ON THE ROAD AGAIN

This is a family that we met on the ferry across a river in Kuching. The river is about the size of the Mississippi in parts. We were sitting in the car eating fried bananas which have quickly become one of Dad's favorite foods. They enjoyed talking to your Dad who kept them laughing. All of the young people spoke English.

This lady, walking toward Sister Frandsen, was in the process of filling this basket up with sand (at least 100 lb.). She lifted it up and put the cloth band around her forehead and balanced the bag on her back ---- and off she went! It is amazing the weight these small people are able to carry in this manner. Patrick Panai told us that his grandmother had a deep permanent groove in the top of her head where she carried baskets all of her life just like this lady!

Nestor (third from the left) is our Sight Monitor (we pay him to oversee the contractor) for the six Humana Schools. To my left is Torbin Vennig, Director of Borneo Aid Society (which includes Humana Schools) and he is from Denmark. The second from the right is Ishmael, the contractor we paid to do the work on the schools. Both Nestor and Ishmael work for Humana Schools. We had just had a wonderful seafood dinner at a resturant by the sea. Torbin Venning'sstory reminds me of the book--Three Cups of Tea. If you haven't read it, please do. Torbin brings education with over 120 schools to the mostly immigrant children of the workers on palm oil plantations in the areas that we visited. Some of these plantations are over 5,000 acres in size!! We traveled for hours just to visit one school. LDS Charities provides fresh water to the school, toilets, sinks for hand washing,sanitary septics. These kids and their teachers were delighful.

This picture was taken at the Kota Kinabalu Airport. One of the airlines had just had a flight land from a new destination and had hired some of the local tribes to dress up in their native costumes and greet the arrivals. Luckely, we were able to get them to pose with us for pictures.

This is E/S Frandsen, fresh water specialists, from Heber, Utah. They spent 2 weeks with us and our days were busy 13 hour days!! We traveled to Lahad Datu and came back to KK for the weekend, rested up and then spent the next week in Kuching. The word kuching means "cat" in Malaya.

I'll write more in another blog now that I have retrieved this from the drafts. It has taken me since Tuesday to get this much. Oh, well!!!!!!!!!!

Mom & Dad with the beautiful lady in her tribal dress.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

This Week

This is a picture taken yesterday when Dad and I were at a traffic light--here is this guy on a "Hello Kitty" motorcycle and a "Hello Kitty" helmet. Too funny!!

This was the last thing that I had to do for Youth Conference--fix lunch! The Kids were suppose to clean tents and clean all of the camp equipment. I was suppose to feed them lunch at 2:30, but they were so hungry when they arrived at church, I let them go ahead and eat. All that they had for breakfast was a piece of corn and a sweet potato!! They were so thankful for lunch. I even fixed extras for the group from Tawau who were leaving at 6pm and had a 10 bus ride!! These 3 "cuties here are Olevia, Faraliah, and Vivienne who are some of our YW from our KK Branch. They were so playful and fun! When we told them how beautiful they are, their reply was, "Oh no, we want to be beautiful like American girls!!" I told them that American girls could only dream of being beautiful like them.

They got to swim for about 3 hours on one day. It was such a beautiful place and this was probably one of the most fun things that they got to do. The girls are very modest--they all wore shorts and pants to swim in. Only one girl had a bathing suit but she wouldn't wear it because the others didn't have one!! They all got along wonderfully.

This is the seminar that Dad and I taught to the YM/YW leaders. We were asked to teach them about comittment. I talked to them about comittment of the prophets in the scriptures, especially Noah and asked them to compare themselves and what they have been asked to do to what Noah had to do. It really went quite well. Look how young the leaders are here!! They are really amazingly dedicated and knowledgeable.
Dad told them about how he learn "comittment" from your Grandpa! He also spoke of some of the early members in Charlotte.

One day I was walking around the site taking pictures as the seminars were being taught to the youth by the other senior couples, and saw this drawing in the sand. It was signed by one of the young women in the KK Branch--Betty Mojundal. She has 2 sisters named Betsy and Becky!! This is really quite good. She is a shy girl and very quiet.

