Friday, June 29th
First, we arrived at the mission home yesterday morning about 15 minutes early. Much to our surprise, all of the departing missionaries, including Amanda, were in the foyer. Amanda jumped up screaming and we embraced and hugged and kissed and cried a little. It was an incredible reunion. Then we realized everyone was watching us and so Scott and I slipped into the back of the scene as the missionaries loaded up and headed to the airport.
The next highlight of the day was Watermelon's wedding! Watermelon joined the church about a year ago when a wonderful returned missionary introduced her to the gospel and fell in love with her here in HK. They had a civil marriage first in the chapel of the church. It was unlike anything we have experienced, yet so awesome. We all stood as Watermelon was walked down the chapel isle by her Father to the front of the pulpit. Her fiance, Ho Yin, was waiting there. AMANDA WAS PLAYING THE WEDDING MUSIC as she walked in . . . Love At Home on the piano! Their good Bishop married them, the family clapped!, and then they signed papers. None of their family is LDS. Then Ho Yin stood at the pulpit and talked about eternal marriage and how excited he was to be sealed to Watermelon and he explained to the family what all of that meant.
THEN . . . we went to the TEMPLE! The Temple President performed a beautiful sealing ceremony and it was so touching to see members of the ward, the Bishop, and two of Ho Yin's mission companions in attendance. These two mission companions also stood in as the witnesses. The crowning moment for me was to see this couple looking in the mirrors. The sealer was telling them about the generations that had come before them and the generations that would come after them. Suddenly Watermelon's eyes lit up and she smiled. Tears came to her eyes and I believe in that moment she caught a glimpse of eternity! It was such a blessing to be at this sealing!
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| Yes! We found AMAZING foot reflexology spots several times in HK! And they were CHEAP!!
Saturday, June 30
So Amanda discovered Cantonese Siri this morning and that
was AWESOME! She just talked and laughed
with Siri in Cantonese. It was so funny!
Then we got on the train to head to a cheng-out with Bro.
Foo. We have nicknamed him the Asian KFC
Colonel. He was a kick!! So Amanda told us something was mentally off
with him, but he loves the missionaries and treats them well! Upon arriving and meeting him we learned that
he converted to the church in 1975. He really loves this gospel and has been a
faithful member of it for over 20 years!
He is now 78 years old and it became obvious very quickly that his
“mental problem” is dementia. He had
asked his older brother to meet us at the restaurant and order the food for
us. Colonel Foo Sanders is extremely
loud, but his brother was soft-spoken and seemed to be all there mentally. Anyway, they were both very generous and
insisted on paying for lunch. We got our
first taste of what sweet Amanda was expected to EAT as a token of gratitude
and respect for these people that love her! They just kept ordering food! SO MUCH!
They warned us it would be spicy, and it was! Then Scott had to ask about the Chinese
Century Egg! This is an egg they pickle
for 100 years and it turns black and slimy!
Next thing you know we have a Century Egg dish on the table. That was my limit . . . I couldn’t stomach it
so I sneakily put the portion Bro. Foo put in my bowl into Amanda’s bowl. I now understand why the missionaries all had
constant stomach problems and gained weight on their missions! This would repeat itself for us two evenings
later with Sarah!
 
After this, we walked to the church for a family history
activity the missionaries had organized.
Amanda wanted us to experience one of her common walking routes. Picture 90 degree weather with 80% humidity
and then walk briskly in that for 45 minutes, including up a steep hill to the
church at the end . . . WE WERE SOAKED THROUGH!
Amanda wasn’t phased a bit. She
just walked into the bathroom, wiped down with paper towels, and joined the
other missionaries in the activity. I
think it took us 2 hours to dry through!
The family history activity was well planned, but went a bit
overtime. This also gave me empathy as I
listened to 2 hours of Cantonese, not understanding one thing. Amanda said this was the first several months
of her mission. It was so difficult to
stay awake and focused!
However, the members are incredible! We learned about several of their conversion
stories and how committed they are to the gospel! They love it and they share it with those
around them. This activity was supposed
to be for Less-active members, but none showed up Instead the wonderful members came and it
was humbling to see their engagement and support!
 
On the way home we stopped by the famous Starbucks where
Amanda spent so much time studying, finding and teaching others. It was a really cool Starbucks with a huge
loft upstairs. I could feel this had
become a sacred place for Amanda where a lot of personal growth had taken place
and the Spirit had helped her to share the gospel with others.
 
