Weeks 16,17,18,19,...

We started out week 16 with a typhoon!  There was a lot of hype regarding the incoming typhoon of big winds and rain.  Our apartment complex used duct tape to make a large X on all of the major glass doors and windows to keep them from blowing in.  The neighboring complex placed a netting from the top windows to the ground in front of their windows.  As the day progresses the typhoon warning became stronger so that by 2:00 people were starting to l

eave for home.  We, of course, did not.  We didn't see that it was raining any more than usual so we waited until 4:00.  As we neared the bus stop it started raining buckets upon us.  Unfortunately, all of the other procrastinators had the same idea so that the bus line ran down the street and all the way down the next block.  To make matters worse, the buses were not stopping at our stop because they were already full.  After about a half hour a bus came by that was not one that most people ride, but worked for us.  We were able to go home and watch the remainder of the storm from our big window that overlooks the harbor.  We love our harbor window!

Each Monday morning we have a devotional meeting in one of our chapels downstairs (there are 3).  It involves all of the senior missionaries who work in our building, about 19, and the local employees who work here in the Area office.  We always sing a hymn, have an inspirational message and a prayer, followed by District Meeting only for us senior missionaries.  We take turns teaching a lesson from Preach My Gospel, which is fabulous.  So Monday morning was Dan's turn to teach about faith.  He is a wonderful instructor and gets people involved in lively discussions.

Dan's best birthday present ever (for me, anyway) was a season pass to Hong Kong Disneyland.  It is very cheap for seniors.  One Frida
y when we had not much to do (doesn't happen very often) we went to Disneyland with Jill Anderson.  What a fun experience!  It isn't as big as CA or FL but it's fun.  We spent several hours there and then on to choir practice.

Remember Dr. Jones Fok who wanted to take us to karaoke?  Well, he did!  We had a lovely dinner with he and his friend, and sang karaoke.  Dan started to not feel well towards the end of the evening so we went home.  As the evening wore on he felt worse and worse.  At 2:00 in the morning he was in excruciating pain and he recognized at that time what it was----kidney stone!  Again!  We didn't know where to go so called Dr. Fok who advised us what to do.  We ended up at Baptist Hospital where he was x-rayed to confirm that it indeed was a kidney stone.  Yes, there were seven kidney stones!  Only one was bothering him at this point.  Two days later he had it blasted.  Interestingly, Holly and Scott were also suffering with kidney stones at the same time.  Darn genetics!

We went to Stake Conference that Sunday in the Tolo Harbour Stake and saw some of our dear Chinese friends.  President Lam, President of the Hong Kong Mission was one of the speakers.  One of the reasons that we went there was to hear Carrie Wong's stake Primary choir.  They sang I Am a Child of God, which is what our grandchildren sang in Chinese for our mission farewell.  It was precious!

The temple re-opened the end of June so we are back to work on Tuesday nights.  What a wonderful place to learn our responsibilities!  The temple is a small one with two small endowment rooms and sealing rooms, but beautiful.  Our first night back the workers went into a small panic because a bus unloaded out front with everyone who was here for a service training meeting for the Area.  That was trial by fire, but very rewarding and fun.

July 1st was a Special Administrative Region Establishment Day holiday, which means that it's been 20 years since China took back Hong Kong.  There were celebrations all week long, special lights on the skyscrapers, and festivities all over Hong

Kong.  It all culminated on Saturday night with a special fireworks display over our harbor.  We all piled into the Corey's apartment since they have the best view of that part of the harbor and the promenade was too crowded.  The Chinese know how to do fireworks!  They literally started up with a bang!  Instead of having one central spot, they had three!  They were synchronized to all happen in unison so they filled the entire sky.  It was absolutely amazing!

July 4th was celebrated on Elder Funk's deck which is on the top floor and overlooks a large part of Wan Chai.  They barbequed and we all provided the remainder of the meal.  It was so fun to share our Independence Day with the Area President and his wife.

It was my turn to teach Institute Wednesday and it was Revelations 4-11.  Oh my!  I studied hard for that class since it's all about the seven seals and calamities of the last days.  There is so much symbolism and imagery in Revelations.  I could think of at least a dozen songs that take their texts from Revelations.  We look forward to starting the Book of Mormon in a few weeks.



Dan and I went downtown Wan Chai to meet with Jack Lau, a convert of one of Dan's former mission buddies.  He had served long and hard but became inactive for various reasons.  He owns a very large corporation and is quite a wealthy man.  He was very gracious and the next week invited us to dinner with his wife and two other couples.

Our choir has been getting ready for quite some time for the arrival of Craig Jessop of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  He came at the invitation of Sheldon Poon to China to judge and be the guest conductor of a music festival in China.  Then he came to Hong Kong to meet with our choir--Esther Chow's Choir--and rehearse a couple of songs with us, one of which was Consider the Lilies, our all-time favorite.  We had prepared long and hard for his visit.  He came with two other music professors from Utah State University, a piano instructor, Kevin Olson and Cindy Dewey, a vocalist.  Saturday night they conducted an area-wide music workshop of which I accompanied for Craig.  Sunday was a fireside in which Brother Olson played a number and Cindy Dewey sang a beautiful song.  Then Craig spoke about some of his experiences while be the Tabernacle Choir conductor.  We were able to spend some personal time with Craig of which we will always be grateful.  We grew to love him when he was the choir director.