These are the senior sisters and Sis. Ling, our District President's wife. She is expecting their first child in 3 weeks. It's a boy and they are naming him Gideon. The 3 senior sisters are Sis. Wieland(working in Sandakan), Sis. Gordhamer(working in Tawau), and Sis Erickson(based in Kuching, but is S/I Leader). They were so well prepared and soooo good with the youth. This area that we are in served as the "kitchen" area. On the first day, I served them lunch--spaghetti. I fixed spaghetti for 60 people!! I got up at 5am and cooked all of the spaghetti and sauce. President Ling brought me one pot to cook in and I had one pot. What a chore for all that spaghetti with 2 regular pots!! He had promised me 3 big pots. Anywho---it turned out okay.

Well it's late as usual and I'm tired. We are having guests from the states tomorrow and they are going to be here for 2 weeks with us. We are actually(Mia's best word) taking 2 trips with them while they are here. They are the "water specialists" and are here to inspect 2 of Dad's water projects. Sis. Frandsen is wheat intolerant and I just hope that I can feed her properly. I'm just a salt and pepper Southern cook!! Biscuits and fried chicken aren't going to do!!!!

I do need to get to bed. I love you more than you will ever know!! I just want to hear you laugh and talk--all at once!!

MOM & DAD

Comment For Jenny's Post

Jenny, I don't know any way to comment on your post except to make a new post. I have tried several times to comment and it won't let me. Ever since we started this new way of using the blog, I can't post comments. I can't put pictures on my posts where I want them either. That's OK I guess--there are more ways to "skin a cat"!
The boy's teeth look perfect to me!! I remember that you kids always loved laughing gas, too! MOM

Summertime Fun Asay Style

We started the Summer off with a bang. We got Cherry Hill Season Passes this year. We get them every year, and we always LOVE it. We strayed from our routine a few years ago and got Lagoon passes. MISTAKE. The water at Lagoon is super frigid. The rules are ridiculous, and the crowds are nuts. I will admit that the rides were a hit with the kids. But I will never forget the chattering teeth and blue lips of Jacob and Ben when playing at Lagoona Beach. Super Duper Cold.

Cherry Hill is far superior at this stage of life for the boys. It has heated water. It boasts the Lazy River, the large swimming pool, Pirates Cove, the Water Slides, and Cardiac Canyon. Throw in the free parking, and not-so-white-trash atmosphere, and you have the perfect place to take a three-yr old and six-yr old. Perfect.

Here is the only picture I took of our first day at CH:

The "not-so-much-fun" part of our Summer Vacay thus far is the six-month dental check ups the boys had just today. I went in thinking we were doing well getting these yuck-mouths pretty clean. I guess Marty and I are far from perfect dental parents. Jacob has a "new" cavity diagnosed today under his only existing filling. Gees kid, you're killing me.

Ben has THREE cavities. The dentist calls them "flossing cavities." Oops! Mom and Dad Asay are such slackers. Dr. Brown said Ben wouldn't have these small cavities if we had been diligent in flossing Ben's teeth. You're killing me Smalls! And before anyone asks, yes, all the cavities are in baby teeth. However, if left unfilled, they will continue to fester and cause even more problems down the road, not to mention potential pain for my kiddies. When I was asked if I wanted them to have white or silver fillings, I quickly replied "silver. Let's go cheap for teeth that will fall out anyway." I really wanted my boys to get 18K fillings. Nuttin' like gold toofs for some young bling! I also said Ben doesn't need sedation; he will do just fine with the happy gas. Again, I want to go cheap for baby teeth. If I have to lay on top of him to hold him still, I will.

I also informed my little darlings that the Tooth Fairy does NOT leave any money for dirty teeth, or teeth with fillings. Again, cheap. I know. But it's this dang Obama economy. I've got to scrimp somewhere.

Here are some photos of the dental trip. I do love my boys, and they both look so darling in the pictures. Just imagine them with 'do-rags, gold teeth. W.C. is in da house!

By the way, both boys chose cookie dough flavored toothpaste. Yuck. That's the red stuff the DA is putting on Ben's teeth. GROSS! Oh well, whatever makes them happy. I am, after all, a sucker for my kids!

