2018 started off with a 'bang' of fireworks across the harbor.  Even though the Chinese celebrate Chinese New Year in February, they still observe the official January 1 New Year like the rest of the world.  Again, the fireworks spread across the width of the skyscape with beautifully synchronized rockets and plumes that orchestrated majestically against the beautiful, colorfully-lit buildings.  The fireworks here make all other fireworks displays we've experienced pale in comparison.

Overlooking Hexagonal Columns at East Dam

Esther Chow asked me to teach rhythm/sight-singing classes each Friday night throughout January.  I put quite a bit of time into the preparation for this class which consisted of about 25 members of her past choir.  As much as I was worried about teaching that class, I really did enjoy it.  I love music theory and love to see the lights go on in others' brains when they 'get it'.

With Ricky and Celia Wong, Leon giving tours!

One Saturday we went hiking with Ricky and Celia Wong (Keung) to the Geo Park at East Dam.  We had been there with Alky and her family months ago but didn't do the big hike.  We hiked around the big mountain and ended up on a point overlooking the ocean.  What a beautiful sight!  To save a lot of time we hiked back across the front of the mountain where there were a few frightful steep drops.  We made it--but were a bit nervous for Ricky since he is afraid of heights.

After the hike we sent to a little resortish place for dinner.  Since it wasn't a very cold day we ate outdoors on the veranda.  I don't care to have my dinner looking a me one minute and end up on my plate five minutes later.  But--most of the food was pretty good (I didn't eat Sebastian) and the atmosphere and company were wonderful.

Sai Kung Fish Market for dinner

We went to a stake event in the evening and watched the Hong Kong Island Stake put on a musical play.  They had worked very hard on it and had some very clever props.  Somehow they managed to use a lot of the youth and even some adults as they sand and acted out how to make everyone feel of worth.  It was a great message and was well-supported.

Sunday night we had Jackie Chan (not the famous one) and his cute family for dinner.  Dan has been meeting with him as he has been semi-active up to this point.  After several meetings he has been actively coming to church with his wife and children, not just once a month when he taught Elder's Quorum.

Rachel in the publishing department asked me if I would play some music for a video that they were making about baptism.  Since one of my favorite things to do is improvise on the hymns, I was very excited to do this.  So one day we went to the chapel and recorded about five hymns/Primary songs.  Fun for me!  Now I'm waiting for the royalties......

One Tuesday

Normans, Becksteads and Sellers at Verde Mar in Wanchai

Lynn and Karen Beckstead took Craig and Tussy Norman to lunch as a 'farewell' to them before returning home to Texas. They have been serving as assistants to the Area Presidency for the past 18 months.  Although we have had several people return home since we came a year ago, after this much time we have developed a relationship with the remaining missionary couples.  A week later we again went to lunch with Normans and Jack Lau and his wife.  Jack was one of Craig's converts while on his mission years ago.  We have become friends with them.

January 19-21 was the quarterly Area Council meeting when Area 70's come from all over our area.  Our job was to feed them lunch on Sunday immediately following their final meeting before returning to their homes in Thailand, India, Taiwan, etc.  It is a bit tricky coming up with a hearty meal that will please everyone and be cooked in crock pots over rice.  Ubiquitous rice!  This is our second time to prepare their parting meal.  Sister Christine VanWagonen in the Vietnam Mission office supplied a wonderful recipe for a white chicken chili.  Finding all of the ingredients was a bit tricky, but it seemed to be a hit.  Now we're starting to think about the next meeting in three months!

Parry, Whidden, Ferguson, Cory, Hyde in line at wheel

Our senior missionary group went to the newly reopened Observatory Wheel, or large Ferris Wheel one Saturday afternoon.  As high as it is, it wasn't as high as the Eye in London.  However, it was fun to be in the enclosed cabs and see over a lot of Hong Kong.  After that we all went to dinner together.

Mingo Chow with son and Roy and Pricilla Tong

The last Sunday of January we had Roy and Priscilla Thong from Seattle to dinner along with Mingo Chow and her son, Henry.  I'm always a little nervous preparing an American meal for Chinese people, but they always seem to really like American food.  I tried making a Chinese meal once for Chinese people and I won't do that again.  It's not my forte.  Mingo is the choir director in the Ho Man Tin Ward where we attended last spring to help them sing for Stake Conference.  The Thongs are serving in that ward and work here in the area office as area auditors.  They will be returning to Seattle end of February.  We will miss them immensely.

Ashley holdin Barnabie, Manfred Lai; Lillian and Jimmy Fung

That Monday we had Zeno and Esther Chow, along with Sheldon Poon to dinner at our home.  Sheldon and Dan were friends when Dan served here in the 70's and Sheldon was the District President.  He now lives mostly in China with a shrimp business and many other side things he constantly works on.  We get to see him about once a month.  The following Sunday we had Manfred and Ashley Lai, and Jimmy and Lillian Fung to dinner.  We enjoy all of these friends so much.  They have truly blessed our lives.

