Christmas has Come to Hong Kong
Dear Family-
'Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied!!"*
I think from now on I'm going to take my opening line from one of the books of the New Testament. They are so poetic and full of good wishes for the loved recipients of the letters!! It makes our writing so boring!
The week started with a really peaceful outing to a temple complex we've been to before, but this week the difference was the full moon. We went to Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple several weeks ago and it was so crowded that Dad and I left after 45 minutes, but we were enticed back this week with the promise of beautiful lights, and truly, they did not disappoint. And there were hardly any people, which made it a peaceful, reverent night.
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| Looking up through the lanterns to the full moon...if only iPhones could capture the moon as big as it appears in real life. |
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| This is the largest of the temples, it's the Daoist one, but the complex includes a Hindu and Buddhist temple also. |
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| Prayers offered to the gods and hung along this wall |
Grandpa took his camera and was busy all night taking pictures. There was so much gold, so many wonderful statues, exquisite lanterns and beautiful people praying, and seeking their fortunes There was so much to see visually, it truly was spectacular. Because Grandpa was taking pictures, I had plenty of time to just wander and observe and feel the feeling of peace that was there. It reminded me of all the cathedrals I've been to in Europe. Magnificent structures built by honest, god fearing people, people looking for the divine, for that promise that there is something bigger than they are that will take care of them. I believe that God honors the goodness in all who seek him, whether it's in the towering sanctuaries of Europe, or the Ovoos of Mongolia, or the tiled temples of Asia. I am just grateful for the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ that is in my life.
Maybe that is part of the reason that attending our own Hong Kong temple this week and being assisted by Jill Anderson, AJ's mission mom, and my good friend; by Lori Thurston who was with us in Cambodia; and Sister Liu, one of my friends at church who speaks no English; was so beautifully meaningful to me. This week, although challenging (more on that in a minute), has been very sweet.
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| Saturday, as you know, we took a bus ride around the city. It was a very touristy thing to do, but we loved it and saw streets and parts of town we most likely would never have seen without taking the time to do this. And the best part was that it's finally cooled off enough to wear sweatshirts and we were in an open air bus, which I'm happy to report is as fun as it looks! If you come see us, prepare to take this ride! |
In other news, Dad might have titled this letter something like, "The Wheels are Falling Off!" At least that's a bit how he's feeling this week. We may have reported a few weeks ago that he has developed a good case of carpal tunnel in his left hand, which has put him in a state of alternating numbness and zinging fingers. He can't play the guitar, and he sleeps with a wrist brace. Then this week he developed a good sized groin hernia which will require immediate surgery, and he's still trying to get feeling back into the corner of his hand that got stitched up a few months ago. He's maintaining good spirits, and we're grateful to be in a country that has good medical care. This coming week promises to be full of doctors appointments, so stay tuned!
The work continues to be challenging and interesting. A few weeks ago in one of Grandpa's training sessions, Elder Wickman, the head of the Office of General Counsel, taught the attorneys and staff that, "We serve at the point of friction between the church of the Lamb and the "church" of this world. Therefore we need to expect that we will encounter difficulties, even opposition, along our path. That is the work to which we have been called. It is a work that is profoundly important to all the other work of establishing the church." This quote is a succinct description of a day at the office. Both Grandpa and I encountering difficulties every day as we try to get people to the temple, find places for them to worship, or jump through the complicated hoops required just to get manuals and magazines into a country. Challenges beget challenges and very few things happen without complex questions that demand answers, but we see a steady flow of good things, eventual answers to questions, small successes, and wonderful saints all working together to wrestle these issues to the ground. We love being in the middle of it and we are learning to appreciate so much of what it means that the church is so large.
Last of all, Christmas has come to Hong Kong! We decorated our little apartment this week and things are feeling pretty festive.
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| As you can see the family ornaments wouldn't fit on our tiny tree... |
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| ...so a garland it is!! WE LOVE THE ORNAMENTS YOU MADE FOR US LAST YEAR!!!! |
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| I just have to show you my Chinese nativity. Look closely at the figures, they're so Chinese and so beautiful! |
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| And Christmas has hit our complex too. This palm lined walkway is dotted with huge pots of live poinsettias! I walk down this as often as I can! |
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