May 20 - 26, 2013

Monday we had an outing with the Temple Missionaries to the Kom Tong Hall, or Dr. Sun Yat-sen Museum which was converted from the graceful 90-years-plus KomTong Hall.  Dr. Sun played a major role in the modernization and revolutionary campaigns at the turn of the 20th Century.  The Church had also purchased this home in 1960 and used the building as the Church headquarters, chapel, cultural hall, missionary residence until 2004.  We have visited here several times, in fact just last week with the Bergesons but today three of the missionaries and two members who lived and attended church here were with us.  

Elder & Sister Victor, Chan, Hoskins, Sister Poon, Hathaway, Walker and Lewis

Before the high-rises were built, this was a beautiful view to the Harbour.

Sister Chan, Elder Hathaway, Elder Chan, Elder Hoskins and Elder Walker 

Sister Chan was baptized in the font still found in the building.  Elder Chan was attending church here when he came down the grand staircase saw her at the bottom and said, "I am going to marry that girl" and he did.  Elder Walker served in HK in 1958, Elders Hathaway and Hoskins in 1961 and they both lived in the building.  They had many wonderful stories to tell us.

After the tour some of us went to lunch at the Italian Restaurant and Rhyasens loved.  We liked it too. It was full inside so they seated us outside and just as our food came it started to rain.  They brought Elder Hathaway an umbrella.  It was a little hard to eat so by then they were able to move the four of us inside.

Coming back Paul and I took the ferry.  As we are leaving we saw the helicopter landing and tried to get a picture for Kim Bergeson.

That evening the area missionaries invited us to their FHE.  Dr. Bertin was going to be talking about hospital stays in HK and some other vital information for us in case we got sick.  He has certainly blessed many of our lives since being here.  Sister Bertin sent us all home with a flower.  She said she thought we got enough food.

Wednesday evening we had a huge rain storm with lightening and thunder all evening.  By morning there was a black alert which means no transportation would be running because of flooding and land slides.  About 10:30 President Aki came to the complex and picked us up to take us to the temple.  We were able to open by 11:30 and had our first session at 1.  We had a big group of saints from Thailand and mainland who were staying at the patron housing who wanted to get some more of their names completed.

President Aki driving us in.

This week Brother Merrill, from the Jordan River Temple was here along with his daughter, son-in-law and his grandson, who are from Singapore.  His grandson was receiving his endowment before heading off on his mission.  As it turned out Brother Merrill and President Wan met up again after serving together in Taiwan as young missionaries.  It was a wonderful reunion.  After Brother Merrill's family left he stayed on a couple of days with the Hoskins who he knew from the Jordan River Temple.

That afternoon Arcelli came to the temple to say her last goodbyes.  She is from our Peninsula 3 Branch and is returning to the Philippines to be with her husband.  Remember she got married in  December but had to come back to finish out her contract.  Her employer allowed her to return early. We are all so happy for her but will miss her.  She was  a driving force in our Branch

Arcelli, Me, Yessie, Sue Victor

On our OAD Paul and I hopped the train to Shenzhan to get our shoes repaired.  We are going again in June during shutdown and checked out our hotel.  This is the view from the hotel.  The silver building on the right is the big and spacious building but look at the beautiful hills.

Me relaxing in the reading room

Sunday we had a special conference becaue Elder Neil L. Andersen was visiting Asia and HK was his last stop.  We had our meeting at 9 am in the Wan Chai Bldg.  Elder Andersen's message is simple but impacting...BUILD STRONGER ZION and in Mark 5:36- Be not afraid, only believe!

President & Sister Aki

Sister Wan, Assistant to the Matron

Bro Suen, coordinator and gardener at temple,  and Paul

Sister Pu, from Beijing, and Me

Brother Merrill and Elder & Sister Hathaway

Choir from Island 2 Branch

Mar Jean, Paul S. and Paul L.

Pres. & Sister Sanders, new President of  one of the Branches.  Sister Sanders comes to the temple often and is a seminary teacher.

Below are some of our Pen 3 girls, Lea, Queenie, Yessie and Michelle

Bem Bem, Alma and others

A great newly married couple, both working in HK.

Later in the day, 6 pm, they had seminary graduation.  Since we have a love of youth and seminary we wanted to attend and three of our Branch members were receiving certificates.  Below is a picture of the graduates.

Kristy Anne and LingLing

Our three students and their teacher.  Ika, Sister Wen, Russell and Parley.

Sally Balad, (mother of two of the students) and Me

At home all is well.  Everyone is busy and looking forward to their last week of school.  Kimberly and Gary went to Red Fish Lake area for a 10K run.  Kory and Katie and family went to a river fishing up by Flaming Gorge and Kelly and Rob took the boys to Island Park.  It sounds like everyone is having a great time.  Mallorie had her last TaVasi recital.  Courtney and Kaylee are preparing for their dance studio recital.  Tyler helped with the flag ceremony at an Eagle Court of Honor, Josh is finishing up soccer, Gage and Riley have successfully completed kindergarten, Brayden is finishing up his requirements for Bear, he is ready to move on.  Brody is being Brody (3) and loving it.  We feel so very blessed to have such a wonderful supportive family.  We love you all and know you will always do your very best at whatever you do.

