February 4 - 10, 2013 Chiinese Lunar New Year

Monday we went with Elder & Sister Chan to the Metropolis for lunch.  On the 4th floor is a food court.  We have been thru the food court several times but didn't know what to order.  The Chans took us around and we had a wonderful lunch.  We picked up spring rolls, dumplings and they had rice and chicken and a pan of baked rice with sausages.

That evening they invited us up to their apartment for dinner and then a session on the stretching board.  I'll have to get a picture from Elder Chan.  Elder Chan is working to keep us healthy.  Some Chinese history on New Years

This is the week of the Chinese Lunar New Year.  It is a four day statutory holiday.  Within China, regional customs and traditions concerning the celebration of the Chinese new year vary widely.  Often, the evening preceding Chinese New Year’s Day is an occasion for Chinese families to gather for the annual reunion dinner.  It is also traditional for every family to thoroughly cleanse the house, in order to sweep away any ill-fortune and to make way for good incoming luck.  Windows and doors will be decorated with red colour paper cuts and couplets with popular themes of good fortune or happiness, wealth and longevity.  Other activities include lighting firecrackers and giving money in red paper envelopes.

Firework and Chinese good luck tokens

On Wednesday after the temple a few of us, Sister Hathaway, Elder & Sister Rhyasen, and I went to the flower market in Mong Kok East.  

A view of  market street

Decorations in the mall

These cherry blossom trees are like our Christmas trees

vegetable & fruit stand

Elder Rhyasen

Sister Rhyasen & Sister Hathaway

Strawberries are in season

This stand is cooking chestnuts, sweet potatoes, eggs and a bunch of other stuff

On our way home exhausted

Sister Rhyasen and us at the Victoria Park flower market 

Brother & Sister Lau from the temple

Sister Lau works with us on Tuesday mornings at the temple.  She speaks very good English.  She joined the Church in her youth and served a mission in Hong Kong.  She was so gracious to say she would take us to the Victoria Flower market.  What was fun was they told us about the flowers and what they represented for the new year.  It was very crowded but lots of fun.

Every color imaginable

Watching the balloons float away

Mar Jean & Renee Rhyaseen

Brother & Sister Lau with the 5 generation trees

Dragon shop

These little orange trees are everywhere and so beautiful

The New Year celebration started Saturday.  The temple was closed so Paul and I went to Ocean Park.  We left early so as to beat the rush and it worked.  We took the 171 bus which got us there in about 20 minutes compared to our hour ride last time.  We were first in line and started at the aquarium   Then walked thru the panda exhibit.  From there we watched the drum show and stayed for the snake dance.  Took the cable car across the island to the other side where we watched the seal and dolphin show.  We left around 3 for home.  We stopped in Wan Chai for some shopping and took the ferry home.  

Entry to our apartment lobby

These flowers are in our lobby to celebrate New Year's

Cherry blossom tree with red envelopes hanging on it surrounded by the small orange trees.  Good luck, prosperity and good health

Paul at the entrance of Ocean Park

Red Pandas being fed

Giant Panda having breakfast

Cute hats and gloves, anyone want one?

Drum dancers

Cable car ride.  The view is amazing 

Sunday Paul had to be to church by 11:30 so he went early and I found my way there about 12:00.  I am now a Primary teacher and at the moment have one 9 year old girl, Shannon.  It is fun teaching her.  We spend about 30 minutes together.  Sister Victor does such fun things with the children.  Sunday they have finger paints which they put on the table and then had to draw a picture of a Prophet and everyone had to guess who it was.  They really enjoyed this activity.  

It was Home Teaching after the Block and we had a nice turnout.  I think 8 sisters were there.  Paul and Brother Paul Sequeire are companions.  We had dinner afterwards.  Mama Baby and Letty were in charge this week and we had a noodle soup, which was very good. 

