Farewell Hong Kong

One last great week of being Missionaries.

The week started with a special meeting with all the Hong Missionaries both old and young gathering together with Elder Stevenson, Elder Christenson and Bishop Causse. It was like other meetings we have enjoyed with Apostles and young Missionaries, very personal and insightful.

We heard from Elder Evans, Sister Causse, Bishop Causse, Elder Christenson and Elder Stevenson. Elder Evans shared personal relationships and experiences he had with the others. Sister Causse spoke of her family’s conversion and recited one sentence in Cantonese that she remembered from being a student here years ago. Bishop Causse reminded the Missionaries that he was here on assignment just as they were and the blessings received over a lifetime by fulfilling assignments received. Elder Christenson addressed the nature and role of the Holy Ghost as a member of the Godhead. He reminded the Missionaries that the Holy Ghost is significant in realizing all truth and the importance of seeking the spirit in all we do. Elder Stevenson brought a whiteboard into the room and taught the Missionaries how to teach a concept or principle, invite the investigator to live it,  and then to promise them a result. In his presentation he left the rostrum, attached a wireless microphone to his lapel,  then walked among the Missionaries teaching, asking questions, role playing and sharing personal experiences.

We believe there were many Missionaries that attended the meeting and will be sharing stories to their grandchildren about the time they spent with Elder Stevenson.

The next morning, we shared Dim Sum with the Hui’s, Wong’s, Ted Yan and Sellers. The Hui’s and Wong’s wanted to thank us for working in the Temple with them and celebrate our friendship.

Later in the day we were invited to dinner at Elder and Sister Sorenson’s apartment with the Fergusons. Sister Sorenson had prepared stuffed porkchops and they were delicious. This is the Sorenson’s second Mission and he promised that after this Mission he would teach us how to catch fish at Otter Creek.

The next afternoon we took all eight Filipino Sister Missionaries to lunch at Triple O’s. It’s a such a satisfying experience to watch these little Filipino girls eat hamburgers, fries or onion rings, and a milkshake. They are so loving, innocent, and pure.  As we realized this would be our last time to spoil them it broke our hearts.

We met Petts in TST at the clocktower at five pm for dinner. We arrived first and were able to see them before they saw us.  It was obvious that not much had changed since they left their Mission nine months ago. They looked just the same, sounded just the same and we enjoyed being with them just as much as we did while they were here serving their Mission.

The next day all the Area Missionaries went to the YMCA Buffet for lunch and we all got a pleasant surprise when everyone got a twenty-five percent discount on their meal because there was a March birthday in the group. After lunch we met Chatterton’s and went to the Lady’s Market for the last time, Mom and Marilyn wanted to make one last contribution to the hawkers of Hong Kong.

On Friday, we cleaned out our cubicle and had our last Friday Lunch with all our Senior Missionary friends. Elder Hyde prepared two crock-pots of home made clam chowder and two big round loaves of home made bread. After lunch we said goodbye and left the office for our final time.

We went home thinking our happiness tank was as full as it could be when we got word that Jess and Parker’s family just increased by one. The initial information we received was  that a healthy grandchild had been born and that Jess had done a super job.  No one dared share the gender with Karen. Parker had previously told Karen that the sex of our new grandchild would not be revealed to her until after she returned home. After what seemed a lifetime to my sweet wife Jess was well enough to share the news that the baby was a 6lb 4oz boy. 

This is the Mission that just keeps on giving.

The only thing we had left to do was attend our Branch on Saturday for one last time, at least that is what we thought.

Later that night we received an unexpected call from the Young Elder’s notifying us that Tina Augusta, one of their investigators would be baptized tomorrow and she had requested me to speak at her baptism. The baptism was being held in the same building we attend Church, it would be held before our church started.   It was just another blessing being added on to an already Mission full of blessings.

Saturday, we enjoyed a baptism, a confirmation, and a wonderful block of meetings in a Filipino Branch in the middle of eight million Chinese. It was our last hurrah as Missionaries and boy did the Sisters make sure we went out with a bang. After all of the meetings, they sat us in the middle of a room and we celebrated with song, dance and testimony  of the time spent together.

We left the building Saturday night knowing that our work here is finished. We also realized that we have completed our service here with honor.

We hope that our Mission  will be an example to all our children,  grandchildren, their children and their grandchildren.

The End

Brother Chan,  one of the security guards in the Office Building.  Such a fun person,  we'll miss him

Front Left to right:  Sister Sellers, me, Lynn, Brother and Sister Hoi, Elder Yan.  Back:  Elder Sellers, Sister Wong.  Elder Sellers was the missionary to Sister Wong's family when she was a little girl.

Sisters Salangad, Romero, Batista, Bannagad, Arago, Miranda, and Almanza

Welcome Griffin John Robertson.  We haven't met and we love you already!

Baptism day for Tina

Our Saturday Branch made our last day with them amazing!