February 18 - 24, 2013

What a great week at the temple.

The third week is when the everyday branches come to the temple to do baptisms. Elder & Sister Walker and Woolley come with their Branch members after their sacrament meeting and they usually start baptisms around 4 pm.  This week we stayed and helped out.   They always need more priesthood.  It's wonderful to work with these Filipino sisters.

This week we had a family come from Beijing to be sealed.  What a special experience.  I was able to help with the children, 17, 15, 12 and 9.  The oldest is waiting for his mission call.  It is so wonderful to see families joined together forever.

We also had a young couple come from India to be sealed this week.  They were only here a couple of days but were able to receive their own endowments and do some work for their own family.  Today we had two weddings and sealings of young couples here in Hong Kong. Today we had a young sister who received her mission call to Leeds England.  She came home from BYU to receive her endowments here in Hong Kong before leaving.   Our young men and women who receive their mission calls who live here in Hong Kong have the privilege of serving in the temple until they leave for their mission.  They go out with a great love for the temple and its ordinances.  Also when they return they begin serving again.

Today Paul officiated a session and his witness couple (Haser) were from Lake Lindero, CA.  I was a follower on a session with two own endowments from Shenzhan, China who came with about 30 people.  They brought some of their youth with them so the baptistery was busy all day. Paul has been working all week on getting the training book up-to-date and is doing a great job.

This morning at 5 am Paul was up reading the Church News and came across the announcements for new Mission Presidents and saw that President Kurt Blickenstaff and Katherine have been called to serve in Taiwan in July.  Paul served with him in the Stake Presidency in 2004.  He had a nice visit with them this morning.

Monday we went for haircuts after having a great lunch at the Mexican restaurant we found in Wan Chai.  We stopped at the Church and took care of some clerking jobs.

 Time is drawing close for the Rhyasens to go home.  The Friday workers had a little party for them.  Lots of good homemade Chinese food.  Elder Rhyasen wouldn't try it.  He's back row, third from the end and Sister Rhyasen is sitting in the front row in the front.

 Our granddaughters, Courtney and Mallorie are all set for a fun 80's party for a friend's 16th birthday.

Probably one of our last pictures of the Rhyasens and us at the temple.  We have been serving on the same shift all month and often end up walking or taking the train together.  They will be returning to Washington on March 8.  They have been a great help to all of us and the temple.

 Tuesday we went to Wan Chai to visit Triple-O's.  They were having a hamburger special.  While there we met Pres. & Sister Saclley who were in HK for the Asia Mission President's training.  They are from Calgery and serve in one of the India missions.  They were serving here in HK as executive secretary to the Asia Area Presidency and then were called to be mission president.  They had just arrived in HK early that morning and were hungry and remembered Triple-O's.  As we spoke we learned that my cousin, Kent Mendenhall and his wife are serving in Napel, which is in their mission so they will say hello for us.  The Mission Presidents had a special session at the temple early Friday morning and we were able to serve at that time.

 It was a day for running into people.  We saw our Branch missionary Elder Bingham and his new companion Elder Roper out on the street.

 A little bit further and we ran into the Sister Missionaries who serve in the everyday Branches with an investigator.

Sunday we had District Conference to sustain a new District President.  Church started at 1 pm.  We got there early so we could take pictures of our Branch members for the web page.  President Barrett and his wife have been called as mission president of Bangladesh, India.  They report in May, a little earlier than usual.  President Tai, who was 1st counselor, was called as the new president with President Hillam and Pres. Gonzon as counselors.  President Hillam's daughter served in Croatia with us. 

 We got a picture today of a couple of people.  First were the Hasers who are from Lake Lindero and Agoura, CA. We meet people in the strangest places.  We remembered some of the same people.  

We also saw Elder Woo who served at the temple with us before starting his mission in Hong Kong.  He said he is doing great.

After the conference our RS presidency wanted to go see Sister Parry.  We found out she had gone home from the hospital so we invited them to follow us home, stop for a visit with Sister Parry and come to our apartment for some dinner.  It was nice having some company over.  Felt like our YSA group in Slovenia.  Sister Parry is doing great but plans to go home for radiation/chemo treatments with the hopes of coming back.

