Week 8: Zone Meeting in Jakarta

Our driver picked us up early Monday morning, then we picked the Sisters up and one set of Elders, the other set took a taxi.  We then drove to the airport which is an hour and a half drive on a good day with minimul traffic.  We were at the airport with lost of time to wait since the new mission rules say you are to be at the airport at least two hours before your flight.  I think they got tired of paying for missed flights.  We arrived in Jakarta after a two and a half hour flight.  Elder Tucker spent the whole flight visiting with the gentleman sitting next to him.  He is an architect.  It was interesting to listen to. A little English and a little Indonesian made for an interesting time.  Sister Jibson helped with words a few times as needed.  Elder Tucker gave him one of the pamphlets he had and he also agreed to take a Book of Mormon after we got off the plane.  He wanted a picture with us, also.  He agreed to also listen to the missionaries when he is in Medan.  He works for the government in Nias (an island off the coast of Sumatra) and also in Medan.  He was afraid to take the Book of Mormon on the plane.  So much of the government is Muslim and he is christian.

The gentleman from the plane who wanted a picture with us.

We then had another taxi ride for about an hour or so to the mission home.  While at the mission home we took care of some business, bought a few things like scriptures in Indonesian and such.  We had lunch with our missionaries (street food).  We were able to meet Elder and Sister Gong (the Area President, there for a mission tour and all zone conferences) We then went to the hotel that had been booked for us since the Mission Home was full.  It was a four or five star hotel.  We even had a really good steak dinner at one of their resturants.  It was pricey but so good.

 This a picture of our hotel room

 This is the view out of our window

We are in the back yard of the Mission Home.  To the left is where the AP's live and to the right is where the caretaker lives.

On Tuesday morning we went to one of the church buildings for zone conference, by taxi of course.  We were supposed to be there by 7am.  We had a great meeting with Elder and Sister Gong and President and Sister Donald instructing us.  They talked alot about what it would take to increase from 2 stakes to 5 stakes.  They also really stressed always asking for referals from everyone.  There was a lot of missionary participation.  All companionships, including the Senior couples,(there were 4 there) had to teach about the atonement for 5 minutes and then trade off.  It was interesting since none of the Seniors new we were going to have to do this also.  They then had a testimony meeting and then Lunch.  Pizza and fruit tarts for dessert.  It was great.  Hadn't had pizza since getting to Medan.  Everyone had the afternoon off to spend with each other, etc.  We went back to the hotel and then walked to a mall that was near by.  We walked over to Elder and Sister Lisks apartment which is the building next to the hotel.  It was pouring rain, of course.  The Lisks are the Mission office couple and the Lucharines are the welfare, humanitarian couple and they live in the same complex.  We all met for dinner at their apartment.  It was great.  Homemade soup, bread and fruit.   We left for the airport at 7am the next morning and met the Elders and Sisters there.  We caught taxi's home.  We shared with the sisters. 

Thursday was our Halloween party for the branch that the missionaries put on.  We spent the morning at the church setting up.  Our driver could not get our car and meet us until 10am so we took a bacek to the church.  We then took off to do some shopping and then returned about 3pm.  The party started at about 5pm with people starting to come about 5:30 or 6pm, which is normal.  We were so excited because Brother Manalu's(our driver, who is not a member) whole family came.  We had a presentation on Family History and then we played some games which were a great hit. Then they had dinner, which they always buy off the street for everyone.  We had candy as treats.

The Elders carving pumpkins(hard to find and expensive) and watermelon

 The Sisters decorating the Chapel/Cultural Hall for the party.

Some of the finished product

 The kids had a blast playing musical chairs.

 The adults were just as eagar to win as the kids.

Bobbing for apples was lots of fun.  Lots of wet faces.

 The last game was rolling a hard boiled egg with your nose across the floor in a relay race.  The hard part was that at the end of one way it is up hill.  Everybody had fun with this also.

 Elder Marsudi passing out dinner.  It was a piece of chicken with rice and a spicy hot seasoning wrapped in a leaf of some sort and then wrapped in paper.  It is about a dollar for each meal and I can't finish all the rice.  I am getting better at eating with my fingers which is what most people do.

                      More of the group at the party starting to eat their dinner.

Friday we spent at the church. Saturday we went to the store again to get somethings for Sunday dinner since we were having all the missionaries over.  We spent time at the church cleaning and setting up for Sunday and we had our English class.  We had 10 students come.  It was great.