The missionaries we were with today. Sister Sadimin – the second from the right – will move to Solo tomorrow. She is a wonderful missionary and gave up much to serve. The elders from the Tangerang branches and the Assistants to the President. Starting on the left in the middle picture – Elders Prause, Thiemann, Herman, Burr, Laki and Djarkodi. On the right in the end picture are our host the Kusumarmantos.
Mary with her beautiful batik shawl, Diandra Subandriyo, and a man resting or sleeping on his motorcycle. We are going to miss all the interesting sites of Jakarta but perhaps this experience will open my eyes to the interesting scenes in Utah and the US.
28 May 2008 – Wednesday
Slept well and had no desire to go to the gym. My excuse was that we needed to clean up the apartment at somewhat before our guests arrive early this morning. It turned into being a real P-Day – that is Preparing to Go Home. We started in one corner of the apartment and went through everything. We put them in five boxes or stacks – things we need now and will need in Hong Kong, things we want to keep but do not need until we get home, things that we will leave for the Rebers, things that we will give to others, and trash. So we had to make many decisions and filled lots of boxes – and still are filling them.
The sisters did not come until 8:30 because they had trouble getting four young ladies out of the house on time. They seemed to have a great time playing tennis and then taking a hot shower. But the real treat came when we let them go through the food we still have and they thought they had died and gone to heaven. They were especially happy to see the many cans of soup and the cereal.
We continued our P-day by going to the latest and greatest multiplex in the city to see the latest edition of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Unfortunately the special theater that provides bed like seating – really more like comfortable loungers – does not open until 6:30. So we had to settle for one with large comfortable seats that rock. Tickets are only $3 but pop-corn and other goodies are almost as expensive as in the US. I thought the movie was good entertainment and reminded me of a comic book based one. It is surprising that someone hasn’t produced a comic book based on Indiana Jones – it seems like a perfect story.
By the time we got out it was late enough that we did not have enough time to go home before leaving for the Kusumarmantos for dinner. But unless the traffic was terrible, it was also too early to go. After a short discussion we decided that it best to just go and not hurry. Sam took the long way, did not hurry and we still got there almost 45 minutes early. The other guests – the elders from Tangerang along with the Assistants to the President – were 45 minutes late so we had lots of time to talk to the family before dinner. I asked if they had pictures from their mission – Agus did not go but his wife did – so we could see if there were any other people we know in them. We also got to see pictures of their wedding which was very formal and beautiful. Their ceremonies really put Western weddings to shame.
Once we ran out of things to discuss and look at. The musical group gathered around the piano and asked Mary to play. While they practiced a song the branch choir is going to sing sometime in the future, I found a short novel to read. I did not get through but it was light and enjoyable reading.
When the elders finally showed up – they were delayed because they had a chance to teach a discussion just before they left – we had dinner. Chicken sate, mie and nasi goring, fruit and ice cream. They prepared so much food that even 6 elders and Sam could not eat it all. Which turned out to be great for the elders because the Kusumarmantos insisted that they take all the extra home with them. Before we left he family gave Mary a lovely piece of batik for a shawl.
Agus volunteered to drive the Tangerang 2 missionaries home and so we drove the T1 group to their house. It added about 45 minutes to our trip home but they were so grateful for the ride I could not complain. What worried me most was that Sam was not going to get home until after 11 and needed to be back to our apartment at 8:30 tomorrow morning. Luckily the traffic was light and we made good time from Tangerang. It was even shorter because I slept for about half of it.
So we had a very nice P-Day, supported most of the elders and sisters in Jakarta, and had a wonderful evening with a family we have grown to know and love. I almost forgot – Elder Thiemann reminded us that he was at our first District Meeting in Tangerang some 17 months ago and now he will be at our last. As the D&C says – one continual round.