Unfortunately for us, I jinxed our health.  I stated at the beginning of February that we had been here nearly a year and hadn't been sick a day.  Well, two days later we both caught a doozy of a cold, Dan's turning into the flu.  We missed a couple of days of work due to severe fatigue and malaise.  It's now end of February and we are still not fully recovered but much better.  .

Dan has spent hours meeting with many people who have come to him at his office and out to dinner just discussing doctrine.  The bishop in the ward we've been attending for the last two months has asked that Dan help in this area, as well as people not in the ward coming to him for counseling and instruction.  Several of these individuals are now coming to church more regularly and some of them continue to come for gospel 'training'.

One man in particular, Aktar from Bangladesh has become his email missionary since there are no missionaries in Bangladesh.  Dan has been trying for months to get Primary Children's Hospital to allow his daughter to come for some pretty aggressive surgery.  He has been so grateful for the effort that our church has extended on her behalf that he began studying online and asking some very deep questions of Dan.  There is a small branch in Bangladesh and the branch president took a Book of Mormon to Aktar, but Dan has become his mentor.  I believe that when he is able to join the church he will be a great asset to the people in his area.

Jimmy Keung's Family (sons Jeffrey and Japheth), with
Edwin Kwan, who Dan working with.

Besides our regular Tuesday night temple assignment we had our monthly Area Presidency temple session on Thursday and then served Friday morning in anticipation of the BYU Kennedy Center China English teachers temple sessions in conjunction with their annual conference in Hong Kong.  It was wonderful talking with some of them and hearing of some of the experiences they are having.

Bike trip to Airport

Since the new year began we've been able to attend several cultural events.  A Russian Ballet Company performed the Swan Lake Ballet, which I have seen a couple of times before and love, Rachmaninoff concert with the Hong Kong orchestra and the Vienna Boy's Choir.  Manfred and Ashley Lai had given us the orchestra tickets for Christmas as her father plays violin in the orchestra.  I love the cultural events here!

Our monthly family home evening Monday night was Chinese hot pots hosted by Ted and Audrey Yan as a teaser for the beginning of Chinese New Year on Friday.  Hot pots a similar to fondue pots, but much larger and is a soup that you place meat, vegetables, etc. into to cook, then fish it out with your chopsticks.  Luckily, you can decide for yourself what to put in.  Afterwards we tried our hand at a dragon parade.  Holding those sticks and making them dance is harder that it looks!  We had lots of fun.

Raybin Ng, Kerry his new wife, Tony and May
(Kerry and Jason's parents), Jackie and Jason

The office was closed on Friday and will be closed Monday for Chinese New Year.  Wow--it's a huge deal here with people dressing up in traditional colorful Chinese clothing, fancy foods, parties, and giving out ly-see envelopes--little red envelopes that people put paper money into and exchange.  Tuesday the single ladies in our office will parade through and we will give them each an envelope with money in it. 

Chinese New Year at Leon and Chi Fung's with a lot of Keungs:
Jackie, Alson, Chi Fan, Jason, Chi Mei (Celia), Kerry, Chi Kuen,
Jenny's daughter Kelly leaving on mission to Temple Square, Ricky,...

Friday afternoon we went to Leon Au's home (married to one of the Keung sisters) for an extended family party.  Leon's office is next to mine.  We only stayed an hour since we had to get over to where the nighttime parade would begin.  Several of us stood in line at 5:30 AM a couple of weeks ago to procure tickets to the grandstands in which to watch the parade.  It was fantastic and the area was decorated to the hilt with beautiful lights and decorations.  The floats were phenomenal and we were very glad that we had seats.  Then last night we had a New Year's dinner hosted by the Area Presidency here in our building with a fun Balderdash type game afterwards.  The original idea was to watch the fireworks from the top of this building.  However, one week ago there was a terrible bus accident here in Hong Kong in which a bus tipped over and killed 19 people.  Because of that, the fireworks were canceled and the money donated to the victims' families.

"Gung Xi Ni" (Gung Hei Neih)

Chi: Fung, Fong, Mei, Fan, Kuen (Lai in US)

That brings us up to today, Sunday, February 18.  Yes, our mission continues to keep us busy with wonderful activities and more ways to serve, as well as our regular service such as our missionary applications job and four weekly keyboard classes, Dan's doctoring responsibilities, and of course his meetings with his activation friends and Operation Smile board meetings.  We wouldn't have it any other way.  When I worry that we could be bored upon our release end of July, I just look at pictures of grandkids and know that our lives will be plenty full!


 Marian continues teaching keyboard.  Progress is SLOW with a few of the students...