Too good to not to share

Received this email from Elder Charles and Fanny Chan who serves in the Hong Kong China Temple.  Charles and Fanny are long time friends who lived in Vancouver, Canada.  His thoughts and feeling echo our own so I thought I should share them here with you.  We thank Heavenly Father everyday that we have this privilege to serve our brothers and sisters in Hong Kong.  While we are all children of God, Asia holds a special feeling in my heart.  Ted and I has started serving in the Temple once a week on Wednesday evening.  We hear stories and witness the sacrifice faithful members who traveled far and long distant just so they could have their family sealed.  No sacrifice can match the blessings from Heaven when a couple is sealed eternally and a family linked back generations!

Hong Kong China Temple, dedicated 1996.

Dear friends and family:

In the recent regional district conference, one of the speaker mentioned that President Nelson attended meetings in Mongolia area and later visited a Mongolian widow who lived in a tent with her son and daughter-in- law. During his visit, she pulled out two things–framed Family Declaration she received and the Temple Marriage Certificate of hers.  She pointed to her son and daughter- in- law; told President Nelson – they are the most precious to her in the earth. Eternal marriage and family are made possible by ordinances in the Holy Temple.  I turned to Fanny, we both were in tears. It was not only a story, but we have firsthand experience.  We have assisted a lot of Mongolian families whose used a lot of their resources and overcome a lot of difficulty to make their trips to HK Temple to complete their temple ordinances. They are faithful and humble, their gratitude and thankfulness of the Lord touched all temple workers.  They strengthen and edify our faith and testimony. Made our efforts meaningful.

In Hong Kong, there are about 8 million people, in any given time there were millions and millions in the public transits system; crowded and noisy, packed and rushing are the norm.  Every day we take buses and trains to and from church meetings and temple. One Sunday, we returned home from a church meeting, there were two opposite empty seats at the back of the bus.  We took them, as I looked across the aisle at Fanny, she was so calm and peaceful in a crowded and noisy environment, she seemed full of joy and satisfaction, I smiled and knew it was the blessing from serving the Lord in Hong Kong, the heat, the noisy, the rushing … are all immaterial. Our hearts feel heavenly peace.

April 2, was a historical day in Hong Kong District, the Victoria 3 Branch -the only mandarin speaking branch in Hong Kong District was dissolved. Upon the approval of the First Presidency and Quorum of 12, new Wan Chai Branch and Kowloon Tong Branch are established. Wan Chai Branch serves all members in Hong Kong Island and all other islands around HK ;  Kowloon Tong Branch, its meeting place is opposite to the HK Temple, it is the first ever mandarin speaking branch in Kowloon – its catchment area are the whole Kowloon Peninsula and New Territory, all the way to the Chinese border.  17 years ago, there were 8 mandarin speaking members to form a Sunday School class, one year later, the Victoria 3 Branch was established in Hong Kong Island for mandarin speaking members.  in April 2017, there were around 200+ mandarin members and 6 Cantonese Stakes .  Church moves chapels and meetings closer to communities, easier for people to attend church meetings and activities. The Lord’s work is progressing rapidly, prepare leaderships whenever China is ready and opened for missionary.  Church needs a lot of mandarin speaking leaders. 

Our testimonies continue to burn brightly. We are very grateful for all that we have, and especially for the opportunity to serve in Hong Kong. We are grateful to have you as our friends and our prayers are with you. We have always looked to all of you as great examples of humility and obedience. Thank you, may the Lord with you til we meet again 

Elder and Sister Charles Chan