March 4 - March 10

 Paul started out Monday by going to the bank and depositing the money.  On his return we met at the Rhyasen's apartment to gather whatever goodies we wanted.  This is their last week here in Hong Kong and they will be closing their apartment.  So rather than have to move everything they would rather give it away.  We all went home with lots of things for our own apartment.

Sister Hathaway and Paul

Sister Victor having a look around.

Elder Hathaway, Hoskins, Paul, Sister Hoskins, Sister Hathaway, Elder & Sister Rhyasen

 Shortly after clearing them out we all headed to Hong Kong Island to Al Dante for their farewell luncheon.  They leave for home (Vancouver, Washington State) on Friday.  We will miss them.  They have been such wonderful friends and have shown us the ropes in and outside the temple.

Lunch at Al Danta

Renee and Allan Rhyasen

Elder & Sister Hoskins, Sister Aki, Elder & Sister Chan

Sister Victor, Hoskins, Tai, Rhyasen, Aki, Chan, Hathaway, Lewis.  Sister Clyde  had just returned from the hospital and was not able to make it.

Hathaways, Akis, Tais, Rhyasens, Chans, Lewises, Hoskins, Victors

 Sister Clyde came home from the hospital this morning and is doing really well.  She will take a couple of days to recuperate and then be back at the temple.

Sister Clyde has been advised by Dr. Bertin and President Aki that it will be best if she returns home where she can be closer to her family and receive the medical care that she needs.  This was very disappointing news to her but she has come to accept the counsel of her priesthood leaders.  We will miss her warm and loving smile and kind ways.

It was a great week at the temple.  We serve this month on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon and evenings.  We see area missionaries who serve in the evenings and new local workers that we haven't met before.  We love it.  President and Sister Wan are on duty in the evenings and it has been good to serve with them.  Coming home late we often stop for a treat at McDonalds.  We can get an ice cream for 32 cents.

This week was Asia Women's Conference and so we have seen many ex patriots at the temple so lots of English.  Of course we have still had our faithful Mandarin saints also.  Elder Lewis and I usually do the 4 pm session as officiator and follower.  The conference began on Thursday evening so we, Sister Hathaway and I went over.  It started with check in and service project followed by a general session at which Eldere Larry Wilson, Sister Wilson and spoke.  He is in the Area Presidency.  "Trust in the Lord With all Thine Heart"

Sisters at the table I was working at.  Dorothy Culwell Haiyang, China, Cherie Poland Jecarda, Indonesia; Ruth Holmberg Changzhou, China

 The service project started with 300 yards of fleece and we ended up with 81 quilts for the Crossroads Foundation here in Hong Kong.  We worked on them each day of the conference and were finished with the conference ended.

The sister on the left is visiting her daughter here in Hong Kong who justs had twins.  She is from Phoenix and is the other grandma of President & Sister Wan,    

Mar Jean & Dorothy Culwell

 The amazing story of this woman is that she lived in Palmyra when we were serving our mission there in 2007-08.  Is it not a small world in the Church?

There were many breakout sessions and some general sessions at which Sister Susan Gong, Sister Lesa Stevenson and Sister Julie Beck spoke.  The theme of the conference was Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord, lean not to thy own understanding".

Candy Fife, wife of Tim Fife from Camarillo

Sister Tai, wife of our new District President, of Japanese descent and they have six children

This sister and I cut fabric for two hours together.

Time for the Rhyasens to go home after a wonderful year in the Hong Kong Temple.  They made a huge contribution.

Our last goodbyes Thursday night.

Friday morning the Rhyasens were picked up at 5:30 am by President Aki to be taken to the airport.

Paul & President Aki

President Aki and Elder Rhyasen loading luggage

Elder & Sister Allan & Renee Rhyasen

Picture sent from the airport as President Aki deposited them at the international airport headed for Portland, Oregon

 Saturday Paul and I joined Sister Clyde for one last trip to Stanley where she needed to exchange some things she had purchases.  We had a delightful time.  We even found a few things we had to have.  We stopped for lunch a Paisano's pizza which just happened to be at the end of the market.

Sister Clyde and me on the double decker bus to Stanley

Sunday we needed to be at the Church by 11:30 for a Bishopric and Council meeting so we left the apartment at 10:30.  A very good day at church.  President Collins was back and that is always good. My little Primary class is wonderful and I am enjoying these two sweet girls.

Shannon

Michelle, who will be baptized this Sunday

After the block several of the Sisters, including Sister Castleton and myself, hurried off to the WanChai Bldg. for a District Enrichment meeting at which Pres. and Sister Berrett spoke on the Savior in the Book of Mormon.

I learned many things from the conference and enrichment activity but I will leave you with just a couple of thoughts.  One:  Sister Wilson said she learned early in life by listening to her Stake President's wife, she was in there home often, to say "Go serve the Lord, Honey", each time her husband left to serve. As one who yearned for a worthy priesthood holder in our home, I can testify that it was a great privilege to reverence one who would "go serve the Lord"  with my blessing.

Two:  Sister Beck said her dad always ended his prayers with their family with  "bless us, save us and crown us in Thy Kingdom.  Two thoughts that really struck me as important.

Have a great week,   There are only four weeks until General Conference.  I challenge you to relisten to all the Prophets conference talks from last conference.  If you just take the 15 you should be able to do it.