About 12 missionary couples went to the New Year's Parade sponsored by Cathay Pacific Airlines.  The Rhyasens and Victors went last Saturday at 5 am to get tickets for us.  They were very good seats at the beginning of the parade.  We each got a package on our seats with some treats in them.  Water, snack, flashlight, poncho, star head gear.  It was a great parade.

Peninsula 3 Primary, Sister Victor, Nida, Yessie, Paul & chidlren

Shannon

Entrance to the parade route

Sister Clyde and her grandson Taylor

Park of the missionary group

Elder & Sister Kelly

There were 35 entries in the parade from all over the world. Estonia, Poland, China, UK, Moscow, Australia, Bolivia, Korea, Macau, Ireland, Spain, Tokyo, Seattle and of course Hong Kong.

Sorry for all the pictures but there is so very much to see and this way we won't forget.  Hope you all have a great week and we wish you a Happy Valentine's Day and a very prosperous New Year.

January 28 February 3, 2013

Monday we were in charge of our  Temple FHE and so we went out early and did our grocery shopping and then returned home.  I spent most of the morning making sugar and Oreo cookies.  We finished up our plans for our lesson "The Five Love Languages".  Kimberly sent us a copy and we have had fun rereading it.

• Words of Affirmation--Compliments, words of encouragement, and requests rather than demands all affirm the self-worth of your spouse.  They create intimacy, heal wounds, and bring out the full potential of your other half.
• Quality Time--Spending quality time together through sharing, listening, and participating in joint meaningful activities communicates that we truly care for and enjoy each other.
• Receiving Gifts--Gifts are visual symbols of love, whether they are items you purchased, or made, or are merely your own presence made available to your spouse.
• Acts of Service--Criticism of your spouse's failure to do things for you may be an indication that "acts of service" is your primary love language.  Acts of service should never be coerced but should be freely given and  received, and completed as requested.
• Physical Touch--Physical touch as a gesture of love, reaches to the depths of our being.  As a love language, it is a powerful form of communication from the smallest touch on the shoulder to the most passionate kiss.  

What do you request the most?  What makes you feel the most loved?  What hurts you the most?  What do you desire most of all.  These provide the critical clues.

President Hinckley "True love is not so much a matter of romance, but of anxious concern for the well-being of ones companion."

First we gave them the test to help them determine their love language, then we talked about each language.

Lewis, Rhaysen, Aki, Kesler, Hathaway, Hoskins, Chan, Victor, Clyde

 Elder & Sister Chan took the challenge to take the book and be the first to read it.

We held FHE in the projection room of the clubhouse.  The microphone ended up not working but otherwise it is a very nice facility.

We had some patrons from Cambodia, Mongolia and mainland China in the temple this week.  We had a lot of patrons in the baptisery this week.  It is always fun to serve with them.  

Friday we went to Wanchai and found out from the Kelly's where the great Chinese restaurant was located.  Actually just around the corner called "Dumpling Pro".  We ordered what she suggested   deep fried green beans and minced meat, sweet and sour shrimp, cabbage and minced meat dumplings and rice.  It was delicious.  We will definitely go back.  We stopped at Prize Mart and picked up some raisins, Tide, popcorn and a few other things.  

  

Our main reason for going to Wanchai was to speak in the Victoria 2 Branch which meets on Friday.  Each of the temple missionaries have had the opportunity to speak in the every day Branches this week.  What a special privilege for us to bear testimony of the blessings of the temple in our lives.  As it turned out Velma, our dear friend we met at the Sun Museum, had holiday on Friday and was able to be there.  We went early and attended their whole Block.  We were also visiting with Elder & Sister Woolley and as we reminisced about our missions found out that we knew them from the Czech Republic when we served in Croatia/Slovenia.  The Woolleys were in charge  of our first YSA conference the summer we arrived.  

Elders Bingham, Wu, Sister Lewis, Velma, Elder Lewis

Elders Bingham, Wu, Lewis, Woolley, Walkder

These are pictures of the Wanchai foyer.  Everything in the city is beautifully decorated for the New Year.

