We feel so fortunate that it was the about the end of May with the weather being more mild than it normally is this time of year. Mild meaning, lots of WIND, rain, and cooler weather. Normally it is already 90% humidity and in the high 80's, which feels like about 110 degrees, SO I'll take the wind and rain! We have been caught in the rain so many times without an umbrella because it didn't "look like" it was going to rain. We decided, ok fine... We will bring the umbrella and it never rains when we do, so I guess that is the solution? I don't know, but you can't get too hung up on that stuff here. :) Joe got back from his 5 day trip to Mongolia where it snowed a few of the days. Talk about two polar opposite climates!

The summer is proving to be filled with all kinds of different projects that are coming to the peek of fruition. It's that part where there is a TON of work, and you are not sure it's going to work and there tends to be a lot of worry involved. Yep... That's where it's at right now. Let's put it this way... It's giving us both a lot of opportunity to grow our faith in so many ways.

FSY will be happening in just 8 weeks! FSY (For the Strength of Youth, which is the EFY in other countries) is July 21-27th. It is SO involved with 30 young single adults who will run the camp for 160 youth! There is a couple who handles the logistics, and another couple who is in charge of the spiritual part, and we are the "advisory couple". Advisory, means advising... No real authority, but our job is to make sure the handbook is followed exactly. Not a problem at all right? ADVISING in a different culture with a different thought process, language, ways of doing things, and decision making with wonderful people who work 5-6 days a week and are already stressed to the max. I know that it will turn out to be a very rewarding growing experience.

The purpose is to help the youth develop and gain a strong testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His atonement as well as gain a stronger commitment to live it. The purpose for the involvement of the young single adults (ages 20-30) is to have leadership experience, and have their own testimonies and commitment strengthened by helping the youth. The "camp" is actually a dormitory type environment that is out in a place called, SaiKung. It is a beautiful area by the water out in the country.  A lot more details to come about the progression of this project.

Last Tuesday while working our shift at the temple, there were 14 Mongolian sisters who had traveled here to go to the temple for the first time. There are several parts to temple worship, but I was able to help many of them with the first important part that takes place there. One sister was blind and as she was going through the process, the spirit was incredibly strong and all of us were very emotional. The sacrifice and dedication to be able to travel from Mongolia all the way south to Hong Kong is incredible. You could smell the smoke on their clothing and hair from the coal that is burned in that country and most likely from the coal stoves in the Ger's that they live in.

Several families came to be "sealed" together forever with each other and their children.  I had many assignments that day in the temple that are dear to me, but I was also able to take care of this little three month old baby. She was so cute and happy. She kept smiling and "cooing" while waiting for her mom. We were on the 5th floor of the temple where families get sealed together.

We are incredibly busy. One example is last Sunday, our day started at 6:30am and didn't end until about 9:00pm. We had meetings all day in three different parts of Hong Kong which, our travel time alone was an hour to get to each of the three locations we needed to go. That evening, we hosted a rebroadcast of the Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults. We had what they would consider "light food" after, which was sandwiches, chips, watermelon, and cookies. Doesn't sound like that big of a deal, but you have to buy all of the stuff and get it to the church building to be able to make it. (see pictures) It's totally different when you can't just jump in your car and drive to Winco or Costco, get what you need and drive to the church... OR better yet, pass around a sign up sheet in Relief Society (woman's meeting) and have people bring food somewhere. I don't even remember what that is like! Ha ha. It turned out great and we had over 40 people there.

Tuesday of this week we were asked to help prepare a dinner for Elder Ballard who is a visiting apostle from Salt Lake with several other general authorities and that was really cool. Before the dinner, there was a special meeting for all of the young missionaries and before that they had a picture taken with him. They had all the missionaries (young as well as couples) get arranged for the picture so that when the General Authorities came in they could just sit down and have the picture taken. While the missionaries were standing there ready they decided to sing songs..." I am a child of God", "I'm trying to be like Jesus", etc.  When they were singing "A Childs Prayer" with all the parts Elder Ballard walked in. 160 missionaries kept singing and he joined in. It was an experience I'm sure they will never forget.

While they were having their meeting, Joe and I helped those who planned the meal get the dinner prepared and it was beautiful. Gold chargers, china, and silverware. It was very nice. The Wan Chai building has three kitchens and we used all of them! They had homemade artisan bread that had been cooked in the building that day, a wedge salad, roasted potatoes, roasted carrots, and a nice baked cod with butter and Panko bread crumbs for 28 people. For dessert, they had a pistachio chocolate bunt cake with butter cream on top. WOW. We sure enjoyed the food. :)

Last week I gave the lesson in Institute. It was about the conversion of the Lamanites in the Book of Mormon and the diligence that Ammon and his brothers had in being willing to do what needed to be done to be an instrument in the Lords hands. People thought they were crazy to even think they could have any success with this group of people who were traditionally very anti-christ, and anti everything except war and revenge. Ultimately Ammon and his brothers had HUGE success but not until after years of trials and crazy experiences that required courage and a tremendous amount of patience that most people would have quit before the miracle happened. Are we fortifying our selves and our lives so we are ready for the miracle? I don't know what yours or mine is, but what I do know is that the principles still apply and are still just as true today as they where in those times. The day of miracles is not over. They are still happening all over the world. You just don't hear about them. Choosing to have faith in the atonement of Christ and the possibility of tomorrow, brings a lot of hope, joy, and peace. May all of those things be within your reach.

We love you all,
The Kwans

Elder Ballard

President/Sister Phillips and Joe singing waiting for
Elder Ballard and the other General Authorities to come in.

All of this stuff needs to fit inside the trolly....

This is the shopping trolly... It was a game of Tetris!

People hanging their clothes to dry (in the rain) on the fence
outside of a church building in East Kowloon. :) This isn't our
normal building we go to, but had meetings there last week.

Joe working away in our office, blowing brain
cells solving several big challenges that have come up! See his
hand on his forehead? He looks like that a lot... :)

This is a "carnival" type playground inside the basement of a mall. The climate is so volatile (hot, humid, rain, wind, typhoons, cold) that an indoor play area makes more sense. Why not in a mall, right??

A cute mom and her two kids :) Everyone has backpacks or
bags because you have to carry everything no matter where you go. 

This is Sister Gardner. She is the new mental health advisor
for the Asia Area and works with missionaries in the 22
countries this area covers and is from Sacramento!