First Visit to Home

The grandmother in her bed.  She sat like this all the time we saw her.

We came in to visit

Sister Angelina, Brother Christopher, and children

Wonderful children. Tini, James, Christina, and Allen

Everyone Helps

Elder Reynolds (grey), Elder Mix (red), Sister Anderson (green), Sister Fonbuena (black), Brother Christopher, and Brother Lee.

Sister Angelina in blue doing a song and dance with Sister Dony doing backup.

After lunch picture.  Right to left: Brother Christopher, Sister Angelina, President Hedges (Branch President), Brother Bobby, Elder Mix in red shirt.  Back row: Elder Boyter, Elder Reynolds, Tini, Sister Dony, Sister Fonbuena, neighbor.  Our pickup parked on street in background.

Relief Society Preparing Lunch

Sister Boyter came down with a bad cold the day before the project.  So disappointed not to be there but sent muffins and cold slaw for the luncheon.  Elder Boyter recommend I stay home and not pass my germs to the group.  Especially the elderly grandmother.  These projects are the hi lights of our service.

Setting up the luncheon in one of the bedrooms.  The sisters brought food from home but also went into the jungle and brought greens, shoots and other produce out to prepare.

Sister Dony on left and Sister Anderson (New Zealand missionary) preparing food gather from the jungle.

Putting the final touches on.

Framework Going Up

Elder Boyter and President Christopher

Eating Durian

The tree maybe gone but one of the young boys is enjoying some durian.

Members Helping Each Other

Elder Boyter came home wracking his brain how can we help this family.  He wrestled with his concerns for a couple of days then called President Christopher, the elder quorum president, and asked to come over to visit.

As we sat down to visit with President Christopher about our concerns, the most wonderful thing happened.  President Christopher and Brother Bobby had already discussed and put a plan together on how to help put a roof on.  The plan was already in motion.  The branch was coming together to help this family.  Brother Bobby was providing the materials and the branch was providing the labor.  

Elder Boyter was so proud of this Elder Quorum in Malaysia.  Elder Boyter quickly volunteered to be part of the construction crew.  Ten days later the roof was started.

Ladder for reaching the top of the wall.

Brother Christopher with a thumbs up.

Putting in the post for the post and beam construction.

Brother Bobby's employees came in earlier in the week and cut down a Durian tree with a chain saw.  They then cut the tree into lumber (like 2x4) for the framework of the roof with the chainsaw.

Sentosa Service Project-New Roof for Brother Lee and Sister Dony

We went out to visit Brother Lee and Sister Dony and their four children (Tini, Christina, Allen and James) about 10 days ago.  Brother Lee started to build this home for his family but ran short of funds.

The family is living in this one room home with Brother Lee's mother.  They also are using the two bedrooms in the new home with tarps and tin over the bedrooms.  The Malaysian downpours makes for difficult living arrangements.

Sentosa Branch Elder Quorum President, Elder Christopher, his wife Angelina (the Relief Society President) and Brother Bobby branch member (contractor) took us and the missionary elders (Elder Bester and Elder Reynolds) out to visit the family about 10 days ago.  Brother Lee showed us their new home with pride but said he had run out of finances.  Sister Dony was in tears out of embarrassment for the way they were living and the stress of taking care of Brother Lee's mother.  We sat in the small one room wood home.  The supports of the wood house were weak and swayed as we sat on the floor in a circle. We sang "I Am a Child of God" in Malay.  The song calmed Sister Dony's tears.  She loves the primary and the songs.  She was a past Primary President.  Spiritual messages were shared.  We were all touched by the spirit that was there.

The shower on the back of the house.

Homes

Homes in Kuching

Brother Lee (shirtless), Brother Bobby (white shirt), Sister Boyter coming out of Brother Lees home.

Sister Fonbuena and Sister Wynn checking on a member

An Orchard for My Wife

Orchids were served with our salad in Sibu.  Elder Boyter added it to Sister Boyter's hair.  The waitresses were always laughing at us Orang Putih (White people)

Elder Hill and Elder Bester with the Porkie's Challenge

If the elders can eat the hamburgers in 20 minutes, lunch was free.  Elder Hill made it.  Elder Bester well...he lost it.  RM60 for Elder Bester.

