Senior Couples in Kuching – Lots of Pictures!

We have two weeks left on our mission. By the time this is posted we will be down to our last week!

Monday we flew to Kuching to spend a little time with some of our senior couple friends before we head home. Elder and Sister Hammer are stationed in Kuching with Elder and Sister Slider. Elder and Sister Evensen flew from Miri on Public Affairs business so we were all together. We fly home in two weeks with the Sliders.

Monday afternoon we were able to go to the Sarawak Malaysian Culture Center. It's similar to the Polynesian Culture Center in Hawaii, but not as big. The first thing we saw was their cultural dance program. Here are a few highlights.

There were several displays in many of the various ethnic houses that showed the culture of the major tribes in Sarawak. Here are some pictures of the grounds and different dwellings of the ethnic tribes, along with some still shots from the show.

Wooden steps looking down 

Wooden steps from the side

Blow dart demonstration

Sape Player

Sape player (Yes, he's clothed in a loin cloth!)

Iban Warrior Dancer 

Shaman Shrine

That night we all went to dinner at a place called Howdy's.

The Evensens, Sliders, Hammers, and Bodells
This was a panorama shot with a handoff to Sister Evensen to catch the Bodells.

Tuesday we spent some time at the church, then took off to the waterfront. We went back to the waterfront on Wednesday as well. 

The Wisers, Evensens, Bodell, Hammers, and Sliders

Kuching is the Malay word for cat. How Kuching got its name I don't know. There is cat museum in Kuching. We didn't go inside, but the view is amazing. There are also several cat statues within the city.

Cat Museum

View from the museum, overlooking Kuching

Nice view of us, too!

Tree canopy

Chinese New Year is still being celebrated. It's a two-week celebration. Here are just a few pictures of some decorations in Kuching.

It's the Year of the Monkey.

This display rotated. 

The monkey is surrounded by other animals of the Chinese zodiac.

One of several displays in this particular mall

We took a little boat ride across the river in Kuching because a Malay woman told we should go. There wasn't a lot to see, but the boat ride was worth it. It cost RM 1.00 round trip. That's about 25¢! Fort Margherita is across the river. It dates back to 1879 and was also used in WWI and WWII. Of course, everything is right in the middle of the jungle.

Our destination 

Our boat captain

Not our boat, but similar

Docked at our destination

Fort Margherita

Love the size of the leaves!

Good advice!
Found this plaque at an eatery along the river front.

We got back from Kuching Wednesday evening. Thursday was a catch up and laundry day. Friday we thought we'd better see if we could get the rest of our souvenir shopping done and get things mailed home. Well, some of the souvenir shopping was done, but we haven't made it to the post office yet.

On many of our trips to the Bandar (downtown shopping area) I had noticed some wonderfully carved pineapple. I saw them again today and took Sister Bodell to see them. The fellow who carves them was there wielding his knife on the fruit. It was fun to watch and delicious to eat later.

How to Carve a Pineapple

The finished product

Seminary and Institute inservice is scheduled for this week and next. We've been excused since there is so much to do and so little time to get it done before going home. We did, however, attend the S&I inservice in Sibu Saturday afternoon. President Lai (our boss) and Juswan Tandiman (President Lai's boss) were here. 

Seminary & Institute Inservice in Session

Back Row: President Lai, Sister Bodell, Brother Tandiman, Alex, President Gara
Front Row: Elder Bodell, President Chua, Elder C, Elder R

A Seminary Visit with Elders D & T, Sister Bodell, and Brother Tandiman

Later that evening the Branch One Relief Society had a special going away party for Sister Bodell. I went along for the ride and took this picture. Funny! It doesn't look like a Relief Society function.

Typical seating arrangement for a branch party

It's been a good week, a busy week, a fast week. We only have one more week left in Sibu. Next Saturday evening we will say our good-byes. Sunday we will be on a plane bound for Singapore.

Chinese New Year, Transfers, English Class Blitz

It's that time again. Happy Chinese New Year! It's Sunday evening, and we're surrounded with the sounds of war. It's not really a war, but it sounds like it with all the fire crackers and fireworks. It doesn't seem as bad as last year, but then, it's not midnight yet. The sights are pretty much the same so I don't have any new pictures to share; however, I discovered a haiku on the internet about the Chinese New Year celebration in Sibu. I thought I'd share.

Visit Malaysia Year Haiku - Chinese New Year Eve In Sibu (State Of Sarawak)

Chinese New Year 

the cops turn a deaf ear 

to the fire crackers 

Chinese New Year 

home for those intense dizzying 

auspicious fire crackers 

Chinese New Eve 

the sky a scene of US 

invasion of Baghdad 

Chinese New Year 

firecrackers blast away old year 

lighting up the new 

john tiong chunghoo

The sounds of war continued late into the night and really picked up at 11:50 PM. This is when they woke me up. I have no idea how much our next-door neighbors spent on fireworks and firecrackers, but they didn't let up until about 2:00 AM! Sherrie was blessed with a sound sleep. The sounds and light were quite the distraction of me. The sounds throughout the city started dwindling at 2:00 AM as well. It was nice to get a little sleep. There have been some sporadic fireworks this morning, but not like last night's display. I will be needing a nap later this afternoon.

