Train Trip to the New Area Office Building

On our first P-Day another couple, the Pierces, took us by train to Hong Kong Island to visit the new area office facility in Wan Chai. It is a 13 story building containing 3 beautiful chapels, 3 floors of classroom facilities and bishopric offices plus area offices and living quarters for the area presidency. The building manager, Brother Chan, took us on a tour. Afterwards we went across the street to a massive Chinese restaurant called Ho Choi and enjoyed dim sum (Chinese Hors d'œuvres - BBQ pork dumplings, shrimp rolls, etc) with traditional hot water (if you don't have tea) to drink. The fresh mango pudding was the best.

Here Comes the Train!

Exploring our Neighborhood

We took a walk on our day off to get a closeup view of what we can see out our apartment window. This is a Taoist temple. The inside was beautiful and we saw 3 Taoist priests dressed in red and black robes singing and tapping on drums and gongs. Unfortunately it wasn't appropriate to take a picture of them. Others were there worshipping by burning incense sticks (also common to Buddhism).

We were fascinated by this street worker with her broom made of a palm frond wired to a bamboo pole - note her hat with the hanging shade (click on picture to enlarge). We found a beautifully landscaped, shady park with a walking path winding through it. We passed numerous people (some in groups) doing their morning stretches, i.e. Chinese Tai Chi exercises. We hope to walk there often. There are many "green" spaces created now in this and other newer areas which is a nice change from the "cement city" (Hong Kong) that we knew 40 years ago.

The Fanling Apartment

We are living on the 20th floor of a highrise building. Two other couples live in other buildings in the same complex (12 buildings). Quarters are tight as can be seen here. There is about as much floor space as we previously enjoyed in just our family room alone but we are getting by. We won't have to spend much time cleaning! We have a beautiful view of a mountain peak out our window. There is a metal sliding door on the outside of our apartment door (much like you would see in a prison) which is standard fare here for security. The main floor entrance to this block in the series of buildings has a 24-hour watchman as does each of the other blocks.

Leaving the MTC and Arriving in Hong Kong

Our Temple/Mission president, Charles Goo, met us at the airport on Lantao Island and with his assistant engineer, drove us to our apartment in Fanling, New Territories where we were met by our hosting couple, Elder and Sister Ken and Kathryn Pierce. They were assigned to orient us and get us acclimated.




We left our friends, the Wans, at the MTC; then ran into them again at the SL Airport. They were headed to Taipei, Taiwan; we to Hong Kong, China.

Second Week at MTC

Our second week at the MTC was spent with 30 other couples applying principles from Preach My Gospel including teaching "investigators" and bearing testimony to single missionaries on the MTC campus. This week was also a very spiritual experience and many friendships were formed both with couples and teachers.



This is a couples' group picture but several had already departed for their fields of labor by this time.



Top left is the seldom-empty cafeteria. Bottom left is a night at the BYU Creamery celebrating birthdays and anniversaries (ours). Other pics are the Sevys, Wans, Strongs, Oakeys, Wheelers, Suttons, Andersons as well as the MTC teachers. We knew Elder Wan when we were on our first missions in Hong Kong and it was so much fun to spend time and practice our Cantonese with them .

First Week at MTC

We enjoyed our entire first week which was spent in training at the Provo Temple with Elder Rex Pinegar and his wife, Bonnie, who we have known since we were single living in adjacent wards and then again when they were president and matron of the Mt. Timpanogos Temple.

Our daughter, Amy, dropped us off at the MTC and drove off with the car. We had decided not to go back and forth to stay at home, but rather to really enjoy the spirit of the MTC.

The Last Hoorah

Just days before leaving for the MTC, we spent time with friends 4-wheeling up Fairview Canyon---Susan's favorite place in the world, swimming with family at the Lindon Acquatics Center, and playing games with grandchildren at home.