Lunch After Zone Meeting at Porkies

Sister Ramahefarivo (Madagascar) and Sister Simon (Indonesia)

Sister Missionaries in the Back Seat of Our Truck

Sister Wynn, Sister Parcell, Sister Pettitt, Sister Bourgeois, Sister Hawea, Sister LeBaron

Elder Reynolds wrote this advice down that was given to him byPresident Mains.

Family Home Evening with Young Single Adults

Brother Ramond.  We play Phase 10 and if you don't go down you get "ash on your face".  Which means you get marked with white board marker.  It started with just one mark but they got more creative.

Brother Jesper

Ivan, investigator

Sister Hellen and Brother Paul

Elder Flynn and Sister Bourgeois

Elder Boyter, Jesper, Hellen, Maureen

Ramond, Sister LeBaron, Francisca

Sibu District Seminary and Institute Inservice

Front Row: Sister Marteeny, Elder Berger (Sibu Seminary), Brother Gara,  Elder Marteeny (Sibu Jaya Institute), Elder Jensen, Charles Bronson.

Back Row: Sister Katarina (Sibu Jaya Seminary), Brother Roy (Sibu Jaya Institute), Brother Kong, President Clement (Sibu Jaya), Elder Beus (Sibu Institute), Sister Beus, Sister Boyter, Elder Boyter

Saying Good-bye

Elder and Sister Marteeny served in Sibu and Sibu Jaya.  They are wonderful missionaries and will be friends for life.  We will miss them.

Sister Boyter, Sister Helen, Sister Lenna

Kuching Seminary and Institute Teachers

Brother Raymond (Samarahan Seminary), Sister Helen (KDC coordinator), President Lai (S&I Malaysia and Singapore Coordinator), President Sator (2nd Counselor Kuching District Presidency), Brother Kanzie (Missionary Preparation Institute), Sister Lenna (Sentosa Institute), Sister Sheryl (Kuching District Center Seminary) and Brother Paul ( Kuching District Center Seminary).  Sister and Elder Boyter(Seminary and Institute Missionaries)

Missing: Brother Jesper (Kuching District Center Institute), Sister Aireen (Sentosa Seminary), Brother Kelvin (Matang Seminary), and Elder LaFontaine (Samarahan Institute)

Elder Boyter Puts on a Show

Elder Boyter mopping the floor after the Seminary and Institute Inservice Meeting luncheon.  The sisters told him not to mop so he put on a show and entertained us all.

Sister Boyter with Young Single Adult, Sister Linie.

Sister Linie is from Sibu and is here in Kuching going to the university.

President and Sister Mains with Missionaries

Elder Mitchell, Sister LeBaron, Sister Hales, Elder Strathearn, Sister Hawea, Elder Jacobs, Sister Bourgeois, Elder Flynn, Sister Mains, Elder Scott, Elder Egbert, President Mains, Sister Fonbuena, Elder Wynn

Special Friends

President Lai (Stake President of Singapore and over Seminary and Institutes of Malaysia and Singapore); Brother Jesper (Institute Teacher, Kuching District Clerk, 1st Counselor in District Young Men Presidency and over District Piano Class), Brother Ramond (Samarahan Seminary Teacher); Sister Boyter; Elder Boyter and President Sator (2nd counselor in Kuching District Presidency)

Sister Missionaries with Future Sister Missionaries

Sister Hawea (New Zealand), Liahona, Laura, Sister Hales, Sister Bourgeois, Sister Fonbuena, Sister Wynn, and Sister LeBaron

Fruit Bowl

While we were in Sibu the missionaries invited us to join them for their weekly tradition of having a fruit bowl on Thursday night.  Very refreshing!  Shaved ice with a sauce made of syrup, sweeten condense milk and coconut milk. Fresh fruit, one slice of canned peach, some firm gelatin pieces and a red jelly (that is not very sweet).   Just right combination.  Colorful and yummy.  Had to eat it quickly because it melted fast on a Malaysian evening.