...most were remade :)

12:30

Delicious Lunch!!

The oldest sisters were served first...that included me :)

Note the cone of yellow rice in the center...yellow rice is served only on special occasions!

1:30

Left for Zone Conference at the Timur Chapel

Love the Indonesian way of doing things...love, love, love these sisters :)

Chinese Memorial Day

Brother and Sister Bench invited us to join her family to celebrate Chinese Memorial Day.  Traveled to a Chinese cemetery near Malang where Sister Bench's father is buried.  The cemetery is high in the mountains and absolutely beautiful!

Headstone....her father is buried in the mound behind

The family is Buddhist..the food offering is so her father won't be hungry

The family covers the burial mound with paper to keep the body shaded from the sun;  once the papers are placed over the grave flower petals are thrown to cover the paper to keep the body smelling good.

At the side of the gravesite is a shrine to the Land God.  Food offerings, incense and burning candles were placed on the shrine.

At the other side of the gravesite is a pit to make burnt offerings.  A bag of 'money' is burned to assure prosperity to the family of the deceased.

The neighboring grave

View from the gravesite 

Stopped for lunch on our way home :)

Nini and Alex

Sister Nini and President Alex of the Barat Branch invited some of the missionaries to dinner this week.  Their home is beautiful...the most American-like we have been to.  I would assume they are the wealthiest family in the church in Surabaya.  They are a generous, gracious family!   We enjoyed a delicious feast and warm friendship!

From left:  Elder Anderson, President Alex, Alexandra, Sister Nini's mother, Sister Anderson, Amanda

Standing:  Elder Simanungkalit, Elder Gil, Sister Nini