14 January 2009, today we start the beginning of two weeks outside Jinan. Our fist destination will be Hong Kong and there after what we call the Southwest tour. We flew into Shenzhen, a small town of 12 million people. It is in mainland China just over the border from Hong Kong. While there we visited a theme park call "China Folk Culture Villages". It's modeled after the Polynesia center in Hawaii. Pictures of Ella-Rene riding a Mongolia horse, which was part of the show. Later we saw an extravaganza type show at the phoenix plaza.

15 January 2009, the bus ride took us threw two borders and into Hong Kong. Our accommodations were a beautiful view at the YMCA hotel. Just across the street were the Victoria Harbor and that night we watched the harbor light show. 16 January 2009, today was temple day. After a fun subway ride we arrived in an area still full of large buildings. Suddenly, Moroni poked his head into our view and there was the temple a block or so away. We were greeted at a public garden at the building entrance which is one of the requirements of the city. The temple though small is magnificent. The church does everything first rate. Spent the evening at the harbor shopping mall and had dinner in the area with all the teachers involved in the David M. Kennedy program throughout China. 17 January 2009 spent most of the day at the LDS area offices, which are on the other side of the harbor. We spent most of the morning presenting things we had learned as teachers in China. That evening we found Koloa Park, which is in the middle of Hong Kong. That evening we rode the ferry to the other side and went to Victoria peak by tram. The view was fantastic. Instead of riding the tram back, we walked down the mountain in the dark. 18 February 2009, today we went to one of the chapels in Hong Kong where we held a district conference. One of the persons we met was President Toronto, who mentioned Cliff Edmunds who is now in Beijing and working at the embassy there. Later that evening we boarded a bus and went back to Shenzhen, caught the plane to Gulin which is a city in history which is part of our next descriptive adventure.

Rick asked me to help his class celebrate Christmas. So, I volunteered to dress up like santa Oh my what was I thinking.. WEll, it was fun, silly and well probably unforgettable.

Santa came to China a couple of days early, so I gave him a newspaper and a soft drink until it was time to come and surprise my class.

All my student young and old enjoyed sitting on his knee.

Some asked him question about their future success on their test, some wanted to touch his beard and find out if it was real...

One of my students wrote:

Dear teacher,

Can you give me today's photos? I want to save them as a memory ,tonight we are very happy because this is the first time to see the father Christmas!Thank you for giving us so many happiness!~

your students

Richard has improved immensely on the computer. He can even type in a google search line and find files. But you still have to be precise. We had a "district tele-conference". I set up Skype to make the call before I left for class. I left a note "press the green button" and then enter the access code. I come home later and find out he was pressing the laptop screen. Literally pressing the green button on the screen instead of "clicking" on the green button with the mouse. Well, for you computer challenged people, you may not think it's funny. But for the rest of us, it's hilarious.

For those who have traveled, you must know that a golden arch sign is like manna from heaven. Something familiar, some recognizable. Something that seems like home. Some more sights of China. I was not behind the camera, in fact I wasn't witness to any of this, but it is typical of my daily sights. Wonderfully typical!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving in China. My friends and fellow teachers went shopping for a turkey to eat this Sunday, I am certain you will enjoy some of the pictures Family, we love you . You are in our minds A LOT. We are having an amazing cultural experience. I can't tell you how many times I tell my students about my family and the tears well up in my eyes. You should see their faces in anticipation and joy when I talk about my grandchildren. They anticipate with their expressions that they recongize my homesickness and they wish they could participate in some of our antics. Nevertheless, I told my students today "I AM THANKFUL for them, I have learned much as a teacher, I have great joy as being their teacher, and I am thankful to have a class willing to learn English from me.

As I understand it, the grandparents do the bulk of raising their grandchild, while the parents work. As a foreigner they are usually anxious for us to notice their precious charges (what parent doesn't like their children noticed) but, we are unique and seem to attract a lot of respect. So, they will watch us and if we respond to the child they smile widely and work very hard to have the child wave, or acknowledge us. Most children are afraid and many will cry. A very few will smile I've only had a couple laugh. Today on the bus, a middle-aged man with a small 2 year old, caught me watching. I was watching an admiring his gentle manner with the child. His obvious pleasure of holding her and caring about her comfort and talking to her so gently pointing out things and rehearsing words. His eyes had a twinkle of love. He thought I was admiring the baby and had her wave and say "hello", she didn't cry but she viewed me with suspicion nevertheless. So why is this blog worthy? Because I miss our beautiful grandchildren. Because I hope you will hold them a little more, play with them a little more, enjoy them a little more. Parenting is hard work. But clearly the love showed in his eyes to me a foreigner. Love is thing your children will also see in your eyes and feel in your touch. I wish I could show you this man's eyes. They were eyes of love, patience, joy and wisdom. Lucky baby girl.... Luckier Grandpa !!! I am so glad to be a grandparent, and I miss you!

Writing is not one of my strengths.....

Writing is not one of my strengths, but my Branch RS leader asked me to write a Visiting teaching message on one of the Conference talks. So my efforts are going to be duplicated on this blog for you to read as well. November Visiting Teaching Message

I selected Elder Wirthlin’s talk Come What May, and Love It, as my visiting teaching message. The words of our prophets are precious, please read his full talk!

I have been told more than once that “I have a “charmed life”, and frankly…. It’s true! My husband is wonderful, in addition he does laundry, dishes, cleans, irons his own shirts, and has taken me on a date every Friday night for years. My children are all healthy and are contributing members of society, my grandchildren are healthy in mind and spirit. I can’t even begin to count my many blessings. I seriously do think I have a “Charmed Life”; I sometimes ask myself why am I so blessed?

We all have had a variety of experiences during our lives, some difficult beyond mere words, while others have been joyful beyond description. Have you ever asked the question “Did I really agree to this (painful experience) when I accepted the plan of happiness presented in our premortal existence?”

I can honestly bear this testimony: I am grateful for the wisdom and knowledge that my challenges have taught me. Yes, even the very painful difficult ones. (Yes, even those of us who have a charmed life have had a few very hard knocks!)

Admittedly, I am grateful for easier lessons of life, ones that includes love, family, sisterhood and laughing at yourself.

You are free to choose your own life lesson, you can find wisdom in trials, or you can build resentment; you can find forgiveness in conflict, or you can be right; you can find humor in mistakes, or you can point your finger in judgment; you can build friendship, or you can feel shunned and alone.

I think we knew when we accepted the plan of happiness that it was the one and only way to become like our Savior. We didn’t care about the “trials we would face” we cared about becoming like Him.

When I stand before my Savior I want my heart to be softened and molded and open to His further instructions. I want to be able to demonstrate Elder Wirthlin’s words, Come What May, and Love it.

Now most of you know I ADORE HALLOWEEN. So when I found Halloween paraphenalia in China, I started planing a celebrating... you may not realize that most things "made in China" are not readily available for purchase in China. IT's mostly EXPORTED. But the funniest part of Halloween in China was this.... During my evening class two days before Halloween. Dad dressed up in my housecoat and other things and came to my class, bursting through the door and yelling Scaring me and my class into hysteria... So after they all gathered their wits, they asked for a Halloween party, which I promptly planned including Sloppy Joe's and halloween games. So tonight I am prepared for Rick's antics again..... So, what does he do?? He comes dressed in his suit and tie.... Oh, he has stolen the hearts of my students, who thinks he is wonderful. See how smart my students really are? The other night the dean of my college said to me privately. We thought your husband was so serious and quiet, but he is really humorous. You must have a happy life with him. I do and I love him, it has been a joy to be in China...

The PEKING OPERA Yes, we attended the opera... Didn't understand a word of course, but the staging and costumes were fantastic. The story was about the Emperor that became so enamoured with his concubine that he was becoming a inattentive Emperor when it came to matters of state (ruling). We are not sure if the people revolted or war lords from surrounding regions demanded that the concubine take her own life so his attention and focus would return to being Emperor. Here are some pic...... The staging was really elegant, lots of cherry blossoms... Below is her graceful exit from this life to the next. This is the depiction of heaven or so we assumed.... eventually they reunited.... this is part of the curtain call, it was elegant, symbolic and graceful every movement choregraphed every footstep carefully expressing the story. This is after the show with people taking pictures of us taking pictures.... and finally an elegant dessert to top off the evening...