Special Temple Event

We had a rather unique experience this week when we attended the Temple on Sunday. Hong Kong, because of the thousands of Filippino women that are employed here as domestic workers, has quarterly Sunday Temple Days to accommodate the many Sisters who have Sunday as their only  day a week off. It begins with a District Sacrament Meeting at the Kowloon Tong Chapel across the street from the Temple. After the meeting the Temple is flooded with women entering the front doors heading to both the men and the women’s locker rooms to change before heading  for the Sealing, Baptismal, and Endowment areas of the Temple.  The men Temple workers had to change in the Temple President's office.    It is an event like none other anywhere in the world and a wonderful example of how the Church is adapting to the needs of members in challenging circumstances.

The next day we went out exploring one of the outlying Islands with two of the Senior Missionary couples, Chatterton’s, and Sorenson’s. Lamma Island is a short ferry ride from the Central Pier and a nice place to get away from the crowds. We hiked a trail called, ” the family trail” and were able see most of the Island in a couple of hours. Before we caught the ferry back to Hong Kong we sampled some of the seafood at one of several restaurants on the pier. These restaurants are touted for their fresh seafood, which is proudly displayed squirming in crowded aquariums near each of the restaurant entrances. Every species of fish that lives on the Ocean floor seems to be a delicacy to the Chinese. I ordered the fish and chips rather than a foot long greenish yellow slug being served as the day’s blue plate special. Of course, Sister Beckstead ordered the fried squid.

We said farewell to another Senior Couple this week, Elder and Sister Roberts. Elder Roberts served here in the legal department as an Associate Area Legal Counsel, and Sister Roberts was the go to person for anything going on in the Mission. We will miss them but are fortunate that they live in Saratoga Springs, Utah so we will be seeing them again when we return home.

We met again this week in an Area Welfare Coordinating Council Meeting and reviewed thirteen projects in nine different countries. Cambodia, India, Shri Lanka, China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Mongolia Laos, and Thailand. I am so humbled by the thousands of people receiving aid from the Church in order to eat, drink, find shelter or sometimes just to survive. I hope we never forget how blessed we are after we return home.

I’m going to sign off by quoting President Monson: “When we can work together cooperatively to lift the level of life for so many people, we can accomplish anything. When we do so, we eliminate the weakness of one person standing alone and substitute the strength of many serving together. While we may not be able to do everything, we can and must do something.”

Have a great week!

For our P day this week we went with Chattertons and Sorensons to Lamma Island.  It's an island accessible only by ferry,  scattered with little villages.   It had a walking trail from village to village. There are no cars on the island so its walking or biking to get from place to place.

We walked from one village to the other.  It was only about 5 miles,  about half way we found this little refreshment stand.   When we got to the other village, we  ate lunch at an outdoor seafood place, then took the ferry from that village back home.  The restaurant was a little nicer than the refreshment stand.

It was nice to get out of the city and enjoy lots of greenery,  banana trees,  and a pretty view.

Just my size door!

Later in the week we took the Sister Missionaries,  Sister Amenita and Sister Miranda,  to lunch.   They are always so cheerful and enthused about their missions here in Hong Kong.

This week at our Saturday Branch we celebrated the 175th Anniversary of the Relief Society.  The theme was "Guardians of the Hearth".   Sister Kendell,  the Branch President's wife,  explained to the sisters what a hearth was.  Most of them have never seen a fireplace.   She explained the significance of the fireplace being a gathering place for the family.   The sisters love any reason to prepare a large meal for the branch after Church.

Lynn serves in the Branch Presidency in our Branch.  I'm enjoying my assignment in the Self Reliance classes.   Each branch has a class lasting 13 weeks.  They call a sister in the branch to be the self reliance facilitator,  and  each branch has a Senior Sister Missionary serve as a mentor to the group.     My group meets  from 10:00 to 12:00 each Saturday before Church.  The sisters learn how they can provide for their families when they return to the Philippines.  Here in Hong Kong it's a unique situation with all the thousands of domestic workers here,  sending their wages home to support their families.   But the Self Reliance Program in the Church is really growing and spreading throughout the Church.  Each country of course having the program catered to their local culture.  Our sisters are learning how to start their own business,  how to manage their money, how to save,  and many other skills they need in financial management.   Our sisters,  being from the Philippines,  have a manual,  videos,  and resource materials to help them learn how to start  businesses such as raising chickens or pigs,  growing rice,  and selling anything from food to clothing.