This has been a rather sloooow week. We haven't had much too do. We went to the wheel chair ceremony at the golf course. It is a really nice place and they served us a good Indonesian dinner. They had something of everything that we could enjoy. Jemmy followed behind and told us what was too spicy.

We had a meeting with the Social Affairs people and there were 8 people there. We could not understand a word and after Jemmy and Elder Subandriyo said that things are not going very good there. We had a bit of reality set in which is disappointing but things are still going to work out for us. This is something the Indonesians know here in our office but we didn't have a clue. When the Indonesia Government gets involved in projects it is for money for the government or for themselves or usually both, and since there is not money or profit from this project for personal interest, the interest level seems to have diminished. They want us to put on this big production and pay for everyone to come including food and hotel and they want to just sit back and watch. They know that this is an important subject to address on Family Enrichment but without the money factor it doesn't have their committed attention.

We are now turning our attention to the Media Group which is a part of Metro TV who has expressed a desire to help us and we were going to have them as a partner in this project. The Social Affairs Departments will be participants in the seminar both as attendees and presenters in the seminar itself. We met again with Alwi Shihab who called us first to report that he had read the booklet and felt that it was very good and it is something the Indonesians need. As usual he was very gracious to us. He volunteered to be a presenter at the seminar and he would help in the fund raising effort from private corporate and government business interest. He also gave us many names of important people to have as sponsors. He made this statement "I hope the Mormons are successful in getting many new members to join your church, it would be good for Indonesia". I don't think he really knows how good this would be for Indonesia, or maybe he does!! I wonder just how much President Packer has told him about the church, and how much he knows.

We went to lunch at the Hotel University. A couple of the students there have been coming to the English class on Thursday nights and their director said they had heard about them coming to the class and were wondering if someone could come there and teach a class of English. We said that a set of Elders would be able to come once a week. They were surprised and asked how much it would cost. When we told them it would be free they couldn't believe it. They said at least we can pay for transportation and we told them that wouldn't be possible. They have us come to lunch all the time. Yesterday we had Chicken Cordon Bleu. The elders always enjoy the lunch so they are happy to spend an hour teaching them.

Today we went to the golf club again. This time it is for the women golfer. So it was another good lunch. We couldn't understand anything, but we were there. We gave them 5 wheel chairs. It is just a long time in the car always no matter where we go.

We are also busy with wheelchair projects at this time. We just had 500 wheelchairs come into Medan the middle of the month. We have schedule a ceremony for the first of March. The NGO is the Lions Club Mr. Purba who is President of the Club in Medan who is also the Legislator for that Region. He is a very likeable man. He will have an extension of the cleft lip and palate project going there right now that was started in December. We will interact with the doctors there. This will be a good experience as we see those who have needed a wheelchair receive their first wheelchair and will be able to be mobile. These children who receive the cleft lip operation; it's an incredible thing to see the change that comes to their faces and their demure. They are free from the emotional stress and this increases their self esteem. We will look forward to this experience. We also have 500 wheelchairs coming into Jakarta (we have difficulty getting them clear to come into Jakarta without duty, we were not successful, but we have remedied that problem) which we are going to ship all over the Island of Java to be distributed by other missionary couples.

We had the Elders to dinner on Sunday. We try to do that when the Pres is not here. I just fixed Lasagna, French bread, broccoli and fresh pineapple (2), brownies and ice cream. There was not one crumb left. One of the Elder's Mother had sent him a cookie mix for his birthday. He had come over and mixed and baked them too. So there was a lot of food. I hope that Terry gets to have dinner with the couple missionaries at least one time. We love having them here. They are so good to us. Last night they had made a drink like Orange Julius and they came over and gave us some. They asked the other night though if I always cook our dinner everyday and Dad said, "She sure does." They said well we are willing any time to clean up any of the leftovers.

We have spent most of the week in the office. Dad has been trying to put together a time line from the beginning of the things that have taken place with the Family Enrichment Program for Elder Subandriyo. He has had me digging in my journal for dates of when we went to see this person and where etc. It is a good thing I a record of it. Elder Subandriyo also wants us to put together a scrapbook from about 2002 through now of all the projects that have been done by LDSC with pictures and a little description of each project. That is a lot of work. So I guess I know what I can do with my time in the office.

Elder Subandriyo and Dad had a couple of meetings this week. One with the Social Affairs office with a gal named Susi. She is the director of Women Empowerment. She is going to be on the steering committee for the Seminar. At the last minute Elder Subandriyo couldn't go so I went with him. The next day they had one with Alwi Shihab. I would like to meet him, but they didn't take me this time. He is going to help with the seminar. He thinks it is going to be great.