Celia (one of the Keung sisters) and Ricky Wong have a 15 year old daughter who is a piano prodigy.  She spent the last year living in American Fork to attend high school and take piano lessons at BYU from their top piano instructor.  She is home for the summer, but recently left for Utah to participate in an audition with the Utah Symphony for Salute to Youth.  If she wins in her age group she will be able to play a concerto with the symphony at a concert.  Professor
Olson and we listened to her play her piece and were blown away by her expertise.  We wish her the best!

Once a month we have Family Home Evening, usually here in the Wan Chai building, with all of the senior missionaries, including the Mission Home seniors and the Temple seniors.  The Chandler's hosted this one with Hawaiian haystacks followed by a video of a performance by the Canadian Tenors.  Fun night!

Alan and Jill Anderson have their three children and grandchildren in town for a few weeks.  They invited us to dinner at a  wonderful Italian (thank goodness!) restaurant of which they have part ownership at Festival Walk, the largest mall I've ever been in, next to the Temple.  It was fun to see their kids since we hadn't seen them since they were very little.  The food was delicious, and a welcome change from the Chinese cuisine that we usually have when we go to dinner.

Saturday morning Dan went with Manfred Lai on a hike to High West Mountain.  They both enjoyed being able to get away from the city and visiting with each other.  They stopped at the Hong Kong Dedication Site (where Matthew Cowley dedicated it in 1949 for the preaching of the Gospel) near the Peak Tram stop.  We enjoy the two Lai boys, their wives and babies and their mother, Julie.  That night Dan and I went to a movie, Dunkirk, a very realistic World War II movie about all the soldiers stranded at Dunkirk.  I'm so grateful for the freedoms that we so enjoy, and pray that we will continue to enjoy them.

Sunday we were awakened with a phone call letting us know that church had been cancelled because there was a category 8 (very high) typhoon warning.  It was nice to have to be home all day and worship on our own.  However, the typhoon didn't materialize, at least not here.  The New Territories had storms but we only had some mild wind and rain.  When a category 8 is expected, the red duct tape goes up anyway.  Since it was cancelled by mid afternoon we went to choir practice.  When choir is on Sunday they have a meal halfway through the practice.  I took a tuna-noodle casserole that they loved.  I thought they would since it had two things they like to eat--tuna and noodles.

We had a new office couple come to take over the Nielson's job of humanitarian.  They arrived on Pionner Day.  Pioneer Day is mostly overlooked here since they are so far removed from that part of our heritage.  However, our lesson at district meeting was about pioneers.  "Their faith is our inheritance.  Their faith is a reminder to us of the price they paid for the comforts we enjoy."  Gordon B. Hinckley.  Blessed honored pioneers!

Last Saturday we went to Dim Sum (Chinese brunch) with Alky and her kids.  It is a very large room with lots of round tables where they bring carts around with dumplings, etc. that you eat family style.  Some of it I like, some of it I don't.  Afterwards we went upstairs to the Chinese Food Museum, a very interesting display of the heritage of Chinese food and some of the old restaurants that graced Hong Kong.  That night we went to see Cars with the senior missionaries.  We're not used to seeing so many movies!

Adria

The next day was a very special day in the temple.  This is the only temple that has Sunday sessions. They are four times a year and are for the Filipina domestic workers.  They have to sign up ahead in order to accommodate the number of people.  Most of us senior missionaries worked in the temple that day (two sessions) as well as many local temple workers.  It was such a joy to be able to serve these faithful sisters.

Vivi

Daddy and William

Again, we are so grateful for this opportunity of serving this mission.  We are thankful for your prayers in our behalf.  Please know that we pray for you, too!

Love, Dan and Marian, Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma

Weeks 12, 13, 14, 15

We have been so blessed to have had Elder Quinton Cook here with Bishop Waddell and Elder Soarez.  They spent a couple of days in Hong Kong, then several days visiting Thailand, Taiwan and Singapore before coming back to Hong Kong for a few more days.  Friday we had a group picture taken of the entire Hong Kong Mission and then were treated to a special meeting where each of the visitors and their wives spoke to us.  Yes, we are led by men of God.  Since the meetings in Hong Kong were held here in the area office, we senior missionaries had the honor of providing meals for them.  I am amazed at the details that go into such a task.  We all had our assignments of providing certain foods, setting up and cleaning up.  It turned out so well and were so blessed to be able to interact on a more personal level with these brethren.

On Wednesday we took Patrick, Vico and Valerie Lai to dinner.  They wanted pizza and I was grateful to have a familiar food for a change.  Little Valerie is now  two months old and very darling.  She has born with a full head of hair--nearly ready for a haircut!  She is a very beautiful baby and of course, they have taken over 2,000 pictures of her!

One of my responsibilities here is to teach the
church conducting course.  Since we only have about 1/2 hour per class I broke the course into 6 lessons, the same lesson given 4 times a week due to the Everyday Branch that is divided into daily families.  So I have a different group of people each day. The training includes identifying rhythms, note values, the conducting patterns and a few other things--not including note recognition.  After we finished the 6 week course we had one week of review in which I had made a sheet of 20 questions.  We went over all the questions in class and
reviewed the conducting patterns.  The next week was the testing week in which I gave them the same questions I had given them the previous week, and they had to conduct a hymn of my choice.  The 9th week--last week was graduation.  Dan and I made nice certificates for each of them and we had refreshments.  Certificates are very important to them and they were so proud to receive their certificates!  Of course, everyone passed!

