Whoosh! Was that February?

    

SISTER DOUGLAS AND DAVIS DOING THE THE MACARENA

AT THE DOUGLASES FAREWELL

CUTE HUH?

ONE OF THE LITTLE GIRLS DANCING ON MY BACK

REMINDS US OF OUR GRANDKIDS WHICH WE REALLY MISS

What happened to the month?  That's what I would like to know.  Since our last posting we have been at home in KK just tending to business.  Elder and Sister Douglas left for their home in Alberta, Canada, last week and Elder and Sister Thomas left yesterday so we are the only senior couple left in Sabah and there used to be 4 couples.  At this point, none of them are being replaced.
     We are staying busy but are swinging our focus more in the direction of the members of the Church here in KK. We have a new Branch President, Curdy Money, who was sustained today along with Ian Martin and Simon Francis as counselors.  There is some leadership training to do there.
     We started our week off with a really great mission conference in Miri where Elder Russell M. Nelson and his wife met with us.  It was the first time an apostle of the Lord has been on the island of Borneo.  He gave us encouragement and inspiration.  It was prophesied that the Church will flourish in East Malaysia.  We also heard from a member of our Area Presidency, Elder Watson and his wife, and President and Sister Clark were also present.  It is always nice to see Pres and Sister Clark.  They are so very supportive of the work we do.
     Last week we went out visiting branch members and one stop was at a the home of a new member, Gary. who was baptized a few weeks ago.  And then last evening we attended a baptism for 4 adults: Sisters Senley and Norianah, and Brothers Jimmy and Cristoph.  Senley is Gary's wife.  Jimmy is Gary's brother.  Norianah is Jimmy's wife. And Cristoph is Norianah's brother.  Between the 2 couples there are 5 children under 6 years of age (two are 3 month old babies).  They live in very humble homes, on site of their work which is building custom wooden furniture. This is quite a distance from the church and they have to take 3 buses and spend one hour plus (and money) getting just one way to church.

GARY'S FAMILY...FOUR BAPTIZED SATURDAY

DISTRICT PRESIDENT AND HIS WIFE

KNEELING IN THE BACK

NORIANAH JUST BAPTIZED

  We can see their strong testimonies shining in their eyes.  They will be the leaders in the KK branch some day.  Those children will have the advantage of having been raised in the Church, going to Primary, Seminary, and Institute, and possibly of serving missions.  Before joinging they were walking 5 minutes to the church of one of their fathers who is a pastor. Now they take three busses and 6 little kids and spend one hour each way and 50 ringetts to go to our church. This is because they feel something special there and want all they can get.

ONE OF THE STUDENTS WITH HER NEW GLASSES

THESE ARE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE

THEY LOVED LISTENING TO ELLEN
WHO WAS ENCOURAGING THEM TO
GO ON TO SCHOOL

     We also had the opportunity to go with the Rotary Club to disburse eye glasses again.  This time we went to a secondary school in Papar, a small town to the south.  The school serves a large area, part of which is very rural and the people are quite poor.  Hence, the need for 17 students to receive the glasses from LDS Charities/Rotary Club.  The girls wanted to talk to me (practice their English) so I took the opportunity to tell them how important school is for them.  They will be the leaders in the community some day and even more important, they will be mothers  and they must be smart to be able to teach their children and encourage them to be leaders in their young country.  

JELLY FISH!! ON THE LOWER LEFT OF THE DISH

YES WE ATE SOME...

ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD

      That evening we attended a Rotary International Night at one of the really grand hotel/resorts here in KK.  All seven of the KK Rotary Clubs got together for this event which included a very nice dinner and then each club did a skit to introduce the slogan for the coming year which didn't make that much of an impression on me because I can't remember what it is.  It must be something about helping the less fortunate because that is what they do.

Tonight we are watching and listening to the finale of the Chinese New Year's fireworks which marks the end of the CNY as it is referred to here. It started Feb 14th. There has been a large number of businesses shut down and for some all for the two weeks. It is really a big deal here bigger than Christmas at home. And you thought this was a muslim country? We see the whole valley below us and there is fireworks from one end to the other.

ELDER AND SISTER NELSON VISITED US IN MIRI, SARAWAK

We had the privilege of witnessing the first time an apostle of the Lord has set foot on the island of Borneo, Russell M Nelson. He was here for the district conference in Miri. He then spoke to the missionaries here. He said that the work will flourish here in East Malaysia. He then said that was a prophecy. I have never heard one of the 12 or the 1st presidency state something like that. However our mission president said that every time an apostle has made that kind of a statement about the growth of the church the work has just exploded!

It will be very interesting to look back at our journals in 10 years and compare then to now!!

Hope you are all well and feeling blessed.

Bill & Ellen