The week of Christmas we had a variety of different activities with both the English speaking and the Indonesian speaking wards. On December 22nd, 2012 we had the opportunity to see Tara and Witz Mazoe be baptized. Brother Mazoe is in Jakarta working for the Zimbabwe Embassy. His wife Primrose is a nurse. Eileen and Primrose have enjoyed talking about medical experiences in Africa together. Tara (age 13) has been attending school in Zimbabwe this last semester but previously was taught about our church while living in Jakarta with her family. Witz (age 8) is a bright young man. He usually sits by the sister missionaries in church. One Sunday he saw that I (Eileen) looked sad and wrote his testimony for me and gave it to me. I have included it below. Tara and Witz were baptized in the backyard swimming pool of the Printergast family of the Jakarta 3rd ward (Expat/English speaking). The Mazoe family also has two young twins that are not included in this picture.
That night in the Jakarta 2nd ward (Indonesian) there was a ward Christmas party. Someone you have become familiar with on this blog visited with the children and asked them questions, handed out presents and talked to them about the meaning of Christmas. There was also a talent show and singing.
On Christmas we were invited along with many other missionaries from the surrounding areas to the Whitaker home. The Whitakers are in the Jakarta 3rd ward. Brother and Sister Whitaker are extremely good cooks as you can see from the pictures below. The Holmgrens helped host this big group of hungry missionaries. A game was played where the young missionaries brought a gift under $2 and were able to either pick a gift or choose one that had already been unwrapped. The best part was visiting with fellow Christians and enjoying the Christmas spirit (and of course the delicious food!)
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| BAPTISM OF TARA AND WITZ MAZOE FROM ZIMBABWE |
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| WITZ BEING BAPTIZED BY HIS FATHER |
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| TESTIMONY BY WITZ WRITTEN TO EILEEN |
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| SISTER HUNT ACCOMPANYING AT WARD PARTY |
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| MISSIONARIES SINGING I HOPE THEY CALL ME ON A MISSION COWBOY STYLE |
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| "ELDER, EVERY INDONESIAN KNOWS THAT SANTA IS A 'BULE' " |
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| SANTA ASKS THE CHILDREN QUESTIONS |
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| WONDERFUL FOOD, CENTERPIECE MADE BY SISTER WHITAKER |
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| SISTER HUNT AND RACHEL WHITAKER, RACHEL IS NOW SERVING AS SISTER WHITAKER IN THE JAKARTA MISSION |
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| OUR OFFICE ELDERS THAT WE LOVE DEARLY |
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| I COULDN'T GET THEM ALL TO LOOK AT ME AT ONE TIME |
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| THE WHITAKER FAMILY LIVING IN JAKARTA |
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| SISTER BEAMAN, HEALY, WHITAKER AND HOLMGREN |
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| THE HOLMGREN FAMILY |
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| BROTHER WHITAKER DIPPED 25 POUNDS OF CHOCLATES |
It looks like a yummy feast! The testimony he wrote is so sweet and especially that he wants you to share it with your Grandchildren. Do you have a grandson?
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you work with wonderful members and missionaries! Keep up the great work!
Our son served in Zimbabwe 2000-2002. Justin Weidman
ReplyDeleteHi Russell & Eileen! I found your blog through googling Jakarta 3rd ward. This is a weird question but I'm hoping you can help me out. My husband and I have the opportunity to move to Jakarta for a year to teach. We are trying to get in contact with the Bishop or RS president but I've only been able to find a building phone number for the Bishop. I was wondering if you had contact information for anyone in that ward or if you could get our email to the mission office who could then get it to the 3rd ward:). We just have some questions and are hoping the members could help us out. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for you service! and thanks for your blog:) - Brittany (stewandbritt@gmail.com)
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