These orange trees are everywhere and they have a lot of really tall mums.

  Lunch at Dumpling Pro

Saturday the Rhyasens and Victors got up at 4:30 to go down to the ferry area and get tickets for the New Year's Parade for everyone.  Now we will be able to sit in bleachers and actually get to see something.

Fast Sunday was a great day.  We met the Chans at 8 am to catch the  shuttle and headed out to the New Territories for church in the Tin Shui Po Ward (a Chinese Ward).  Paul and Elder Chan bore their testimonies in Cantonese.  Paul did really well.  We stayed for Sunday School and then had to leave to get to our ward for a 12:30 Presidency meeting with Pres. Collins.  President & Sister Barrett joined us along with Elder Watkins (our High Council Representative).  Pres. Barrett is the District President.  He and his wife have been called to be Mission President in one of the India missions.  They report early, May so they will be going home to the States in March to get ready.  

We heard some wonderful testimonies today.  President Collins reported that his son received his mission call and will be serving in Salt Lake South and will report in June.  Florian is returning to the Philippines on Wednesday.  She did not get a new contract.  This is probably an answer to prayer. 

We had a potluck dinner after the Block.

Elder Lewis and Arcelli

Carlos (here in HK on Education exchange)  and Elder Lewis

Claire & Florian are leaving HK

We are serving in a wonderful Branch here in Hong Kong.  We love all these brothers and sisters.

Let me close with this beautiful flower left to us from Elder & Sister Dean.  It now has four more flowers.  Thanks for brightening our apartment.  Elder & Sister Kesler, mission office missionaries left for home Thursday.  

January 21-27, 2013

Monday we took our usual trip to Wan Chai to take care of Branch business.  We made a quick stop at Prize Mart for a few goodies.  This is a shop which has some brands from the states like Kirtland.  We get our raisins, pop corn, candy, cookies etc. there.   We then hurried over to the MTR to catch the train to meet the other missionaries at the HK Botanical and Zoological Park.  Thinking we knew where we were going we came out of the station, stopped for a pizza at our favorite place, Paisano's,and then turned right on Queens Way.  After walking way pass the escalators and to the end of the street where it turned we finally decided we were headed in the wrong direction.  Turning back we retraced our steps and found we had turned the wrong way.  One block up was the road we were looking for.

 Well Hong Kong is on a hill and up up up we walked and finally we arrived at the back entrance of the park. We ran into an American family who took our picture and said they had just seen the rest of our group.

Beautiful fountain behind us

Missionaries coming through the tunnel to the monkey cages.

Sisters Victor, Clyde, Hoskins, Hathaway, Rhyasen, Chan, Lewis

Elders Victor, Rhyasen, Lewis, Chan, Hoskins, Hathaway

Harmony Gate

After looking around we made our way down the hill to the main street where we could catch a taxi to take us to a Mexican restaurant the Rhyasen's knew about.  Getting down was just about as hard as getting up.  The Mexican restaurant was wonderful.  They had a great buffet which we really enjoyed because we could have as much guacamole and chips and salsa as we liked.   We all split up after lunch, which was about 3 pm by then, and we walked back down the escalator to the MTR station and took the ferry back across the harbor and caught the shuttle home.  We had a really fun day.  We served with some awesome missionaries.

Elder Chan leaving the restaurant

This week in the temple we had a group of Mongolians come.  I believe we had six own endowments and several sealings of families.  They brought youth who spent a lot of time in the baptistery.  Paul was able to serve down there several times during the week.  I got to help with some initiatory for them and also served at the veil.
This was a great week for us at the veil.  We were able to do Cantonese together at the veil.  We think it is pretty remarkable.  Practice is making us better and we now have more opportunities to do it.

