Kota Kinabalu Chapel - Groundbreaking

Friday, 12 October 2007

This was a historical event that I have been thinking of blogging but didn't get around doing it until today.

Thanks to Elder Boushley. If you haven't visited my blog recently and wrote to me about being at the groundbreaking of the Kota Kinabalu Chapel and zipping me pictures of the event that you have scanned, which in turn spur me to write to President Jacobs for more pictures, I don't know when I would have this memory blogged.

Thanks President Jacobs for allowing me to upload the pictures that you sent to me.


Wednesday, 16 April 2003

This was an exciting day. This was a special day, a historical day. This was the day of groundbreaking of the first LDS chapel in the whole of Malaysia. We are going to have our own building that we can proudly tell people that it is our church.

I am grateful that I was there to witness this ceremony.

KK Branch President Chong, KK District Counselor President Yong, Singapore Mission President Boone and KK District President Jacobs - shovelling into the ground


and out with the soil!


Me, Elder Boushley, Brother Dinopol and Sister Boone


Me and my children. I am glad at this time, Lian was back on semester break with us in Kota Kinabalu, and was able to share this experience together with Yean and me. Yean looked so thin here!


I like this picture:

Back row (from left): Alan, Margaret, Joyce, Findley, Edre, "who is that behind Edre" - is it the other twin brother Nelson or Wilson?, Eder and "I can't recognised who is this?
Front row (from left): Serena, Lian, Yean, the other twin brother Nelson or Wilson?, Ruth.

The Kota Kinabalu church was the first chapel built but wasn't dedicated first. It was dedicated exactly 3 years later - Sunday, 16 April 2006. Isn't that something - same day and month!

Visiting church - January 2007

Sunday, 21 January 2007

It felt so good to be back in church again! I missed church last Sunday (14 January) because I accompanied my friend to Keningau, to send traditional wedding gifts to her son's future parents-in-law.

I got in the sacrament hall in the nick of time - the sacrament meeting was just about to start. Looking across the hall, I saw an Elder and I thought he looked familiar. It took me a while before I realised that he had served in the Miri branch. Throughout the sacrament meeting, I kept wondering what his name was. I know for sure that his surname started with a "R" but I could not remember what the name was.

Before I could get to him, after the sacrament meeting, a young lady came up to me and hug me hard. Sister Gloria (member of the Miri branch) happened to be visiting this Sunday. She is currently studying in Labuan.

The tall Elder Randall, his companion Elder Baker King (I was fooled by his missionary name tag that read "Elder Raja Roti" - I told him that he looked definitely a caucasion but how come his name is in Malay!) and Sister Gloria. Imagine meeting both Elder Randall and Sister Gloria in the Kota Kinabalu church. What a nice surprise! It is indeed a small world! Elder Randall is serving in Singapore currently.


Old friends - Sister Christine and Sister Martina and a new friend - Sister Mathilda.


More old friends - Sister Elizabeth, Sister Kolinting and Sister Maylin


And last but not least, Sister Patrocinia, whom I have not seen for the last 2 years


Some of the Sisters from the Relief Society, Young Women and Primary

Dedication of the Kota Kinabalu Chapel

Sunday, 16 April 2006
The dedication of the new Kota Kinabalu Chapel is here at last. Exactly 3 years after the groundbreaking ceremony (Wednesday, 16 April 2003). And 11 years after the gospel was brought to Kota Kinabalu - 15 June 1995.

Early this year, I told myself that I might not be able to attend due to personal/family commitments. I didn't have the strong will that I would attend. It was not a priority in my plans. But after experiencing the dedication of the Miri chapel that I currently attend, I decided I want to. I will fly to Kota Kinabalu, even if I am in Kuala Lumpur. I would fly in just for that. This is a special and important occasion and a chapel is only dedicated once.

I was baptised on the 9 May 1998 in the Miri branch, moved to Kota Kinabalu on the 22 December 1999 and stayed there until I moved back to Miri on the 1 February 2005. I have attended meetings in the first meetinghouse in Likas. I have attended meetings in the second meetinghouse in Luyang. I have been the 1st Counselor and the President in the Relief Society. I have taught the gospel doctrine class. I have known, visited and love the Sisters in the Kota Kinabalu branch. They have been my family, pillar of strength. They were available when I needed them. Kota Kinabalu branch will always be a special part of me.

I was supposed to return to Miri on the 7 April (came here to see the friends that I have taught dancing) but when I heard that the dedication will definitely be on the 16 April, I decided to change my ticket, even though it means I have to stay a week longer, to pay for the change of the ticket, whatsoever. But it was worth it, over and over again. I will not trade anything for it.

Brother David presented a piano musical "Because I Have Been Given Much" (by David Glen Hatch) - I always enjoy hearing him play. I love it.