Next week we will begin the keyboard class.  Do you remember those 12 keyboards that I received

from Salt Lake from the Harmon grant?  They will be put to good use since there are about 25 students that want to begin the next class.  We will have about 6 students each time.  I think that as time progresses some of them will drop out due to the commitment required.  Only those who prove that they are truly committed get to keep their keyboards.  It would be wonderful to have to ask Salt Lake for more keyboards!

My current student, Perla is doing very well and will be sustained as the Ward Pianist Sunday in the Discovery Bay Ward.  She is thrilled!  She has now had lessons for 3 months and can play about 6 hymns--1 line per hand, but she'll soon progress to more parts.  She has started to teach other people in her ward the keyboard course and the conducting course!  That's exactly how it's supposed to work!

On Dan's birthday we went with some other senior missionaries to see West Side Story.  It was very well done.  Since I had been pushing very hard all week to process my largest to date number of missionary applications, I was very anxious to go.  Then Saturday night Julie Lai took us,
Millie Lai and Brother Mann to dinner for Dan's birthday.  She loves Dan since he was the one who introduced her late husband, Eddie to the gospel many years ago.

Sheldon Poon and his wife, Eliza arrived in town for a few days, he from Mainland China and she from the States.  We were blessed to go to lunch with them and Esther and Zeno Chow.  What wonderful people!  Sheldon and Esther are working hard on the big music workshop that will be held in July in which Craig Jessop and a few others from USU will be here to conduct music workshops.   Craig will be going to China first to conduct workshops, then on to Hong Kong.  We are very excited to see Craig!

We were able to meet our new DTA who will be taking over next month.  His name is Paul Hansen.  He looked very familiar to us and we to him.  We finally figured out that we had seen him at BYU basketball games.  Also he and his son went on one of our Tabernacle Choir trips with us and he pulled late-night luggage.  He will be fun to have here.  He is tall and likes basketball so he and Dan will be great additions to the Wednesday night basketball group downstairs.

Tuesday the 30th was another holiday--the dragon boat races.  Since it was a holiday the temple opened early to allow for those who work long hours to come, so we went to work in the temple at 7 AM.  After one session we left to go see the boat races.  Although it was very hot and humid we were able to get semi-close to the front of the pack for a few minutes to watch them race.  Eight boats leave the starting line at a time and have a crew of about 24 each and race down to the bridge.  It was so fun to see the different colored boats and shirts.  However, next time we will watch it on TV.  We can say that we went, but it is actually much easier to see on TV--and cooler!

I had been meeting with Elder Wong each Wednesday to go over the missionary applications that I have completed for the week before sending them off to Salt Lake City for the call.  Since Elder Wong has just returned to the states to prepare for his mission assignment to Vancouver, BC, I met with Elder Funk and Elder Meurs.  I happened to mention that I felt sad about a brother from Taiwan who was so anxious to serve a mission and had only been a member for a year.  Since his paperwork got bogged down somewhere in the pipeline he had reached the magic age of 26 before his application arrived on my desk.  The cutoff is 26.  Even though I fought very hard for him, his application was canceled on the area level.  With the blessing of Elder Funk and Elder Meurs we were able to resurrect that paperwork and add a heartfelt plea for him and sent it on to Salt Lake City.  Lo and behold, he received a call!  I feel that that is the pinnacle of my mission so far.  Persistence certainly paid off.  His life will be forever changed because of his mission.

We had our quarterly temple morning with the Area Presidency on Thursday the 1st.  Afterwards we went across the street to the Kowloon chapel for a testimony meeting.  What a neat experience that is! The temple will be closed for 3 weeks now for cleaning so we won't have our regular Tuesday night temple assignment for a while.

On Saturday the 3rd Dan went on a bike ride with Manfred Lai.  He was so happy to be on a bicycle again!  They were gone for hours enjoying the beauty of the New Territories.  He keeps threatening to have his bicycle sent over here.  Where would we put it?!  He really misses riding his bike.  This week is the annual Reno to Salt Lake Huntsman 140 of which he's been hearing reports of snow outside of Reno on Guardsman Pass,  I guess if you have to miss a year this would be the one to miss.

Saturday night we came down to the church office building to meet Maizie Keung.  She directs the choir in her ward and has had me accompany 'Nephi's Courage' that she has made into a special arrangement.  We've gone to her ward for choir for quite a few weeks to help with her her.  Saturday she wanted to go over some other ideas for that number.  They don't perform it until September so I'm expecting many more blasts of inspiration from her before it's all said and done.  After we finished working on it Saturday night we went to dinner with her family.  Her husband is one of the Keung family children that Dan tracted out long ago.  He is a very talented landscape/scenery artist here in Hong Kong and teaches at one of the universities.  We were blown away by his work.  He's done quite a bit of work here around Hong Kong.

The ward choir in Tsim Sha Tsui had asked us to help them sing for Stake Conference which will be held next Sunday, so we attended that ward Sunday.  We hurried home that afternoon so that we could prepare dinner for Jerry and Georgia James who will be going home in a couple of weeks, and Roy and Priscilla Thong from
Washington.  We enjoy getting to know some of these missionaries on a more personal level.