Elder & Sister Victor, Fe, Mary Ann, Leah, Mar Jean & Paul.  LingLing took the picture

Ling Ling's in the blue.  She's our RS President

I think I will leave you with a couple of thoughts from Conference to think about.  First a group sang "Lift Up Your Hands to God".  "I need to do better".  Elder Bednar said "to act to trust and strive consistently to do better...step into the light toward Heavenly Father".  Elder Wong said "be the best..Matt 28:  come unto me all ye heavily laden and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart.  ye shall find rest upon your souls..for my yoke is easy and my burden is light."  President Wilson said his wife always says "life is just as hard as it needs to be".  Have a great week AND DO YOUR VERY BEST.

February 11-17, 2013

This week Hong Kong continued to celebrate Lunar New Year.  Some fun news from the temple is that President and Sister Wan welcomed a twin granddaughter and grandson on New Year's day.  Their son and family live here in Hong Kong.  Elder & Sister Whitehead had their daughter and grandson visit them for a couple of weeks.  We meet them in the mall after a day at the park and enjoying ice cream.

Every mall is decorated with pinks and reds.  This is a display in the Metropolis Mall which we walk through most days to get home.  

Monday night were the fireworks to celebrate.  Thousands of people throng to the promenade to watch.  It is spectacular.  Paul and I left our apartment about 5:30 and walked to the MTR where we caught a train which brought us eventually to STS where we tried to get to the water's edge.  Not much luck so we started walking toward home and when we got to the section with Starbucks we found a spot to wait.  It filled up fast and when they started we stood on the bench to see.  They lasted about 30 minutes.  We walked on home from there and ran into the Hathaways who were also out watching.  

View of the Hong Kong side of the harbor

Can you see the number of people behind us?

More people

Tuesday we continued to celebrate.  The Peninsula 3rd Branch had an Enrichment Activity for the Sisters.  It started out with a class on finances given by one of the Filipino couples in HK followed by lunch from KFC. 

Paul S. and Mildred

Some of the girls having fun

Delsa, 

Yehlan and Vilma

Yehlan, Astra and Yehlan's sister visiting from South America

 After some socializing we had three workshops on fashion, makeup and personality development.

Makeup class

Fashion class

Personality development

Fashion class

Fashion show

Wednesday we were on holiday schedule at the temple.  We arrived early to be ready for the first session at 7am.  I was initiatory coordinator and Paul spent time in the baptistery and veil.  All together there were over 1200 ordinances performed that day with five sessions plus initiatory and sealings and baptistery busy.  

We met a wonderful couple from Mongolia who were sealed on Wednesday and then spent the rest of the week in the temple.  We found out that he served his mission in Boise Idaho and she served in Pocatello.  They didn't know each other until they got home to Mongolia.  

On our way to the temple Friday it was pretty empty except for the Victors

 Sunday we had a great Sacrament meeting.  One of our new converts, Rizza, spoke and then Bem Bem, this was her 2nd talk and Nova, our Branch mission leader.  They all did a great job.  We are so proud of these wonderful women.  Yehlan should be on her way to Canada this week.  She and Claire and hoping for their Canadian visas on Wednesday and Thursday.  We will miss them.

I was called as a primary teacher for Shannon (10) and Michelle (8).  What fun it is to teach them

Our RS Presidency  Alma, Leah, Ling Ling, Fe

For Valentine's day we received this wonderful picture of three of our grandsons, Gage, Tyler, Josh  

 Katie and the boys went to Kimberly's for the long weekend.  They got their in time for Tyler to join Courtney and Kaylee at the Twin Falls Temple to baptisms for the month of February.  We are so proud of them.  They are making it to the temple every month.  Keep up the good work.  Remember, if you keep the commandments you will be blessed.

Thought of the Week

A PENCIL MAKER TOLD THE PENCIL 5 IMPORTANT LESSONS JUST BEFORE PUTTING IT IN THE BOX:

1.) EVERYTHING YOU DO WILL ALWAYS LEAVE A MARK.

2.) YOU CAN ALWAYS CORRECT THE MISTAKES YOU MAKE.

3.) WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS WHAT IS INSIDE OF YOU.

4.) IN LIFE, YOU WILL UNDERGO PAINFUL SHARPENINGS, WHICH WILL ONLY MAKE YOU BETTER.

5.) TO BE THE BEST PENCIL, YOU MUST ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE HELD AND GUIDED BY THE HAND THAT HOLDS YOU. 

We all need to be constantly sharpened. This parable may encourage you to know that you are a special person, with unique God-given talents and abilities. Only you can fulfill the purpose which you were born to accomplish. 

February 4 - 10, 2013 Chiinese Lunar New Year

Monday we went with Elder & Sister Chan to the Metropolis for lunch.  On the 4th floor is a food court.  We have been thru the food court several times but didn't know what to order.  The Chans took us around and we had a wonderful lunch.  We picked up spring rolls, dumplings and they had rice and chicken and a pan of baked rice with sausages.

