Meet Avon, The Tailoress!

In Hong Kong, it is quite common to have clothing custom made.  Especially if you aren't Asian and need something larger than a size 6.  The cost is considerably less than it would be in the states, so I took the other sister missionaries' suggestion, and made a visit to Avon.  She is a well-known tailoress with a shop on Hong Kong Island, who can speak English. 

 But first, I made a trip to Sham Shui Po to find just the right fabric for her to create the right outfit

 for my shape and size. 

 This is Avon and her shop.  It is filled with pattern books, spools of colorful threads, fabric remnants,   a table, 3 sewing machines, hanging apparel, a make-shift changing room, 

and an air conditioner that she only turns on
when a client is present.

If you look closely, 

you will see that she is just a pint-size of a woman.

Knowing that I am 5'4", this might give a better perspective of just how petite she is. 

She is little, but she is mighty,

 and doesn't hesitate to give her opinion, 

especially if she thinks you are making a mistake in your choice. 

 She knows her stuff, 

and I was pleased with the quality of her work.

Now I feel part of the Custom-Made-Apparel Club!

If we can just find the right tailor for Elder Bodily,

 he will be in the club too.

We Will Miss You Sister Inouye!

Today was Elder and Sister Inouyes last Sunday at the Branch before their mission ends.

 Myself, Sister Jeannie Inouye, Adora, Maribel, Lorna

We got to the Hung Hom train station at the same time 

after serving together in the temple on Thursday.

Got one last photo before she leaves Hong Kong.

There is something special about Jeannie.  She is one of the most kind and caring women I have met. 

She is so quick to offer her help.  

Never a critical word from her mouth, but rather words of praise, encouragement, and love is all I have known her to say.

 I hardly ever see her without a smile on her face.

She just makes a person feel good to be around her, and I am going to miss her tremendously.

We love you, Sister Inouye!

Arizona Is About To Get A Great Sister Missionary!

This is Nabphorn Wisanbannawit and her mother,
 Chadaporn Wisanbannawit.

They are from Thailand, and Nabphorn has come to the temple to receive her own endowment.
She will be leaving soon to serve an English speaking mission in Mesa, Arizona.
Nabphorn speaks English fluently, and told me her name means counting blessings.
In seeing these two fine women spending the entire day at the temple everyday this week, and noticing how loving and respectful Nabphorn is to her mother as she helped her throughout the day, we are certain Sister Nabphorn Wisanbannawit will be counted as a blessing
by those she will be serving the next 18 months in Mesa.

A Welcome Luncheon For The Lees!

President Wong puts us all at ease with his sense of humor.

He is a great man and a good leader.

It is customary for the new missionaries to tell a little about themselves before we eat.

However, President Wong always gives instructions to be brief, 

in order to prevent the food from being cold when we are ready to eat.,

and then we all laugh.

Sister Hui, Sister Wong, Sister Yuen

Our Temple Matron and her assistants.

These women always prepare a delicious meal and clean up afterwards, 

refusing any help from the rest of us.

I love these good and faithful women.

Thank you, Sister Yuen for preparing your wonderful orange and pineapple fish, and mango pudding.

Two of our favorite dishes.

Sister Judy Chan makes us smile with her 'Asian Pose'.

This is how we ended the afternoon.

We missed Sister Ngai, and hope she feels better very soon.

I love each of these women I am serving with.

Dining Out With Our Fellow Temple Missionaries

An invitation from Sister Chan for Dim Sum in June at the
Star of Canton Restaurant.

Good food with a great view of the harbor and Hong Kong Island.

The Balls, The Bodilys, Nora, and The Shums

Italian cuisine at Al Dente's.  They serve the best ribs in Hong Kong.

If you come with The Balls, dessert is complimentary.

Eating Oyster Pie at a private restaurant as guests of Sister Chan.

To be honest, we both choose Dim Sum over Oyster Pie.

Checked out the Grand Opening of the Fung Shing Restaurant in Wampoa,
and we all agreed it was the ideal place for a banquet with all the temple missionaries.

Elder and Sister Ngai made the arrangements for our banquet.

Sister and Elder Inouye joined us.  

We learned that a banquet in China is not necessarily held for a special occasion, 

or to honor someone.

Its simply a dinner for a group with several dishes being served.

Dinner at Outback Steakhouse on Mody Road in Tsim Sha Tsui.

A nice meal with our friends before attending the Acrobat Show at the

Cultural Centre in TST.

We tried out the Butcher Club for a great hamburger.

The music was a little loud, the space was limited, the price was a little high, 

and the hamburger was okay,

but A&W Rootbeer was served, and the company was great, so you can't beat that.

We had a planning meeting with Elder and Sister Chan that led to a trip to Central

and dinner at a Vietnamese Restaurant.

 La'taste

Lets just say, we might just eat there again sometime.