Dan started off this past week by having lunch with Dr. Jones Fok and President (Dr.) Maurice Lam.  President Lam is the mission president here and was a classmate of Dr. Fok who has a huge network of medical providers that he is trying to hook up with the missionary program here.  When Dr. Fok heard that we like to sing, he promptly set up a dinner appointment with us to join him and his friend to sing karaoke.  Whoa!  He sings karaoke at his dance 'club' every week!  That should be an experience!

On one of Dan's recent Operation Smile trips into China he met some very nice people, a couple of which live here in Hong Kong.  Su Wang is an anesthesiologist that he happened to connect with once we arrived here.  She and her family took us to dinner Wednesday night at a Thai Restaurant which was an experience.  The food was quite strange to us.......and of course the fish was looking right at me with his white eyes!  Their family is so nice.  They have two boys who are both going to college in the US and one is 6'8" and likes to play basketball (and he's Chinese!)  It just so happens that every Wednesday evening there is a group here in this Wan Chai building that get together to play ball.  So....maybe Dan will have a young buddy!

Saturday we had a group outing to the Tsz Shan Monastery past Sha Tin.  It sits on a hill in a very pastoral setting overlooking the bay.  It was built only two years ago for the monks here in Hong Kong and touts the world's second largest statue of Guanyun, a Buddhist goddess at 249' tall!  The grounds were absolutely gorgeous! The younger woman in the picture is Sara, Joe Plater's daughter (of Ride From Reno), here doing a short stint as a legal intern.

I went to two cultural events this week!  Several of us girls from the office went to a Chinese ballet from China one afternoon.  It was beautifully performed and the costumes were out of sight beautiful!  The next night we went with another group from the office to the musical "My Fair Lady".  It was produced by a local acting company, but the main characters were from Australia.  I so much enjoyed it since it brought back many remembrances from my high school days of accompanying that musical on the piano at South Salem High School.  It's so nice to be able to attend so many wonderful cultural events here.

We walked one of our interns home after the performance and ran into a woman and her friend who noticed our missionary badges.  She wanted to know where our church met.  We gave her the information and found that she is from China just visiting in Hong Kong for a few days.  Many people come out of China just to learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ since there is no preaching in China.  Some of them have studied enough on their own to be able to be baptized at the end of their few days, while others take a crash course, go back to China and study the gospel on their own and then come back to Hong Kong to be baptized.  There is a baptismal font on the main floor of our building, along with a visitor's center.  We learned from the missionaries that this couple came to the building on Saturday.  We don't know if they came to church on Sunday.  Situations like this are not uncommon and are very rewarding.  The church is alive and well in China!

On that note, I'll end this entry with my testimony that I truly believe that we are here doing the Lord's work.  We've had so many spiritual experiences and witnesses throughout our lives that we cannot deny the truthfulness of the gospel.  We love our family and friends and pray for you each day and thank you for your prayers in our behalf.  We love you!

Weeks 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

As the weeks get busier and busier it gets harder and harder to write a new post.  So much happens so quickly!  The dear Keung family has a family dinner every so often and they celebrate all of the birthdays in their families that have happened since their last get-together.  We were delighted to be invited to their party which was held at the home of Chi-Mae and Ricky Wong.  Ricky is in the Hong Kong mission presidency.  I am amazed that they can get so many people in such a small space! It
was pot luck of which we bought cookies and then left them on the train--along with our favorite bag!  I think I'm getting a little better about eating some of the food here that has not been on my radar and I thought never would be.  I'm getting a little used to seaweed, and I may even try congee soon!  Ricky sang karaoke the entire night!  

The next day--our anniversary--we were invited to have lunch with the Area Presidency in their home on the 12th floor.  They always host the new senior missionaries to lunch in their apartments.  Apartment, did I say?  Aside from not having a yard, and being on the 12th floor, it was a regular home!  They have beautiful apartments that are quite modern and nicely furnished.  We very much enjoyed having a nice lunch and getting to know the Area Presidency better.  The wives are delightful and of course the food delicious.  

I still teach the conducting course which I embellish a bit.  Dan had a large poster made for me with the grand staff so that I can write notes, measures, etc. on it and wipe it off.  But of course, it's very hard to wipe expo marker off of laminate.  If I do this class again I will buy a wipe-off board and use permanent markers to create my own music staff.  The class has gone well with an average of 6 per class, 4 days a week.  (not counting the missionaries)  This was week 6 and is the last technical week.  Next week is a review.  I will give them a test of about 20 questions the week after with a graduation ceremony after that.  They are very excited about it.  Anyone who has passed the class (which will be all of them, I hope) who wants to go on to keyboard gets to do so.  

The church music department has a grant program funded by a family named Harmon that makes it possible for keyboards to be in most places around the world where pianists are not readily available.  (which I fear may soon be in the US due to a decline in music lessons among families)  If a person wants to take piano lessons, usually from a senior missionary in most places, they can take a keyboard home with them to practice.  If they complete the keyboard class they can keep the keyboard.  It's a very generous program from the church and the Harmon family.  It has been used here in Hong Kong several times.  Because I will be teaching piano lessons and currently have one student, Perla, Salt Lake is shipping over a dozen keyboards and resource material.  

Speaking of Perla, she's had about 5 lessons now and will be playing in her Sacrament Meeting this Sunday as the ward pianist has just moved to the Philippines.  Perla will be playing the sacrament hymn with one finger each hand.  I'm so excited!  Her bishop can't wait for her to be totally ready.  Perla has been a member of the church for one year and will be attending the temple in July for the first time and has me to go with her.  I'm so excited for her!  