That evening they invited us up to their apartment for dinner and then a session on the stretching board.  I'll have to get a picture from Elder Chan.  Elder Chan is working to keep us healthy.  Some Chinese history on New Years

This is the week of the Chinese Lunar New Year.  It is a four day statutory holiday.  Within China, regional customs and traditions concerning the celebration of the Chinese new year vary widely.  Often, the evening preceding Chinese New Year’s Day is an occasion for Chinese families to gather for the annual reunion dinner.  It is also traditional for every family to thoroughly cleanse the house, in order to sweep away any ill-fortune and to make way for good incoming luck.  Windows and doors will be decorated with red colour paper cuts and couplets with popular themes of good fortune or happiness, wealth and longevity.  Other activities include lighting firecrackers and giving money in red paper envelopes.

Firework and Chinese good luck tokens

On Wednesday after the temple a few of us, Sister Hathaway, Elder & Sister Rhyasen, and I went to the flower market in Mong Kok East.  

A view of  market street

Decorations in the mall

These cherry blossom trees are like our Christmas trees

vegetable & fruit stand

Elder Rhyasen

Sister Rhyasen & Sister Hathaway

Strawberries are in season

This stand is cooking chestnuts, sweet potatoes, eggs and a bunch of other stuff

On our way home exhausted

Sister Rhyasen and us at the Victoria Park flower market 

Brother & Sister Lau from the temple

Sister Lau works with us on Tuesday mornings at the temple.  She speaks very good English.  She joined the Church in her youth and served a mission in Hong Kong.  She was so gracious to say she would take us to the Victoria Flower market.  What was fun was they told us about the flowers and what they represented for the new year.  It was very crowded but lots of fun.

Every color imaginable

Watching the balloons float away

Mar Jean & Renee Rhyaseen

Brother & Sister Lau with the 5 generation trees

Dragon shop

These little orange trees are everywhere and so beautiful

The New Year celebration started Saturday.  The temple was closed so Paul and I went to Ocean Park.  We left early so as to beat the rush and it worked.  We took the 171 bus which got us there in about 20 minutes compared to our hour ride last time.  We were first in line and started at the aquarium   Then walked thru the panda exhibit.  From there we watched the drum show and stayed for the snake dance.  Took the cable car across the island to the other side where we watched the seal and dolphin show.  We left around 3 for home.  We stopped in Wan Chai for some shopping and took the ferry home.  

Entry to our apartment lobby

These flowers are in our lobby to celebrate New Year's

Cherry blossom tree with red envelopes hanging on it surrounded by the small orange trees.  Good luck, prosperity and good health

Paul at the entrance of Ocean Park

Red Pandas being fed

Giant Panda having breakfast

Cute hats and gloves, anyone want one?

Drum dancers

Cable car ride.  The view is amazing 

Sunday Paul had to be to church by 11:30 so he went early and I found my way there about 12:00.  I am now a Primary teacher and at the moment have one 9 year old girl, Shannon.  It is fun teaching her.  We spend about 30 minutes together.  Sister Victor does such fun things with the children.  Sunday they have finger paints which they put on the table and then had to draw a picture of a Prophet and everyone had to guess who it was.  They really enjoyed this activity.  

It was Home Teaching after the Block and we had a nice turnout.  I think 8 sisters were there.  Paul and Brother Paul Sequeire are companions.  We had dinner afterwards.  Mama Baby and Letty were in charge this week and we had a noodle soup, which was very good. 

About 12 missionary couples went to the New Year's Parade sponsored by Cathay Pacific Airlines.  The Rhyasens and Victors went last Saturday at 5 am to get tickets for us.  They were very good seats at the beginning of the parade.  We each got a package on our seats with some treats in them.  Water, snack, flashlight, poncho, star head gear.  It was a great parade.

Peninsula 3 Primary, Sister Victor, Nida, Yessie, Paul & chidlren

Shannon

Entrance to the parade route

Sister Clyde and her grandson Taylor

Park of the missionary group

Elder & Sister Kelly

There were 35 entries in the parade from all over the world. Estonia, Poland, China, UK, Moscow, Australia, Bolivia, Korea, Macau, Ireland, Spain, Tokyo, Seattle and of course Hong Kong.

Sorry for all the pictures but there is so very much to see and this way we won't forget.  Hope you all have a great week and we wish you a Happy Valentine's Day and a very prosperous New Year.