The Kota Kinabalu Branch Choir presented a special musical "As Sisters in Zion & We'll Bring the World His Truth" (by Janice Kapp Perry & Michael Hicks). I had the opportunity to hear and learnt of this hymn, taught by Sister Telford, while I was still in Kota Kinabalu. I love this hymn. I had the opportunity to join the Kuala Lumpur Branch Choir in presenting it in one of their Sacrament meeting in 2005. Now in Kota Kinabalu, back to when I first learnt. Heavenly Father knows that I love this song very much. And I am so happy that I had the blessing of joining the Kota Kinabalu Branch Choir as well in presenting this number today. I am pleased with myself that I don't cry when I sing in front of the congregation as I cried whenever I sang "Sisters in Zion" at Relief Society classes. Gosh! I am always crying!

I am thankful to Heavenly Father for all the blessings that He have given me, and this opportunity to be able to be here on this occasion, to witness the dedication, to hear the dedicatory prayer that Singapore Mission President Larkins offered, to feel the love that Heavenly Father has for all of us, regardless whether we are members of the Kota Kinabalu branch, Miri branch, Kuala Lumpur branch, etc, regardless of our creed, nationality, race, etc. We are all one in Him. The Spirit reconfirms to me that this is the Lord's true church.

The Kota Kinabalu Saints with Singapore Mission President/Sister Larkins. They are leaving for home, in July, and we are going to miss them too.

The Saints at the dedication! (Picture by P/Jacobs) This is a better picture than the one I posted before! I am not in the picture.

Former KK District Mission President Jacobs (centre) who has flown all the way from Salt Lake City to be with us on this occasion, Present Outgoing KK District Mission President/Sister Telford (right) and Present Incoming KK President/Sister Recht (left)

President/Sister Telford and President/Sister Recht

President/Sister Telford, Sister Mary Anne and Sister Heather.

President Jacobs and me. I wish Sister Jacobs have been here also. So glad to see President Jacobs and have been here with us.

I am going to miss both of you, President/Sister Telford. I only been with you from August 2004 to January 2005 and since then communicating with both of you via the email and the telephone, but you guys are just great, like all other missionary couples that I have met. Thank you for all you have done for us.

President/Sister Recht, who just arrived on Friday, from US. Welcome to the Land under the Wind. You will love the people here.

Sister Annie (the Relief Society President) with 3 of her 4 stripling warriors: Brother Eddy, Edre and Edny. Her eldest son, Eder, is currently serving a mission in Sibu, Sarawak.

Sister Agnes and her daughter (Christine) and son (Christian).

Sister Helen and her family: Brother Liew, Richard & David and Sister Elizabeth

Sister Margaret (Gospel Doctrine Teacher) and her youngest son, Brother Ian.

Sister Karen (Relief Society Teacher) and her daughter, Sister Nicole, who was baptised on the 1st April 2006. That is Elder Blackburn at the back!

Sister Kate (Primary President), Irene and Marylou.

First Chapel Building in Sabah

Saturday, 1 April 2006
What a blessing it is for the Kota Kinabalu saints. Their first chapel building, the first in the state of Sabah and the second in the whole of Malaysia. Today, the saints moved in the double-storey building. I was so grateful for the opportunity to see the completed building, set on a hill corner of Jalan Kolam and Jalan Kebajikan, Luyang.

Driveway to the gate and the entrance of the chapel.



Driveway to the parking lots.

Chapel, seen from the east side of the compound.


Chapel, seen from the back side of the compound.

Chapel, seen from the west side of the compound.

Chapel, seen from the front.


Elder Blackburn & Elder Capone!


2 Good friends of President Telford: Sister Irene and her friend Ivy - at the church sign board.

Picture on the wall in the Reception/Sitting Room - Ground Floor

Babies' Room - Ground Floor! These are big babies: Edny and Darren. And the picture on the wall above them!

Corridor of the offices, Primary. Walkway to the back entrance and the lift to the first floor.

Picture on the wall outside the baptismal hall.

Picture on the wall outside the Presidents' offices. Our local bred stripling warriors: Elder Dinopol, Jr. and Elder Wong

Going upstairs to the 1st Floor.

Babies' Room on the 1st floor and the picture on the wall.

Corridor to the Assembly (Sacrament) hall, and the picture on the wall.

The Assembly (Sacrament) Hall.


The big screen for watching church conference.

Let's pretend that Sister Maylin is giving a talk at the pulpit

And let's pretend that sweet little Angelie is playing the sacrament piano.

Back Entrance on the 1st Floor and the stairways down.

Walkway (corridor) from the Sacrament Hall to the Babies' room - 1st floor.

Pictures on the wall of the Relief Society and the Young Women Room, respectively, on the 1st floor.

Views of the outside from the 1st floor.







Going out of the church compound.

The Chapel at night!

The following pictures were sent to me early this year, before the chapel was completed: