November 19-25, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving Week--Been here three months already.

Monday the Temple Missionaries and Presidency celebrated Thanksgiving with a wonderful dinner at the temple in the cafeteria area.  Sister Kesler provided the center pieces and Sister Aki cooked two tasty turkeys for us.  It took her 10 hours since she could only cook one at a time and had to shove them in to get them in the oven.  The rest of the trimmings were provided by the rest of us.  We provided mashed potatoes which I cooked in my one sauce pan and the wok.  Then mashed a few at a time.  Luckily we had a mixer.  Carrying it to the temple was a chore.  We put it in the crock pot and it was heavy but delicious.

Lewises & Akis

Chans & Akis

Deans & Akis

Victors & Akis

Sister Clyde & Akis

Hathaways & Akis

Pres. & Sister Wans & Lewises

Wans & Akis

 Some how or other I did not get our wonderful missionaries, the Rhysens.  Where were you?  Oh, I remember you were taking pictures.  Sorry we missed you.

Fr. Row: Clyde, Chan, Tai, Aki, Wan, Dean, Kesler
Bk Row:  Chan, Rhysen, Rhysen, Tai,Aki, Dean, Wan, Lewis, Lewis, Hathaway, Hathaway, Victor, Victor, Kesler 

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Temple Presidency
Pres. & Sister Tai, Pres. & Sister Aki, Pres. & Sister Wan

After a wonderful dinner we had 1 minute testimonies and then ushered in Christmas for the Deans, who will not be here, with Pres. Aki playing his ukulele and singing Hawaiian Christmas songs.

The temple was busy this week with a couple from India who came with a missionary couple serving there.  We had a nice visit with the Capaners from Perry, Utah who have been serving in India for nine months.  They cannot get their visas renewed so next week will move to Cambodia.  The Church is growing in India but they have many trials.  Their strength will come from the YSA and the young people going on missions.  We had two American girls who were traveling through Asia for holiday and a group of women (6) who were passing through to Nepal to help set up a school there.  We had six sisters from mainland China who received their endowments.  Wednesday they had nine own endowments and the next day three more, two just showed up without an appointment.  The temple does everything it can to accommodate and make them feel welcome.  I was privileged to serve in the youth center with three children from India, 10, 8, 3, who were waiting to be sealed to their parents.  What wonderful, marvelous blessings the Lord has provided for us.  Go often and review and remember the covenants that will help us get back to Heavenly Father.  

We were went down to the Harbor Shopping Mall to find a grocery store which was suppose to have cranberry sauce and saw some of the holiday decorations.  The city is very festive.  Lights on all the buildings at night and every mall decorated for the holidays.

Thursday, Thanksgiving day, we went to the temple in the morning 8:00 - 4:00 and then had been invited to the Pacini families home for Thanksgiving dinner.  They are an American family who have been here in Hong Kong, I believe 8 years.  They have 2 boys, and 2 girls, 10, 8, 5, 3.  We took the train to the end of the Blue line and then got a taxi to take us the rest of the way.  They live out by Stanley on the water.  Beautiful neighborhood and view.  They had invited from friends from school, some friends who are working in mainland China, Tara is expecting a baby and comes to HK for her doctor, Pres. & Sister Berret, District President, and Pres. & Sister Nield from the District.  It was  just delightful and we had such a good dinner and wonderful visit.  

Rosie and Joseph Pacini

 Friday was our last day in the temple before shutdown. On our way home we saw the Chan family.  They are temple missionaries and have had some of their family visiting from the States.  They took a few days and went into Mainland China with them and showed them were they each grew up and saw their Grandmother.  They were on their way to the temple to do baptisms.

We came home and finished packing for our trip and got the apartment ready for our guests, The Hoskins, who arrived Friday evening about 8:30 from SLC.  They are replacing the Deans who go home on December 4th to St. George.  Paul and I caught the shuttle and went down to Paisanos for pizza.  They have a 24" one which we bought and brought home for the Hoskins and other missionaries who would be coming over to greet them.  

Hoskins, Hathaways, and Paul

 We all remembered the flight and commiserated with them.  About 10:30 they got to bed.  They got up early to meet the Hathaways at the taxi stop downstairs to get to the temple by 8 to get set apart and shown around the temple before it closes for two weeks.  We are all happy to have them here but sad to see the Deans go home.  They have been such a blessing in the temple and to each of us.  If you wanted or needed anything Sister Dean was the one to ask.  Elder Dean served here in his youth and they both helped with Mandarin in the temple.  We love you and will remember you.

Saturday evening after everyone finished at the temple we went to Outback to say goodbye to the Deans.  Had a great last get-together.

Sunday was Branch Conference.  Our theme "Making the Temple the Center of Your Lives".  President Collins, Branch President and President Berrett, District spoke and the choir sang.   Pres. Collins took part of his message from Pres. Aki, Temple President, "If I don't see you in the temple, I probably won't see you in heaven."  We joined this Church and come each week because we want to return to Heavenly Father.  The key to doing so is the temple.  Come visit with me and start your first steps to the temple.

Pres. Berrett continued with the statement that the temple recommend is an identifier and it is the center of what you are about.  Resolve the issues you have.  Mosiah 2:5-6 1/ picture of temple 2) live to be worthy to hold a recommend and always have a recommend.  It is evidence that we are trying.  3 Nephi 11:  13-15.  over 2500 men, women and children were at the temple when the Savior appeared.  Something was going on and probably everyone had been invited.  Those who were there on the first day, saw Him, touched Him and were blessed by Him.  On the 2nd day maybe ten times more people came and were taught by Him, but they did not have the experiences of the first day saints.  MAKE THE TEMPLE THE CENTER OF YOUR LIVES AND YOU WILL KNEEL AT HIS FEET AND FEEL HIS NAIL PRINTS AND BE BLESSED BY HIM ALSO.

Paul & Sister Collins

A game of  designing a beautiful wedding dress out of tp

Paul Sequeire, 1st Counselor.  This is a first.  He was at the front of the line for food for a change.

President Collins actually got something to eat as well.

After church we had a bridal shower sponsored by the YW and the Branch Missionaries.  Arcellie is getting married in the Manila Temple December 28 to a wonderful returned missionary.  She also served a mission.  It was great fun as you can see.

The temple will be closed for two weeks for cleaning so we will see you all in a couple of weeks.

November 12 - 18, 2012

Monday we took the shuttle from our apartment to the TST (Tsim Sha Tsui) train station where we took the Tsuen Wan line to Kwai Fong.  It's a new way for us to get to church and only takes one train.  It requires a medium walk from the shuttle to the train but we like it.  Paul was able to get a lot of the paper work ready for tithing settlement which President Collins began today.  Paul's big job is to try to get everyone's records in order.  Finding people is a real problem but we have several sisters who are so good about helping us.  Yehlan is one of these.  She is the Branch mission leader and does a tremendous job.  Also Sister Lingling, our RS President, is also wonderful and they both know a lot of the sisters.

When we left the Church we went to Wancahi Bldg. to turn in the tithing receipts and stopped at Prize Mart to get a few things,  microwave popcorn, candy bars and cookies.  A very healthy diet.  On the way home we decided to take the ferry and ran into a young man who is in Hong Kong on business from Cincinnati Ohio.

Brother Mattingly from Cincinnati Ohio notice Christmas decorations are everywhere

I had a really lovely visit on the phone with Lynn Nelson and she asked questions about our apartment and I said I would include some pictures so here they are

Our bedroom

My closet, those two drawers are our  dresser, I have  that much more not showing

Our living room and dining room, notice our new rug

Kitchen area

Washer and dryer in one.  Paul never uses the dryer but hangs the clothes  on a rope line he strings up.

bathroom, again lots of mirrors

extra bedroom with desk

other end of extra bedroom

We are at the end of this long hallway.  I'm standing at our door taking the picture.  We are on the 18th floor.

 We had some wonderful experiences at the temple this week.  We had a family from India.  Two brothers, their wives and children and mother from Banglador.  One brother is a Branch President and the other is on the District Council.  One brother and his wife received their endowments and were sealed and the brothers were sealed to their mother and deceased father.  I got to visit with them in the  baptistry one evening.  This month we serve two night shifts in the temple.  We go in at 2:15 and work until closing around 9:30 pm.

We also had a group from Indonesia and one from Thailand.  I worked with two of the sisters from Thailand all week either on sessions or in initiatory.   What wonderful people.  One is a District RS President and has a daughter at BYU Hawaii.  We also have our very faithful Chinese brothers and sisters who come regularly along with several American sisters who live here.What a joy every day to go into the temple and work with such great people.

Paul practicing for Beijin

Saturday we walked to the post office to mail a package to Mallorie.  I made the mistake of telling her I bought them some really cute purses and she has been wanting to know when she was going to get them so we finally mailed them off.  I hope they like them, I thought they were so cute.  We then checked out a new grocery store that the Victors and Keslers told us about.  It's a Park & Shop International and is quite nice.  It's kind of like Ikea in the fact that once you get in you have to walk through the whole store before you can get out.

Saturday evening Tim and Candy Fife invited us to their home for dinner.  It was out in Tuen Mun.  Just took one train out to the New Territories.  We got there a little early so were going to walk through the mall but could not find a mall there at the station.  That was a first.  We then called and took the light rail two stops and Tim and his son Spencer met us as we got off the train.  Their complex is right there.  It was very nice.

Candy prepared a wonderful dinner for us even though they had had a big lunch with their ward at a German buffet.  It was fun to meet their family, they have three boys, Daniel, Thomas and Spencer and Sophie who is going to be three next week.  Candy says she is way too westernized for most of the Chinese.  They met at BYU Hawaii and lived in Camarillo, TO, for four years and then came to Hong Kong, which is where she is from and he got a job with the Church in Wanchai, Technology manager.

Paul, Daniel, Mar Jean, Spencer, Candy, Thomas, Sophie, Tim 

Paul, Cathy, Mar Jean.  Cathy is their domestic helper and a member of the Church from the Philippines.  We see her in the temple most Saturday mornings.

 Today, Sunday, we left for Church at 10;15.  Arrived at 11:00 and Elder Lewis started preparing for tithing settlement.  I worked in the library a little.  Sister Victor was busy working on the Primary program which will be on December 9th.  She hasn't had much time to prepare and so is a little stressed out, but we know it will be wonderful as they always are.

Today our new Elder, Elder Broderick, spoke.  He is from Utah and has been out 1 1/2 years.  He spoke about being happy now and not thinking that once you accomplish set number of things you will be happy.

Ben James, District Sunday School President, was our 2nd speaker and he encouraged us to gain gospel knowledge which is taking all the information that sinks into our hearts and actually changes us into better people, helping us become more like the Savior.

After Church today we had Home Teaching with our groups.  We had seven present.  Elder Lewis gave the lesson from Elder Cook's talk on " Can You Feel So Now".  Brother Paul Sequiera is his companion and he finished up.  Then we all went to choir practice.  Next week is Branch Conference and the choir is singing.  Sister Castleton conducts and Sister Parry plays for us.

Delsa Maddrena, Venus Galicia, Lingling Cacayorin, Bem Bem Donasco, Yessie Acosta, Paul Sequeira

Some wonderful news from home.  Saturday Debbie had a bridal shower for my niece  Marcy, who is getting married December 17.  We are so happy for her.  Sheri was kind enough to send a picture of Kelly, who took the boys and drove to Idaho to attend, Staci and Kaylee.  Aren't they the cutest girls?

Kelly, Staci, Kaylee in Debbie's home

It has been a good week and we are continually blessed by the Lord in keeping us healthy and happy. Love the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul.  

November 5-11, 2012

Happy Birthday to Brody, who turned 3 on the 5th and Kimberly who turned ??? on the 6th.  We love you both and hope you had lots of fun.  Sorry Robbie, we cannot bring a panda home, they are an endangered species.  

We had so much fun at Ocean Park last Saturday that we talked everyone else into going on Monday and decided to join them.  First we went to Wanchai to deposit the money and then eventually met up with them at the park.  This time we saw all the exhibits and even rode a few of the rides.  The Artic Blast, the Ferris Wheel and the swing.  We saw the other wonderful panda exhibit and red tail money exhibit.

The upper park, mainly rides and a few exhibits

Elder Lewis & Elder Rhyasen

Giant Panda Jia Jia

A ride in the cable care with two senior men from Hong Kong. They wanted our picture

Panoramic views from the Ocean Park Tower

We stayed in the park until 7 pm so we could see the beautiful water and dragon show at the Aqua City Lagoon.  It was quite spectacular.  Water spouts, fire spouts, the legend of two dragons fighting until mother earth brought them to have peace together.

This week at the temple we had a wonderful Mongolian group there all week.  One of the sisters, Flower, spoke English.  She had just returned from a mission in Arizona and spoke very good English.  We were able to serve their group on sessions, in initiatory and sealings all week.  They were very faithful, they attended three or more sessions every day and completed all the family names they brought with them.  We had two young women who were traveling throughout Asia for a couple of days.  They were from the Salt Lake area and took the time to come to the temple while in Hong Kong.  A Ward from Singapore also came with their youth so the baptistery was busy all week also.   It was a great week.  Saturday Paul went in to sub for Elder Chan.  They had family that just arrived. I went in also and did two sessions and was hoping to get a third one in but they needed me to work.  President and Sister Aki finished up the Saturday with a marriage of two returned missionaries from Hong Kong.  

Thursday night there was a fireside for all the area because Sister Cook from General YW and Sister Reeves from General Relief Society and their husbands were here in Hong Kong.  Sister Cook spoke about the new YM/YW curriculum for 2013 and Sister Reeves spoke about missionary work.  They checked into the Marriot Hotel and wondered if they still put Book of Mormons in their rooms.  Sure enough they did.  She was able to talk about this book to three different employees who came into their room.  

Saturday and Sunday were District Conference.  At 3:00-4:30 they had a social where we met to visit and they had wonderful refreshments.  At 5:00 they had the adult meeting.  

President & Sister Collins our Peninsula 3rd Branch President & his wife.  They are from Scotland/South Africa

President & Sister Berrett, District President

Saturday night's theme was becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Some memorable statements:  

• The Savior said, Follow me and they immediately forsook all and followed.
• We can't insist on our timetable when the Lord has one for us.   
• Look in the scriptures and you will find answers to all your questions about raising children.  The Savior is the pattern in all things even child rearing.
• Temple worship is the path to discipleship.
• If I don't see you in the temple, I won't see you in heaven.
• The hymn "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief"  
• How do we have assurance that we are followers of Christ?  Practice what we proclaim, gradually increase our efforts to follow Him, obedience to the Savior--forsake all that is not good for us--a price worth paying, a price we cannot afford to not pay.

Elder & Sister Brown and Fe and Vilma

Fe and Vilma served in the Philippines with Elder Brown's sister 20 years ago.  Elder Brown is Branch President of several of the week Philippino Branches.

 We decided to take the ferry back to TST and then walked along the promenade home.  The skyline of the Kowloon side.

Someone's wedding pictures

It was a very busy Sunday on the Promenade

Sunday's theme at District Conference was "living in such a way that we have the companionship of the Holy Ghost with us always". 

President Hawks, Hong Kong Mission President:  Nephi returned to Jerusalem the third time "being lead by the spirit but not knowing what I should do...NEVERTHELESS I went forth"

• Share your light -- we ought to look and act different
• Share your example
• Share your testimony
• It requires courage and faith--remember the ladder of conversion we must all

President Berrett, District President:  D&C 42:14 This section is called the "Law of the Lord".  What would be of the most worth?  The thing that will be of the most worth unto you is to declare repentance unto this people.  You can take nothing with you from this life except your declaration of testimony.  If we listen to the Spirit we will have success.  The Lord's work is accomplished as we listen to the spirit and act unto it. 

Have a great week and remember "I Am A Child of God, I love Him and I know He loves me." 