We took the sister missionaries to Burger King for lunch. You would have thought we had taken them to an expensive restaurant. They were so excited. There is a new sister that came in last week. She is from Calif. I also made cookies and we went to Berkasi to inspect the apt of the Elders there. They have 1 English elder and 3Indonesian elders living there. They live in a terrible place. I feel so sorry for them. The roof leaks every time it rains which is almost every day and they have water coming in the kitchen from another source, which is probably sewer water that they have to scoop out of the kitchen every day. I hate to go there because it is so awful, but it builds their spirit to have us come and bring them cookies.

Elder Garn who is a member of the seventies and is in the Area Pres from Hong Kong is here. He has meeting with all of the Dist Pres. Elder Garn and his wife were both born in Tremonton and graduated with Dad. So Dad is anxious to meet him. They will be in meetings all day today.

Tomorrow we have church, but during that we have to go to a golf tournament for a wheel chair ceremony for the Social Affairs Dept. I know it is Sunday, but they don't know that. So we have to do it. We will not be participating by golfing however. That would be funny. It is a big National tournament I guess. We got a formal invitation but of course we can't read it. We just go when we are told and hope we are right.

We really had a great week. It was great to get away and be with all the couples in the mission. There are 10 couples right now here. Between June and September most of the couples will be going home and I don't know how many couples that are going to be replaced. We have already been told that the Humanitarian couple in Borgor are not going to be replaced which is going to put a real burden on us because we will have to go up there all the time to check on the water projects.

We got to Bali about noon on Monday and we were met there with a leis greeting. It was so neat. We all had a lunch and some went swimming and to the beach. We went with Induh (Jemmys wife) and the Davis to a little Indonesian shopping place. Induh helped us to get some good deals. I brought a batik quilt for $12.50. I can't make one for that. We had a dinner that evening at a special restaurant that the President took us too. We had some special Balinese food. Some of it was OK some was not. Then they had some special Balinese Traditional Dancers, which was really good.

We had the conference meeting the next morning at 8:00 so we were up early to get ready for that. We met with about 10 other couple missionaries. We received instruction from our mission president and from the Public Affairs Specialists in Singapore. Then we all gave presentations about ourselves and what we are doing. It was good to see what the couples that have been out longer have accomplished. After the conference all the other couples went to play but we had a really neat gathering with 4 people from the governor's office. We talked about getting them some wheelchairs and they were really excited and asked when we would have time to meet with the Governors wife. We made an appointment for Friday Morning at 9:00 am. The need for wheelchairs is so great and it is difficult to get them here duty free.

The next afternoon we went with Jemmy, Induh and some of the other couples. Jemmy took us to an interesting place where the Hindus go to a Temple and take their food to be blessed along with them and there is quite a ceremony. Then he took us to a monkey forest. They are all over this place and you buy peanuts to feed them. There is a guide that goes around with you to make sure that the monkey are good and don't bite you. Dad and I were walking along a path and all of the couples had gone ahead of us. All of a sudden a monkey jumped right up on my shoulder. I was more than shocked. The guide told me to hold very still. I thought that was so the monkey would not bite me, but she was trying to get my camera off my wrist so that Ralph could take pictures. He took several pictures and she tried to coax the monkey to get off, but it was very comfortable. She finally took her shoe off and was ready to beat it and it jumped off. I was quite relieved. That was an adventure to say the least.

We finally had a whole day just to go and see Bali. Jemmy and Induh again arranged to take most of the couples. They took us to a little program with Balinese Dancers it was so very good. Then to a silver factory and we watched them handcraft all kinds of necklaces, bracelets, watches etc. It was very interesting. All by hand. We went up a mountain to a volcano, but it was in the clouds. We had a lot of rain on and off all week, but we really weren't ever out where we got rained on. We did have lunch up there and would have had a beautiful view of the volcano it the clouds hadn't been there. We spent the afternoon touring some other places and got back to the hotel just in time to freshen up and go to a valentine dinner party. The President had to go home after the meeting on Tuesday, but he had Jemmy set this all up and he paid for it. We had a steak dinner and a singer that entertained us with songs in English. The Ocean was just down the road a ways from the hotel, but we never even got a chance to walk down there. Nor did we get to go to swimming pool at the hotel.

Balinese Dancer

Dad holding a bat

We went to our early appt with the Governor's wife and found that her husband had been called to a special meeting with the Pres. and she had gone with him, but her first assistant was there along with many others and we had a very good meeting and we are going to get some wheelchairs for them through LDSC. So we are going to be able to go back to Bali again for that ceremony. I am amazed every week the things that we are doing. We can see that the Lord is leading us to these different places. He places us at the right place at the right time.