Tidbits of Information

Our YSAs at swim and pizza party!!! Dad took the picture. Our group[ is getting smaller.

Our visit with Sis. Helen and her family. Her kids are so good and polite. The baby is YEE!

This is the seminary kids who came for a swim party. I fed the cookies and ice cream and their teacher, Sis. Maylin brought sardine sandwiches for their treats!!!!

This is the Ng family--Bro. Francis, counselor in the Branch Presidency, Sis. Susan, his wife, and You Min, their 8 year old son. We put him right to sleep with our discussion.

I don't seem to remember what I have written and have not written. That's what happens when you wait so long between entries. Also, we seem to be very busy with our schedule lately. Sundays are always busy and hectic. We have early meeting before church on every Sunday except one. So we usually have to be there by 8:30 am. I now teach a teacher development class on Sundays and I'm actually able to do it without an interpreter. Practically everyone understands enough English to get by and I also have the same manuals in Indonesian which everyone understands. I love the class and the 4 or 5 faithful students who come every Sunday seem to really enjoy. This is a wonderful course that's in the back of Teaching, No Greater Call. By having them do lots and lots of participation, the level of understanding seems really successful.

Every Thursday and Friday we go out with the missionaries to teach the 8 follow-up lessons that we're suppose to teach. We have tried to do this ever since we arrived here, but it was so frustrating trying to use a taxi and members to help. We always had a conflict of schedules. Since these new missionaries have arrived we have worked out a wonderful routine. We go with the elders on Thursday nights and have actually finished 2 families and have seen some that we were never able to see before!! YEA! On Fridays, we go with the sisters and have finished our visits with 4 families. I feel as though we are finally accomplishing some of the responsibilities that are ours as missionaries. The sisters have already given us 3 new families to start teaching. We love going in the homes of some of the members and getting to know them outside of church. It so helps me appreciate them in a way as never before.

The last 2 Saturdays have been dedicated to swim parties here at our apartment. Last Saturday, we had the Seminary students over for ice cream and cookies and swimming. They had such a good time. They have been out of school for 2 week break. They had helped me put together 30 Book of Remembrances and I told them that I would treat them to swimming. They love my chocolate chip cookies and asked if I would fix them some. OF COURSE!!

Yesterday was another Saturday holiday, so we invited our YSAs for pizza and swimming. It was the King of Malaysia's birthday. They actually have a holiday for this--no work for them!! The guys had fun swimming, but none of the girls would get in the water!! Bummer!! On the way down to the pool, I fell and hurt my back. It was as if I had stepped on a banana peel and my feet went right out from under me--just like in a funny movie!! I sat right down on the hard cement. It was like being in a car wreck. You know how your back jams up? I know that you remember that, Kathie. It immediately became so tight and stiff that I could barely walk back to the apartment. Sis. Jenson is a nurse and she really helped me. I didn't go to church today because I could not sit in those metal seats for 3 hours. People have been calling us all afternoon and we have had 2 sets of visitors. So sweet!!

I have used the time today lying down to prepare a class that Dad and I are doing for Youth Conference next week. We are training the leaders on "Commitment". Hope it goes well. We went on Friday and bought all of our supplies for the 2 meals that I'm to prepare for youth conference. I think that Pres. Ling was really worried today that I won't be able to do this. Actually my back is loosening up already. Our YSA priesthood holders helped Dad give me a blessing yesterday after I fell. They do not use their priesthood very often for instances like this so it was good for them.

We will be a Youth Conference for 3 long days this week and the following week, we are going out of town for 4 days with water specialists from Utah. We are traveling to a couple of different cities with them. I look forward to meeting them. After they leave, we have to go to immigration and get an extension on our visa so that we can go to a Seniors Conference in Singapore next month. I really look forward to that. How fun and helpful for us to share ideas and learn from each other. In a mission, seniors are sometimes overlooked for instruction and training--something we really need sometimes.

I'll try to add a few pictures and they will probably go to the beginning of the posting because I can't figure how to put them where I want them to go. Here goes.... yep they went right to the top!!!

I'm tired and my back hurts so I'm signing off. I love you so much.....you are the reason I'm here!!

MOM & DAD