Visit To East Malaysia - and Other July Highlights

This month we traveled to East Malaysia.  We visited the cities of Kota Kinabalu, Sibu and Kuching over the course of five days.  We conducted training sessions with the local priesthood leaders in each of the three districts in these cities and conducted some audits in two of the districts.  We were joined by our Assistant Area Auditor for this region, Brother Tan Seow Heng who lives in West Malaysia.  Elder Subandriyo, the Area Seventy for East Malaysia also joined us for our session in Kuching.  He lives in Jakarta, Indonesia.  East Malaysia shares the island of Borneo with Indonesia and the small Kingdom of Brunei.  It is mostly tropical jungle and mountainous terrain.  It was not all that long ago when head-hunting was common amongst the indigenous jungle tribes of this island.  When Elder Holland visited the Asia Area in 2011 he suggested that the Church is still in the 1840's in some parts of Asia.  I think East Malaysia would be one of those regions.  This country is predominately Muslim, so missionary work is a challenge but it is moving forward.  The priesthood leaders we met with are truly gospel pioneers.  These districts struggle with small numbers in their priesthood leadership pool but they are humble and faithful and want to do what is right.  It was a faith promoting experience to meet with them and to feel of their faith and testimony.

Here we are in Kota Kinabalu - it is a 3 hour flight south from Hong Kong

They call this the Floating Mosque because it is surrounded by a moat.  we were not allowed inside.

 Unique Design - Government Building

From the Waterfront Promenade - People live on those boats

Mount Kinabalu - people come from around the world to hike this mountain and visit the adjoining national park which is a world heritage sight.

Priesthood leaders at the training session. 2nd from left is district president Ling.  On the right end is Brother Tan our Assistant Area Auditor for East Malaysia. Two outlying branches were not represented as they are 10 and 7 hours away.

Off to Sibu

Kota Kinabalu from the air.  People live on all the boats you see near the shore of the island.

Sibu is a small city of about 250,000 with a large Chinese population.  It is a jumping off point for river cruises into the jungle.

These are the priesthood leaders we trained in Sibu along with a senior couple, Elder and Sister Gledhill who are serving in Sibu to help strengthen the local branches. The brother in the blue shirt in front rode his motorbike 20 miles into town to attend the training session.  The district president, Michael Chua is standing behind him.  Church premises there are two rented floors in a high rise building.  A new chapel is under construction.

There was a big festival going on in town when we were there called the Borneo festival.  It was in a park in the middle of town right behind our hotel.  Bands playing, food stalls, merchandise displays, etc.  Kind of like the stampede midway on a much smaller scale.  We spent a couple of hours walking around one evening.

Next stop Kuching

 Kuching Chapel was just dedicated in May 2012

Our training group in Kuching.  President Govin is hiding in the back (4th from the left in back row).  He had us to his home for Sunday dinner - different fare than our Sunday dinners at home - but it was nice.  We were able to meet his wife and two of his five children.  He and his wife are both school teachers.  President Govin has been in the church only 6 years.

 We had an extra day in Kuching so we were able to spend it with a senior missionary couple and the group of young missionaries working in Kuching.  We went to a Malaysian cultural village where they have a number of longhouses representing the history of the indiginous tribes from the area.  Then there was a stage show.  The village is right next to a beach so the young missionaries rolled up their pants and waded in the water.

Entrance to the Sarawak Cultural Village

One of the tribal longhouses

The 3 pics below are of traditional dress of some of the indigenous tribes represented

Three pics from the stage show

Young Elders at the beach

A Kuching Mosque

Sarawak legislative buiding

There are two senior couples in Kuching.  The Winters and the Nielsons.  Elder and Sister Winters are serving a member and leader support mission and Elder and Sister Nielson are CES missionaries.  They had us for dinner our last evening there and it was great to hear of their missionary experiences.  Unfortunately, I did not get their pictures.  This was a successful and enjoyable trip.

Other July Highlights

Elder Jerome and Sister Gladys Wigg, good friends from many years ago, who are serving as the mission office couple in the India Bangalore Mission had the opportunity to accompany a young family from India to the Hong Kong Temple.  We were able to have lunch and spend an afternoon together.  We lived in the Calgary 15th Ward together when our kids were young and Elder Wigg and I served in the bishopric together.  It was wonderful to visit and catch-up after so many years.  Makes one wonder why you let the years pass by without keeping in touch with great people who have been a part of our past.  Who would have thought 30 years ago that the four of us would be in Hong Kong at this point in our lives having lunch together. 

The International Dragon Boat Races were held near our apartment early in July, so we took the opportunity to watch some of the excitement.  There were teams from all over the world including a few teams from Canada.  The event went on for several days.

 

And They're Off !!

Elder and Sister Gong invited the area office senior missionary couple to have a 4th of July BBQ pot luck on their apartment patio at the top of the area office building.

 

The food was delicious !

 I thought this would be a neat picture.  The church office building reflecting in the glass of the building next door.  You can see all of us up on the patio.

We were invited to the wedding reception for the daughter of the Asia Area Controller - Sui Hong Pon and his wife.  We work very closely with Elder Pon (he is also an Area Seventy) as he is essentially the chief financial officer for the Asia Area and sits on the Area Audit Committee.  The reception was held in one of the local chapels and was quite similar to a reception we would have at home.  Lots of food to eat and a little program, cutting the cake and throwing of the bridal bouquet, etc.

Sister Whitehead is always a favorite with our Filipino and Indonesian sisters.

Scripture of the month - Alma 38:11-12

See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea see that ye do not boast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength.

Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness.

God bless and our love to all

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