2006 Youth Conference

Thursday, 7 December 2006

Youth Conference started today. I woke up at 4 am and prepared breakfast for Lian and Leonora. The 3 of us then picked Penny and then Sylviana. Arrangements had been made who and who pick who to the Miri bus terminal. The Biaramas Express bus leaves at 6:30 am. There were about 25 youth going to the Youth Conference this year, held at the Sibu YMCA.

I went last year and I said I won't go this year unless I have a companion. I didn't go this year, not because I didn't have a companion but for some other personal reason. I am glad that Lian was able to go as one of the leaders for the 12 Young Women.







They will return to Miri on Sunday night. I hope Lian will take a lot of pictures and share with us on her blog, when she returned. Check it out.

See You Somewhere in Malaysia - Elder Ho

Sunday, 19 November 2006

Elder Ho's last Sunday in Miri!
He has been called to serve in Sandakan, Sabah.

Enjoyed the kelopok that your father sent from Mukah, Elder Ho. Thanks!

We will see you somewhere in Malaysia.

First Sister Missionary from the Miri Branch

Friday, 1 December 2006

Sister Lydia made history today. She is our first Sister missionary from the Miri branch.

We love her and we are proud of her. She will have a great time at the field. People she meet will love her!

Seminary/Institute Graduation 2006

Friday, 17 November 2006

First seminary/institute graduation held in this new building. It was an honor to have Brother Howell (CES Assistant Administrator from Salt Lake City) with us.

My testimony was increased as I listened to Sister Penny (seminary) and Sister Hilda (institute) talk about their conversion and how the gospel has blessed their lives.

The Miri Youth Choir, led by Sister Lyanne, sang one of my favourite hymns "As Sisters in Zion & We'll bring the World His Truth". Can't help singing myself while taking this picture of them.


We have a four year diploma graduate tonight - Sister Marina. Congratulations!


The graduating students with their teachers, Elder/Sister Ott, and the CES respresentative from Salt Lake City, Brother Howell.


As requested, Lyanne has obediently made a graduation "hat" but somehow it was not used at all. Sister Ivy tried it on after almost everyone was gone and she looked like she has just graduated from a university. She did, from the university of CES, tonight.

Service Project

Saturday, 4 November 2006

5 Young Men and 5 Young Women turned up for the service project this afternoon. Together with their respective President and counselor, and the 6 missionaries, we headed for the Miri kidney Dialysis Centre. There were 20 of us altogether.

Sweeping the Compound



Ever thought of cleaning the drain in this way?

Halloween 2006

Saturday, 28 October 2006

Tonight's branch social fell under the "Primary" responsibility. Thanks to Sister Lydia (Primary President), Sister Lyanne (Primary Counselor) and many others who have helped to make the evening a success.

The decorations and activities in pictures




The energetic and pretty young organisers


Lian in blonde hair? And mum, the gypsy.


All dressed up: Sister Ott, Irene, Loreen, Maria, Paula, Gabrielle.



The gypsy and the witch.


The little Iban girl.


Setting the mood.


My team of 6 in action - wrapping a mummy!



The smallest mummy with his own family.


The mummies!


Who is behind the mask?


Modelling their outfits.



The viewers.


Tonight, the witch used her broom to do good! And thanks to Sister Serrao too.


Thanks again to all those who have contributed to this social. It was fun!

S.S.B. Industrial Clinic

Friday, 20 October 2006

I like the clinic. It is walking distance from the office. It is surrounded by trees. There is no need to climb stairs or use the lift.

It is the clinic that I go to since Dad started work in the Lutong Distillation/Refinery Department in 1962. I was then a little girl. Dad was an operator at the Boiler House, and had been an employee of Sarawak Shell Berhad since 1955. His retirement from Shell in October 1979 did not affect me because I was employed by the Company in December 1974 and I was entitled to the same medical benefits.



When I left the Company in September 1996, I continue to enjoy the same medical benefits, as a wife of a Shell employee.



On this quiet Friday afternoon, I have come to the clinic to collect the results of my blood test and this is my last visit to the clinic.