We had a Saturday activity going to the Sikh Temple.  There is a small segment of Sikhs here in Hong

Kong.  It was a very interesting morning learning of their beliefs and interacting with them a bit.  Afterwards Dan and I took off walking, and walking, and walking, and.....yes, a long way!  In the
rain for part of it!  We ended up at the Kam Tong building on Castle Road which used to be the main church here in Hong Kong.  When Dan was here as a young missionary he and 5 other missionaries lived upstairs on the 3rd level.   It is absolutely beautiful with wooden staircases, stained glass windows and beautiful floors. The church bought the building in the late 1950's and used it as a church, home for missionaries, then later the Church cooperated with the city and it was turned into a museum honoring Sun Yat Suen who was the founder of modern China and its leader until about the 1940's.  

Every Tuesday evening we leave the office to take the MTR-Mass Transit Railway to the temple.  We have been called and set apart as temple workers and have spent the first few weeks training and memorizing what we are to do.  What a perfect temple to begin being a temple worker!  It's small and rather quiet in comparison to other temples around the world.  However...on my first week to actually do something everyone went into a tizzy when two busloads of people pulled up in front.  There was an area conference for Seminaries and Institutes for all of Asia which includes our entire area and also Asia North, which includes Japan and Korea, and they all came to the temple!  So I immediately went to work--truly trial by fire--and loved it!  Afterwards I ended up in the Celestial Room and was able to chat with some of the dear people.  They are all so wonderful and sweet--and appreciative.  Just this week we were actually able to work in the endowment room.  We can hardly wait for Tuesdays to come around.  

One night after work as we were heading out of the building to go home some of the sister missionaries from the Philippines were leaving so we took them to dinner to our favorite noodle place called the Cooked Food restaurant.  It's actually on the third floor of the Wan Chai wet market where you can buy fresh produce, fish and meat from individual vendors.  The third floor is a large, open room with dozens of tables, but different vendors run groups of the tables.  It's not what you would call clean, or even orderly, but it's authentic and has great noodles!  The sisters were so happy to be treated to dinner.

Later on in the week we had visitors from the US--the Hubrichs from Fruit Heights.  They are good friends of the Paxtons which is how we know them as we've done several things together.  They are in Hong Kong going to the temple with some friends.  They went on a mission to Germany while Brother Hubrich helped to renovate the Frieberg Temple and met and baptized a wonderful couple from China.  This couple has been members for a year and are now getting their endowments.  The Hubrichs brought me chocolate chips and American measuring cups from Diana Paxton.  What a wonderful surprise--and wonderful friend!  

We were able to attend a wonderful musical performance put on by the Lion Rock Stake.  It was called 'He Is Risen' and included a couple of wonderful pianists, ukulele performers, vocal soloists, a missionary choir and even a 9 year-old violinists that blew us all away.  There were slides of the life of Christ that were shown in conjunction with the musical numbers that were very moving.  Afterwards we went to dinner with Zeno and Esther Chow so that we could get to know them better.

May 1st was a public holiday--Labor Day.  Since we were a little behind at the office we came in to do some work, then had a Family Home Evening with all of the senior missionaries including the temple and mission home missionaries where we had a special dinner to say 'good-bye' to Elder and Sister Wong.  We have come to love them during our short time here and even took them to dinner one night.  They will be leaving in mid June to spend time with their family in the US before leaving for their 2-year stint as Mission President of the Vancouver BC Mission taking over for Ron Burt.  We will miss them.   Elder Wong is the one that I work with in processing the missionary applications.  As I complete my part, I meet with him and go over each application before he submits to to Salt Lake City.

The next day we had a special meeting with the Area Presidency where they announced who would be taking over for the Wong's--Elder and Sister Meurs from Perth, Australia.  They both spoke to us and we feel very blessed to have such wonderful people to take the place of the Wong's.  They have been here for a couple of weeks now getting to know us and what each person is assigned to do.  I look forward to working with him in my duties.

Wednesday was another public holiday Buddah's birthday, so the office was officially closed again.  The little run of holidays is nearly over.  We spent the day with Alky's family and some friends of theirs on Grass Island, out by the New Territories.  We finally got to meet Alky's daughter, Chloe and Alky's husband, Ming.  We hiked around the island, and even tried to keep a free-ranging cow from trodding on one family's picnic!  We loved hiking by the ocean!  We visited a dam and saw some very interesting large cement blocks used for keeping the dam from overflowing.  To top off the day we came back to our apartment complex--Harborfront--and had dinner in the cafe.  

We have been able to make friends with two of Eddie Lai's sons, Patrick and Vico and their one-month old baby girl, Valerie, and a few nights later Manfred and Ashley and their 4-year old daughter, Gabby.  Such wonderful people!  We hope to be able to be with them much more in the future.  We were treated to lunch on Labor Day by their mother, Julie, and since we serve in the temple with her on Tuesday nights, she brought sandwiches one night for us knowing that we wouldn't be able to eat before our shift.  She is also treating us to a big dinner next next in honor of Dan's birthday!  

We finally met up with Fiona Wong and took her and two other ladies whom we have gotten to know and love and who are friends of hers, Chi Fang Wong and Millie Lai.  We have known and loved her for many years--since Dan's mission,  She has since returned to Toronto where she's lived for 30 years.

