GIVE THANKS UNTO GOD for ALL THINGS -- Psalm 106
As we finish another month on our mission and we ponder the U.S. holiday of Thanksgiving this week, and we are mindful of how often the holy scriptures are replete (30+ times) with the reminder to
Give Thanks unto God for all things for He is merciful and mindful of us.
We stand THANKFUL for so many blessings and gifts from God every day.
We give thanks to God, and we are mindful in our prayers for family, friends, loved ones and dear ones far away and near to us. We are truly blessed beyond measure.
This past month we visited more wonderful locations in Hong Kong. Our daughter Shelby and Josh Loud and their 3 kids visited us for 10 days. We (re)discovered lots of Hong Kong together. We we ended the month in Cambodia to begin 10 days of visiting projects in the Siem Reap area and flew to Phnom Penh to prepare for our 4-day Asia Area Welfare Seminar the first few days in December. Lots of pictures and events to follow:
Recap of November 2024 via pictures:
November 2nd and 9th we visited the site of the 1st baptism in Hong Kong (1949) and nearby sites. The first Saturday, Michele and I confirmed the travel route and activities for the senior missionary outing we were responsible for in November (the 9th).
(site of first baptism in Hong Kong)
(on the hills behind the pool of water--crematorium and resting site)
(down the street to the Nunnery and Gardens near Diamond Hill MTR - East Gate)
(beautiful ponds with lotus flowers and lily pads)
(Michele's favorite bonzai trees are molded by crafts people, day by day)
Wise teachings-thoughts inside the Nunnery; polished rocks (earth), water (life) and sky...
(the old temple centered and the new city rising up in the background)
(leaving the Nunnery to the Gardens on the other side of the road)
(finding Peace in God's Nature on preparation day: 2November2024)
(a walk around the pond - missionary moment with these Philippina friends)
(peaceful recreated old style with rising Hong Kong flats in the background)
(exiting the park toward the Diamond Hill MTR)
(map overview of Nunnery and Park)
75th Anniversary of the Church in Hong Kong at Church Admin Bldg (CAB) in Wan Chai
walking home from CAB 2-Nov-2024 [drone presentation over the Hong Kong Harbour]
Church 3-Nov-24 greeting by our Liahona Family Friends - Marites is our family leader
The Browns (left) from Northern AZ - 5Nov dinner at their fav restaurant with the Oelkers
friendships that last a lifetime - senior sisters and elders
7-November sending off the Allens (a temple day, shari shari, good memories)
9-November (our District Led activity back to 1st baptism site, Nunnery, Gardens)
Allens last Saturday in Hong Kong -- many days working legal agreements with Elder Allen and pickleball with Sister Allen (back to Bountiful UT they will go)
(l to r: Van Ormans, Petersons, Orgills, Allens, E Oelker, S. Sims, Michele, Davis')
another walk down the street to the Nunnery
(senior missionary district outing Saturday morning)
(Davis's - Roy UT and Orgill's Lake Tahoe NV)
us, blessed to come 2 weeks in a row with our district in tow
modeling the Nunnery
walking over the street bridge from the Nunnery to the Nan Lian Garden
Koi Pond - serene and peaceful
a special music box exhibit in the park's heritage pavilion
exiting with the Elder and Sister Davis -- Japanese Lunch Set at the Mall in Diamond Hill MTR
a beautiful sunrise shared from another senior missionary overlooking the HK harbour
sharing pictures to our 15 year-old granddaughter of our ample room for her stay!
our room on the left and her (spare) room on the right....
excellent wi-fi, desk for homework and harbour view, right??
11November - monthly FHE with the senior missioanry couples and farewell videos
12-Nov -- last pickleball game with Sister Allen, and 1st time treats for Allens after their first and only shari shari visit in 18 months
walking home from shari shari -- glimmering Hong Kong at night
15-November - special Fireside with Elder Uchtdorf, an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ
we could have shook his hand but we rushed to the back to say hello to Bryant and Elizabeth Eggett
(Singapore newlyweds in 2003-2004--living in Shanghai China for 20+ years, joyful reunion)
Elder and Sister Uchtdorf with Elder and Sister Stone
16-Nov pm- Our daughter Shelby Loud and her family arrive for 10 days in Hong Kong, and a group of senior missionaries out for a farewell dinner (without us of course)
17-Nov am- Good Bye to the Allens
The Farewell Wave -- Well Done you both
back to the flat to make crepes for the Loud family and introduce them to our offices at CAB
jet lagged kids at 1pm church -- meeting some of our Liahona family 4pm 17-Nov-2024
passing by Central Plaza Bldg; later stopping by the International Mall in route to home
First activity - Sunday night Symphony of Lights on the Hong Kong Harbour 8pm
18-Nov Jade Market, Ladies Market, Bird Market
going home via the Star Ferry
19-Nov (Hong Temple am--Aubrey and Andrew performed baptisms for those who are learning the gospel in the Spirit World). Shelby came here 24 years ago when I was near her age (40) and Aubrey was near her age (15)...time flies
3rd time this month (site of 1st baptism in Hong Kong 1949), then the Nunnery and Gardens
Japanese Bento Lunch time
Shelby and Josh leaning into the steep angle coming down the Tram (30 degrees??)
