This Is How We Spent New Year's Eve!

We worked a half day at the temple, and then

Elder and Sister Chan invited us all to join them in the theater at Harbourfront

for a private showing of:

A Thrillion Dollar Production

Thoroughly enjoyed this movie about a nonmember going to Girl's Camp.

A bit exaggerated, but with some truth, and plenty of humor.

We give this movie 4 stars.

Harbourfront Theater with comfy seats but no heat.

Hence the need for blankets or coats.

Refreshments afterwards which included

Cookies, Egg tarts, Cheese Ball, Fruit Salad, and Sister Chan's yummy Coconut Jelly

Elder Coffey and Elder Ngai

 Group photo of all temple missionaries and E/S Pack

(Elder and Sister Coffey were taking this picture)

Another group photo.  This time with Elder and Sister Coffey

Thank you Chans, for the great evening.

We went back to our apartment and to bed before midnight,

but didn't get to sleep until after the fireworks ended.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Birthday Wishes For Ady!

This is our Adysen Park

On our hearts she has left her mark.

And since it is her fourth birthday,

We are sending happy wishes her way!

We hope she knows she is loved and missed tremendously,

By her missionary Grandpa and Grandma B.

Getting Into The Spirit of Christmas!

December is here and it is time to think about preparing for Christmas.

We are off to a good start, thanks to our daughter-in-law, Lyndsay.

Danielle delivered a package from her when we went to Laramie.

It contained everything we needed to make a special Christmas tree.

The handprints of all 32 members of our family make the branches of the tree,  and our faces are the ornaments.  A trunk, silver garland, and a shiny star complete our tree.

This is a treasure, and it may possibly adorn our wall until our mission ends.

The next thing we received are these clever stockings from Allison.

They will be perfect for Santa to fill on Christmas Eve.

Bought this at St. John's Bookstore to add to our collection of Nativities.
This one depicts Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus as Chinese.

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The Public Relations Department of the Asia Area Mission have planned events and service activities to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ by sharing testimony of Him through music and word,

 and giving the gift of service.

To help us remember the real meaning of Christmas, we wanted to be involved as much as time would allow.  

We actually got started in November on the 22nd, and

our first activity was cutting fleece for 1,000 blankets to be given to the needy.

Its part of their idea of
 BLANKETING HONG KONG with CHRISTMAS WARMTH.

Elders Lee and Chan went to great effort to put rolls of fleece onto the elevator to get it all from one floor to the other for cutting.

Can you breathe back there, Elder Chan?

Sister Rae Rancie and I make a great team.

Elder and Sister Orton 

Elder Bodily and the Rancies working together.

Elder Lee and 'Wan Chai' Chan teamed up.

Elder and Sister Coffey, known as the 'Mormon Coffeys'

Sister Chan and Lee paired up

The result of all that cutting were stacks of little under 1,000 blankets, waiting to be tied.

But, before Christmas came, 1,300 were finished and delivered to the elderly in Hong Kong and also in Mainland China.  Another 800 will be made and delivered during Chinese New Year.

By some coincidence a basketball was lying in the corner, 

and Elder Bodily couldn't resist shooting a few hoops before leaving, even with limited floor space.

That brings back memories.

After all that cutting and stacking, we were feeling hungry, so the Chamberlains suggested we get a bite to eat at Tava Quick.  Its turkish food and one of the area missionaries favorite spots.

After trying it for the first time, we agree.  The food is great, and even reasonably priced.   It seems to be run by a couple of nice guys, and one of them has been investigating the church. 

 Time to get home.  The ferry sounded like a good plan.

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December 4th attended the Christmas Concert, 'What Would I Give?'

Elder and Sister Chan's son-in-law, Wayne Burton was the guest performer.

Songs of the Heart singers performed a number of Christmas songs.  They are a group of Latter-day Saints who are music enthusiasts and perform with various art groups for the community.  A few of its members are ordinance workers at the temple,  who we have come to know. 

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After church on the 10th, we stayed at Wan Chai to attend a Christmas Concert held in the first floor chapel.  Christmas songs were performed by the Songs of the Heart community choir.  Several ward choirs from the Hong Kong Stakes each sang a song or two.  

 Sister Eleanor Luk sings in her ward's choir.

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Dec. 21st we went to Wan Chai to bake cookies to be given to those passing by as we caroled in front of the church on Gloucester Road.

Elder Bodily snitching before the baking was done.

We chuckled over finding this in the freezer.