Esther Chow came to our Wan Chai building one day so that we could do some practicing on one of the songs that her choir is singing that has some tricky rhythm.  She called to tell me that she was bringing lunch and asked what I didn't want to eat.  I told her that I wasn't yet comfortable eating much that lives in the ocean.  I don't think I could stomach sea cucumber (have you seen it on the ocean floor?  Gross!) seaweed, although I have had some of that and some of the other interesting things that live there.  The fish isn't bad, although it's always served with the head attached.  Remember 'Christmas Story'?  

We sister missionaries have an Institute class among ourselves every Wednesday morning that we take turns teaching.  The Area Presidency's wives attend which we love.  We have been studying the New Testament from the Institute study manual.  Last week was my turn to teach Thessalonians.  I was quite nervous but enjoyed so much studying and learning more about Paul and his ministries. I'll have to-get to teach in another couple of months.  I look forward to Institute class.

In one of our wards me met a man named Brian who is actually from Utah.  He does a bit of acting, although we haven't seen him in any movies.  He has returned to church activity in the last few months and is engaged to be married next month.  We were able to take him and his fiance to dinner. He attends choir in his ward after church on Sundays where I've been conscripted by the choir director to improvise a piece of music that the choir director wanted to perform.  Therefore, we race back from wherever we are on Sundays for choir practice.  We have been asked by another ward to help them sing for their stake conference next month so will start attending that choir.  

After visiting the Sai Wan ward a few weeks ago we were invited to have a quick lunch with Sister LoLo and then dinner with the Ng family.  I have made a great bond with Stella, and her husband works here on my floor and tries to teach me Chinese!  Their son just got engaged last night to Carrie Wong, Tony and Chi Fang's daughter!  They are a darling couple.  They will be wonderful future leaders for the church in Hong Kong.

Alky invited me to go shopping last Saturday at Sham Shui Po with she and her daughter.  It is an area of Hong Kong that has been relatively untainted by the modernization of Hong Kong.  There were carts and tables with goods all around, little hole-in-the-wall (literally) shops with cheap goods for sale and lots of open air food vendors.  We had a blast and went in an out of little shops for a couple of hours, relishing in the sights and smells, then had lunch at one of the little potaus.  I want to do this again!

After leaving Alky and her daughter we walked to Victoria Peak tram, saw how long the line was--miles-- so took a taxi to the top.  It is the highest point in Hong Kong and you can see in all directions.  It was a little cloudy and drizzly but the view was still spectacular.  At dusk the beautiful buildings light up, some with laser lights and moving pictures.  It's a sight to behold!  There are shops and restaurants on the Peak so we had a wonderful dinner at Bubba Gump's.  (yes, that's right!)

Last Sunday was quite a day for us.  We had been asked to be the featured speakers at the District Conference Fireside which includes all of the Filipino wards and a couple of other wards.  It was sponsored by the Self-Reliance group who wanted us to talk about our Tabernacle Choir experiences and how it related to Self-Reliance.  Huh? I asked.  After reading the 12 points, I realized that it indeed does relate very well.  We in the states take self-reliance for granted because we grew up with the most of the principles of self-reliance instilled in us by default, but in some countries that isn't the case.  Many of these Filipino sisters learn the principles and then go back to the Philippines and use them to establish some type of a business that will help them earn money to survive.  Survival is a problem in so many countries where it is so hard to get work and support themselves, let alone a family.  That's why so many of them come here to Hong Kong to be a domestic helper, sometimes in very bad conditions so that they can send money home to their families.  Many of them have children that are being raised by the grandparents or the husband while they are here raising someone elses's children.  So sad.  We were fortunate to find our old power-point presentation that we'd given several years ago for a ward.  With a few tweaks, we resurrected that and then same a few songs and gave a narrative talk.  Thankfully they loved our presentation.  

Which brings us to this week, finally!  Monday night we went to Whampoa after work and walked all around looking for a particular Indian restaurant that is owned by a very nice woman that we met on the bus.  After a while, we found the restaurant in a very run-down area of town, but her restaurant was clean.  However, she was not there.  Sad!  The food was VERY HOT and SPICY!  It was authentic and reminded us of our two trips to India with Operation Smile.  Now we'll have to go back to try to find her again.  We left our card with her so let her know that we had been there.  

The next night we went to dinner with Cheng Woon Ming and his wife, Linda, and Rose Ma.  We had a delightful time reconnecting with Ming from early Operation Smile days.  He was a dentist that went with us a several missions.  He and his wife are lovely people and we made a pact to get together again soon.  And the food was the best food we've had in Hong Kong!  

The next night we took Monique Wong to dinner.  Dan has been on several Operation Smile trips with her in the past and I finally got to meet her.  She also is a lovely person and we again made a pact to get together again.  Yes, we go to dinner too much but are connecting with such wonderful people!

Which brings us up to today!  After cleaning our apartment (which doesn't take long)  we came over to Wan Chai where I got a haircut.  That is quite a treat here.  First they cut your hair, and then give you a 15 minute wash and head massage!  Ohhhhhhh......After which I got a pedicure.  Now I feel like a new woman!  The pedicures are not in typical places like you find at home, nor are they given by Vietnamese.  They are hard to find, but we found a two-story building that had little stalls all around that mostly did pedicures.  The place I got mine was out in the hallway--chairs lined up along the wall.  The carry in dishpans with a plastic bag liner filled with warm water.  Yes, quite different, and I hope I don't get a toenail fungus!!!  But the end result was very nice so I'm happy.  

