It was a GREAT Sunday!

It has been 3 weeks before we had the opportunity to take the Sacrament.  We had General Conference before we left, then we had General Conference again in Hong Kong when we arrived. I really missed having the opportunity to take the sacrament and renew my covenant.

We had a busy Sunday!! Being assigned to work with the YSA, we decided we need to visit each of the wards in the 6 Stakes - a daunting task, I know but we were determined to do two wards each Sunday.  Since the YSA has a planning meeting for the upcoming Convention in November in Kowloon Tong, we decided to attend the two wards there today.  The two wards are Shum Shui Po and Cheung Sar Wan; their meetings were back to back.  It so happened that the Stake President was visiting in one of the ward so we were able to meet him and he gives us the name of the high counselmen that works with YSA, Later we were able to meet the wife of a couple that has been working with the YSA in the Hong Kong area, they work under the direction of the area Seventy, Zeno Chow, who happened to be best friend with the Millers.  This sister's name is Suzanna Chan and as we talked, we realized she was at BYU Prove in the 80's and remembered Ted!  What a small world.  We plan to have meeting with them sometime this week so we can 'pick their brain' to know in what way we could help the YSA program!!  Then we attended the YSA convention planning meeting, I am at awe at how prepared these young people are!!

Found some friends Ted knew, to the left is Brother and Sister Daniel Poon, Brother Poon served under President Wheat.  Brother and Sister Jacky Lee, whose son Sherman lives in Nancy's (Ted's sister) home when he was studying in San Francisco!

The Spirit has touched us and reaffirmed to us that Heavenly Father is in the details of our life.  The Spirit was especially strong as we listened to President and Sister Patrick Wong who will be finishing their 3 years temple mission in about two weeks.  I am going to attempt to write what I hear their testimony today:

Sister Wong:

The temple is the refuge for us and can answer many of our questions.  A sister from India joined the Church against her family's tradition and was disowned. After her father died, she was allowed to return to live with the family, however, as she decided to receive her endowment in the Hong Kong Temple, her older brother objected but she decided to go anyway, as she was sitting in the temple, getting ready to receive her endowment, she worried if she had made the right decision and that she might be disowned again.  After she received her endowment, she was elated because all her questions were answered and she told Sister Wong afterward that she knew she made the right decision and that she had received revelation regarding her life during the endowment!!  Another incident was about a sister from the Singapore.  This sister was in Hong Kong to take out her endowment before going on a mission, her parents were active members of the church but had since divorced and left the church, the mother had traveled with this sister to Hong Kong, dropped her off while mother was waiting outside in the lobby.  This sister was weary because she was a day late to the temple because of her flight got delayed.  As sister Wong greeted this sister, her heart was heavy and she has no escort with her.   Another sister from Indonesia works in the temple on the same day. She felt she needed to go to the temple early because she needs to borrow some clothing, she arrived at 7:30 in the morning (an hour and a half early).  As she stepped out of the elevator, she met this young lady and was surprised to be greeted by her with a big hug.  As it turned out, this sister from Indonesia was baptized by the father of the sister from Singapore.  This young sister recognized the sister from Indonesia she had met her when she was 10 and was well acquainted until they lost contact with each other.  She asked the Indonesia to be her escort and at the end she was given a phone number of the father and hopefully with renewed contact, there will be a miracle of the father returning to activity!  Sister Wong bear witness that the Lord is very much aware of our need, this meeting is no co-incidence, who would have know a delayed flight and a prompting of going to temple early would resulted in such a reunion!!

President Wong testified the power of the temple and the blessing that came from faithful attendance.  He humbly acknowledged how grateful he was given the opportunity to be an instrument in God's hand and the many miracles that he had seen during his 3 years service.  First, the power of inspiration is true and God is in charge of his House.  He related a story about a family from Indonesia being sealed in the temple, he was washing dishes in his kitchen before starting his shift at the temple when he received a call from his counselor, they were sealing a family but their little son was unconsolable, each time they tried to take him away, he cried harder and harder.  When President Wong come to the family, he was told they had a plan to wait for the little boy to fall asleep before performing the sealing, President Wong returned to his resident to finish doing the dishes when he unmistakably heard a voice:  "you are the President of this temple, you have the authority to command all thing to obey you, you need to do something now!"  He returned quickly to the family waiting room, approved this little boy now being held by his father, this little boy was only two years old.  President Wong walked up to this little boy with out stretched arms, speaking English to him and told him he is a good little boy and asked him to be good, the little boy was calm.  Then President Wong asked the attendances to do the sealing now, as they enter the sealing room, the boy did not cry but was very attentive, President Wong continues to ask him to be good in English, the boy was willing to allow the helper to place his hand on his parent's hand, in fact, he was so comfortable that he actually climbed onto the alter to place his hand on his parents.  When the sealing completed, the Sealer jokingly told President Wong that he was impressed with his authority that even a little two years old obey him!!

Second, President Wong testified that whom the Lord called, He qualified.  He related he had retired and enjoyed retirement, however, after a few months, he was called to work in the temple in Australia, He was able to be trained and prepared to his calling to be temple president.  He was impressed to study the gospels in the New Testament and in the Book of Mormon so he could know Christ better. He said "How can I be the master of His house if I do not know my master!"  As he started his service, he received training for temple president.  His impression is that straight obedience is important.  He was told if he thought he knew better the Brethren, he would probably be released quickly.  A short time after he started his service, he felt impressed to ask the Brethren to allow him to open the temple on Sunday once every quarter to accommodate the Filipino sisters because they could not attend the temple during the week.  This issue weighted heavily on him, he drafted an email to Salt Lake but he was concerned because of the training he received that he might be asking for something that would not be allowed, he was about to delete the email when President from the every day branch knocked on his door.  They visited a little bit and the President expressed to him how grateful he was that they are able to provide an every day branch (Sunday service on weekdays) for the sisters to attend.  President felt this was an answer to his concern, he sent his email to Salt Lake and within two days, his request was granted.  Hong Kong temple become the first temple to open its door one Sunday every quarter to serve those that could not attend during weekdays!

Lastly, he testified that God will bless us as we serve Him diligently and that He hears and answer our prayers!!  His family was blessed while he served in the temple.  One of his daughter (divorced with a young daughter) was able to be married in the Australia temple during his service.  His son-in-law jokingly said that his marriage was because of the righteous prayers of two temple presidents (President Wong and His own father who is the temple President of the Australia temple)!!

President Wong ended his talk by sharing the letter he wrote to his children:  I bear witness that God lives and Temple are indeed Heavenly Father's house.  I did not seen Christ hands but thru services I come to know of his works; I did not see his eyes but I know he watches over me and my family; I did not see his ears, but I know He hears and answers my prayers, I did not see his feet but I can follow the footprints thru his gospel, I did not see his mouth, but I can hear his words thru reading the scriptures and listening the words from the living prophets!

I too would like to bear my testimony that God lives, this is His church and that there are no co-incidents, we need to recognize God's tender mercies in our life, I am so thankful Ted and I can serve Him at this time.  No matter how in-significant or how big, I am thankful I can be part of this great work to help build up His kingdom on the earth.  I know He loves me!!!  

This picture taken in front of the Kowloon Tong Chapel that is across from the Hong Kong Temple.