If that is ice cream, we don't want any,

 and  there should be no worries of anyone else snitching, 

it is surely freezer burned by now.

After the baking was done with Sister Chamberlain

Carolers were Annie Wong, Sister and Elder Orton, Elder Chamberlain, and myself.

We were few in number, but it was enjoyable just the same.

How can we convince anyone there are no strings attached to what we are offering?

Elder Bodily was persuasive and convinced some to accept these scrumptious cookies.

When the cookies were gone and the songs had all been sung, we took a moment to get a photo with Elder and Sister Chamberlain and Annie Wong.

The Chamberlains have put a great deal of effort into these 2015 activities.

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This Nativity is displayed at the front entrance.

We loved looking at the various nativities displayed in the foyer from all over the world.

These are our favorites:

AFRICA

HONG KONG

MONGOLIA

 ANOTHER HONG KONG

 PHILIPPINES

 AND ANOTHER HONG KONG

 ANOTHER MONGOLIA

Nativities as a group.

Missed out on the Christmas Eve Program.
Stayed up preparing gifts and making brownies for the next day's Christmas party for the branch.

So glad we participated and attended what we could, because it all helped to bring us the
 Spirit of Christmas.

The Christmas Season In Hong Kong

Poinsettias started getting planted at Harbourfront before Thanksgiving came.

Then before we knew it, a two-story fresh cut tree was decorated in the lobby.

Love the aroma a real spruce tree brings.

Decorated trees can be seen everywhere, and most are not artificial.

Check out a few we have seen this past month.

This one is at Wan Chai in the lobby of the church bldg.

This one is at the entrance of one of our favorite restaurants.

Saw this one at the Airport Hotel in Hong Kong.

Got to see first hand how a tree this size is decorated.

This one is at the Harbour City Mall.

The bottom half of the tree at Festival Walk Mall in Kowloon.

It is three levels high.

An evening parade occurred in this mall with people wearing lit up costumes to match this tree.

Looking down on one of the other displays at Festival Walk that coincided with the theme of the tree.

This was an unusual tree part of the Disney Christmas Lane at Harbour City.
It was constructed of gold rods.

This one is made of bamboo at the Cultural Arts Center.

It was incredible to see.

This tree is Elder Bodily's personal favorite.  It was artificial, and for sale at Brighton's - the closest thing to Hobby Lobby in Hong Kong.

Its not just trees that are decorated.

This dog displayed was covered with lights that continuously changed colors.

We saw it at a mall in Mong Kok East near the flower market.

A Christmas Train could be ridden while shopping at IKEA.

Even the escalators are decorated.

Discovered that the flower market is on Flower Market Road.  Imagine that!

It was the place to find the poinsettias we were looking for.

But it was also the place to find ornaments, and other fun things.

There were so many shops and so many choices that it was hard to decide.

We did find the perfect keepsake ornament.  A panda bear ornament.

 Tsim Sha Tsui goes all out with lights displayed on many of the buildings.

This is just one of many.

The Peninsula Hotel is known for top-notch dining and accommodations.

Their lights were top-knotch as well, and one of my favorites in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Kowloon Side of the Harbor

Hong Kong Side

The Nutcracker Suite is a Christmas tradition here.

 1881 Heritage and all around it was something to behold.

This ice castle was just one of the many magical displays to be seen.

Music, rotating figurines, lights, and garland throughout.

A group of kids were caroling on the upper level.

 Christmas wishes at the entrance to Harbour City Mall.

Red and gold could be found everywhere.

 The Christmas Lane leading to Harbour City was incredibly crowded.

 Does this give an idea of how much effort is put in to decorating for the holiday?

Elder Bodily was drawn to this along Disney's Christmas Lane.

Is it any wonder why?

Well, Christmas is over, but guess who is still in town?
Didn't expect to get a photo with Santa in Hong Kong, especially now,
but when the opportunity arose, just couldn't pass it up.

The decorating for the Christmas Season is by far more extravagant than anything we have seen at home, at least in Idaho.  The malls are quite beautiful with garland found on every railing, and poinsettias everywhere. But, we noticed not much is mentioned of Santa, nor did we see children having their picture taken with him.
 For most, Christmas in Hong Kong doesn't have anything to do with the birth of Jesus.
It is all about buying gifts.   Of course, sadly it is becoming the same in the U.S.

The trees and garland have been taken down, the poinsettias replaced with other plants, the Christmas lights are gone, and now businesses are preparing for Chinese New Year.
From what others have told us, that will be something even more spectacular to see.