Let me close this week with the following statement from Pres. Harold B. Lee in Sheri Dew's book "No Doubt About It"
"We have some tight places to go before the Lord is through with this church and the world in this dispensation...The power of Satan will increase; we see it in evidence on every hand...The only safety we have as members of this Church is to ...give heed to the prophet...You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church.  It may contradict your political views.  It may contradict your social views...But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord Himself...the promise is that 'the gates of hell shall not prevail against you."  It may be that the most vital lesson we can learn ourselves and then teach our children and families in this critical era is to follow the prophet."

Lets follow this counsel and peace and safety in following the Prophet.

May 13 - 19, 2013

For Mother's Day Yessie took this picture of the girls at the Hong Kong Temple on Saturday when we did our little tour.  These are our girls from Peninsula 3 Branch

Shannon, Megan, Michelle, Guillan

Saturday evening late Kim and Laura Bergeson arrived in Hong Kong.  Sunday we met them at their hotel on HK Island and had Mother's Day brunch with them.  From there we took them on the MTR (train) to Church at Peninsula 3.

Monday we met them at the Dr.Sun museum.  That was quite an adventure for Paul and I.  We left the apartment at 8:40 and walked the promenade to the HSBC Bank where I recovered my ATM card which got eaten by the ATM machine the week before.  We had a hard time remembering and actually being available to pick it up until Monday.  From there we continued our walk to the Star Ferry where we caught the ferry to Central.  From there we walked to Queens Way and up the hill pass the mid-level escalators.  It was too early in the morning and they were all coming down so up the hill we trudged to the museum.  It took about an hour and the humidity was really high.  My head was completely soaked by the time we reached our destination.

From their we came down the hill to the Wan Chai Bldg. where we showed them around.

Kim, Laura and Paul in the foyer of the Wan Chai Bldg.

We went up to the 9th floor to see if Tim Fife was in and sure enough he was in town.

Dora joined us in this picture.  She is the secretary for this floor and has been so very good to us in  getting supplies etc for the Branch.  

The Big Yellow Ducky has been in the Harbour for a few weeks.  Not sure of the significance of it but it is very popular.

We all walked to our apartment along the promenade

After taking them to our apartment we went back to Wan Chai and had dinner with Tim at a Thai resetaurant.

Walking home from the temple to catch the MTR we passed this business and they had their gate open so Paul got a picture with these great looking cars.  It's foggy because the lens fogs up every time we come out of a building.  

While looking for a place for dinner Tuesday we ran into a bunch of couples who are on the Fun for Less tour with the Bergesons.  Two couples know people we served with in Palmyra and one couple is the brother of Christy Corbet in Camarillo.  Very small world.  We took the Bergesons and the Weeks back to the temple for the 7 pm session and sealing session and then they checked into their new hotel after we got back from the temple.  We took a taxi home.

One of the India brothers Paul worked with all week.

Bergesons and Lewises leaving the Hong Kong Temple after doing sealings.

Wednesday morning we walked over to their hotel to have breakfast and see them off.  Their tour guide did a devotional before they left. He had sent out a challenge about where in the Bible is their reference to China.  Paul found it by googling on his I-pad  Isaiah 49:12.

What fun it was for us to have them here for a couple of days.

This is the India group who were with us all week in the temple.  One couple had been to the temple 20 years ago and all the rest received their own endowment on this trip and were sealed to their families. 

Friday night we had tickets to see the BYU Young Ambassadors at a theater out by our Church.  We first had dinner in our apartment with the Hoskins and Elder Victor.  She has been sick all week.    

On the way home from the performance we ran into a family who are friends of Michelle and Yessee's.  They came to Michelle's baptism a couple of months ago and Angela came to our Primary class..

Elder Victor struck up a conversation with this lady.  Turns out she is an artist and was sharing some of her work with him from her iphone.

Three Elders and one Presidency member at the performance.  Elders Hoskins, Victor, President Tai and Elder Lewis waiting to get in to our seats.

Sister Ho and her Sister.  Sister Ho is our coordinator on Fridays

Sunday was quite a day.  Paul woke me up at 12:40 to say I had an email that asked if I would teach the GD class.  I was happy to do so but waited until morning to be sure I had the right lesson.  

Arcelli will be learning for home and her husband on Friday.  She has done so much in the Branch.  She will be missed but we are all so happy she is going home. 

Mar Jean, Arcelli and Janet

We had a baptism today after the Block.  Yuli has been coming for sometime.  She is from Malasia and accepted the invitation to be baptized.  

MJ, Eva, Yuli, Nova, Mercy, Guillan and Megan

Elder Bingham, Yuli and Elder Ford

It was a great week with a new member joining us.  Pres. Collins is off for two weeks on business and getting his son into the MTC.  This Sunday we will have a HK and International District Conference. Elder Neil Andersen will be visiting.  We are all very excited to have an Apostle of the Lord visit Hong Kong.  