A lot of our activities involve eating out,

which we enjoy, as we are trying many different ethnic foods.

But, we especially enjoy making memories with our fellow missionaries.

FHE At Harbourfront Theater

Elder and Sister Inouye planned a special FHE for all Asia area and temple missionaries at Harbourfront.  It was special indeed.  The Inouyes had invited Sister Naomi Tai to tell the story of her grandmother, who survived WWII.

Through video and testimony, we learned how Sister Masao Toma had hid from the enemy in a cave with her unconscious husband and two young children.  She would quietly go looking for food, sometimes without success.  At a time she was discouraged and considering suicide, she had a dream in which she heard an angel ask why she was not trying to live.  She began to pray, and then a dream came to her in which she saw her young children grown and looking like missionaries.  She then made a promise to the Lord that if she and her family could live, she would endure any hardships in her life.
Her husband regained consciousness, and shortly after, they returned to their home because the conflict was finally over.
Her faith and prayers helped keep her family safe and alive.

Sometime later, Masao was taught the gospel by sister missionaries.  She felt something familiar in their message, and she joined the church.  Her husband did not until later, but eventually became the Branch President in their area of Japan.
He died suddently, leaving her with a large business debt to pay.  She had little money, so she and her children often went hungry.  When there was no food, they would sing hymns to take their minds away from their hunger.
She would wake at 4:00am to find any work at all, in order to put food on their table.

This caused her to question the Lord as to why her family was suffering so much, and she began to lose her faith. Then she remembered the promise she had made to the Lord when her family was hiding in a cave.  After that, she did not doubt ever again that the Lord loved her, and she spent her life serving others in anyway she could.

Years later, her children each served a mission as she had seen in a dream.
It took her 30 years, but she eventually completely paid her husbands debt.

Macao Toma was a remarkable woman, and when she passed away in her 70's, there were hundreds attending her funeral because she had touched so many in her life with her loving and faithful service.

Sister Toma had many hardships in her life, but she was a woman of great faith, and endured them as she had promised many, many years earlier in a cave.

She has left her family a tremendous legacy.

President and Sister Tai 

Our Second Sunday Opening!

Had a wonderful Sunday as we served in the temple for the 

Special Sunday Opening, which is held four times a year.

The purpose of the temple being opened on Sunday is to give those sisters, who have no other day than Sunday to attend the temple, an opportunity to perform sacred ordinances,

 and feel of the Spirit, and receive blessings that can only be found in the House of the Lord.

For now, the Hong Kong Temple is the only temple in the world that is doing this.

A special Sacrament meeting is held in the chapel across the street from the temple, 

that we attend before the temple doors open. 

 President Tai, our District President presided and conducted the Sacrament Meeting.

It is unique to see two Sacrament tables prepared for the Sacrament ordinance, but is necessary to provide the sacrament to a completely filled chapel and cultural hall in a timely manner.

Elder Bodily assisted other temple and area missionaries 

in the blessing and passing of the Sacrament.

We get a little teary as we see these beautiful women filling the temple and serving as proxies for others who have passed on without the saving ordinances.

This was the Lees and Chans first experience with serving in the temple on a Sunday, and our second.

Elder and Sister Bodily, Elder and Sister Lee, Elder and Sister Chan

Yay! The Lees Have Arrived.

We have been anticipating the arrival of Elder and Sister Lee for a few weeks now, and tonight that time has arrived.

Our tradition is for all us temple missionaries to meet at the front entrance of our apartment complex to welcome our newest missionaries, who have been personally delivered by 

President and Sister Wong.

 Elders Ngai and Bodily decided to have some fun with the luggage cart as we waited.

A couple of boys at heart.

 We were lucky to get this photo, because the guard informed us immediately that no photos are allowed inside the lobby.  We do look like a suspicious group, I suppose.

This is what happens when new missionaries arrive.  Introductions are made, some hand-shaking, and lots of photos are taken.

 Pres. and Sis. Wong, Elder and Sis. Ngai, Elder and Sis. Lee, Elder and Sis. Bodily,

 Elder and Sis. Ball, Sis. Nora Chan, Elder and Sis. Chan

Elder and Sister Lee all the way from Dallas, Texas, now safe and sound in their new home

 for the next 18 months.

An Endowment To Remember!

Something special happens when someone comes to the temple to receive their own endowment.  And yesterday we had five young adults from India come to receive their own endowments as they prepare to enter the Manila, Philippines MTC.  So, it was an extra special day.  They came alone without any of their family members or friends to escort them.  So, Elder Bodily and I had the privilege of being escorts for Elder Sahil Sunny, and Sister Vinitha Appusamy.  Sister Powell, an area missionary, escorted Sister Sunitha Ramappachalageri.

