September 16 - 22, 2013

Happy Birthday to Tyler who turned 13 today.  We are so proud of him.  He is a good big brother, son, student and friend.

Paul received this photo from one of the Area Mission couples who said he was doing what he does best, smiling among the people.

 Monday afternoon the Temple Missionaries all met for the going away luncheon for Elder & Sister Chan.  We are going to miss them.  They have added so much to our work in the temple.  They are both originally from China and Hong Kong and speak several language which helped immensely with our visitors from all over Asia.  They are returning to Kennewick, WA.

Jennifer and David Chan, Kennewick, WA

President & Sister Tai, Hong Kong

Jackie and Jerry Hoskins, Salt Lake City, UT

Sister and President Aki, Laie, Hawaii

Jocelyn & Warner, Morgan, UT

Brent and Bonnie Hathaway, Northern, CA 

 Monday evening Sister Castleton and Sister Fransen came over to our apartment and showed us their PowerPoint of the Beyond 5 tour which Sister Fransen put together and the two of them traveled with the group of 13 for five weeks throughout Asia.  What a great missionary tool and they had some wonderful receptions in the countries they visited.  Mongolia was first. They treated them royally.  The Government gave them a 3500 venue for free and many government officials were in the audience.

Mar Jean, Sisters Castleton, Fransen, and the Hoskins

Wednesday I took Yessie to lunch at Pizza Express for her birthday.  I met her at the temple for the 11 am session and we did that together and then to lunch and then I headed back to the temple for our afternoon shift.  Yessie and Michelle are such a wonderful family.  She is from Hondorus.  Her husband, Thomas, is very ill with bladder and colon cancer. She is an amazing woman.  Can't believe I didn't get a picture that day.  

Thursday was Janet Lung's birthday.  Months ago in RS we celebrated the RS Birthday and each of us got to write on a piece of paper what we would like for our birthday and then someone picked it up and did it.  Janet's was to go to a Chinese buffet so we fulfilled that yesterday at the Novotel Hotel.  Happy Happy Birthday Janet.  Unfortunately later that evening she called to tell us her father had suddenly passed away from a heart attach.  

Paul, Janet Lung, Mar Jean 

 HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROB who is 38 this year.  Of course, he is off working, what a way to spend your special day.

Today, Friday the temple is closed for the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival.  The Chans will leave around 11:30 and we will help load their luggage into Pres. Aki's car and later this evening the Salmons will arrive from SLC to replace them.  It was a fairly long day until the Salmons arrived around 8:30. They are from British Columbia and said it was a long flight.

SistersWarner and Hathaway welcoming the Salmons

 Sunday we took the Salmons to the Mandarin Branch in Wan Choi.  At the time we were not sure where they would be assigned.  After the meeting they met with President Tai and are assigned to Island 2 Branch with Elders Jackson and Bertin and wives.

We are on Typhoon 3 watch so most meetings were cancelled after Sacrament so I brought the Salmons home so he could have a rest.  The flight is catching up with him, plus he has a cold.  Paul went on to Peninsula 3 to help with the sacrament meeting.  He said they had 40 in attendance.  He got home about 3:30.

 Sister Salmon and I went for a walk and I took her over to Aeon, Wellcome store, the wet market etc.  We were not sure if we will be able to get out tomorrow or not.  It's suppose to reach a 10 by tonight.  This is what it looked like when we came home from Church.  Just a little rain and the clouds are moving in.

View from our apartment window

PREPARE FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE

1. Members of the Church are entitled to personal revelation as they listen to and study the inspired words spoken at general conference.  Prepare some questions now.  

2. Don't discount a message merely because it sounds familiar.  Repetition is the law of learning.

3. The words spoken at general conference should be a compass that points the way for us during the coming months.

AFFIRMATION THOUGHTS from the Temple Presidency this week

• Just because you're mad at someone doesn't mean you stop loving them. 
• Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil
• "Life becomes easier when you learn to accept an apology you never got."  Robert Brault
• Write the bad things that are done to you in sand, but write the good things that happen to you on a piece of marble.  Arabic Proverb.
• Our prime purpose in this life is to help others, and if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.
• NEVER look down on someone unless you're HELPING THEM UP
• Use your voice for KINDNESS your ears for COMPASSION your hands for CHARITY your mind for TRUTH and your heart for LOVE.
• "Spending time with children is more important than spending money on children.