Asia Calls

Week two and three

The days and weeks fly by here!  Our days are full and varied so there’s no chance to be bored.  Last week we hosted the mission presidents for the Asia Area which required decorating tables, serving and cleaning up.  It was especially good for Dan since he was able to meet the 11 mission presidents and their wives and be able to put faces with names.  He communicates quite regularly with the wives as they are the ones that the missionaries go to first for medical attention.  Some of the missions have a nurse, but not many in the Asia Area.   It was an extra special treat to see Denny and Teri Crockett, friends from California and the Tabernacle Choir and reconnect with them for a bit.

As part of our mission we get to take an accelerated training in self-reliance. The wonderful missionary couple who taught us the classes played a video that showed two people going up an escalator that stopped part way up and they hollered for someone to fix the escalator because they couldn’t move.  It was such a powerful and funny example of figuring out how to remedy a bad situation by your own ingenuity and not wait for others to do things for you.

We had our first free PD on Saturday!  We did the laundry—it’s a long ordeal.  Our little washer and dryer—and the drying rack had a good workout.  I think I’ll take Jennifer’s advice and take the sheets to the local laundry which will free up a lot of time—and space.  We were also able to get our little IKEA cabinets set up in our apartment giving us considerable more storage space.

Monday I began to learn how to process missionary applications.  All of the applications that come from anywhere in our area come to us first.  Sister Yan has been doing them since the Orton’s left so she was anxious for me to learn how to do them.  Wow!  It’s taken me all week to be able to process one completely by myself without asking her a question.  I’m not as savvy on the computer as I’d like, but I certainly am learning.  We have a standing appointment with Elder Wong on Wednesdays to look over the applications after Dan and I have done our part for him to look them over, add his part and submit them to Salt Lake.  I’m amazed at the quality of youth from all over Asia that are anxious to go on missions.

They wasted no time in having us talk in the Everyday Branches.  Because the domestic Filipino workers all have different days off Sacrament Meeting is held Tuesday through Saturday.  The same Branch Presidency is over each branch, which they call family.  A Filipino sister was the third speaker.  We are so impressed with the talks that were given by these sisters.  Each one was given from the heart.  Some shared experiences that were so sad, yet they all expressed gratitude for the trials that have made them stronger.    We were thinking that by attending church twice last Sunday, one with Chi Mae and back here with the Sunday Filipino ward, then four times this week that we would be translated, but we’re still here.  Oh well.

Yesterday—Thursday—we went to the Hong Kong Flower Festival after work.  What a beautiful array of flowers!  There were flowers of every kind, but more orchids than anything.  Thousands of orchids, both on display and for sale.  There were flowers in shapes of things, flowers in beautiful pots, flowers, flowers everywhere. 

A highlight of the week was going to dinner with Alky Lee and her son.  Alky was on my very first Operation Smile mission in 1992 when Tammy went as the youth representative and has been on quite a few since.  We’ve kept in contact with her over the years so it was very nice to be with her. 

Before I sign off I have to mention a funny thing about our grocery shopping trip last week.  We went to the local Park n’ Shop just before closing time.  While walking down the aisle I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and looked up to see three rats scurrying along the top of the lights and pipes.  Ooey!  Long, black rats!  I don’t even want to know what they eat at night! 

We’re so grateful for this opportunity to serve here in Hong Kong.  We hope all is well with our family and friends.  Please know that we pray for you each day. 

Love,

Dan and Marian