It is Saturday and P-day, but we came over to the office to do some catch-up work since I'm quite behind.  My days this week have so  many interruptions with my conducting class and practicing with Sister missionaries all week in the afternoons helping them get ready to sing at a baptism tomorrow, and other mundane interruptions, that I have a hard time finishing my real job.  Therefore, here we are.  However, we received a call a short while ago from the 'bishop' here in the Everyday Saturday Branch that there was a very sick woman on the 6th floor.  He was quite relieved to know that we were here in the building when we should have been home.  We found a dear Filipino sister who is investigating the church.  She became quite ill and was very lethargic but nothing life-threatening.  Dan said she need rehydrating so made arrangements for the sister missionaries and our branch president to accompany her to the hospital by taxi.  We found out that she is being abused by her employer.  Dan called him to let him know what was going on.  He seemed very sympathetic and will go take her home when she's feeling better.  It's his wife that's abusing her by pinching and scratching her and punching her.  We think that part of what's wrong with her is her employer since she's only been working for them for a few months.  This type of situation is quite common, unfortunately.  It makes me grateful for the employers who treat their domestics with kindness and caring.  We've become quite attached to these cute Filipino sisters and it pains me to think that they can be taken advantage of.  

So it's always an exciting week in Hong Kong!  We are so grateful to be here and to be a part of the good work that is happening in this part of God's vineyard.  

Love, Dan and Marian  (Dad & Mom, Grandpa & Grandma)

Weeks 5 & 6

Reunion at the Kwum Tong Ward

The weeks are flying by!  So much goes on continually that it is getting harder to keep track of the time.  We went to church Sunday, April 2 at the Kwun Tong, an old established ward.  There were a few old faces and names that either recognized Dan, or he recognized them.  It was good to see a few people who remembered one of the ladies that Dan baptized, who served a summer mission, married and moved to Toronto.  We have kept in semi-contact with her, and even were able to visit her while touring in Toronto with the Tabernacle Choir.  She has unfortunately divorced and became inactive. This past Wednesday night we went to the Kwun Tong for a reunion of sorts and had a wonderful time visiting with old and new acquaintances. This was partly in honor of this sister since she is spending this month in Hong Kong.  However, she was unable to attend.  We are hoping to see her before she leaves for Toronto in a few weeks.

Indexing at the Wan Chai Building

Tuesday, April 4 was the Ching Ming Festival, or Grave Sweeper's Day.  It is similar to our Memorial Day where they honor their dead by sweeping the graves of their ancestors.  Our office was closed so the senior missionaries all went to the temple early in the  morning to work in anticipation of a larger than normal attendance day due to the fact that so many people--mainly Filipino sisters would be off work.  I was given a tour of the temple--and given small assignments in anticipation of our callings to be temple workers.  

Later that day we went back to our office building, which we call the Wan Chai Building, or Church Administration Building, to help to
run an indexing marathon.  Since Dan and I indexed a lot of names last year in our Bountiful ward--me 1,000, Dan 6,000, we helped to teach the Filipino sisters how to index.  By 8 PM we had almost indexed 1,000 names!  Everyone was so pleased.  Most of the names we did were from the Philippines. 

While we worked, some of the Filipino sisters told us their stories, and they are heartbreaking.  One sister came from a very large family, and her father was murdered in the fields by a partner who wanted all of the land.  Because the mother wasn't able to support all of the children by herself some of the older children had to be sent out to work without completing their education.  She described the hardships they were up against, and yet they remained faithful through it all.  Wow!

Tuesday group conducting class

Since most of the Filipino sisters don't have a knowledge of music (and yet they love to sing!) the branch president's wife had a meeting with a few of us to talk about the music needs and how we could help.  The church has a basic music program for learning to play the piano simply and conducting.  One of the senior missionaries already has been teaching some piano students, and I had already begun one, but we decided that I should teach the conducting course to however many people would like to take it.  Any future piano students would need to take the conducting course first, as there are many skills learned that segue into learning the piano.  Therefore, for the last couple of weeks I've been teaching classes each day--the same lesson each day for a week, but to different branches, then a new one the next week.  We're all enjoying the classes!

We caught up with some old friends, Allen and Jill Andersen who we have kept in touch with over that past 30 years through Operation Smile.  It was fun to go to lunch with them one day, and to pal around with Jill for the afternoon as she showed me one shop after another. It's hunt and peck around here--one store for this ingredient, another store for another.  Jill is a member of the Friday night choir group--Songs of the Heart--which Esther Chow conducts.  Jill has been subbing for Esther while she's been in the states for Conference, then seeing her daughter and son-in-law, James Bertin.  

And I saw James Bertin!  I was sitting in the chapel a couple of weeks ago watching General Conference when in walk James!  He comes here for business on a regular basis, he said.  I took him upstairs to the office where Dan was working on a medical issue and the two of them chatted for awhile.  He was a missionary here when one of the people Dan is working with on activation was serving a summer mission, so they were happy to chat.

After Conference I helped serve and clean up upstairs for lunch for a meeting of all of the Area 70's in the Asia Area after a meeting that they were having.  What a powerful group of men!   

A highlight of our week was having lunch with Rose Ma, an Operation Smile volunteer from years past.  She had come to see us years ago in Utah so it was good to connect with her again.  Her health is not good, but she's still the same spunky Rose.