While Paul was waiting for me to come out of the temple he met a group of young men who had a school assignment from the International  School which they attend.  They were assigned to go visit a Church/religion which they did not know anything about.  Find out about it and come back and report to their class.  They are a fine group of YM.  Paul showed them over to the Mission Office where they spoke with Elder Jackson from the area office and were then introduced to the missionaries who were taking it from their.  On their way across the street they had an opportunity to meet Pres. Hawks, the HK Mission President.  He was hoping to get back in time to visit with them also.  Two of the YM are from Thailand, one from India and one from Korea.  Who knows how this may change their lives in the future.  

Saturday after the temple I went over to Wancahi building to meet a friend, Velma, we met several weeks ago at the Dr. Sun museum.  She has holiday, day off, on Saturday and attends that Branch.  We had a quick visit and then I headed home because I was meeting Sister Clyde for a night at the HK Philharmonic.  It turned out to be quite a treat.  It was Classical Broadway and featured Rodgers and Hammerstein music.  There were three vocalists from Broadway that sang the numbers.  We heard music from The King & I, State Fair, Showboat, The Sound of Music, Carousel, South Pacific, and Oklahoma.  What a fantastic evening.  

Sunday we had a great day at church.  We left the house around 11.  Helped in the kitchen with dinner, went to choir practice.  Sacrament meeting was great with talks on revelation and the temple.  We have such great teachers in SS and RS, they were very enjoyable.

After the block we had FHE, which we found out we, Elder Lewis and myself , were in charge so we huridly put together something on the temple and saying goodbye to two of our sweet sisters who are going to Canada to work.  It turned out really good and then we had a delicious dinner.  It was also our groups turn to clean the building so luckily we had lots of help and got that done.  

We have many opportunities to serve and grow here in HK.  We love serving the Lord in this way.  We have met many of His wonderful children who love Him.  They bless our lives by their great example.  Remember,  God loves you and so do we.

Michele Dean:  look at this, the African Violet is blooming!!!

Janaury 14-20, 2013

Monday we had a leisurely morning, not getting started too early.  Called the kids and talked with a few friends on the phone.  It was fun to catch up with everyone.  Just a quick update on the kids.

Kimberly spent last weekend in Pocatello with Courtney while their school dance team performed.  They were suppose to leave Friday at noon but it was a snow day and the roads were bad so they did not leave until 4 am Saturday morning.  They had a good performance but when it was time to come home the bus would not start so they had to wait for another one to come from Jerome to get them.  The girls got home about 9:30.  Kimberly and the other moms and dad who went got back about 6:30.  Gary spent the day dropping Kaylee off for snowboarding at Pomerell and keeping Mallorie and Brayden happy.

Kory and Katie spent the week on a cruise in the Bahamas.  They said it was soooo relaxing and fun.  The weather was great and they went snorkeling and just had a great time.  The boys also had a fun time at home with Grandma Nana (Deanna Golden).  Gage had strep for a few days so was pretty subdued and of course the other boys were good.  They also had a great week being pampered by Grandma.

Kelly is recovering from her foot surgery.  She finally got all the stitches out of her foot after 30 days.  She can now wear a shoe but her foot still swells when she is up on it.  Rob has been doing his best to be  Mom, Dad, and bottle washer to their three boys.  Robbie and Riley have been out of school and have been going to the Marv Jensen gym two or three days a week having fun playing games and swimming.  Brodie has had fun going to work with Dad.  I think he must have been in heaven being with Dad and Grandpa Meier all day and having them all to himself.  We love them all and are so very proud of their good choices.  They have all taken on the challenge of reading the D&C and attending the temple at least once every month this year.

We finally got out of the apartment about 11 and walked over to the Bank of China and did some grocery shopping.  I loaded Paul down with two heavy bags and he headed home.  I went on over to the fruit and vegetable market to get some more food.  After getting home we decided we were too tired to go out again so stayed in and watched a movie.

