A City of Contrast!

Coming home from the hairdresser the other evening, the rain was excessive! As I stepped off the ding-ding (tram), I couldn't resist stopping to take a photo which is evidence that umbrellas are an essential companion in Hong Kong at all times! The challenge is navigating the busy sidewalks with heaps of umbrellas coming toward you!

Fa Yuen Street is crowded, especially late on a Saturday afternoon. Stalls and stores abound, and there are some bargains to be found, if you are patient and lucky! I found two Eddie Bauer wrinkle-free shirts for HK$48 (the equivalent of about US$6) as I just happened to look in the right place at the right time! The street, a few blocks long, was filled with Chinese customers -- not westerners!

We discovered "Nan Lian" gardens as we decided to do some "scouting of the area" before Blake and Becky arrive. These impressive gardens are relatively new, having been designed and planted in the last five years. Previously the land was a portion of old Hong Kong and was deteriorating. The land was reclaimed, and the result is a pristine, beautiful, peaceful oasis in the midst of a bustling city. The nunnery, pictured above, is an impressive complex.

Pagodas, waterfalls, bridges and lush green landscape provide a stark contrast to the high rises in the background.

We decided the gardens are certainly a place we will visit again and again.

Missionaries who served in Hong Kong from 1974-80 met in Hong Kong and connected via video conferencing to others in Provo, Utah; Los Angeles; Vancouver; Melbourne, Australia and Laie, Hawaii. Private funds were used (and there were huge bills, for certain); Ned provided the liaison as they used the facilities in our building. We were invited to participate in some of the activities and enjoyed hearing their former president (one is deceased) and meeting many who traveled from the USA and other locations to attend. Lunch was catered and heaps of Chinese food was consumed. They had another evening event and invited members in the area who would have know the missionaries to attend. We understand another feast was enjoyed. It was so good to see the many strong Chinese members who were missionaries at that time and have grown to be incredible, capable and wonderful leaders in today's Hong Kong.

Andrew Lai and Edward Lai (no relation -- just a common Chinese name) were the key people for the event. Edward's organizational skills amazed us -- he didn't forget a single detail, as everything for the event was thought of. Combined with Andrew's "deep pockets," a memorable and very historic event was enjoyed by several hundred people.

A clear day provided a perfect opportunity to view the magnificent city from the 62nd floor of the Hopewell Center. Six couples walked the 15 minute walk from our office to this round office tower where a restaurant revolves and allows for spectacular panoramas.

The office staff were treated to fresh fruit and moon cakes as the Mid-Autumn Festival was being celebrated in Hong Kong. The fruits were delicious, but the moon cakes must need an "acquired taste," because most of the non-Chinese didn't "love" the sweet treat.

Our 16-week Family and Marriage Relations Sunday School class was completed. These women finished the course and seemed appreciative of the things they learned. We celebrated with fresh fruit and cookies, which they enjoyed.

Our "group" at church, of which there are 15-20 members, was assigned to prepare the monthly dinner (five groups means we don't have to do it too often). I went early to help, but these women are so capable that I learned much from them about preparing in quantities. They know how to efficiently and effectively cook for a crowd -- on a shoestring!

The view from the ferry as we crossed the harbor back home is always magical. This particular evening was no exception.

The month of September began with a couples' activity at the Hong Kong Space Museum. We viewed two excellent movies -- the best being the history of space travel beginning with the Russian launching in the late '50s. The presentation was interesting, informative and seemed to be accurate. The next movie was about the "extreme planets," and was produced by the Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City! The newly renovated museum and theatre was beautiful!

Can summer 2009 be "history?"

Last Saturday we left the apartment, rode the tram (ding-ding) for about 45 minutes, transferred to a bus, continued another 25 minutes, and arrived at Aberdeen. It is on the shore, here on Hong Kong Island. Dinner at the Jumbo Restaurant was most enjoyable.

Travel by water taxi for a short distance takes diners to the restaurant.

The contrast between the boats in the water and skyscrapers in the background is quite remarkable.

It was a fun way to spend Saturday afternoon and evening. The trip back to our apartment only took about 15-20 minutes, because we took the "direct route."

As we left the temple on a recent Thursday night, it seemed like a good time to have a photo taken with the Hong Kong Temple as the backdrop.

Several of the women in the office were wearing their traditional Chinese mandarin blouses on the same day. They are lovely, and reportedly very comfortable.

The six days of meetings and seminars in August required weeks and weeks of preparation, but were wonderful in every way. We made connections with three Australians whom we had known those many years ago when we lived in Melbourne (or we knew their extended family members). It always reminds us of the "small world" in which we live!

James and Ken are among the great people who helped with set up and all the facility details. We needed translation for those attending from Japan and Korea. There were 43 leaders of the church at the Saturday/Sunday 8th Quorum of Seventy meetings. They also came from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Indonesia, Philippines, China and Taiwan.

