Family History Fireside!

We stayed after our church meetings to attend the Family History Fireside here in Wan Chai.

Brother Stephen Rockwood, who is CEO of Family Search was the first speaker and was excellent.  He spoke of the importance of families working on family history together.  We are promised protection from Satan if we do temple work, and family history as a family. 

Elder Allan F. Packer and Sister Packer also spoke, encouraging us, if we aren't already, to work on our family history.
They have been meeting with government officials, and are making progress in getting access to the genealogical records needed to further the work on Family Search.

Elder Packer is the Assistant Executive Director of the Family History Department.

He projected a photo of their large family on the screen, which included all of their children and their spouses and grandchildren. 

 Only one grandchild was not pictured because he is away on a mission.
With eight children, they have quite a large family.

It was fun to see Stephen and Amy and their children in the photo.

Pres. Packer was our Bishop before becoming a member of our Stake Presidency back home.

Elder Sam Wong gave closing remarks.  He first referred to the bowtie Elder Packer was wearing in a wedding photo shown tonight, and said he had once heard our District President Tai's father tell a joke about a name in his genealogy that was the reverse of Bowtie:  Tai Bo

Didn't quite catch what the joke was though.

 Elder Wong went on to say he remembers sitting in the Ho Man Tin Chapel in the early 80s when Brother Tai told this joke and then he preceded to speak about Family History. 

It was this talk that motivated Elder Wong to ask his relatives about his genealogy.  He received a book from a family member containing the records of 40 generations.

He has since done temple work for his ancestors as far back as approx. 2000 BC. 

Isn't that incredible?

All because he listened to someone give a talk on Family History.

We have listened tonight to talks on Family History.

Are we motivated to do more than we have?
 We certainly need to.

 

Elder and Sister Packer
were kind enough to stop for a photo or two with a few sisters.

Wan Phen Butera on the right, was among them.

We forwarded this on to President and Sister Packer in our home ward just for fun,
 and asked if anyone looked familiar.