Andrew wanted to ride the world's longest escalator...after some walking about town, we found it
20-November (Disneyland Hong Kong in the rain - a perfect day for many rides)
1st ride (Hyperspace Mountain) let's do it twice in 5 minutes)
let's go
off to Frozen (and purchase of needed panchos)
It's a Small World - truer over time ....[beautifully done]
A time to eat of course--a hamburger and fries, why not?
the ride lines were so great, I did this rollercoast twice...some did it 4 times
The Lion King Show (was Broadway like)...videos will not load well
Adventures to go before we get home
if the grandkids smile...it's all worth it, is it not....yes it is!
from A ticket (Pooh) to E ticket (Hyperspace Mountain)...my generation knows Disney Ticket A-E
Rockets back in the LA Disney days, now Saucers...still a fav memory even in the rain
Time for fireworks and the MTR home
a Hong Kong Disney day with family (even a raining one) is a good day!
21-November (Cable Car Ride to the Big Buddha and the Tai O fishing village on stilts)
Tai O Fishing Village (no dolphins sighted on our excursion this day
back up on Bus 21 to Big Buddha and back down the cable car....
21-November pm (Shelby and Josh took us out for dinner--Anniversary Meal
then we took them to Japanese shaved ice at Shari Shari..
22-November (last day with the Loud family, Stanley Market and Hong Kong Sites)
22-Nov back to Central Plaza - 5pm then on to dinner at the E&S Brown's favorite Chinese restaurant
The Loud family--when their youngest Gretchen was born 2017
24-November (Shelby-Josh-Andrew went to Shenzhen)
25-November (last day in Hong Kong--Ramen for lunch of course--kids favorite)
A time to depart for the airport 8pm -- Loud family Uber to Hong Kong Airport via Zurich to hom ein Copenhagen, Denmark 25Nov24 8;15pm
26-November (we fly to Siem Reap Cambodia via Bangkok: visit 2 of our couples working there)
good bye Hong Kong for 10 days
hello Siem Reap, Cambodia
our senior missionary apartment was 15 minutes from Angkor Wat
27-November--visiting humanitarian projects these amazing couples work many hours
Elder Oates--master inspector of the incinerator
before delivery bed and the new delivery bed--what an upgrade!
Elder Oates the ever diligent inspector
"it's for the kids" - in 6-7 months they'll have amazing new buildings and facilities!
traveling to Monkul Borei Hospital--some roaming water buffalo in the fields
Elder and Sister Larsen "Training Room designation" for their support via the Church donations
patients wait in the hallways--filled to capacity
Mexican Dinner with E&S Oates and E&S Williams in Siem Reap, Cambodia
28-November (Thanksgiving Day) at Angkor Wat--5:30am departure for sunrise
clouds came in--but it was still beautiful
copy from an elder taken on equinox (March 21 2024)
Hinduism and Buddhism merge in 12th - 13th century
back to Siem Reap - exploring the city near our apartment
walking home from dinner with E&S Oates and E&S Williams
they have 3 senior missionary apartments in Siem Reap, the unused one was a blessing (so big compared to Hong Kong living -- 2 king beds with ample space, 2 baths, large kitchen and living area)
29-Nov-2024 off to Phnom Penh Friday morning to visit projects with E&S Clinger (the Williams took us back to the Siem Reap Airport)...wonderful work and visits in Siem Reap, Clingers picked us up..
visit to the Church offices in Phnom Penh--then drove to the National Pediatric Hospital across from our Temple under construction
both Korea and Japan have built facilities at this site--along with a lot of our Church donated equipment
our donated CT arm scanner being used real time to set a boy's broken bone while we toured the bldg
over to the NICU units - a volunteer teaching nurse from the Czech Republic
out for dinner with E&S Clinger
30-November morning visit to a health center needing renovation from flooding...more to study
(home to the left built their place up 3 feet as well as apartment behind the facility...yikes)
Lunch with E&S Clinger back at the Marriott Fairfield Hotel--Asia Area Seminar 2-6Dec upcoming
temple under construction and penguin building the other direction from 28th floor view
30-Nov-2024 afternoon we rented a driver for the afternoon to one of hundreds of Killing Fields across Cambodia ['75--'79 Khmer Rouge (Pol Pot ruthlessness) ] south of Phnom Penh, such a sad reminder of what abusive and controlling power corrupt leaders inflict on mankind (their own countrymen)
guided tour of the atrocity
end of November 2024 overlooking the busy city of Phnom Penh Cambodia
May we always be Thankful and express Gratitude for the good that comes from God!
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