The senior couples were an amazing help in so many ways. This crew washed heaps of dishes after serving a beautiful, formal dinner to one of our groups. We even had a very nice restaurant come to our building and prepare the four-course meal on site. We then served and had beautiful tables, place cards, printed menus, floral arrangements and piano music. Lovely atmosphere!

Lunch and dinner breaks were always popular. We had ten meals to organize, some for 20 people, and others for the larger group of 43. During the morning and afternoon meeting sessions, breaks were held and the participants always enjoyed the treats we provided!

Ashley (senior secretary to the Area Presidency) has a real talent for floral arranging. She is meticulous and everything is truly exquisite. Six arrangements were on the dining tables (complete with linens and cloth napkins).

Other arrangements, such as this one, adorned the women's special session meeting room, the foyers, and even in the ladies' room! What a nice feeling was created!

Sister Mary Cook (wife of Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) was in her black suit with green accent. I was dressed similarly, so we decided to take the above photo. She and Elder Cook are from Logan, Utah, and we had a great time reconnecting, as Ned had known Elder Cook at Utah State. Elder and Sister Claudio Costa (he is in the presidency of the Seventy) also were our guests and they were delightful as well as very inspiring.

One evening all the Mission Presidents (we were fortunate to be included in all activities and meetings) traveled to The Peak for dinner at a beautiful spot. The night view was spectacular.

However, the view with daylight is also quite good.

We continue to be amazed at this remarkable city!

I remember hearing a few years ago that August is a popular month for weddings. Here in Hong Kong, we were invited to two weddings in August. One was on the 15th -- Nicole from the Asia Area Offices was married at the Hong Kong Temple and had a celebration in the afternoon which we happily attended. Then later in the evening was a traditional Chinese banquet (which we were not invited to, but understand that there were almost 300 people for this feast).

The children were part of the afternoon celebration and were adorable.

Another wedding was held earlier in August -- the son of the controller at the office. He and his bride live in Hawaii. We enjoyed seeing the extended family and watching some of the traditions for the afternoon celebration (informal and friendly). Again we heard about the evening banquet which was very elaborate and filled with Chinese customs.

As we were walking on an above-ground skybridge one Saturday, we looked "down" at a street vendor preparing Chinese meals for sale. We are always surprised at the number of little food eateries that dot the streets. We often comment that people must pick up their food for most meals, though we are sure that isn't completely the case. But it seems so!

The line up of trams and buses is always fun to view, especially from "above."

CARS, CARS, AND MORE CARS!!

On our way to and from the office, we pass many, many "car dealerships;" we see showrooms with amazing cars in their windows - everything from Mercedes Benz to . . .

a beautiful Maserati . . .

to this very sleek Lamborghini . . .

to a real beauty of a red Ferrari , , ,

and finally . . . Ned with a great BMW. We cannot believe the number of luxury cars on the streets -- even Rolls Royce's. There are no clunkers here, as it is almost impossible to register a new car and keep your existing automobile. They "deport' the used cars away from Hong Kong. We really can admire the cars, but are happy to be walkers and don't miss navigating the busy roads. We do miss their trunks for hauling, however! As we've said before, the public transportation is reliable, runs often and is very reasonable. But we do enjoy seeing these beautiful vehicles.

July in review!

My sister, Barbara, had the thrill of a lifetime as she practiced with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir recently. (She is standing wearing a white sweater at the left in the above photo.) To celebrate her 85th birthday (she runs circles around people much younger), her daughter arranged to have her sing with the choir as they practiced on a Thursday night recently. Because Marilyn is a choir member, she was allowed to bring her mother (only for those 80 and above) to the practice. It was announced that Barbara was there, and a little info was shared by Mack Wilburg, the conductor. All of her children, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren were there. As a bonus, Barbara also has a daughter-in-law who is a choir members. What a wonderful blessing for both to be part of that world-famous group!.

We began serving at the Hong Kong Temple on Thursday nights in late July. We leave the office at about 5 p.m. and travel via bus to the temple, approximately a half hour away. Usually we arrive home about 10 p.m. It is a pleasure to be there with wonderful Chinese people, and we hope to learn our assignments very soon so that we will be useful.

A couples' activity at Deep Water Bay to celebrate July 24 was a most pleasant outing. It took about 15 minutes on the bus, and we were at the beach! Complete with KFC, baked beans, potato salad and all the trimmings, we enjoyed a relaxing time and incredible scenery. We didn't hesitate to sing together, and enjoyed an incredible story of pioneer faith.

What's a cookout without s'mores! Hershey kisses were a substitute for chocolate bars; marshmallows and graham crackers can be found here, at a price!

There are now 12 couples here, and we are a happy group, all living in the same apartment complex. Two new couples joined us in July so we aren't considered newcomers at all anymore.

Sunny is one of the building attendants who greets us each morning. He is, as his name implies, a happy, witty and fun-loving person. A member of the church since 1979, he studied at UVCC (now UVU) in Provo, and his English is excellent. Everyone loves Sunny and he keeps us smiling!