Then we stopped at a hawker stand on the way home and got
one of her favorite dishes in Hong Kong . . . BBQ Pork over rice with bok choy
and this yummy garlic-onion paste. IT
WAS SO DELICIOUS AND CHEAP . . . like $2 a person cheap! One of my favorite parts of visiting HK with
Amanda has been the look on the local people’s faces when she starts speaking
in Cantonese. First they STOP and listen
in awe, then they get these BIG SMILES, and then they just start talking SO
FAST to her! They ask her where she has
learned to speak so well and tell her how proud they are of her for learning the
language so fluently. They really value
her ability to speak with them in their native language and it opens the door
for a wonderful introduction to the title of MISSIONARY for The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints! The people
at this hawker stand were in awe of her and we took this cute picture.
We experienced this time and time again. Amanda has developed a habit and the ability
to talk to EVERYONE! This was miraculous
to me on many levels. When she was in
the 3rd grade I was told at parent-teacher conference that she was painfully
shy and we needed to help her speak up in class. When the teacher would call on her, she would
answer but almost in a whisper. This
continued to be a part of Amanda, especially when she was around people she
didn’t know. I recall her Senior year,
attending mission prep with her in our stake every Sunday. We have returned missionaries come and teach
the seniors and she expressed to me her TERROR of being called on to role-play
or even comment spontaneously. It was
really difficult for her to speak unless she had a talk or remarks written down
or prepared. This really concerned her
when it came to being a missionary.
Yet as we followed her around for a week, we watched in awe
as she opened her mouth, learned about people all around her, shared her title
and message as a missionary, and was received with awe by the
Cantonese-speaking people! (I know this
wasn’t always the case and she experienced a lot of rejection, but we saw
mostly positive responses to her efforts!)
It was fun for complete strangers to see her with us and tell us, tell
us that we looked alike, and then make sure we know how well she was speaking
their language. It really connected them
in love to her! We ended out day by walking through the Ladies Market! Hong Kong is so much fun at night!!
 
SUNDAY, July 1st
We started the morning at the Kowloon ward. This was Amanda’s current assignment and she
was still a set-apart full time missionary.
The ward was so welcoming and excited to meet us. Amanda is currently teaching a few single
mothers. One of them came to church with
a darling little girl and it was fun to meet them. Amanda and her companion, Sister Sam, played
a beautiful musical number and then Amanda got to share her testimony. The Elders translated for Scott and I. Amanda
bore powerful testimony of our Savior and the Restoration. She also spoke specifically to the
youth. She spends a lot of her time
working with the youth in her wards. She
testified of the miracles and transformation that occurs from serving a
mission. She challenged them to prepare
to serve and promised them great blessings as they did. The young women of the ward really love
Amanda!
Then we were off to the Butterfly Ward where Amanda spent 11
months of her mission! The people were
so excited to see her and we were also able to meet Sara and Nico, recent
converts who were baptized under Amanda’s watch. It was really amazing to see the love they
all had for each other. We were invited
to dinner at two people’s houses the coming nights. I LOVED the feel of Butterfly! It was a quieter, slower paced way of life. The crowds were so much smaller and it just felt peaceful to me. I was grateful Amanda was able to serve here to start her mission!
          
After a little Sunday afternoon nap, we headed out to The
Peak for a beautiful view of HK at night.
It was almost magical as we got to the top and had clear skies, but then
the clouds rolled in on top of us and we were walking in moving mist! HK is a beautiful place!
   
When we got back to the hotel, it was time for Amanda to be
released as a missionary. Pres.
Mortensen was able to Face Time in and visit with us. He expressed his gratitude for Amanda’s
service and visited with her about her mission.
Then he formally released her as a full-time missionary. As we hung up with him, there were tears in
all of our eyes. We could physically
feel that mantle of MISSIONARY leave Amanda and it was humbling. I testify there is real power, tangible
power, in the setting a part of a full-time missionary! While it was time for this to conclude for
Amanda, we felt the void and realized the power that had accompanied her for
the last 18 months with a lot of gratitude!
Monday, July 2nd
We started the day with some delicious breakfast breads that
Amanda loves and some ‘milk bananas” that were DELCIOUS! Even having lived in Asia before, I had never
tasted this kind of banana, and it was by far my favorite!
    
