December 9 - 15, 2013

Monday ended up being a very busy day.  We had the Temple Christmas luncheon at one of the hotels in TST at noon.  That morning Elder Hoskins was really bad and Jackie decided to take him to the hospital.  So Paul got a wheelchair and she called Pres. Wong and they picked him up and took him in.  They did some MRI's but it would take all day to get the results.  Jackie stayed until that evening when she felt she needed to leave and get some food.  When she got home she had a message from her daughter that their grandson had been in an accident and had undergone surgery.  That was the frosting on the cake for her.  She later found out that Jerry had had a mild stroke.  He will be in the hospital for the rest of the week.  We also learned that Pres. Wan was in ICU with an infection he picked up in China over shutdown.

The luncheon was very nice and Paul finally made it around 2 and had someone with him.  Kristin Cobb was in HK trying to get a visa to get back into Mainland China.  She saw him at the train station so he stopped to help her.  She is now staying with us for a few days until it all works out.

President & Sister Wong, Castletons, and Salmons

Sister and Elder Victor and Warners

Temple staff

Tree in our apartment lobby

Outside the temple

Sister Lee and myself

Entrees

Dessert Bar

Later at 5 pm we went to the theater to watch "The Polar Express" which the Victors hosted.  I think this is the first time I have seen it start to finish.  I really liked it.  After that we had choir practice for our performance on Saturday at the Temple Devotional.

Kristin.  She ended up staying two weeks.  Never did get her visa and ended up flying from HK to Beijing to Michigan.

Kristiin, Paul, MJ and President Wong

Tuesday we were all happy to be back to work at the temple.  We had some patrons from China and so along with local patrons we were kept busy.  It was so good to be back serving.

Saturday it was the Temple Workers Devotional with the Area Presidency, President Gong, Wilson and Funk and their wives along with President and Sister Wong, Yuen and Hui.

Brother Steven Lee Temple Recorder

Sister Chan, in charge of the temple laundry

Sister Chow, Lau and Hui.  The two on each end are coordinators.

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Sue Victor and me

Bonnie Hathaway and me

Sister and Elder Aardema, formerly mission president in Slovenia/Croatia

The busy train when we were trying to get to the Christmas musical program in CauseWay Bay

It was also raining

After leaving the devotional we headed to CauseWay Bay for a Christmas Musical performance by a Stake Choir.  Even though we had a map we had to ask many times.  We finally ran into some other members who were going and found our way there. Victoria 2 Branch also sang a number and we wanted to be there because Velma was singing in that choir.  It was a wonderful evening.  When we left it was raining hard and we headed home with the Lassons and made it home by 10 pm 

Val and Doug Salmon

MJ, Velma, Paul

Victoria 2 Branch

Sister and Elder Clark, serve in the Every Day Branches

Sister and Elder Lasson, Humanitarian Missionaries

Victoria 2 Choir

Sister and Brother West, live and work in HK

MJ and Sister Ng, coordinator at temple

Sister and Brother Wong.  

Sister Wong comes to the temple every day and does two or three sessions.  She is incredible.  When we first met her she was coming to the baptistery every day at 1 pm to do ten names.  After receiving her own endowment she has continued to come every day. 

Sunday Paul got to Church early to help with tithing settlement.  I came a little later and got the program printed and ready and things for my class.  Shannon and Ika played all the music and did a great job.  Great Sunday Block, as usual.  Sister Serreno, missionary, Sister Sally Balad and Sister Watkins were the speakers.  Paul taught his Gospel Doctrine class and I taught my Primary class.
No dinner afterwards, everyone headed over to Wan Chai for the First Presidency Devotional.

Paul and I stayed and he finished up some tithing work.  President Collins will be gone for three weeks for the holidays.  He deserves a break with his family.  He travels so very much with his job.

Sister Watkins and her daughter who is visiting for the holidays.

President Collins who we love and works endlessly for all our welfare.

Shannon and Rommel Jacinto 

Yessie and the girls, Michelle, Gillian, and Megan

Yessie and Michelle

The Jacinto Family.  Rowena, Shannon, Rommel, Gillian and Megan

We are very fortunate to be in such a loving Branch.  We came home and rewatched the First Presidency Devotional.  Loved Elder Nelsen's message and his grandchildren.