We received our temple calling!  We will be serving on Tuesday nights.  The first night I met sisters that I would be working with, and then spent time alone trying to learn things.  We are looking forward to this calling.  I will be doing English, but they encourage us to learn in Cantonese.  Ugh!

Dragon fountain near the ferry

Dinner anyone?

http://asiacalls2017.blogspot.hk/Since this is also our journal, it may appear a bit long and trivial.  I apologize for that.  If you wish to be removed, please tell me and I promise I won't be offended!  Please know how much we love and care for you, our family and friends.  Continue to pray for the missionaries everywhere.  

Love, Dan and Marian  (Mom & Dad, Grandpa and Grandma)

Asia Calls Weeks 3 and 4

HONG KONG NIGHT SCENE

Weeks 3 & 4

We went with our fellow senior missionaries (we're still getting used to being called seniors, although there are some great perks!) to the Hong Kong Coastal Defense Museum on P-day.  It is a very old (think 300 years old) fort that was built to house soldiers that are on the lookout for pirates wanting opium.

ALKY'S SON KEVIN AND MARIAN
The Bhuddist burn these to send them skyward for their
deceased relative to live in.

Alky's 16 year-old son Kevin offered to take us to the Kowloon walled city on Monday.  20 years ago it was a thriving city with tall businesses and lots of businesses and walk-up housing. Unfortunately, it was riddled with crime and prostitution, with everything falling into disrepair.  The decision was made to bulldoze the little city and is now a very beautiful park with streams, flowers, trees, walking paths and a presentation about the old walled city.  

I'm finally learning my job better!  I process missionary applications that come from the Asia Area. There is a lot of computer work involved using things I've never had to use before, but I'm kind of enjoying it.  Dan seems to be enjoying what he does, but he wishes he was busier.  Some days are slower than others.

Hong Kong Temple

One of the two highlights of the week was going to the temple on Thursday night.  With our learning curve about the buses, we were too late for the 6:45 session so had to go to the 7:15.  What a delight to see that two of the Keung Sisters, Chi Mae and Chi Kung were both there!  One was working and the other a patron.  The next week we went to the 6:45 session and saw a third sister, Chi Fang, leaving with her daughter.  Chi Mae was also working that evening.  We love those people so it was very nice to be able to see them at the temple.

WE CUT THE CAKE; THEY CUT THE .....  PIG!

The other highlight was Saturday, going to the wedding of Chi Fang's son, Jason.  The wedding itself was held in the chapel in the morning, with a reception following in the cultural hall.  There was a tiny little cake in the shape of a flower that they 'pretended' to cut, for pictures only.  What they cut next was amazing:  a pig!  All decked out like in Hawaii for luaus.  They posed just like we pose for cake cutting, only they actually cut the cake all the way down its back.  After the reception and pictures we crossed the road to the temple where they were sealed.  That night we went to the party where there was quite a feast and more pictures and tradition ceremony.  The best part of the evening was seeing all of the Keung siblings together--all eight of them!

THE KEUNG FAMILY
Bob Tuttle and I baptized the two oldest daughters in 1972
L->R: Chi: Mei, Fung, Lai, Chung, Fong, Ming, Fun, Kwun

Two Sundays in a row we went to the Tsim Sha Tsui Ward where Dan was able to  make some connections for activation.  I always have someone willing to translate for me.  The talks again were wonderful.  The members here are very strong and able.  We stayed after church for choir practice which is a real experience.  Think 'Christmas Story'--Deck the Halls.......It's real!!!  Choir practice is the true test of dedication to our calling.  

Last Thursday night we went to choir practice with a group called Songs of the Heart, a choir of church members throughout Hong Kong.  They practice once a week for 2 1/2 hours at a time and sing some pretty difficult music.  They put their heart and soul into it.  It is led by Esther Chow, a local woman who majored in voice at BYU many years ago.  She is James Bertin's mother-in-law!

Once a month one of the couple is in charge of group Family Home Evening.  We had a fun evening here in our building eating spaghetti and salad, then playing a game where we divided into teams and tried to guess by recorded voice which prophets was speaking.  It was very enjoyable but mostly wonderful to mingle with all of the temple and mission office senior missionaries.  

I taught a piano lesson last Friday to one of the Filipino sisters, Perla.  She is very sweet and eager to learn.  The church has a wonderful piano and conducting course to be used to teach people to be able to play the hymns.  She wants to be able to play by June as the current pianist will be going back to the Philippines.  

Sister Sham- Kwun Tong

Sister Choi (Pleasantview) and Dr. Yau

We ended week 4 by attending two different sacrament meetings, the Ngau Tau Kok and Kwun Tong wards.  Again, Dan was able to make some connections.  We have some activities planned to get some of these people together with one of Dan's converts who is inactive living in Toronto but will be coming to Hong Kong for a month.  They were very close back in the day.  It is such a treat to visit these wards.  The members are so warm and welcoming--and humble.  

Street scene by Kwun Tong Chapel

We look forward to next Sunday when we can watch General Conference--one week after you.  We heard about Linda Reeves being released, and Brian Taylor being called as a General Authority. That's wonderful!  We're waiting to hear about our own area here as President Funk has served as president of this area for five years, and President Wong will be leaving in a few months to preside over the Vancouver BC mission replacing Ron Burt.

Bird cage in the Kowloon City park