The Final Leg Home

November 14 (Monday)

Packing, packing, and more packing. We had to send 2 more boxes home by boat. There was a lot more than I thought we had. The Nihipali's helped by taking all our odds and ends and bits and pieces. It was a tight squeeze and we only had to purchase one extra suitcase. Good thing the Hathaway's had a luggage scale. A few more items to give away to Pen 3, and we were good to go.

Sister Chiu gave us a traditional Chinese Longmen
Farmers' Painting from Guangdong China

John gave Book of Mormons to Cloud and her staff.

Mrs. Wong at the meat market also scored a book.

And the "Beef Guy" with his B of M

November 15 (Tuesday)

Is this really it??? Are we really leaving Hong Kong? Are we really saying good-bye to our mission? Mixed emotions, that's what they all say, and now I truly understand those mixed emotions.

I'm gonna miss my Auntie May Soo...she's so sweet!

The Nihipali's seeing us off.

3 large luggage, 2 medium luggage, 5 carry ons

 From Hong Kong, we flew to Narita Tokyo Airport. Had fun shopping in the gift shop since we had a 2 1/2 hour layover.

Purchased 2 little Sumo Wrestlers

Making notes for my upcoming talk in sacrament meeting.

Great meals on the plane, but the girl beside me was not well.

 Time flew by and we landed in Vancouver on November 15 at 10:30 a.m. about the same time we left Hong Kong because of the time difference. We went for lunch and later went to visit with John's parents.

Back in Canada, Eh!

John's Mom and Dad

 November 16 (Wednesday)

Jet lag hasn't felt too bad. We went for lunch with John's Mom, Dad, and brother Steven. Came back to my sister Gin's and had a nap before going out to dinner with my side of the family.

My Mom and her girls: Ilona, Gin, Jane, Mom, Ivy, Judy, Wendy

November 17 (Thursday)

The final leg...Vancouver to Calgary to Lethbridge. We're coming Home!!!

They're waiting for us...my heart is racing.

Mom (PoiPoi) has been away too. Welcome home.

The look of happiness! Even Debo was there to welcome us home.

The Welcoming Committee - Thanks for all your love and support!

There's no bunch like the Burton Bunch

Azia was working, but we caught up with her later that evening.

Shortly after arriving home we had a meeting with President MacLennan for our formal release from our mission. Wow! It's a happy and sad time. The experience has been like no other. Happy to be home. Sad to miss the experience of mission life and all the incredible people we met.

Final Thoughts:

Through the ages, God fearing people have built temples. The tabernacle of Moses, the temple of Solomon, and the sanctuaries of today are sacred and holy places of worship. Places of spiritual healing. Places of reverence and devotion to the Most High. As the psalmist has written, "Who  shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart." For as long as men and women have worshiped in holy places, hands and hearts have been washed clean, heads and knees bowed, eyes and lips stilled in preparation for sacred service.

"We love thy house, O God,

Wherein thine honor dwells.

The joy of thine abode

All earthly joy excels."

At the start of our mission I wondered how I would make it through. The days seemed long and sometimes it dragged. 18 months seemed like such a long time away. The weather was extremely hot and with the humidity, was even hotter. I found myself constantly wiping the perspiration off my face. I was hot and uncomfortable.

As we started our work in the Temple, I felt stressed out. Not knowing Cantonese or Mandarin and trying to learn everything that needed to be done, left me tired by the end of my shift. A mission is easy, but a mission is also hard. Easy, because as senior couple missionaries, there are very few rules. Hard, because your once retired life, has now become very regimented with a weekly schedule which you have to fulfill.

Being assigned to a domestic workers branch was quite the learning experience. It's these sisters that I will miss the most. They became my family away from home. Our typical Sunday would start with us leaving our apartment around 9:30. We'd get to church by 10:30 to facilitate the self reliance class till 12:30. Have a 1/2 hour break before sacrament meeting at 1:00 and then Sunday School and Relief Society to finish the block at 4:00. Then 4:00-5:00 was either visiting teaching, home teaching, enrichment, or family home evening. On the 1st and 3rd Sunday was either potluck or branch dinner. So by the time we finished and got home, it was often 8:00 pm making our Sunday about 10.5 hours. Ten hours of bonding with our Pen 3 Sisters. They're incredible, strong, dedicated sisters in the gospel.

Serving in the Temple, we witnessed the joy of seeing families sealed for time and eternity. The tears of joy flowed freely especially to see children sealed to their parents. The excitement of a newly wed couple who traveled thousands of miles to be sealed. Stories of those who sacrificed everything they owned to come to the Temple for their endowment. One sister had saved for 14 years for this once in a life time opportunity. To see the excitement of the youth as they performed baptisms for the dead. To feel the spirit of those when they received their initiatory preparatory to them receiving their endowments. Our hearts spoke spirit to spirit.

It was such a treat to meet and greet those from other countries, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Mongolia, Cambodia, Jordan, Indonesia, and more. To see the growth of the Church in the Asia area was so heart warming. You could feel the excitement as the gospel message begins to roll forth.

Branch members, patron friends, temple workers, and fellow missionaries all added to this wonderful experience, and as the weeks past, then the months, time began to move more quickly. And soon we found ourselves saying, "Whoa...slow down!" We became very close to all the senior couples we associated with them, many of them becoming BFF (Best Friends Forever) in today's lingo. 

It was great to have family come visit. I really needed that. It helped get us through the Christmas season. Just into the new year, we were informed about a 6 week break in June/July, and another 6 week break in November/December. Then we were done!? How quickly the weeks, then months, passed along.

Though we were not proselyting missionaries, we had the opportunity to introduce a few people to the gospel and that was exciting. We gave away a number of Books of Mormon. Though there hasn't been a baptism yet, seeds have been planted.

We are so grateful for our mission. Joseph F. Smith wrote, "The spirit of gratitude is always pleasant and satisfying because it carries with it a sense of helpfulness to others; it begets love and friendship, and engenders divine influence. Gratitude is said to be the memory of the heart."

When our hearts are filled with grateful memories, our actions reflect the love that we have received and we begin to express our gratitude to God.

"Because I have been blessed by they great love, dear Lord,

I'll share thy love again, according to thy word,

I shall give love to those in need;

I'll show that love by word and deed,

Thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed."

Yes, we have indeed been blessed through serving a mission. 

Elder and Sister Chan

Hong Kong China Temple Mission

June 15, 2015 to November 17, 2016