Elephants and more wedding

This week the Elders asked us to join them on their PDay.  They wanted to go to Lok-Kawi, the local zoo about 30 minutes down the road.  I think they just wanted someone to share the cost of the bus ride out there, but it was nice of them to ask us to go.  They were really stoked to go because they have elephant rides there.  For Rm5 (about $1.75 US) you can ride an elephant.  The elephant rides were at 11:00 and 3:00.  They wanted to ride at 11:00 because they had teaching appointments later that evening and two of the elders were going on splits to Sandakan, about a 6 hr bus ride from KK.  We got out to the zoo about 9:30 just in time for it to open.  But, to the elders dismay, the elephant rides are only on weekends, holidays or school holidays.  Boy were they ever bummed out.  They even told the zoo they would pay extra if they would just let them ride an elephant that day.  It didn't work.  No elephant rides.  It is so very very sad when you look at the elders and they are crying because they can't ride an elephant.  HOWEVER, they did tell them they could get in the paddock with the two baby elephants and pet them.  That seemed to console them some.

Elder O'Driscoll and Elder Jacob Reid petting the elephant.

WOW.  I've never been this close to a real live elephant before.  It's true their hides are very tough and very wrinkly and they have bristly hair poking out all over.  This elephant had been throwing dirt on his back so he was rather dirty too.  But what a neat experience.
The elephants love to play "tug" with you.  They will reach through the fence and grab your leg or arm with their trunk and then pull and tug.  The elders had a ball playing this game with the elephants.  It was so fun to watch them interacting with the elephants.  They were just like little kids.

They are very strong and if there wasn't a fence between you they could easily pull you off your feet.  The keeper said they wouldn't hurt you, they just love to play.
When we got back from the zoo we went to visit one of the recent converts we have been teaching.  He is such a fine young man and is trying so hard to be a good member.  He lives in just a small one room shack.  When we got there, some other people were living there and they told us he had moved.  I couldn't have felt worse.  His name is Jerni (Journey) and he is Indonesian.  Over here the Indonesians and the Philipinos get all the lousy jobs for the lousiest of pay.  It must really be bad in Indonesia and the Philipines to think you have it better working in Malaysia.  Jerni had to move about 1/2 hr out of KK which means he is not near any church.  My heart is broken.  Please pray for Jerni to be able to come back to KK.  Maybe someone could even put his name in the temple for me.
The members we had been teaching the temple prep class to went to the temple this week!  There were about 12 of them.  They are such a wonderful group and they were so so excited to go.  For some of them it may be the only time they get to go in their entire life.  When I told them how many temples we have around us they couldn't believe it.  Everyone please go to the temple because you live so close.  You don't know what a blessing that is in your life.  People here must save and plan for years just to be able to go one time.
For FHE we made the flowers for Pres. Fausto's wedding.

Here are some of the YSA making the baskets which will be the centerpieces for the eating tables.  The girl behind me is Ebony and she is the one in charge of all the decorations and the all the music.
We also put together the hygiene kits for us to deliver to Bukit Harapan on the 30th.  We put together 50 of these kits for the children there.  We now have all the educational toys and we have paid for the special shoes and the hygiene kits are ready to go.  It will be fun to bring our 1st project to a close on the 30th.  This week we have made appointments to visit with three other different organizations to see if we can help them some how.  Keep your fingers crossed.  We really want to come up with a bunch more projects and use all the money that is in our budget this year.  Then we can ask for more money for next year.

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