Elder Sahil Sunny, Elder Bodily, Elder Anand Asaiya, Elder John Christopher Raju, 

 Sister Sunitha Ramappachalageri,  Sister Vinitha Appusamy, Sister Bodily

Then today, Sister Ramappachalegeri was baptized for her mother who passed away when Sunitha was just a young girl.  She had planned on being her mother's proxy for the remaining ordinances, but because her plane was leaving early for the Philippines, 

she was unable to stay at the temple long enough to see it through.  Knowing it would be quite some time before she would have an opportunity to attend a temple and complete the work, she gave permission for Sister Shum to do the initiatory, and I the endowment ordinance for her mother,

 Anitha Ramappa challageri.  

Sunitha expressed her happiness as she left the temple.

It was a privilege to help such a fine young woman in this sacred work to help her family become an eternal family.  Elder Bodily also took part in the endowment session, which made it all the better.

It is significant to mention that Sunitha's father passed away this last year.  Undoubtedly,  she has had trials in her life, and yet that has not deterred her

 from serving a mission for the Lord in a far away land. 

I will not forget these special sister missionaries.  I am sure they will be outstanding representatives for Jesus Christ, and a blessing to those who they teach and serve these next 18 months.

HOT POTS!

We got together with the Puns today for lunch.  Daniel and Susan are ordinance workers at the temple, and it was fun getting better acquainted with them.  We learned that one of their son-in-laws is from Burley, Idaho, a town we have connections to.

  Our lunch was unlike anything we have tried before.  We experienced HOT POTS!  Brother Pun admitted that they were hesitant to take us to one of their favorite places because

 most Americans don't care for it. 

 But, we told him we were willing to try 'almost' anything at least once, and this sounded intriguing. 

The closest thing Hot Pots resembles is fondue, and yet it isn't really.  

A cooktop is in the center of each table.  A pot filled with simmering water is placed on top.  Each of us selected a variety of vegetables, meats, and noodles to plop into the pot and then watched it all cook.  There is no guarantee, of course, that you will end up with the exact items you place in the pot.    In fact, we caught on quickly, that is part of the experience, to sample each other's choices.

I admit, I was relieved there wasn't squid or oysters swimming around in our pot.

To top it off, ice cream was offered for dessert. 

That made our lunch especially good.

There is one catch:  we had to be finished eating before our hour and a half was up, or there would be an additional cost.  That is a new concept - the cost of a meal is based on the amount of time you stay.

What will the Chinese think of next?

The Puns were great company, and the food was great too.
We'll do it again sometime!

No Steak, At Mr. Steak!

Elder and Sister Chan introduced us to a mall in Kwai Fong on our 'P-day'

We first went to the Mr. Steak Restaurant, all with mouths watering for steak, but only to find that they weren't serving steak this week.

The menu offered other delicious choices, so it turned out okay.

We can always plan on Chan's bringing out their 'Asian Pose'.

Lunch with Nora's company is always a treat.

After lunch, we found time to shop for some needed items.  A Selfie-stick was one of them.

Oops!  Someone wasn't ready.

A Lolly Waffle was another needed item.  Well, maybe not needed exactly, but so unique and something we had not seen before, that it was tempting to try.  However, $18 seemed a bit steep, so we passed.  Maybe some other time we'll try a funny shaped waffle on a stick covered with gooey caramel, chocolate, candy, and nuts.

We took a moment to shoot a 'Where's Grandpa' photo.

It was a fun day for a Monday!

A Surprise Farewell

Elder Inouye indicated that he and Sister Inouye would be leaving Hong Kong earlier than originally planned in September.  So, with just a few remaining Sundays before they leave, it was decided to surprise them with a farewell from the branch on the fast Sunday in August

 rather than waiting until September.

We later learned that they weren't really leaving earlier than planned.  It turns out that someone didn't have their facts straight.  Oh well!

Genevieve played a video she created from photos of moments 

with the Inouyes these past 18 months.  It was a nice tribute to them.

Sister and Elder Inouye briefly shared their feelings of serving a mission in HK,

and being a part of our Island 1st Branch.

Edna presented a going-away-cake to the Inouyes

Joy, Alma, Juliet, Lolita

Lea, S. Bodily, E. Bodily, Lorna

Christy Abagat, Marilee Page, Christine VanWagenen, Deborah Bodily

Part of our team in preparing and serving a spaghetti dinner for the branch.

I'm happy to say, it went well.

Sister Inouye is so loved, and will be greatly missed.

A Baptism To Attend

We had an extra special Sunday today because we were able to attend the baptism of 

Grace Pineal Escamilla.   This is the first baptism we have attended in the

 Island 1 Branch since arriving in Hong Kong. Grace and her sister, Joylyn and one other sister are the only members of their family.  Listening to her humble testimony brought tears.

Elder Arenas, Joylyn Valdez, Grace, Elder Carrasquillo

We are fortunate because Grace has been assigned to our family, the Rollog/Bodily family in our branch.  We look forward to getting to know her better.