Becksteads in Hong Kong 香港: The Chan Family

This week started with another trip to Big Buddha. Elder and Sister Kendell, the Branch President and Wife of the Every Day Branch have not been able until recently find time to visit Big Buddha. Elder Kendell, who celebrated his eighty-third birthday last month, approached Karen and I and asked if we would take he and Sister Kendell because he did not feel comfortable going by themselves. We love the Kendell’s and were honored that they would invite us to be a part of their experience.

We had a big break-through at the office this week concerning the Opinion Leader data base or more accurately; a Computerized Relationship Manager (CRM). Salt Lake started the process of building the application and sent a picture of the Concept Plan. They also asked us to provide questions that the system will ask in each phase of the Business Plan Flow. It has been so long since I have even thought about the project that I had to go back and review all my old notes to remember what we were proposing. After reviewing and consulting with Tom Crockett, I was able to develop a response that I believe will be more than adequate for them to proceed with the build-out. (I sound like I’m a tech nerd!)

Karen was able to use some of her old job skills in proofing a twenty plus page program that will be used at a public concert here in a few weeks. Songs of the Heart, a choir made up of members here in Hong Kong, (Hong Kong’s version of the Tabernacle Choir) will be performing at one of the nice concert halls. Besides the choir there are going to be quite a few musicians performing as well. The program was created in Chinese, and then translated into English by a member who can speak English pretty well, but needless to say the written English translation left a lot to be desired. In the program each artist had a bio and the program included quite a history of everything and everyone. When Annie saw it last week she gasped at the English translation and asked Karen to look at it. Karen spent the entire day editing spelling and grammar. Towards the end of the day I said to Karen, “have you noticed we haven’t said a word to each other all day”, this being strange because we sit in a cubicle side by side not more than two feet apart. We didn't even leave for lunch, we just grazed on office munchies all day. She finished a short time later and can now say that she experienced the gift of translation while serving a mission.

The week was topped off with another experience with the Chan Family whom I had the opportunity to participate in their baptism as a young missionary. We were invited and attended the wedding of Rita Chan who is the granddaughter of the father that we taught forty-plus years ago. As required by law, the day started with a civil ceremony in the morning. Bishop Chan, Rita’s brother Lance, performed the ceremony in the Kowloon Tong Chapel. We then joined them across the street at the Temple for the Sealing and later at the reception. It was a great day and Karen especially liked being around the Chan family and all the babies and toddlers. She also enjoyed learning and participating in the Chinese wedding culture.

Coincidently, Alvin, the groom's sister Haley, was one of our Chinese language tutors before we came to Hong Kong. We did not know this until the night before the wedding when Sister Chatterton called and told us that Haley was here to attend her brother’s wedding. It was also interesting that while Haley was teaching us , she had me talk to her bother Alvin multiple times as part of the program. Each week we would talk to a native to help with our listening skills and Alvin at the time was attending BYU Idaho and convenient for Haley to exploit. So, it turns out that when I’m talking to Alvin, I’m talking to the future husband of the granddaughter of the man I was hoping to find when I came back as a Senior Missionary. (like there is such a thing as a coincidence)