October 29 - November 4, 2012

We had great plans for Monday to go to Ocean Park and check it out.  You know how all good plans go, out the window.  We went to Wanchai to deposit the Branch money and have that down pretty good now.  Then we headed to the Wanchai bldg. where we visited with Brother Albert who helped Paul with making some changes on the Branch records.  Then we stopped to visit with the Harringtons, who are Family History missionaries.  They just back from Thailand where the Saints and making great gains in their family history work.  We visited with Sister Chan who took our printer cartridge and gave us some paper and other supplies we needed for the Branch.  By the time we finished we had two heavy bags to carry.  Decided it was not a good day to go on to Ocean Park.  Instead we went searching for a Mexican Restaurant we had heard about.  We found it right at noon and had a great lunch.  We found in Slovenia if you order fajitas you can't go wrong and it was true.  They had great homemade salsa.  We picked up a few groceries from Prize Mart and headed home.

Paul waiting for the shuttle at our apartment

We are so blessed to have such wonderful accommodations.  We are close to transportation.  Shopping is not too far away, 3-4 blocks, and we are all together in the same complex and very centrally located in the city.

We have had some delightful people in the temple this week.  A couple from Mongolia have been here every day doing three and four endowment sessions.  Then we had a group of four young adults here from Thailand.  One received her endowment and again they have been in the temple every day doing all the ordinances and being on three and four sessions.  President and Sister Hawks were in the temple on Thursday as they had two missionaries going home and the first Thursday we always have the area presidency and missionaries in the temple for a session.  Paul and I have been working hard on our Cantonese at the veil and it is coming.  He is using it quite often now.

I visited with one of our workers this week.  Sister So.  She comes from Mainland China for two weeks to serve in the temple.  She joined the church in 2006.  Her employer in Japan was a member and invited her.  She and her youngest son joined.  Her oldest son was already in the military and not at home.

We had our quarterly interview with President and Sister Aki.  They are such wonderful people.  This is their third time serving in Hong Kong, well actually four because I believe they both served a mission here when young.  They were here as Mission President, then came as Public Relations missionaries and now as Temple President and Matron.

We have District Conference next week and Sister Cook, from the General YW and Sister Reeves, from General RS will be here.  There are some special firesides planned while they are here.

This month we are off on Saturday so we and Sister Clyde tried out Ocean Park.  It's a lot like Sea World.  We had a great time.  One thing you have to watch out for here are little steps.  They always show up when you least expect them.  One found me today and I went down and sprained my left hand and foot.  I'm just grateful it did not break.  I should be well in a few days.  Also on the bus I was sitting on the aisle and we went around a corner and off I slipped right onto the floor.  It was not my best day.

Sister Clyde and us waiting for the bus to Ocean Park

Isn't he beautiful?

Looking out at the South China Sea

Entering the Artic area

Today we didn't need to be to Church early so left here at 11.  We took the shuttle to the TST station, caught a train took it to the Church exit.  We then walk thru two malls and another couple of blocks and we are here. 

Great testimony meeting today.  These people are so grateful for the Gospel in their lives.  They have wonderful testimonies.  Sister Wen gave a wonderful lesson in SS on 3 Nephi 27-30, 4 Nephi.  We can certainly see ourselves in these chapters.  Ling Ling, RS Pres.,  gave our RS lesson today on Pres. Monson's talk from conference.  Remembering your blessings.  The question was "how do you feel when you are grateful for what you have and how do you feel when you don't think you have received any blessings?"  

The choir practiced today for Branch Conference coming up in three weeks.  

Sister Castleton director and Sister Parry pianist

We had to leave the dinner quickly because we had to get to the Wanchai Bldg. for President Collins to sign some papers before he left town for the week.  Sister Collins is back from South Africa.  We were all happy to see her.
In the Boise Temple dedication President Monson included this:

"Help the youth of Thy church stand firm for truth and righteousness. Open wide to their view the gates of learning, of understanding and of service in Thy kingdom. Build within them strength to resist the temptations of the world. Give them the will to walk in virtue and faith, to be prayerful and to look to Thee as their constant anchor."