May 6 - 12, 2013

Monday Paul got up early and headed out for our service project.  I got up at 7 and joined Elder & Sister Chan and we headed over to Dr. Lee's office where we helped Paul take off the plastic covering on the metal door which comes down each evening over Dr. Lee's store front.   Paul had already got a good start and Elder Chan brought some stain remover which worked really good in getting the glue to loosen so we could pull it off.  It ended up taking us only an hour to finish the job.I had a lot more pictures of us working along the way but erased them in my camera.  Sister Chan and I also helped.  We were a little sore for the next couple of days, at least Paul and I were.

I then joined Sister Chan, Sister Poon and Sister Tai on a shopping trip around the area we were in.  It was such a fun day shopping with them and having lunch at a really local restaurant.  We came home with a skirt, some t-shirts, aprons, shami, cleaner and who knows what else.

Lunch with the girls.

Sister Poon is coordinator on Saturday.  She came back with the Chans and spent the afternoon.

When I arrived home Paul said we had been invited to FHE with the area missionaries so we headed over to WanChai and had some pizza first and then attended the FHE.  The Watkins had invited Sister Tie, International District President's wife, to show the DVD of her mother's life and her experiences in joining the Church in Japan around 1945. It's an incredible story of faith and conviction.  It was a wonderful evening and Sister Watkins had made some really tasty cookies and had ice cream.

Tuesday at the temple we had a group from Thailand.  They came with their American employer, Sister Riding,  who  said she had been trying to get them to the temple for some time. All of them work for her. They had to save up in order to come.  They received their endowments and were sealed as families forever.  I helped them with their clothing the first day and then followed their session.

Thursday I was serving in the baptistery and we had a small group from Malaysia.  Elder & Sister Boyd from Pleasant Grove were returning from a service mission there and had brought a few of the members to HK with them.  I also got to serve with Paul at the veil.  On our way home Paul took me to Mark & Spencer where I bought some nice cotton tops for the hot summer coming up.

Friday we worked for the Hathaways who have family visiting them this week.

Saturday was very fun.  Sister Aki had invited Paul and I to help with a group of Primary children from the International District who were coming to the temple.  Sister Aki took them around the outside of the temple and showed them the cornerstone and then they came in and Paul and I spoke to them about the importance of the temple in the foyer.  We had three groups and all together we had about 70 children & adults.  Our own Primary from Pen 3 were also there.  Are they not just the most adorable children you have ever seen?  We love them.  Paul helped me make 70 bookmarks to pass out to the children to remember their day at the HK Temple.  (Sister Tai had shown me how to make them and then I wrote on them President Monson's statement.  "Always keep the TEMPLE in your SIGHTS"  May 2013.

I got this picture for Mother's Day today. 

Sister Aki talking with the children in the temple courtyard.

Sunday was a wonderful day.  I received calls from Kimberly, Kory and Kelly.  I have been blessed with wonderful children who picked really great spouses which we consider our own.

What was really fun was that Kim and Laura Bergeson arrived in Hong Kong two days early for their cruise to China.  We met them at their hotel and had brunch with them.

 From their we headed for Church taking the MTR train.  Laura got stuck at the first check in.  Her octopus card would not work.  Problem was we were already all thru.  Paul went back and got it checked and finally they let them in.

We took them through the great and spacious building we walk through to get to the Church

Sa

Entrance to the Chapel

The sacrament talks were on adversity and the influence of mother's in our lives.  Fe and Elder Bingham spoke and Pres. Collins finished up.  Our Primary children and teachers sang and Arcell sang a beautiful  song.  Next week will be her last week in HK.  She will go home to her husband.  Remember she is the one that got married in the Philippines in December.  They are letting her out of her contract early.  Anyway today she did it all.  She lead the music in Sacrament meeting.  Said the opening prayer, taught gospel doctrine and said the prayer for the Branch dinner.  We will miss her but know she is going where she should be.  

Kim and Elder Bingham (he goes home in 3 weeks)

Bro. Jequinto and daughter

Arcelli and Paul

Two brothers from India who were here for Area training.  They had  ten hours and found the Church.  Brother Sonny rain into them and at first he thought they were trying to sell him something and then he realized they were looking for the Chapel.  

Kristy Ann and Arecelli

Proud mother of the girls below.

The Jacinto girls singing to all the mothers before dinner

Mildred helping her group clean up after dinner.

Janet and Letty cleaning up after dinner.

It was a wonderful week.  We love the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We not only have a testimony of His life and gospel but we also hope our conversion is evidenced in our actions.  Be faithful.  

"This life is a test.  It is only a test—meaning that is all it is.  Nothing more, but nothing less.  It is a test of many things—of our convictions and priorities, our faith and our faithfulness, our patience and our resilience, and, in the end, our ultimate desires.  In the long run, as Alma taught, whatever we truly desire, we will have.    Alma 29:4    The mortal experience is largely about vision—our vision of ourselves and our ultimate  Big Finish."  (thoughts from Sheri Dew)  Thanks Lingling for lending me the book "No Doubt About It".