We had a wonderful week in the temple.  We had a group from Mongolia for the week and a couple from India.  We were able to do many of the ordinances with them and that was really a special experience.  I was able to use my Cantonese at the veil a couple of times.  Paul is using it all the time now.  The third week of the month the Island 2 Branches (these are the every day Branches which means they have church Tues, Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat.  These are the days the Filipino sisters get off)  They call it their holiday.  For most of them this is the only day they get off each week.  Well on the third week Elder & Sister Woolley and Walker bring as many as would like to come to the temple to do baptisms.  We were able to stay each day and help them in the baptistery. Then we stayed and helped with the 5:30 veil.   What a great experience.  Elder and Sister Woolley and Walker are wonderful people.  Their mission is to be Branch Presidents of these every day Branches of the church.  They have the regular 3 hour block every day and then like us on Sunday, they have Home Teaching one week, Visiting Teaching, FHE and enrichment activities.  It is really a special privilege to serve with these wonderful sisters.

Today is our five month mark.  We look back and can't believe how fast the time is going. The weather is still very nice and comfortable.  We feel like we know our way around pretty well and we are living within our budget and having a great time.

Friday we went to the TST and walked around and had lunch at Paisano's Pizza where we tried the salad and lazagne.  um um.

Saturday after getting home I took some dvd's back to the Victors.  After visiting for a few minutes we decided to go over and see Sister Clyde.  She was going to go down to the  Cultural Center and see if she could get tickets for the HK Philharmonic program that evening.  I decided to go with her since Paul was going to go to bed.  We ran into the Rhyasens and Whiteheads who had tickets.  It was called the "Antarctic Journey". They had pictures of Captain Scott's Journal which went along with the music.  An interesting evening.  Next week we are going to "The Golden Age of Broadway".  This venue is only about 15 minutes away and we can take the shuttle right to it plus we can usually get senior discout tickets.  We figure we had better take advantage of the culture while we can.

President Collins is back in town.  He went home to South Africa for the Christmas holidays.  It's good to have him back.  Two of our sisters are headed to Canada in the next couple of weeks and one is headed back to the Philippines to be with her husband and daughter.  We are happy for each of them.  It will be a great improvement in their lives.  We will miss them; they have been a big part of the Branch.

Yehlan, Lilia, 

Sister Lewis & Yehlan, headed for Canada

Claire (headed for Canada) & Sister Lewis

Marilyn (headed for home) & Sister Lewis

Mercy (gave a great talk in Church today) & Sister Lewis

Sister Lewis & Ayehla

Liingling (RS Pres) & Nova

Sister  Lewis & Nova

We have grown to love these wonderful Sisters.  They have taught so much about being grateful.  I especially love it when they say "we are so much grateful for....."

We encourage you to watch or read President Uchtdorf's talk to CES Devotional last week entitled "What is Truth".  It is on lds.org

http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/archive/ces-devotionals/2013/01?lang=eng

God knows and loves each of us.  We see His miracles all around us.  How blessed we are to have His restored church again upon the earth with all the ordinances and covenants necessary to return to His presence.  Let's be True and Faithful to those covenants so we may all sit down in heaven together.

January 7 - 13, 2012

We spent most of this week working on Branch Business, temple assignment to work with training materials, and Paul working on a talk for Sunday.  Our extra assignment at the temple is to help organize the temple training materials.  It has been a busy week. We have gone early in order to work on the computer and take care of some of the materials.

It was a pretty quiet week.  We went to Wanchai on Monday and walked around TST and had lunch at Paisanos, our new favorite pizza place except we had salad and lazagne this time.  We caught a bus and went out to Stanley again.  I wanted a vest which Sister Castleton found out there and we were able to find the store.  A beautiful ride out there on the bus.

Paul was invited to speak Sunday with the two full-time missionaries on Prophets.  All three did a good job.  Elder Bingham told a story of not being interested in serving a mission.  He became ill with a heart problem.  A good friend from his YM leaders came to visit him.  He gave him a blessing and encouraged him to start keeping Heavenly Father's commandments which he did.  He then decided Heavenly Father wanted him to serve and mission and he moved forward.

