Crab, shrimp with eyes, and preparations for Mongolia!

We are sitting at the airport getting ready to fly to Mongolia.

You know the old saying, "I had to go so far, it was like outer Mongolia!"? Well, we really are going to outer Mongolia! Super cool and will be an adventure for sure. The weeks heading into this project have been filled with tons of crazy from properties of the families who are getting these new structures changing several times, to political challenges, legal issues, design issues, building material sourcing issues, as well as many miracles! Needless to say, Joe isn't getting much sleep and is back to working 12 hour days that he was used to when working for corporate. His "boss" is definitely much better, ha. At one point we started laughing and looked at each other and said, "Wow, sure glad we are on such a relaxing mission. It's just like a vacation." We will be in Mongolia from March 19th - 28th and then back to Hong Kong. More details and pictures to come. It is a direct 4 1/2 hour flight..

Every Tuesday we work at the temple for several hours and a couple weeks ago, there were 7 Mongolian Sisters who came through for the first time. (everywhere we turn, it's all about Mongolia right now) What a great experience to be a part of that as they made sacred covenants with the Savior. They didn't know any English and that always makes it challenging. When that is the case, which is often, we give them cards with the language they speak so they can read  and understand what is being said. It's always inspiring for me to see the commitment of people who have next to nothing and their willingness to travel far and wide, who love Heavenly Father and want to receive and stay true to the covenants they have made. This truly is a global church and although customs and culture may be different, at at the end of the day we are all the same.

The other night a very kind and generous couple from the ward (congregation) we attend, invited us and the younger missionaries to go to dinner. It was so funny. We walk into this restaurant to meet everyone and there is a 5 gallon bucket by the table with this HUGE crab in it that is alive. They said, "You have to pick it up and get a picture!" ... I thought, ok, when in Rome! (or Hong Kong as it were) I was cracking up. So we did, and that thing was heavy! 20 minutes later it was cut up and on a plate.(big eyes emoji!) They ordered: Alaskan King Crab, Suckling Pig, Peaking Duck, and Goose. Part of these dishes include layers of fat and skin as part of the delicacy as well as being the very most expensive items to order. They ordered several other dishes as well and it was quite a feast! I needed to not eat for a while after that (eek).. I felt my pants/skirt get tighter as I sat there, ha ha. Seriously, the next day we both ate VERY light with a whole lot of greens. :) I know I've shown a lot of pictures of Asian food, but we actually eat more American food here than not. Salads, sandwiches, chicken, different kinds of soups, etc. It's not as easy as it is back in the States, but it just takes some planning.

The first quarter of this year has been full of a lot of planning and activities. The Young Single Adults (age18-30ish) activity March 2nd went well and their three day convention is coming up the first weekend in April. In Hong Kong because we are a day ahead of the USA, General Conference for us is shown the following weekend. 

The translators receive all the printed talks a few weeks before General Conference and are crazy busy getting them translated. Then after the meetings, they have to change the documents to reflect what was actually said, verses the copy of the talk that was turned in before the conference. Think about all of the languages in the world that these talks are being translated into... Most countries have their own translators and that is how they can get the exact text of the talks up online so quickly. These people are brilliant. The sentence structure from English to Cantonese is completely reversed so to translate it and have it mean exactly what the speaker is saying is truly a talent.

Speaking of talks... We had the Asia Women's Conference here in Hong Kong March 7-9. There were about 200 women, most of whom are originally from the States, UK, or Australia and live or work in different Asian countries. It's basically a two day conference in Hong Kong with speakers, service projects and activities. A lot of these women have lived abroad like this for years and it can be very isolating for some of them because of areas they live in. India, Thailand, Mongolia, Indonesia, etc.... I was surprised by how many of these women live in mainland China. There is quite a large group of ex-pat women who live there. It was an inspiring worthwhile event and it was wonderful to have something like that all in English! 

One of the focuses was based on the scripture from Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God". "Be Still" comes from a Hebrew phase meaning, "to release"... It isn't only about putting our trust in God, although that is a big part of it. It's also about trusting the process and allowing it to change us. It's about surrendering and allowing what God is trying to do in our lives. As we become more focused and centered on the Savior and the only thing we have control over (our thoughts and behaviors) we create more of a balanced peaceful journey. Be Still... Allow the peace, and the process to change you and draw you closer to your divine nature and the Savior.

We are off to Mongolia!! Say a prayer or two for us.:)

Love,
Sister Kwan

This crab was alive. 20 minutes later is was
cut up and on a plate! 

You can't tell how big this plate of crab is
from the picture, but it was huge!

More crab and happy missionaries!

Part of the dinner

YSA activity! More Mexican food.

This is generally how shrimp is served here. You tear the head off,
peel the shrimp and take the legs off and then eat it. Oh my.

Grocery story chicken for sale. You can get chickens or goose
without the head but this is pretty common.

Look at the eyes on the shrimp...