The good thing about Chinese New Year is that we get to visit friends. We were able to visit President Chua Huat's and his family at their home. This is the first time that his daughter, Charity, has let me hold her. Is she cute or what?

Elder Bodell, Charity, and Sister Bodell

Transfers were announced Monday. We are happy to know that Elder D will be coming from Mukah to replace Elder A who is moving on to Singapore. The rest of the district is staying the same. Those who are here now will be those who see us off in about two weeks. Elder T, who has been in Sibu since he arrived in the mission field several transfers ago, made a prophecy in joking that he would stay here until we left. His prophecy has been fulfilled. It may be for our benefit. We sure love and appreciate him!

It has been a rather slow week with Chinese New Year celebrations going on. Many of the stores were closed all week. The missionaries decided that they would have an English class flyer blitz Thursday evening before the class on Friday. We were invited to come along.

The blitz took place on the street of the biggest mall in Sibu, the Wisma Sanyan. We all had our assignments. Sister Bodell and I had a bench in front of the mall while the Elders took to the street. We were able to talk with a few people and invite them to the class. We thought for sure that a grandmother and her grandson would come, but they didn't. Maybe next week? This blitz did not produce any new students for the English class. Hopefully there will be more next week. It's probably a good thing there were any new students because two of the Elders were ill and couldn't teach.

Sister Bodell prior to the beginning of the blitz

As I said, it's been a slow week, but the next two weeks will probably go by pretty fast. Monday we are flying Kuching for a few days. This is our last time to be together with some other senior couples that we have grown to love and appreciate, but more on that next week.

FYI: We leave Sibu two weeks from today, flying to Singapore. We'll spend Monday there, then fly out early Tuesday morning bound for home, arriving in SLC later that afternoon. It's amazing what time zone changes will do!

Until next week . . .

Chinese Temple, the Young Elders, Baptism

Anything new under the sun? There hasn't been a lot of new activity this week. We did take the Elders to the Tiger Temple. This makes our third or fourth (or more) trip there. It always fascinates me though. I still find it very interesting, but I didn't take any new pictures there.

After the Tiger Temple we went to one more Chinese temple, one that we hadn't been to before. It, too, was very interesting. I did take some pictures inside and out.

Thursday evening we had the opportunity to visit and have dinner with Brother Gaadong, Sister Norlia, and their family.  Elders T and A gave a nice lesson on the importance of having living prophets on the earth. They quoted Amos 3:7 which says: Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

After the lesson we had a lovely dinner. Sister Norlia is such a great cook! This family is strong in the Gospel and in the Church. Brother Gaadong is the 1st counselor in the branch presidency as well as the branch clerk. He does it all because the branch president is unable to attend every week.

Elder A, Ray, Brother Gaadong, Anne, Elder T, Sister Norlia, Amanda, and Perry

This isn't the most interesting news, but add this for my benefit. I changed the water filters this week. It was time to change all three of them. There is a schedule we follow in changing the filters.

Change filter #1 every other month

Change filters 1 & 2 every other other month.

Change filters 1, 2, & 3 every other other other month.

This is for a two people house. If there are four missionaries in a house, they should do it twice as often.

The water filter system

Lunch with the district at an Indonesian restaurant. The BBQ chicken was excellent!
Elders C, LW, M, R, A and T

River view. Gotta love the color of the water!

The missionaries do more than just teach the Gospel. They also teach the YM how to tie neckties.

Elder A with Perry and Ray. 

We frequently have the opportunity to transport the Elders.
Elders, T, A, R, and M

We have been blessed to have the Elders come by and wash our cars.
Elders T, R, A, and M

Saturday evening was the baptism of Brother Unggan and Sister Liza. This is a great couple and family. They attend all three hours of church each week. It is now a mission requirement that investigators must attend the completer three-hour block of church for at least three weeks before they are baptized. This helps them understand what they are getting themselves into.

Yes, there are members that need to be taught the same thing. I had to laugh Sunday morning when President Gara, Branch 1 President, immediately left Sacrament meeting after the closing prayer and sat in front of the doors to the church, barring the way for anyone to leave unless they had a good excuse. One of the Elder sneaked a picture of him. He's going to send it to me. Hopefully I can include it next week.

Today, Sunday, has been a pretty good day. Both branches functioned for the most part. We had members of Branch 3, the Chinese Branch, come to either of the other branches for the Sacrament. Today is Chinese New Year's Eve so their meetings were cancelled because not many members are left.

We are gearing up for night little sleep. Last year the fire crackers and fireworks began before the New Year and continued for weeks.  It hasn't been as boisterous as last year. We can only wait and see what the New Year brings. I do know that we do have several invitations to visit people tomorrow. If there is anything worth writing about next week, I will include it. Until then. . .