10 Shifts and Counting...

Happy Helping Hands

October 24 (Monday)

Another p-day, another meal. We met Rosana Li for lunch today. She took us to a very exclusive, members only, Japanese restaurant. We had our own private dining room, sealed off by sliding doors. The servers/attendants peak through a small window in the door to keep an eye on how your meal is progressing. Before entering, they knock, then bring in your meal, tea, or attend to any needs which they deem necessary. They bring you hot towels to wash your hands or wipe your face. Nothing like being pampered! And the food was excellent...a 6 section Bento box with raw sushi (John ate mine) and tempura and vegetables. Besides that it came with the yummiest salad ever, a bowl of rice, a bowl of soup, and a bowl of steamed egg. Hot lemon tea to wash it all down.

Frustrated yet once again...photo downloads are giving me grief. Sorry no photos. If I ever get this figured out, I'll have a lot of post photo editing to do.

My lazer hair treatments are about finished. No time to do more. Overall, I can feel the difference in having a thicker head of hair, but there wasn't much they could do about my dreaded cowlick. Why do they call it a cowlick? Anyways, that's permanent and annoying, permanently annoying.

Went again to ladies market to pick up a few more children's springy chopsticks. Rode the new expanded MTR line to Whompoa. It's nice and convenient to where we live. Treated ourselves to Haagen-Dazs on our walk home.

October 25 (Tuesday) 

Tuesday, another orientation day. We had 4 patrons from Thailand and 25 from Indonesia. It will be a very busy week. Aside from the Thais and Indonesians, there are a few from Mongolia that didn't need to be orientated. Patron housing was full.

We were asked to be mentors for Elder and Sister Stevens. After doing the orientations, I took Sister Stevens on a tour of the Temple. It can be very confusing at first with all the different floors and different elevators that only go to certain floors. It will take her a little while to get used to which elevator will take you where.

Elder and Sister Stevens

Tonight's dinner was with Elder and Sister Nielson who are also serving in Pen 3 with us, and Sister Lee, who is a single sister serving in the Mental Health department. My wish came true, in returning to Charm's Cafe for another meal. I wasn't disappointed. My fish and chips were awesome with the grilled portobello mushrooms with bacon and melted cheese.

October 26 (Wednesday) 

Most of the day was spent trying to familiarize the Temple floor plan and basic assignments with Sister Stevens. I can sure appreciate the work that the Bodily's had done with training new missionaries. There is a lot involved.

While in initiatory, I had a "thot pop", which is when a thought randomly pops into my mind. It caught me off guard why this thought would come during initiatory. It was but a fleeting moment, but it seemed like the plan was all laid out for me in that split second. It was about a business for the Filipino sisters called "Helping Hands."  It got me so excited. I will pursue it when I get home. This may be a pathway to bringing them to Canada.

We met Richard and June, or should I say President and Sister Lee, for dinner tonight. It felt so good to have them here again. I really missed June when they left back in May. But now they are back as the Temple President and Matron. They will be super in their new position.

October 27 (Thursday)

The young missionaries have been attending the Temple all week. They come in groups and along side of all the other visitors and patrons, we've been running double sessions every day. I love it when it is busy.

Dinner tonight was with Auntie May Soo. I'm going to miss her. We plan on one more meal together before we leave for home. Hopefully the rest of her family can join us. John finally got his Peking duck. It was pretty awesome, and we had the whole duck. There was so much left, so he had enough to feast on for lunch the next day. Everyone was jealous.

October 28 (Friday)

Another week is almost gone. Sister Stevens is still trying to figure out how to navigate the Temple. Once in awhile when I start thinking about how little time we have left here, I get a little choked up and teary eyed. Wish I wasn't so emotional. It takes very little to trigger the tear ducts.

We've been handing out John's Hong Kong Temple picture to all the people we've been working with during our time in the Temple. We didn't realize there were so many, so we'll have to print more pictures. We had made 200, but I guess that wasn't enough.

Tonight's dinner was with Sister Chui. She's the one who's been helping John with his genealogy. What a wonderful lady. She said she will take us back to our village in China and help research our family records. We hope to return sometime in 2017.

Sister Chui gave us a booklet on the Chan Ancestry Hall.

October 29 (Saturday)

It's a sad day. It's an exciting day. Many mixed emotions. Out with the old, in with the new, as the Temple Presidency changes over. President Wong, his counselors President Yuen and Hui, along with their wives were all released today. They have served well, and we will all miss them.

Part of the Saturday Temple Shift

Working along side these wonderful sister temple workers has been such an amazing blessing 

The Presidency with Brother and Sister Tsang.

The Presidency with all the Senior Couple Missionaries.

Fun with Brother Choi (Temple Recorder)...just being sassy...

They each conducted the final three sessions in the Temple. Tears flowed freely. After, we all went outside for a massive photo shoot and final goodbyes. "Well done my good and faithful servants." Well done!

Tonight was District Conference. The theme was "Love Thy Neighbour". It's a simple commandment. I'm going to try to be more diligent in this. It should be easy. If we can remember to be a little kinder, be a little less judgmental, be a little more caring and considerate to those around us, be a little more aware of others circumstances, then we can be more loving. We are all God's children.

Elder Nielson, President Smart, Elder Roberts, Elder Chan - Pen 3 Presidency

October 30 (Sunday)

Our final Sunday before our release from Temple duties. District Conference continued with the same theme. I was feeling good and composed, knowing this was our last Sunday. But, at the end of the conference, as I looked around, we were surrounded by the Sisters of Pen 3. I lost it! Tears came rolling down my face as I knew this might be the last time I may ever see some of them. So many emotions. Hugs and kisses, and "ugly" photos of me with blood shot teary eyes. Feel the love, oh, feel the love! They are what I will miss most about our mission.

Later that afternoon, we met one final time with President and Sister Wong. We had to pick up their apartment key for President and Sister Nihipali, one of the new temple counselors. It gave us a chance for one final goodbye. No, let me correct that, not a final goodbye, but "till we meet again" and I'm sure we will. I know our paths will cross again.