Bits and Pieces

For a change, it was a rather slow week last week. Not too much going on for us.  We used the time to catch up on a lot of paper work that had been piling up.  I spent most of the time organizing our "Area Book" and making sure everything and everybody who should be in the book, was in the book.  We got some prints made of pictures taken at baptisms to put in the book and to share with the branch presidents so they will have a reminder of who the new members of their branch are.  We managed to stay busy and get a lot accomplished.  We have submitted another project dealing with schools for the Indonesian Children.  It got hung up some how and wasn't presented to the Hong Kong folks last Wednesday for approval so hopefully it will be reviewed this Wednesday and, Hopefully, approved so we can move forward with it.

We are having district conference this coming weekend.  Branches from Tawau and Sandakan will be coming to meet with the KK branches.  Elder Watson, a GA from Hong Kong, will be coming so everyone in the branches is excited to meet and hear from him.  Pres. Ling, the district president, asked us to visit some less actives.  He asked that we visit a mother and daughter who were baptized about a year ago.  Some of the members had told us that they went inactive about two weeks after being baptized and that the mother hated the church and everyone in it and the daughter had some other problems.  David Liew, the elders quorum president, called and talked with the daughter and she told us we could come and visit her.  Then she called back and asked us to come later in the day as her mother wanted to be there also.  I'm not feeling real good about this visit after all I've heard.  But off we go.  It was a wonderful visit.  They wanted to come back to church.  They just weren't sure how to do it.  Right after their baptism they had had a falling out with some other Philipino branch members and that was why they weren't coming.  The daughter had asked David to bring her an English B of M. They are Philipino.  The daughter says that when she goes back to visit family in the Philipines, she always pays her tithing there.  We offered to take them to church yesterday with us which they were anxious to do.  So many of the branch members were so happy to see them back.  When we took them home after the meetings they said it had been a wonderful day.  They are looking forward to district conference too.  The daughter wants the missionaries to come and re-teach her husband.  I learned an important lesson.  Don't judge and don't listen to rumors.

We were very saddened and heart broken once again this week.  We learned of the death of our wonderful neighbor, Nadine Fowers.  Doug and Nadine have been our neighbors for years and we dearly love them both so much.  It was quite a shock to hear that Nadine had suddenly passed away.  We love Doug and Nadine so much and are just in shock and tearful.  Nadine knew and took care of everyone in the neighborhood.  She also took care of her grandchildren each day.  For those of you who know Doug and Nadine, be sure and let Doug know how much you care about him and his family.  They will be in our prayers.

We are leaving on Wednesday for Singapore.  It is time to get our Visas chopped again.  We will also be having another senior conference while we are there.  We really enjoy the conferences and getting together with all the other seniors.  It will be our first conference with our new mission president and his wife, Pres. and Sis. Mains.  They are from Pennsylvania.  He is a convert.  What a blessing he has been to the church and his family.

Here is a picture of some of the young women I give piano lessons to:

LtoR:  Minna (piano student), Jackolyn (Primary President), Faralia (piano), Betty (piano) and CiCie (Young Single Adult representative).  All in all I have 9 piano students now.  That really keeps me busy.

When we were in Miri two weeks ago we went to the Niah Caves.  It was an hour drive from Miri and then an hour hike back into the caves.  The caves aren't like Minnetonka or Timpanogas but they were very pretty and interesting.  There is a bird called a Swiftie which makes it's nest in the caves.  The Chinese like to take their nests and use them for soup- yep bird nest soup -  and for cosmetics.  They are becoming endangered so the government will only let the nests be harvested now during three months of the year.  The nests are way up in the cave so they are very hard to get to.  They have rigged up some kind of poles to help them get the nests.  Here are some cave pictures:

  Looking out the mouth of the cave.

Sis. Atkinson and me.  We climbed "where no man dared to go."

Inside the cave.

Everyone have a great day and remember to hug your spouse extra tightly and tell them how much you love them.  You never know.  Love ya all   E/S Read