Mission: Hong Kong Temple: One Month Anniversary: June 15

July 9 (Thursday)

The Temple closed early because there was a typhoon warning. I was a bit nervous about being in a typhoon, but also a little excited at the same time, having never really experienced one. I guess the storm we got caught in a couple weeks ago was a category 3, but they are expecting this one to be a category 8. Anyways, as of tonight at 11:00 pm, it has not hit us yet, perhaps sometime during the night.

Since all the senior temple workers got off early, the Balls invited us all over to their condo for a movie night. We watched "The Best Two Years". It was hilarious, the movie and the company. We always have such a good time together.

July 10 (Friday)

Just another day. Nothing new or exciting to report.

Cute little fridge magnets I picked up at the Ladies' Market...noodle bowls, dim sum, and sushi.

July 11 (Saturday)

Happy Birthday to my dear sister Vivian. She would have been 73 today. Gone too soon. I miss her so much. My very first visit to Hong Kong in 2007 was with Vivian and her husband Victor. Oh such sweet sweet memories! I'm sure she is thrilled that we are now serving our mission here in Hong Kong. She loved this city. I can feel her so close to me as we revisit places we experienced together. Serving in the Temple brings me such peace as I think about our departed loved ones, that we can all be sealed for time and eternity as a family. What a blessing!

Tonight we ate at "The Outback" with 11 other senior temple missionaries. Food was great, but service was poor so they compensated us by not charging for any of our appetizers and giving us free cheesecake plus a VIP discount of 15%...all in all a great deal.

July 12 (Sunday)

He's at it again...John made deep fried won tons for our potluck supper with the Peninsula 3 Branch. These sisters are amazing. They put on another incredible spread. Since we've been here, we have never had to make Sunday dinner. Though I miss our Sunday dinners back home with our family, we have a new "family" here with the members of the branch.

Pot Luck supper with some of the sisters of the Peninsula 3 Branch.

John spoke in church today and shared his story about coming to Canada and joining the Church. Two other converts also shared their stories. The members of this Branch are all so humble and each has a story of sacrifice and faith. Most of them have left their families in the Philippines to work in Hong Kong, and send back all their earnings to support their families back home. I feel so comfortable with them. They are so welcoming and full of love for one another and love of the gospel and love for our Savior Jesus Christ.

July 13 (Monday)

P-day here again already. Went out to Whompoa shopping district trying to find a hair salon which we had passed by the other day. We were pretty turned around, but finally found it. With it being so hot, I wanted something short and cool. They have some pretty funky names for businesses "Salon Hair's Way" styled by Mark. Their shampoo stations had fully reclining lounge style chairs. So comfy! I got a shampoo with a 15 minute scalp and neck massage, hair cut and style dry for $158.00 HKD, only $25.00 CAD. (Maybe let Cara know haha.) Check out my mug shots...

For Family Home Evening tonight we went to the Wan Chai Chapel for a lesson on genealogy. E/S Wasson are super knowledgeable in this field and were a great help. Chinese genealogy is like no other in the world, very detailed, complex and repetitious. We sure have our work cut out for us.

July 14 (Tuesday)

Nothing exciting to report today so here is food for thought...(even thoughts evolve around food, haha).

"Don't regret knowing the people that come into your life. Good people give you happiness. Bad ones give you experience. The worst ones give you lessons. And the best ones give you memories!"

Thanks for all the wonderful memories my friends have filled my life with.

July 15 (Wednesday)

Big marker day...1 month on our mission! It seems like it's been more like a vacation. Today is our "other assignment day" but we don't really have any other assignment, so it's more like a day off, but we're not supposed to call it a day off.

We went shopping and were inundated by all these cute little preschool children giving out stickers and collecting donations for their school. So adorable.

Children from Po Leung Kuk Kindergarden

Had lunch, loaded up on groceries, then back to our condo for a refreshing swim in the pool.

OH NO!!! John went swimming with his iphone in his pocket! We're trying to dry it out - covered in a dish of rolled oats. Hope it works.

The "gang" went out for a traditional Chinese banquet style dinner tonight. Some of the missionaries have never experienced REAL Chinese food

L-R:: Charles & Shirley Ngai, Gaylon & MaryAnn Ball, Nora Chan, Jeannie & Dwight Inouye. Robert & Helga Wilson
Standing: Judy & John Chan, Deborah & Gary Bodily