"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given........and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
As we celebrate the Saviour's birth we wish one and all a very Merry Christmas!! May God bless you and yours with happiness and joy. May His choicest blessings be upon you. We know the Saviour lives and that through Him we can find peace. We are grateful for the opportunity to be serving Him on this mission and deem it a privilege to do so.
Christmas is certainly different this year without family and friends but we are enjoying the season. We listened to the First Presidency Devotional, which is always a highlight to kick the season off. Last week we attended a devotional and Christmas dinner for all temple workers complete with two roast pigs - heads still on. Earlier this week we attended our Area Presidency's devotional for all the full-time staff and senior missionaries. Elder Gong gave a nice Christmas message. The devotional was followed by a Christmas lunch and social with the staff. This included a white elephant gift exchange. The present I received was a tin of Pork Paste - it will be good to give back to some lucky person next year.
Temple Worker's Christmas Dinner
This evening - Christmas Eve - the senior couples are having a Christmas progressive dinner in our apartments. We are hosting the salad course so we have been busy getting ready for that. We will attend Sacrament Meeting on Christmas Day in our Branch and hopefully do some Skyping with family. The temple is open for half a day on Boxing Day so we will work at the temple for the morning. Many of the Filipino sisters in our Branch will be able to attend as it will be an extra day off for them. Our Branch Christmas party and dinner will be that afternoon so the 26th will be a busy day. The Area Office is closed on the 27th so we will have a day off to rest up.
Other December activities included our monthly couple's P-Day outing. This month we visited a Buddhist Nunnery and gardens - Nan Lian Gardens - very beautiful. Pics below.
This is our group - great people !
Nan Lian Buddhist Nunnery
Another highlight was an invitation to play golf on the one and only public golf course- Kau Sai Chau - in Hong Kong with President Aki of the Hong Kong Temple and two others from the Area Office. This public layout is on an island accessible only by a 20 minute ferry ride. There are three 18 hole courses in the complex. There is nothing else on the island but the golf courses.
Our work is going well. We are starting to get geared up for the year-end audit season. We also have three newly called Assistant Area Auditors we will need to orient and train. We have also started planning for our annual Assistant Area Auditor training conference, which will be held here in Hong Kong in early March.
Some Hong Kong Christmas Scenes
Our apartment complex lobbyChristmas Skyline
The Peninsula Hotel
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL !!
Happy New Year! Sounds like you've had a very busy December! It's nice having Skype to be able to see your family as you talk with them, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteThe weather in Hong Kong looks quite nice. We've had a fairly mild winter so far.
Your apartment lobby looks lovely! I think senior couples are quite lucky.;o)
Glad you're haing a great experience! It's good being able to follow you on your blog!
Thank you for opening our eyes to the gospel and sites in another part of the world. Love your pictures and comments. Good to get glimpses of you guys in the pictures too. We appreciate your strength and example. You are in our prayers.
ReplyDeletehugs....Rosemary
We are following your blog with much interest and so happy to see you celebrated Christmas in a "traditional"way. You certainly have much support in the other couples and area presidency. We enjoy the photos you post as they add to your comments of what Hong Kong has to offer. WE wish you both a bright and happy new year and look forward to keeping up with you. We can tell you have been richly blessed. Love, The Glenns (D & S)
ReplyDeleteHello from Edmonton
ReplyDeleteW finally figured out how to acess your blog and have really enjoyed hearing all about your missionary adventures. We imagine this time of year will be very busy for you both as audit time rolls around. Say, we heard from Calgary that the Rhyasons may be joining youin Hong Kong...Is that true??? How do we get on the list????? After a few follow-up health tests in February, Clark and I will start the missionary papers all over again. We anticipate we will be called on a temple mission because Clark is a Sealer.
We hear that both Jack and Karen and Barry and Pat are doing well on their missions. We work with Randy at the Temple on Thursdays. He and Janice are going on a cruise later on in January and plan to drop in on Barry and Pat in New Orleans. We also work with Marvin and Judy Conrad and they send their love.... in fact Marvin said we could have quite a nice "Claresholm reunion" at the Hong Kong Temple with a good word from you both.
We were so sad to hear about Sandra's sudden passing.. We will probably try to drop down next week to the funeral...Our numbers are fewer and fewer in that 2nd generation. Now we are the grey-haired Grampas and Grandmas........Well we send our love and prayers across the miles and miles of ocean and look forward to hearing more about your service
Love Dodie and Clark XXXOOO