Scott had been wanted to go to Din Tai Fung the whole trip
for their amazing soupy dumplings, so we found one near the pier and enjoyed a
nice lunch. Then Amanda took us into
MUJI, one of her favorite Japanese stores, and got her favorite ball point
pens. They have the cutest little kid
toilets in a stall next to the adult toilet!
I thought this was such a clever idea!
   
Amanda knows where all the best street snacks are! We enjoyed this amazing coconut milk drink,
some fresh fruit slushies and other amazing fresh fruit juices! The funniest was when Scott stopped by a
McDonald’s to get an Oreo McFlurry and it ended up being TARO (purple sweet potato)
ice cream! It was SO GROSS, but Scott
ate it anyway!! Amanda and her companions would come to the market below and load up on "gummies" too . . .
  
Next we headed back to Butterfly, the area Amanda lived in for 11
months. Butterfly sits on the pier and the water is beautiful. There are still
these HUGE 34 story apartment buildings all over and on top of each other, but
the buzz of the busy city is gone. It
just felt so much more relaxed and inviting.
I pictured Amanda landing in this busy, bustling place and felt so much
gratitude that she was able to spend so much time in a peaceful corner of HK.
   
It was time for dinner with Sara and Nico! Sara is a single mom whose husband took their
money to Macau several years ago and lost it all gambling. He never came back and left her destitute. She had to move into her parent’s apartment
and figure out how to support a family.
Her mother did not take good care of the kids and after 3 years of
neglect, she realized it was time to move out on her own. Her daughter got involved in drugs and
alcohol and guys and is pretty much estranged now. She still comes by the house to her room for
things she needs, but she doesn’t speak to her mom. Nico is now 10 years old. He is really bright and studies 3-4 hours per
night after school. He is in the top 1%
of his class throughout all of Hong Kong.
He’s darling and really took to Scott.
  
Sara had been cooking for 5 hours in preparation for
us. There was so much food and it was
evident she had really sacrificed to have us over. Amanda told us it was so important that we
eat all the food she put out. This was a
way of showing gratitude to the family.
We tried, but there was no way this was going to all fit in our
stomachs. Scott would finish his bowl
and Sara would fill it back up quicker than he could say no thank you. Scott and I both had to stop as we were
getting sick, but sweet Amanda kept going.
It was evident she was uncomfortable, but had gotten use to this. She said the missionaries had learned to eat
until the chills hit them. Then they
would offer a fervent silent prayer that Heavenly Father would help them and
somehow their stomachs would calm down and they could finish their meal! She said it was a miracle played over and
over again on her mission! No wonder she
had constant stomach and bowel issues throughout her mission:L
  
Sara cried as we parted ways and told us Amanda was like a
daughter to her and that she would miss her more than she could express. It was a really tender moment. Sara told us that because she loves Amanda so
much, she has committed to do missionary work.
Sara has brought 3 families into the church since she was baptized! She is one of the most active member
missionaries in the area!
  
Tuesday, July 3
We woke up and headed to a beautiful island called Cheung
Chau on the bus. The bus was our favorite way to get around HK because we could sit on the 2nd level in the front and have an amazing view of everything! Then we took the ferry out to the island.
    It was a cloudy day which meant the humidity was off the charts, but it was noticeably cooler! We rented bikes and rode around the boardwalk. Then we parked our bikes and hiked up to a cave. Amanda called it Pirates Cave because it’s really hard to find and it is literally an opening in the ground between 2 rocks. If you’re claustrophobic, this would not be the cave for you! We barely fit through some of the walls, but it was really cool! We came out of the cave and had a gorgeous view of the East China Sea! We biked back through the small streets where the villagers lived. Biking is one of my favorite ways to explore a new area, and this was such a fun way to see the island. Then we did some shopping, eating and went to the beach. While we were in one of the shops, a lady asked where we were from. We told her Utah in America. She lit up and said her husband was showing a family from Utah around the island! We found this family at the beach and they had lived in Eagle Mt. in our stake 2 years ago! They lived across from one of my dearest friends, Susie & Mike Smith! It was a fun reunion!                 
AND YES . .. THEY DO HAVE DURIAN IN HK:(
We took the ferry back to the hotel, but Scott and I stopped
for our daily foot rub along the way!
When we lived in Singapore, this became one of our favorite things to
do. In HK, they were really cheap . . .
$16 for a 45 minute foot run! HEAVENLY!
After that it was time to go back to Butterfly for dinner
with the Bishop and his family. His wife
is a wonderful cook and she also invited the missionaries to join. The meal was delicious. I’m still getting use to some of the manners
in HK. As you encounter a bone or some
skin or something that you don’t want to swallow, you just spit it out to the
side of your dish and leave it until the table is cleaned off. They also drink only warm or hot water. For dessert they usually serve fruit. We had chilled lychee for desert and it was
delicious! Then Bishop’s wife had
painted some beautiful portraits of village life and elephants. She gave us two of them. They are lovely.
     
