Primary and Secondary Assignments!

As Temple Missionaries, our assignment is to work four 7-hour days a week at the temple, use Mondays for preparation, and Sundays for church attendance.  The one day left in the week is considered an 'Other Assignment' day.

We have PRIMARY and SECONDARY 'Other Assignments'.

PRIMARY 'OTHER ASSIGNMENTS' include:

1.  Serving in the temple on holidays and on other busy days when large groups are in the temple.

2.  Studying in the temple, ordinances in one's own native language and perhaps another language, if they desire.

3.  Compensatory time off for personal needs, when the temple is open on a Monday.

4.  Doing missionary work.

5.  Illness or fatigue.

6.  If there is a 'holiday' during the week when the temple is closed, OAD becomes that holiday for all missionaries.

7.  Serve in branches in the International District in various capacities according to the instruction of the local leaders.

Then there are SECONDARY 'OTHER ASSIGNMENTS'.

President Wong has just given us our first Secondary 'Other Assignment'.

We are to update contacted information of temple missionaries and their birthdays.  This was previously Elder and Sister Wilson's responsibility, and they have sent us a link to a great e-card site.  This will make it possible to send a nice birthday greeting to our fellow missionaries, in a convenient and cost-free way.

We expect this assignment will not be too difficult.

Welcome, Elder and Sister Ngai

Elder Charles and Sister Shirley Ngai have arrived.  They were both born and raised in Hong Kong,  but they have lived in Canada most of their married life.  However, they still have family living here.

They just happen to be good friends with our temple president, President Patrick Wong. 

Elder and Sister Ngai are fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English, and will be very helpful to this presidency and the temple patrons, and certainly an asset to the Hong Kong Temple. 

 We look forward to getting better acquainted with them and serving in the temple together.

This Is A Special Place!

The last couple of days in the temple have been terrific.  I have been able to participate in baptisms, confirmations, initiatories, and endowments.  Yesterday was the first time I was able to help someone with their personal initiatory and endowment.  The Spirit was so strong, it was so special, just unlike anything I have ever been a part of.  This is a special place with special people.  I have never had such a hard time of controlling my emotions.  It is special.
Elder Bodily

Solomon's Farewell in Island 1st Branch!

Elder and Sister Solomon spoke in Sacrament Meeting today. 

 It was their last Sunday in the Island 1st Branch before heading home.

They both gave good talks, and I especially won't forget Sister Solomon's message:  

'I have no regrets', and each of us should live our lives 

 in such a way that we have no regrets either.

Sister Solomon went out of her way to make sure we clearly knew the best way possible to get home from the Wan Chai Chapel.  She is a sweet lady, and even though we have only known her and Elder Solomon for a short time, we will miss them.

Welcome and Goodbye!

This is a picture of the temple missionaries, the temple presidency, the temple recorder and a sweet sister that works in the office that can do everything.

This photo was taken after a wonder Chinese meal served to us by the presidency as a going home and coming party.

We were in awe of the dessert served, and I couldn't resist taking a picture.
Our temple recorder's wife, Sister Sonia Lee made these baked apples that looked like roses.  I hesitated eating mine knowing the time and work Sister Lee had to have gone to, in creating such a work of art.   But, I didn't hesitate for too long, because they looked scrumptious, and sure enough, they tasted as delicious as they were beautiful to look at.
It is obvious that Sister Lee is a talented woman, and if I knew her better, I would ask her to teach me how to make something so delectable.

Oops!  I digressed!
Elder and Sister Solomon have completed their mission and are going home to Arizona Tuesday morning and we are the new comers.  However, next Friday we get some other new missionaries so we will no longer be the new guys.

We had a wonderful time and feel very welcome by these wonderful people, we are so blessed.

What A Wonderful Day!

President and Sister Hui's daughter, Angela came to the temple today to receive her own endowment, as she is preparing to move to the states.

I had the unexpected pleasure of assisting Sisters Ball and Wilson
 with the Initiatory ordinance for Angela.  

Wow!  What an experience, and a first time for me to help with someone receiving their own Endowment.  I felt overwhelmed by the Spirit.
 I couldn't hardly get the words out that needed to be said.
I can only hope more experiences such as this, await us as we continue serving here as full-time missionaries in the Hong Kong Temple.
Our mission is such a tremendous blessing from the Lord.

I want to tell you about my day in the Hong Kong temple today. The problem is, I don’t know how to express it in words, I just don’t know the right words, but I will do the best I can.

      Today was a ‘mandatory holiday’ in Hong Kong, I am not sure what that really means but I do know that the temple workers knew to have everybody scheduled from 6:30 am - 1:00 pm because they knew all these wonderful sweet sisters who normally have to work would show up at the temple as soon as they got a day off. And show up they did.

      I was privileged to be able to receive at the veil for three overly filled sessions that was 90% women. Today we had a group from Mongolian, Thailand and the sisters from the branches here in Hong Kong, who are from the Philippines. 

     These women do not get to come often, a lot know very little or no English, and I know no Tai, Mongolian, Tagalog (spelling? whatever the Philippine women speak, they really don’t know what to say, but they have a desire more than anyone I have ever seen. 

     This one sweet little bitty sister, not even close to five feet tall, worked so hard to get through the veil, and when she did she just kept saying, “I made it, I made it, I finally made it.” It was so cool to witness and be part of.

     As I was bringing these sweet women through the veil the spirit was so strong I couldn’t hardly get the words out, I was crying, they were crying, the ordinance worker on the other side of the veil was crying, it was just incredible. 

     I was drained from the spirit, it reminded me of when Joseph Smith made a comment to whoever was with him after a vision and the other guy was just drained from energy and Joseph said, something like, “it drains you doesn’t it, but it get easier as you go”. 

     On my way away from the veil Sister Wilson, another sister senior temple missionary who is on her second mission at this temple, ask me how my day at the temple was so far today, I just lost it, I was crying like a baby. I couldn’t even get words out  to say how wonderful it was. I have never felt like that before. It truly was one of the most spiritual special experiences of my life. I wish I could adequately explain how I felt, but I just don’t know how. 

     So I just hope you know that I am feeling extremely honored, humbled and blessed to be here serving in this special one of a kind temple. It is special. 

     The church is true. It is Jesus Christ’s church, and He is in control and will get His work done, in spite of all the weaknesses of people like myself. We do have living prophets now, today, here on the earth that can and do tell us what we need to know to be able to accomplish our goal on the earth. 

WOW, WHAT A DAY!

          Elder Bodily