They have huge Koi here – these were at the hotel we stayed at for Couples’ Conference. The next is a shot of my garden – slightly smaller than the one at home. Another different motorcycle load. They cut the grass and then take it home to feed their animals. At least if this one fell over, nothing much would be damaged.
19 May 2007 – Saturday

It is going to be a long day – I woke at 3:30 and Mary at 4:15. I could not get the English program out of my head long enough to fall back to sleep. I am not sure what was Mary’s problem. Her eye looks about the same except for some reason this morning the eyelid is quite red. It does not hurt, it only looks a little strange.

I spent much of the morning studying Indonesian. If we get nothing else from this mission, we are going to be able to read Indonesian fairly well. Hopefully we will also be able to communicate. Today was a good day – I managed to remember most of the vocabulary I learned yesterday. We read from the Kitab Mormon and found that a section of a verse is completely left out of the Indonesian version. Mary thinks it is because it was translated before the new scriptures came out with some corrections.

We had a normal Saturday at the office – that is no one came in and so we took the time to write and study. Mary did have a diversion when a sister came in to have a piano lesson. She is a real beginner so she has a lot to learn.  I wrote to Elder Subandriyo about the Intensive English Class and the Mushroom project. Hopefully we will move ahead with the first and later the second. Mary started a long letter to be sent to our family and friends. We read from the Kitab Mormon for an hour. Alma and Amulek teaching the Zoramites.

When 2 came around we were ready to head home. The rest of Saturday was very quiet. We studied some – another hour from Kitab Mormon – and Mary finished her letter. Before we knew it, it was time for bed.

One thing that is very positive for me is that I feel that my prayers are drawing me closer to God and Christ. Whenever I feel a need to talk to my Father in Heaven I just stop and let my prayer run through my mind and I feel His presence. It is wonderful feeling to sense that God and Christ are so close and ready to hear my voice asking for their help. I think this is such a special time in our lives – to be here in Indonesia serving Them by serving the people of Indonesia. It is a shame that more couples are not taking this great opportunity to do so much good. I am already looking forward to doing it again for as long as our health allows us to serve. I know why Ron and Anne Jamison and other go home for just long enough to re-connect with their children and grand children and then go out again.