Today, June 1, is Gawai Day in Malaysia.  It is their Thanksgiving, a day of harvest and celebration.  Through this past week, we were invited to 5 different homes for a Gawai feast. 
This first home is Bro. Tony and Sis. Nancy, just baptized 2 weeks ago.  We ate so much and then danced the traditional Gawai dance.  It was like a line dance and I did well. Sorry, no pictures of mother and I dancing, but I was good!

 The second Gawai party was at Pres. John's home.  He is pictured here in the green shirt.  He is the Masai Branch President.  Again, we ate and ate.  The first was at 11 am and this one was at 1 pm.  Similar foods are given: rice, of course, noodles, curry, chicken and pork, pototoes and lots of delicious desserts that are hand made.  At this home, they had cockels.  They are like a clam in an open small shell.  You scoop the shells on your plate and suck out the slimy little bugger.

 Home three on Gawai day was at Pres. Chen and Sis. Barbara.  Pres. Chen is the E.Q. Pres in the Masai Branch.  After being extremely full, Pres. Chen takes a plate and prepares your food for you, by piling on lots of everything.  I tried some tapioca leaves this time.  They looked like cooked spinach and tasted like salted grass. Gross!  I did like the "ikan" (fish) in a sweet and sour sauce with fruits and vegetables.  Very good stuff.  Sis. Barbara works with Linda in the District R.S. Presidency. 

 The 4 Gawai party was at 7 pm at Bro. Tinggom's home.  You can see my gray pant knee in the forefront of the picture.  We hid in the corner, so they couldn't see that we took very little.  After we were so full of food throughout the day, we opened the container of desserts that Sis. Rose made.  They melted in your mouth and I took about 3 helpings.  We are now getting sicker and sicker and only have one more home to visit.

Finally, we ended our day at 8:30 pm at Sis. Joanna.  She is reaching for the bowl.  Elder Chan is sitting by Sister Norma, one of the pioneer saints from the early 1990's that started the church here in Malaysia.  We had delicious Milo in beautiful tea cups.  We laughed all day and ate all day.  They had to roll me to my car.
They tell us that on Christmas day, the senior couple gets invited to over 10 homes and you must eat at each home or you offend them.  I feel "sakit" (sick) already.  It's pronounced "socket"