We got up at 12:30 am to watch the funeral of Pres Hinckley. We have satellite here since we live in the compound. However it was in Indonesian. So we got the laptop and set it on KSL radio and turned down the volume on the TV the only problem was there was about a 2-minute delay, but that was Ok. Sunday they didn't cancel church here, but the Indonesian Branch held a short Sacrament Meeting and then they started to watch the proceeding beginning with the procession from the mortuary.

After the meeting we went back because we have been helping to teach that family. They taught them the plan of salvation, and they liked it, but we are still wondering if there is a real interest or just wanting information about the church. What a good family. They want me to teach them how to make chili.

Monday morning we left for Surabaya the plane of course was 2 hours late leaving. We went to Zone conference and we got there just as they were having lunch. The Pres. wanted Ralph to show the missionaries about all the projects we have been involved in. He loves to show the pictures and talk about them. The elders have helped him to put together his pictures. After that we went to a really luxurious hotel, The Shangri –La.
The Front of the Hotel

The Swimming Pool Area

We went to a blind school for a ceremony, because LDSC had donated some Braille equipment to the school. They were so appreciative. On the way there the Elders passed us on their bikes. What a sight weaving in and out of all the traffic. Pres Marchant told Sister Marchant to close her eyes. If only their Mothers could see what they were doing. Makes me wonder about what Terry is doing that I shouldn't be seeing. They beat us to the place we were going. Traffic is not quite as bad in Surabaya as Jakarta, but close.


After we went to the ceremony we went on a tour to a cigarette factory. That is right. I wondered if we should do that, but it turned out to be really interesting. There was about 300 women working there and there is not much automation it was mostly done by hand from the rolling each cigarette to packaging. Their hands were working so fast you could hardly see them move. I couldn't believe my eyes.

On Wednesday we went to the Presidential Palace again to meet with Nurhayati Assegat. She is such a delightful lady. I don't think she is going to be helping us too much however. Then in the afternoon we went to meet with Gunawan Sumodiningrat he is so fun to visit with. He is really excited about what we are going to be doing and is going to be a lot of help. We had a graduation that we were suppose to be to for the English students. The traffic was so bad because it was the day before the Chinese New Year. (sort of like New Years Eve.) We were about 40 minutes late for the graduation and we went in and found out that they were waiting for us. I felt so bad. Anyway it was a long day.

It was nice to just have a day to catch up again with the washing etc. Dad had to speak to the Indonesian Branch about Self- Reliance. We also had English class, but no one came, because of the Chinese New Year. They all take a day off around here when there is any kind of holiday. It doesn't matter who is celebrating. At least it didn't take us almost 2 hours to get to the church.

We have to go up to Bandung and back tomorrow I hope that Dad can take the trip in one day. He is doing much better though.

We are getting all ready to go to Bali. The Davis's got us tickets for a really cheap price, but we just found out that the person they trusted to buy the tickets took off with the money and left town. So now the tickets are not so cheap because we have to buy them again. It is only costing us $130. For each of us and that includes the money we lost.

We went to Borgor on Monday to a Gong Factory. It was so interesting-they had these fires going where they were heating up this metal and then they would take it out of the fire and start pounding on it. Then we watch as they shaped them the way they wanted it. It was like going back 2000 years to see the way they were doing it.

We taught the English class on Tuesday they are such good young people. We have our drivers son in the class he has just finished his mission and he would like to go to school, but this test they have to take (the Michigan test) is so hard that none of them are able to past the test. In order to apply at BYU Hawaii they have to pass this test. They are working on getting the Perpetual Education Fund here in Indonesia, which would help so of these kids to get an education. These are bright kids and they deserve to have a chance in life.

We have started to have meetings to prepare for the Family Enrichment Program. We met with Elder Subandyrio and Jemmy on Wed. We were going to have a conversation over satellite with Elder Palmer in Singapore, which was so interesting how that works. We could see right into the office there in Singapore, but he was not at the office so we were not able to talk to him. So Elder Subandryio just asked him to fly down for the meeting on Fri. We were suppose to meet with Metro TV, Jemmy, Elder Palmer, Elder Subandriyo and us on Fri here at the office. Everyone was here, but we had a really bad rainstorm and Ira from Metro TV was unable to make it here. Traffic is so bad here in Jakarta that rain can just stop everything. We are going to be meeting every week for a while. We have meeting scheduled next week with the secretary to the First Lady again at the Palace and then we will go from there to the Minister of Social Affairs and meet with him again. I can't believe the things we are doing and the places that we are going. Elder Palmer is coming again next week. That is if he can get here. John took him to the airport to catch his plane they were gone for almost 6 hours and they came back because they couldn't make it to the airport on time for his flight. They left at 2:30 his flight was at 6:00 and they came back here at 8:00. They are trying again this morning, but it isn't raining yet so maybe they will make it.

The translators here have been working feverishly trying to get all the translating done and ready for President Hinckley’s funer. So I guess all the talks are written so they it can be broadcast worldwide. I have never realized that before. They will be starting on the conference talks here soon.

We are flying to Surabaya next week to go to a closing ceremony at a blind school where LDSC donated some Braille equipment. I wish we could go to some of these places and see something interesting there, but we just fly in and fly out.

The wheel chairs are here too and Dad needs to get them distributed to the different places. He is saying if he doesn't think he is going to be able to get it done next week and maybe we won't be going to Bali. I told him maybe he won't be going. So he better get his work done.
Well I hope you all have a great week.. The snow just keeps coming. We are really getting the rain now.

As hard as this month has been I can't believe that it has been one month already since Christmas. There is so much work to be done that he has to step up the pace. Jemmy who is over the public relations for the church is the one who has been bringing the Physical Therapist here for Dad. He is a really go-getter and him and his wife either know a lot of important people or they are related to them. So they are a great help to us. His Dad was high up in the government and he spent most of his younger life living in the area where the Palace is.

On Tuesday night he had made an arrangement to meet with Gunawan Sumodiningrat who is the Director of Social Affairs (the same job that Gov Leavitt has in the US) He got his PHD from the University of Minnesota. He has other status here also he is a Prince. I thought that Dad would just be going with Jemmy and Pres. Marchant, but when it was time to go Jemmy came to our house and he had his wife with him. So I quickly got ready to go. We had just eaten dinner, because the meeting was not until 7:00 pm. They took us to the Sultan Hotel. A very nice place. Sometime when we go to these place it is just like stepping into America. So then we were thinking maybe we would just go into the coffee shop, but no we went into the restaurant for dinner.

As we talked to them about the Family Enrichment program he was very excited about what we are going to do. He spoke in very good English. He suggested that the conference we are having in July be attended by all of the 38 Governors of Indonesia. He believes that families are in trouble here and he agrees that emphasis on strengthening the family and holding family home evening would help Indonesian become a stronger nation. He likes the FE manual and he is looking forward to being able to have the one that is translated in Indonesian. He would like to have about 200 people attend this seminar, including the managers that work for him in each of the 38 provinces. He was pleased that the Media group would also be involved in the project.

Then he said that October they are having a meeting for all the Ministers of Social Welfare in Bali and he said, "I want you to be there to help." The attendees will be from many countries such as Japan, China, and Australia just to name a few. The topic of discussion there is how to strengthen families in these Asian Countries. It will be held in English. Then he wants us to visit each of the provinces and help with the program in each area. That would be fun, but by the time they really get this going we will be coming home, but it will be great for the new couple that comes here. Dad has really done a great job in getting this together.

Then we had to go to Bandung. They are trying to get a clean water project going there and the village leaders were a little uncertain about who was behind the financial part of this project. So Dad had to speak with them. I was concerned about us traveling up there again, but the Pres let us take his car, which is a much nicer car. We did Ok. And we had a good time with the Davis too. We stayed up there overnight, because Dad didn't want to make that trip in one day. After we had been up in the mountains to see the people about the water we came back and on the way we stopped and picked fresh strawberries. Can you believe that? I said here it is in the middle of January and we are picking strawberries. I will try to send pictures another day.

The week has just got busier. We have taught English class, but we did not go to the English class on Thursday night, because we had just got from Bandung. On Friday the sisters said there was someone there that wanted to visit with us. There has been a gal coming with two little boys to learn English. One time it was raining and she said her little boys had prayed that the rain would stop so they could come to English class, because they have to walk. I was talking to her one night and asking about her husband and she told me that he knew English and he wanted his family to speak English. I said, "where did he learn English?" and she said, "He went to school in Kentucky." Of all places. I told her I had a son in Kentucky and she called her husband right up and had me talk to him on the phone right in class. So the sisters made arrangements for us to meet with them today at the church. It was really great after talking to them for a while Dad asked them if they would like to learn about our church and they said No problem. Which means yes here. He had his Dad with him too. So we begin to teach them. The sisters were helping. After about 1 ½ hours we had to go so we tried to set another date for them. The Sisters said how about next weekend and they said, "How about tomorrow?" So we are going to meet with them again. They are Muslim so I don't know what will come of it.

English Students

We had a dinner tonight in Borgor for the NGO, which have been helping with different projects up there. It was very nice. We went up with the Pres. and Sister Marchant it made the trip go faster. Dad is feeling better tonight even after a busy day so I hope that he is getting better. I hope because it is much better to be busy than to sit around here. We have Zone conference this week and next week we will be going to East Java to a place called Surabuya. That will be a new experience too.

Pictures

This is how they cut our grass

A man sewing on the street

We are in a cart that is typical for the area

This man is plowing his field to plant rice