Turkeys and orangutans

The saga of Thanksgiving.
Not to diminish the struggles of the pilgrims but we had quite a time getting this bird on the table.

Everyone we talked to was excited about sharing a thanksgiving feast with us.  With that much thankfulness going around, what could we say? 

Invitations were prepared during our Sunday evening Family Home Evening time.  We cut and pasted cute little turkeys.  But we were about ready to keep it simple and just cook chicken.  We didn't have an oven and chickens are everywhere,  But lots and lots of our friends were excited about turkey.  People assured us we could find a bird.
Meanwhile, Elder and Sister Jeffery were on the hunt for the seasoning, SAGE.  It is not easily found here but for us, it is the flavor of Thanksgiving.  We checked stores high and low.  We checked while we were in Jakarta to no avail.  As we were flying back from Jakarta we talked to some students from Jogya.  A week later as the hunt was really pressing we were shopping in Jogya for the SAGE.  Lo and behold, we ran into our new friend from the airport and she knows a specialty store for us to try.  Yeahhh, we found the SAGE

Next we need to find the turkey.  Pak Selamat found one and bought it before our purchasing agent could stop him.  Elders Tubbs and Siaaha also found two more for less and as our agents bought them too.  So we ended up with 3 turkeys, all of which were plucked and prepared by Pak Selamat above.
Equipment was procured from a variety of sources and by Thursday, we were ready to fry.

Elders Marianus and Tufaga helped fry.                              

 One, two, three                     

Wadoooo!  Look at that turkey Fry!!!

Elder Jeffery, we have a problem.  It has started to rain and water is getting into the oil!!! -----------The birds were moved inside to finish cooking.

                                                     Tadaaaaaa!!!  Turkey Time!!!

Many friends lent ahand for tasty fixin's
 Lots of potatoes to peel, beans to snap and cream to whip.
Dishes to wash.
   

Our Barbie oven as we like to call it
was working overtime for
sweet potatoes and
stuffing.

The larder was spread.  Three turkeys, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy,
 rice and sambal (We are in Indonesia after all.  It can not be a dinner without sambal and you can not get full without rice), sweet potatoes, green beans, fruit salad, rolls,
 pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie

The guests began to arrive.

A poster to record what we are thankful for 

And fun times had by all. Overall attendance was 47.  It felt just like home.

         November also afforded us a senior missionary get together.  It was a delight to learn what everyone else is doing here in Indonesia.  It helps so we can find ways to work together better. We are here figuring out what to do as we go along.  It is a labor of faith and learning to listen to the spirit.  

         We have three new couples in the mission so there is a lot of learning going on.

Elder and Sister Moss are serving in the office, Elder and Sister Mitchell service Humanitarian Aid projects,  Elder and Sister Baird are with Church public relations, Elder and Sister Hanson are Family History specialists, Elder and Sister Williams serve as Member ,Leadership Support Missionaries just like Elder and Sister Jeffery.  And that leaves President and Sister Donald to lead the lot of us.  Now President lead the way to have an elephant sit on him at the Wild Animal Safari we visited, but few of us followed there.

         The park was a fun trip together and Elder and Sister Jeffery met a new friend -- little miss orangutan.

The park is a drive through experience with lots of animals up close and personal.  We will let our grandkids vote on their favorite.  I guess any of you could vote, but grand kids get double votes.  

Elder Jeffery's favorite was the concluding Wild West Show.  They had a rip roaring good time with cowboys, injuns,  banditos, dynamite, bank robbers, deputies and a silly sheriff.
The only out of place thing was the jungle behind the set.

While in Jakarta for the senior couple meeting, we met with some old friends.  

Institute antics and enjoying new students in class

The Young Women ot the Jogya ward gave a presentation wearing the dresses they had made.  They made the batik fabric themselves.  Central Java is the home for beautiful batik traditions.  

Keluarga Sugeng Pribadi invited us for a visit.  They introduced us to their dairy herd.  These are Javanese cows and look a little different than the Holsteins back home.
 We shared a message of waiting with Jesus Christ for one hour.  When the Savior was in the Garden of Gethsemane he asked his disciples to wait with him.  He moved on beyond them, where He prayed to redeem each and everyone of us. The most important hour of all history, then returned to find his disciples asleep. He asked  'Could ye not wait with me one hour?'
Today we are asked to come to partake of the sacrament each week.
Amid our busy lives ,the question becomes, can we wait with our Savior one hour? 

Sister Jeffery talking about piano lessons with the Winoto family.
Yes, tie her hands and she'd be rendered mute.  

The rain came pouring down and the neighborhood
children found a way to dam up the run off and
play.  Kids are kids everywhere

Overview of Magelang with Gunung Tidar in the background.  It is the center, center point of the island of Java and so named the nail of Java.  If you pull out the nail the island will float away.


Below  -- Sister Selamat is showing us the new retaining wall built by the city.  This hillside has been encroaching on their house for quite some time.  We are glad to see that it has been built and the family is not buried in the mud and gravel from the cemetery up above.  Sister Selamat is the wife of the gentleman who helped us with the turkeys.  Lots of appreciation for these fine people.

English classes are a lot more fun as we get a song to go along with each lesson.  Yellow Submarine, This Land is Your Land, Trailer for Sale or Rent, There Was an Old Woman that Swallowed a Fly,  and the James Taylor version of  You've Got a Friend.  Maybe next week we can do the Woody and Buzz Light Year version. of You've Got a Friend in  Me.  We are good friends together.  But each week brings new students and old ones too.  It is a class in motion.

Lunch in Jogya with our  district

What foods on this menu are really good?
Our new Sister Stringham gives a thumbs
up for the chicken.  She was brave enough
earlier in the week to try one of the hot
cabes offered as we visited a family.  She
was a good sport but went through four glasses of water pretty fast.  These missionaries are

A final note.  Mel has played enough basketball that he has lost his soul, opps sole.

wonderful young people who are giving their all to the Lord.  We love and appreciate them.  We know the members here do too.                                                                              Most of all the Lord appreciates the gift of dedication they offer.