July 8 - 14, 2013

Monday we spent the day preparing for our FHE.  We where having three couples over for dinner and the movie "John Tanner".  I prepared fajitas, beans, rice.  It turned out to be a very nice evening.  We were able to get all 8 of us around the table with Paul sitting on a sturdy box at one end and me on an end table at the other end.  I didn't remember to take a picture until there was just the Hoskins left.  The "John Tanner" movie comes from the DVD Doctrine & Covenants disk 3.  It is excellent.  I used the story a few weeks before in my talk in Sacrament meeting.

Mar Jean, Jackie, Jerry (Paul took the picture)

Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday we had a group from Shanghai come in.  Wednesday we switched with the Chans who needed to be off that evening so we didn't go in until 2 and finished about 9:30. The evening shift is different from the day shift.  We did the 4 pm session as officiator and follower and then I spent some time in baptistery and then initiatory.  This week we have spent some time every day in sealings, usually first thing after the 9 am session gets started.

Wednesday morning we decided to go to Stanley for a quick shopping spree to see if we could find some ties.  It was a success.  We got some ties for the grandsons and I got a white skirt and a couple of blouses.

Paul on the bus.  It is a double decker and we were on top and I was in the front seat.

View of the South China Sea

Very interesting dog at Stanley

Shopping stalls

Mar Jean outside one of the stalls

Friday we decided to go see the ICC bldg.  It was suppose to be a clear and sunny day.  We thought we were going to have to walk about 10 minutes but as it turned out we were inside the Elements mall the whole way.  This is a very high end mall.

The ICC Building is one of the ten tallest buildings in the world.  One Hundred floors and you get there in less than a minute.  It is quite a panoramic view.

A glance at the mall

Looking down at the Harbor shopping center and the ferrys

100 floors up

The West side of  Kowloon looking out toward the New Territories.

Another view of the West end.

Looking out toward Disneyland and the Airport

Sky 100

Our apartment is the last building on the left on this side of the water.

Heading home.

We decided to go back that evening to see the view at night.  We got home about 2:30 and turned around and went back about 6.  It was a little early but we stuck around until the night lights came on all the buildings.  It is quite a sight.

Sunset

Saturday we caught a taxi with the Hoskins.  It was a good thing because it was soooo hot.  We were glad to get to the temple not dripping wet.  Saturday was busy.

Sunday we left the apartment at 8 am and went to the Wan Chai Bldg. for the Victoria 1 Branch.  The Gabon boys were giving their farewell talks along with their Dad.  When we got there we saw Shantel and her husband and two children who are here for the month visiting his Mom and Dad, the Andersens. Her Mother lives in Camarillo, California.

 The Gabon family are very excited about these mission calls.  One Son Nicole is going to the mission his Dad served in the Philippines and the other one Ezra is going to the Philippine mission his mother served in.  They have been in the temple serving and we saw them again Saturday.  They leave on Thursday and will be in the MTC together.

The Benny Gabon Family

After Sacrament meeting we left and caught the MTR to Kwai Fong for our Church.  We got there plenty early so I worked in the library trying to get the pictures in the right places and Paul worked on materials for their counsel meeting.

The YM/YW and their leaders, Kristy Anne and Elder Victor were the speakers for Sacrament meeting.  Their theme was the miracles of Jesus.  Parley spoke on the miracles of healing and also talked about the miracle of his dad who has been diagnosed with cancer and is doing quite well because of all the fasting and prayers.  Ika spoke on the miracles of nature.  They the five of them sang "Oh Lord, My Redeemer".  Russell followed with a talk on the miracles of nature and Kristy spoke of the miracles in our own lives and the miracles she saw as a missionary.  Elder Victor concluded with some miracles in his own life.

Michelle practicing the piano at the end of our Primary lesson.

Sisters leaving the Church

From there I helped Venus with some Family History only to get stumped and finding our own miracle.  I said "I"m going to go see if I can find Sister Castleton or Sister Watkins and see if they know what to do here".  I opened the door and their was Sister Castleton and Sister Harrington.  Sister Harrington is the FH person for all of Asia.  She came to our rescue and was able to help Venus get some of her family names input.  I then excused myself and went to teach my Primary class.  It was Michelle and I.  We learned about the expulsion of the Saints from Missouri.  We learned D&C 82:10 ' I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise."

From there we had a baptism for Remia Besena Curiel.  Elder Ford baptized her, sister Bem Bem gave her first baptismal talk (did a great job and even had an object lesson).   She bore a very sweet testimony and then she and LingLing sang "Let It All Begiin" from EFY music.

Paul Sequeira, Nova, Elder Nield & Ford, Remia and Bem Bem

After the baptism we had an enrichment activity planned by Eunice.  Sister Harrington taught us how to do family history.  First she had us think of a memory of an ancestor.  After giving us a few minutes to think about that she had us share it with the person sitting next to us.  Very powerful.  Then she took us into family search.org and shows us how to get around.  Very inspiring.

As we got off the MTR and headed for the bus for our shuttle ride home we were just relaxing and all of a sudden it started to pour down rain and rained all the way home with lightening and thunder.  It has stopped for now and I am ready for bed.

This week I researched some information on the covenants we make in the temple.  It helped me a lot.