Elder Wu told of being a convert at 13, the only member in his family.  He always wanted to serve a mission but his mom was against it.  His parents are from mainland China but he grew up in New Zealand and did not speak Cantonese.  Long story short he took care of all his medical and dental and submitted his papers thinking that when his Mom took him to the airport he would say "goodbye, see you in two years".  However the call came in the mail while he was gone to visit some friends at the temple and his Mom opened the letter.  When she found out he would be going to Hong Kong and learning Cantonese she was happy.  Since being out her heart has softened and she is willing to have the missionary lessons when he returns home.  The Lord works in miraculous ways His wonders to perform.

Our shift this month at the the temple is to be dressed and ready to work by 8:45.  That means we leave home by 8:00.  We usually walk to the MTR (train station) where we catch the train and go two stops.  From there we walk to the temple which takes about 10 minutes.  The Hoskins have been taking the taxi since his accident with his foot.  Another two or three weeks and he should be good again.  Sister Victor has been having headaches.  She is always so up you can't tell unless she tells you.  Hopefully she will have a new grand baby any day now and that should ease up some of her stress.  The Rhyasens are starting to talk about going home.  Their year will be up in March and they have to buy their own way home.  The Hathaways have received their okay to go home for the wedding of their son in June so they have purchased their tickets.


Sunday was the Block and then Home Teaching followed by dinner.

The food line.  They are great cooks

The Jacinto family

 Christmas has been taken down and now everything looks like Valentines.  The malls do not miss a beat.  We have FHE in a few weeks and we are going to do it on the Five Love Languages.  It will fit right into the season.

Hope you have a wonderful week.  We are half-way into the month so you better get a date set to get to the temple before January 31st.  

December 30 -January 6, 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Monday we met up with some of the rest of our Temple couples and went to the Exhibits at Victoria Park.  Row after row of food, health food, teas, clothes, toys, etc.  booths.  Lots of free samples and it filled up quickly.  In no time you could hardly walk down the isles.

This was early.

The group before we split up.  

Some of our group  headed home.  The rest of us went to Sister Chow's apartment with her.  She is a trainer on Fridays and has been very good to us.  She has been helping me with my Cantonese.

We caught a bus and finally ended up at her apartment.  It takes her about an hour to get to the temple.  She has a lovely apartment with her husband.  She also has a son and he sometimes stays with her Mom who also lives in the same building or is at home.

Elder & Sister Chan singing a Chinese Primary song

Sister Chow joined the church when she was 13.  The only member in her family to join and she has been faithful all these years.

I went home and found Paul recovering.  Later that evening, it was New Year's Eve, we went out on the promenade to watch the fireworks and welcome in the new year.  We just got through the baracade to the waters edge before they closed it off.  This is where we found Sister Clyde who had come down to watch the fireworks.

The fireworks only lasted about 8 minutes.  Their big celebration will be in February for the lunar New Year.

Sunday was a great and long day.  Elder & Sister Chan invited us to go with them to visit some of the Chinese Wards.  Many of our local temple workers are in these wards.  We invited Elder Hoskins to join us.  He served here in Hong Kong 50 years ago and was excited to be out in the Wards.  We visited the Tsim Sha Tsui Ward and we did see several of our temple workers.

Elder Hoskins, Elder & Sister Chan and Elder Lewis outside the  Ward building.

We left after Sunday School and went immediately to our Branch.  Paul needs to be there for a 12:30 meeting.  This was Fast Sunday and we start at 2 pm  followed by Sunday School and Relief Society.
After the Block we had a potluck dinner.  It was delicious as usual.  It was also Mama Baby's birthday and she made some delicious food for us all.  We love these sisters.  They are so faithful and grateful for the gospel in their lives.  We are so blessed to be serving with them.  There are four couples assigned to this Branch.

Sisters preparing dinner

More kitchen helpers

Sister Rizza Amancio, our newest convert

Sister Parry, BemBem, Sister Lewis

This is a rice dessert soup

We are looking forward to a wonderful 2013 and wish you the same.