We ended up visiting longer than we should have and this
made the missionaries late, so Amanda suggested we get them a taxi back. We did and we followed them back to see where
Amanda lived. It was this beautiful area
parks and walking paths along the way, but the buildings are HUGE! We were able to go up to the 32nd floor and
peek into Amanda’s first apartment. Then
we went to the small grocery store next
door. Scott had been looking for a Dr.
Pepper since we landed in HK with no luck.
However, we found ONE left at this grocery store! It was awesome!
       
It was now time to go back and pack up our 6 suitcases to
head HOME!
 
Words can’t express my feelings this past week. I have experienced a glimpse into Sister
Webb’s life this past 18 months. She has
wholly relied on Heavenly Father and He has personally tutored her and blessed
her with the gift of tongues and the ability to share the good news of the
gospel with His children in Hong
Kong. She has been given the gift of
charity and developed a true Christ-like love for her brothers and sisters here. She had also been able to love all of her
companions without condition. She has
become an exemplary missionary and has told me of her testimony of
obedience. She said that her Mission
President, Pres. Lam, told her that “obedience brings blessings, but exact
obedience brings miracles.” She said it
then became easy to be exactly obedient . . . this included never J-walking,
getting into her apartment on time (to the second) each night, and many other
missionary rules that she came to love and appreciate.
Pres. Lam had 3 rules of his own for his missionaries. They were:
1. Work Hard
2. Work Smart
3. Have Fun!
She told me he treated them with complete trust and
confidence! He expected them to be their
best and do their best . . . and SO THEY DID!
They had very few problems with the missionaries. These kids loved Pres. Lam so much that they
couldn’t imagine disappointing him. What
a wonderful model for me as a parent . . . letting my own girls know we believe in them and trust them to do
wonderful things throughout their lives!
How I love Pres. and Sis. Lam!
I’m now about one hour from landing in Utah with our sweet
Amanda. My heart is overflowing with
gratitude to Heavenly Father for His
careful watch and care of her!
She has truly become a valiant disciple of the Savior who knows how to
qualify for, receive and act on personal revelation from the Holy Ghost! She is prepared for whatever the Lord would
have her do for Him! I love her so much
and I’m so grateful for her choice to serve a mission!!
I go back to my own moment of comfort 2 years ago, shortly
after Amanda had received her mission call to HK. I was feeling worried about her leaving us
and being so far away for so long.
Suddenly the song, THE PRAYER, started playing on my headphones. I was taken back to 2012 when our family
visited HK to attend the temple. Scott
and I had gone out for a foot rub and I had put my earphones in to listen to
some music. This song, THE PRAYER, came
on. I was so touched by its lyrics! It brought such a peaceful feeling to me in
that moment and I added it to my playlist.
As this song randomly started playing in my closet in Utah on that winter day in 2016, I had that
same peace distill upon me and knew that My Prayer was being answered:
“ I pray you’ll be our eyes, and watch us where we go.
And help us to be wise, in times when we don’t know.
Let this be our prayer, as we go our way.
Lead us to a place, guide us with Your grace,
To a place where
we’ll be safe.
I pray we’ll find your light, and hold it in our hearts
When stars go out each night, remind us where you are.
Let this be our prayer, when shadows fill our day.
Lead us to a place, guide us with Your grace,
Give us faith so we’ll be safe.
We ask that life be kind, and watch from above.
We hope each soul will find another soul to love.
Let this be our prayer, just like every child.,
Need to find a place, guide us with your grace,
To a place where we’ll be safe.”
Truly my prayer has been answered as He carefully watched
over Amanda in Hong Kong. Thanks be to
God!
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