Ashley, Vivien and I went to the flower market recently on a Friday afternoon. We were checking out possibilities for floral arrangements for the upcoming seminars. These two women are incredible, capable and delightful to work with. We found lots of options, and the prices were amazingly reasonable.

Stall after stall of flowers -- every imaginable variety, provided a most pleasant experience. For sure, I'll take any visitors coming to HK to the flower market . . . a place not be be missed!

Times Square is always busy, even on a rainy Saturday afternoon. We live about 5 minutes from this bustling shopping area. Because it rains so much, it is necessary to be out even when the weather isn't ideal.

The "ding ding" is a great way to get around Hong Kong. They run every few minutes and are very inexpensive -- 25 cents buys a ticket to the end of the line (only half that cost if you are lucky enough to be 65+). The trams are quite reliable (occasional breakdowns cause huge problems) and have been running on the tracks in this city for over 100 years. Hennessy Road (our apartment address) is right on the line, which makes for both convenience and noise! Thank goodness for cheap transportation!

The Wan Chai market is about 4 blocks from our office and a bit further from the apartment. It is always busy with the locals (perhaps it isn't on the "tourist" map), and it is especially crowded on Saturday afternoon. You can buy most anything there from toys, clothes, flowers, all Chinese items, linens, housewares, dried fruits and nuts, all types of meat, produce, plumbing supplies . . . the list goes on. Note the KFC and Pizza Hut signs -- the western influence is felt!

Since the 4th of July fell on a Saturday, we organized a brunch at the church where we enjoyed delicious food (breakfast casserole, bacon, fresh fruit, cinnamon rolls, muffins and juice). Everyone helped with the food and the decorations added a festive touch. Thanks to familyfun.com, I was able to produce a great trivia game and pinwheels to stick in the plants. A stop at an art/crafts store found a perfect "stars and stripes" strip to run down the center of the table. Place mats were cut from wrapping paper, and we thought we were back home for a while.

Various activities included the trivia game, paper airplane flying contest and ping-pong; Ned seemed to come out victorious in all categories. What a guy!

Our Home Teaching/Family Home Evening group enjoys treats that I provide twice a month. They like cookies (snickerdoodles are a favorite) and this particular day they were tasting a cheeseball which they seemed to really enjoy. These marvelous women are from the Philippines and work in Hong Kong to provide for their families back home. They love to be together on Sundays when they have a chance to reconnect. They are domestic workers who live in a variety of circumstances, some much better than others. A happy group, they certainly look younger than they are . . . I want their secret!

June Happenings!

Not really very far from the bustling city of Hong Kong are beautiful mountains and lakes. Ned and three of the senior missionary men went for a hike on a Saturday in mid-June -- it was too hot and humid; heat exhaustion was the result. However, he thoroughly enjoyed the incredible scenery and the change from high rises and concrete. Riding the MTR (subway/train) and making several transfers . . . and magically, they were away from the city.

Another time during the month, we rode the ferry to an island and enjoyed eating yummy Mexican food sitting on a terrace surrounded by palm trees and overlooking the bay. This is truly a city of contrasts and is so vibrant. We've decided most of the exploring and sightseeing we want to do will be put on "hold" until the weather moderates -- hopefully by mid-October when Blake and Becky come for a week! Hooray!

Amanda was an extern from BYU law school and spent five weeks working in the legal counsel office. She was a delight, and one Saturday we rode the "ding ding" tram to North Point (about 20 minutes away) to visit a fabric shop (perhaps the smallest place ever with the most "stuff" per cubic inch possible) and to have a few items of clothing "custom made." Amanda looked smashing in her Chinese-inspired dress (she served as a missionary here until a year ago) and I had a couple of skirts and a blouse made! Getting around in the shop and finding appropriate fabric was a real adventure!

On another continent, in far away Paris, some of our children were together in early June. Steve, Cami, Madeleine and Drew spent a week in France and were there for Maxwell's blessing. A great time was had by all, as the Highland Arnolds explored the museums and other sites and spent a day in Brugge (as Brad and Kris had done a few weeks earlier). During the months of April through early June, all of our sons and wives have been in Paris (at different times). Lucky them . . . they've seen Max! We are enjoying the opportunity to get to know him via SKYPE and we almost feel that we can reach through the screen and touch him!

On June 1, we hosted a lunch for the Hallstroms after they spoke at our Monday morning devotional. The variety of food was excellent with salads, chips and salsa, many Chinese dishes, and homemade desserts "from USA recipes." There was something for every taste!

Plates were heaped high (about 80 attended). These social events give us a better chance to work with and become better acquainted with our capable and incredible Chinese staff.

These are some of the wonderful people we are privileged to serve with -- the Area Presidency of Asia. President and Sister Hallstrom would be leaving June 22 to return for a new assignment in Salt Lake City.