I have gone to this clinic firstly as a daughter of a Shell employee, next as an employee myself and lastly as a wife of an employee. Altogether I have been to this clinic for about 45 years!

And both my children were born there.

The Youth on this Sunday

Sunday, 15 October 2006



A picture of the Young Men and Young Women, with their respective auxilliary leaders, that were present today, at their respective Sunday class.

As Sisters in Zion & We'll Bring The World His Truth

Sunday, 22 October 2006

We did it! The Miri branch sang "As Sisters in Zion and We'll Bring the World His Truth"! I am so glad we did it at last. And I did it the 2nd time!

The Young Women sang the sopranos, the Young Single Adults - Women (including Young Sisters missionary Ong and Serrao) sang the altos, the Young Men and the Young Single Adults - Men (including the 4 young Elders missionaries) sang the tenors and basses.

I was caught by surprise when I saw Lian and members of the choir group walked up to the front of the assembly hall. YW 1st Counselor signalled me to join them. We were going to sing the EFY Medley as an intermediate hymn! It was in the Sunday sacrament's programme! I have not asked the branch presidency. I had initiated the practice of the hymn and I had announced that it would be presented in the sacrament meeting, when we are ready.

Anyway, someone has spoken to the branch presidency. I didn't think we were ready yet. I was wrong! We only started practising on the 23 September and follow up practices on the 24 September and the 15 October only.

I think we did well because I looked at the congregation's facial expressions - they were touched by the hymn. Personally, I wanted to cry as I sang the words. I fought hard to control my emotions but I know my eyes were watery and my voice quivered a little.

Lian was the chorister and she did an excellent job signalling the respective voices when to come in. Lian and me had sang this, together with the Kuala Lumpur choir, in a sacrament meeting October 2005, so she is familiar with the tune. This is new to our Miri branch chorister.

And our 17 year old branch pianist was fantastic. She has never played this medley before I gave her the sheets! She has practised hard during the past weeks and we are very amazed how well she played this morning.

I love this medley! I fell in love with it when I started to learn to sing it at the Kota Kinabalu branch in January 2005. I didn't get to sing with the Kota Kinabalu branch because I had moved back to Miri.

The Lord knows I love that song very much. You can imagine how delighted and happy I felt when the Couple Missionary invited me to join their Kuala Lumpur choir for practice, after their block meetings, and to find that this is the medley that they are preparing to present in the following Sunday sacrament. And that practice was the first Sunday I was in Kuala Lumpur in
October 2005.

Thank you Sister Beverly for bringing it to Malaysia. And thank you for teaching me to sing properly. Whenever I hear this medley and whenever I sing it, I remember you. Thank you. I love you.

Approval for Youth Conference 2006

Sunday, 15 October 2006

Youth Conference is only a little more than 7 weeks to go. We need to get the youth's parents to sign the application forms. We have not got all yet. Danielle is one of them. So after the block meetings, Lian and me took her home and visited with her mother.

I am grateful for Lian because she helped to explain about the Youth Conference to Danielle's mother in the Malay language. This is Danielle's first time. We explained to Danielle's mother why she had to sign the Application Form and the Medical Consent & Release Form. We also told her who have to sign the forms as well.

I always enjoy visits to families. Danielle's father is out but nevertheless, Daniel's mother gave her approval without hesitation (she knows that Danielle's father would approve too). She is not a member of the church yet but she knows a little about the gospel having attended meetings before.

We didn't get the same response from 2 Young Women's father. He said he would discuss with his wife, who happened to be out. We filled the form and left it with them.

The next visit to another Young Woman was positive too. Both Florence's parents are members of the church so there was no problem getting her approval.

Our Choir Group

Sunday, 3 September 2006
Some of the Young Women and Young Men, practising "The Lord is My Shepherd" for the Branch Conference coming Sunday 10 September.

Where Have All the Sisters Gone?

Saturday, 12 August 2006
A time of pizza with the Sisters, without their spouses and children, for a change!