November - A Thanksgiving to Remember

November was our month to travel! 

We went to the Medan branch on November 9 for 4 days.  It is a small branch on the island of Sumatra.  Two sister missionaries that were serving in Solo several months ago participated in one of our missionary training sessions we did in Solo.  They were transferred to Medan and determined that Family History could really help the missionaries and the members there.  They asked us to come there to train missionaries, members and branch leadership.  We got permission to go so we traveled there as part of a trip we were already planning to Jakarta.

The day we arrived we went to the home of Abdi.  He is the young man who is a returned missionary in the red shorts with his parents on both sides.  He is very ill from a huge tumor that is growing in his stomach area.  We had banana bread to deliver from the mission president's wife.  He was so cheerful with us and very interested in doing family history.  He came to the fireside the next day and started entering his family names into Family Tree on Sunday.  He was so excited to prepare his ancestors names to receive the ordinances that would allow them to partake of the fullness of the Gospel! We couldn't help but think he probably feels close to his departed family as he himself may not have long to live.

Sister Pontoan and Sister Baantjer planned a beautiful "Fireside" about family history and temple work.  About 30 people attended to see their program and our presentation.

Member and non-members alike were very interested in doing their family history. When we spoke in Sacrament meeting there were 2 investigators in the meeting. At the end of the meeting they wanted a blank family pedigree sheet. They started adding names to it while they were still in the chapel. We, like the sister missionaries, think family history will be a great draw for investigators and it will help members be more active because they will be more focused on the temple. They already have a strong cultural connection to their ancestors. Throw in the gospel and the Spirit of Elijah and it should be a powerful influence that will help the branch grow and become stronger. If they can catch the vision, it will be wonderful.

Sumatra is populated primarily by descendants of the ancient Batak people. They really revere their ancestors. They have kept meticulous genealogy records that they call a Tarombo as pictured above. It is like a pedigree chart of the descendants of the original members of the tribe. They have records back for many generations. Anyone who can figure out which of the last descendants on the Taromobo they are descended from has about 15 generations of ancestors that they can easily add to their pedigree in FamilySearch.org. It is great for family history.

These are the Medan missionaries:  Elders Xiong,  Lopis,  Ajidharma, Garnet and Sisters Baantjer & Pontoan.  We were on our way to catch an Ankot for a ride to the Medan Museum.

 This is the dilapidated little Ankot we rode across town in.  We were jammed in like sardines and there was no AC.  We have never been so hot!  Another adventure!

This is the Museum in Medan.  We paid to get in and then had to ask them to turn on the lights so we could see the displays.  We never did get the lights on in some of the rooms.

 We are continue to be amazed at the ingenuity of the people when it comes to loading a motor cycle with whatever they need transported.

Catching a ride to the local department store to buy some shelves for the sister missionaries.  They live in a nice little house, but they had only the top of their refrigerator to put their kitchen items on.  They are so content with the meager furnishings they have.  They like living out of their suitcases and they eat on the street for most of their meals.

We left Medan and traveled to Jakarta where we trained 24 missionaries and meet with the Stake President to arrange training in January.  We also had the good fortune to happen upon 11 older computers in the Mission Office that were going to be recycled that we were able to nab for Family History!  Elder is working on getting operating systems, etc. for them.

 Our leaders, the all Asia Area Family History Missionary couple from Hong Kong, participated in our Jakarta training and joined us for sight seeing.  They are the Harringtons from Blackfoot, Idaho!  We had a great time with them.  We went  to Taman Mini, a national cultural center. This was a Chinese temple.

We didn't last but a few hours because it was so hot and humid!  This is a traditional building representing the Batak in Sumatera.

We spent our Thanksgiving with the other Indonesia senior missionary couples in Jogja participating in classes and sight seeing.  We enjoyed the fellowship and the helpful training we received.  The hotel was luxurious and the dining room always had lots of yummy food, but no turkey and mashed potatoes!

One day we went to this Hindu temple, Prambanon.  All tourists had to wear these little skirts for respect of the temple.  We thought these ruins were huge until we saw the Buddist temple the next day.

This is Borobudur built during the 8th and 9th century.  The three rings going around the top represent the three levels of progression in a person's existence.  Each of the round stupas going around the rings housed a Budda.  Many were decapitated by thieves before it was protected.

It was quite breathtaking to be on the top.  The stupas with the square holes represented the highest level of existence.  Here is a link with more about this amazing ruin.

Back in Jogjakarta we went to a Javanese Ballet.  We had dinner in a lovely garden area before the presentation.

The venue certainly was less impressive than the ballet itself!  This is the orchestra and the singers in front of the stage.  The talent was amazing and the costuming and make-up were beautiful.  It was a traditional love story combined with good, evil and some fantasy.

 These were the main characters.  The couple in the center were the stars of the show.  The actor on the left was the villain and the white monkey saved the day.

The little monkeys were especially entertaining!

 You can see we had an exciting November, full of all kinds of new experiences.  What a great opportunity this is for us to serve the people of Indonesia as well as experience the interesting culture.  We  love being with the fine members of the church all over the country.  They are gentle, kind and faithful people trying to do their best to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ.