NEW YEAR'S IN SINGAPORE

As most of you know, Dad and I went to Singapore after Christmas to renew our visas for 3 more months.  We only have a visitors visa and must renew it every 3 months.  We arranged to meet our new friends, Barry and Linda Johnson--the West Malaysia Humanitarian missionaries, there for a week.  We're only suppose to stay for 3 days, but the Johnsons wanted a week and we agreed to the same.  Sister Carpenter who is the senior sister in the mission office who arranges all the travel plans likes us, so she booked our trip for 7 days!  Her philosophy was--all they can do is fire you!  Pres. Clark, our mission president didn't really mind because everything was so slow because of the holidays.  He is a really nice man--a dentist from Oregon.
When we arrived, we decided to hang arround the airport for 2 hours until the Johnsons arrived.  The Singapore airport is like going down Rodeo Drive in Hollywood-Gucci, Prada, Tiffany's, Coach, etc.  Way out of our league!  It's so nice--so many Europeans there!  It was like being in an airport at home.
When Barry and Linda arrrived, the Carpenters (senior office couple) pick us up and took us to their apt. at Pasir Panjang Mission House where  they stay.  This is the home behind the Chinese Mansion that's now a church.

On Tuesday we all went on an all day outing to Sentosa Island and Siloso Beach for lunch at the Hard Rock Hotel and some sightseeing.  There were 5 senior couples and we had a blast.  I love, love Singapore!!  It's so beautiful and clean.

This is our group, except for Linda and me.  The fountains and Christmas decorations were fabulous.

This is Dad and me on a small part of the island--you have to cross a small swinging bridge to reach this point.  Read the sign--

This is everyone but me because I took the pic!  We laughed all day long!  Serving a senior mission is so rewarding in so many ways, especially  in all the new and wonderful friends you meet!
After this we went to a museum that told all of the cultural history of Singapore.
On Tuesday morning we had to go into the mission office for training by the mission president and his wife.  The Johnsons had had this already but they stayed with Dad and I while we had ours.  Afterwards we left to adventure out by ourselves on the subway and buses because the Carpenters had to work.  Sis. C. told us how and where to buy our passes and put minutes on them.  We took the subway to the Ion Center on Orchard Street and had lunch in the basement, the only place we could afford.  The Ion is new and sooooo expensive(everything on Orchard Rd. is).  After that we got on the MRT(subway) and went to a WWII site called The Battle Box.  Dad loved it and frankly so did I.  We were tired and needed some help to get back to our house at Pasir Panjang, but our phones were not working(all 4)  and we forgot the address where we were staying!  We found a hotel and a bar where this lovely bartender from Italy helped us call the Carpenters for directions on how to take the MRTon a different line and then transfer to a bus to get back.  We made it and giggled all the way! 
Encouraged and braver, we went to Little India the next day and found this fabulous store called Mustafa's.  It's like an Indian/Chinese Wal Mart!  So fun!  Linda and I bought a purse each.  Barry even bought one which he called his "male bag".  We were pros by this time and found our way back without any problem.
Friday we went tyo Chinatown--my favorite!  I could have spent the week on Pagoda Street.  Dad had fun looking and talking to all of the tailors there.  I think that he is going to have some suits made before we come home.  Since this was New Year's Eve, we thought that we might take a night boat tour.  But we were pooped and just stayed home by ourselves.  The C's had gone to a ward party.  We could hear the fireworks and went to see but couldn't.  I tried for the 100th time to skype with Kim, but never happened.  Happy B'Day, Kim!
Saturday we had planned to go to a wonderful museum, but the C's had to work all day Sat.  So we cleaned Pasir Panjang House for her since she  had 16 new missionaries that week.  I made all of them sausage gravy and hot biscuits one morning.  They were so excited to start their missons.  That was one of the highlights of the week--being there with the "newbies".   Sis. C takes care and feeds them, not the mission president and his wife.  So it was a pleasure to clean all the bathrooms, bedrooms, and do all the laundry for her so that she would not have to do it after working in the office all day Sarurday!  Elder C. is the mission accountant and Sis. C is the office secretary.  They're 62 and 69 years young!  Sis. C is and Aussie and full of ''spit and vinegar".  We decided to have an outing and went to McDonald's for burger and fries.  We got turned around at the bus stop and finally figured how to find McDonald's.  Lots more giggles!
Sunday was church(all Chinese), naps for everyone, and just hanging out--none of us are young--Linda is 72 and I'm not sure about Barry.  By Monday morning, we were so ready to go home to KK.  I will miss the Johnsons, but we skype and The C's are going home this month to Australia and then to Utah.  They will be missed.
When we arrived in KK at the airport, the sister missionaries were waiting for us and another new set of sisters!  We now have 2 sets of sisters and 1 set of elders.  We're growing--the most baptisms in the mission this year!  KK rocks!!  We then called Sebastian to pick us up,  he was so excited and kept telling us how much he missed us.  It's great to be loved!
When we got in our apartment, the stench was awful!  We had power failure while gone, the breaker tripped, and no one to flip it back.  Everything in our frig and freezer had rotted.  Yuck!!  We called our landlord and then cleaned up the mess.  It's all clean and smelling great now.  We went shopping today to get all new stuff. 
I forgot to tell you that the mission office elders took all of our presents from Singapore to Miri for a conference to give to our elders who were there--not thinking that we were in Singapore!  So we got our presents today from the Elders.  Thanks!!!!  We love the gifts,  they're yummy.  YEA!
I hope that your year is filled with gratitude for Our Savior, Jesus Christ.  I know that He loves each one of you  and so do I!    MOM