Some of the great faces of Nepal

It is always fun to see the different happy faces where ever you go.

Kathmandu,Nepal

Kathmandu is a unique but poor city. The main religion is Hindu so cows are sacred and wander where they want.

Hong Kong Flower Show

When you live in a concrete jungle and love flowers you can find true joy at a flower show! The displays are all brought in and who knows what they do with it all after but it was fun to see. All the animals you see are made out of flowers. The flower stands along the sides had every imaginable flower and plant for sale. We were the happy purchasers of a few orchid plants, will see if we can keep them alive.

RS March Party

Island II Branch had an uplifting hour and a half long RS program in the chapel with testimonies, talks and music. Then they moved into the cultural hall for their dinner.The RS Presidency decided they were ordering McDonald's. You can not imagine the joy of a bunch of sisters (domestic help 6 days a week) sitting down to an unset table, no cloth, no centerpiece, no cooking, thus NO WORK to enjoy their food, laughing and visiting together. Ingenious.

A Different Adventure

Last week we were called into the Area President's office (you thought being called into the principles office was scarey)... just kidding, it really was not scarey at all. Elder Perkins is my age and a great guy. We kind of new what was coming when we got the phone call because our good friends the Normans had just been told that they should probably return home because of Sister Norman's health. Elder Norman was serving as the executive secretary to the Area Presidency and it is a position that really could not be vacant while they tried to replace them as this is at least a 3 month process. So they asked us to take a change of assignment and fill this position and try to help cover off our old position until they could replace us there. So although we will not be travelling anymore in our new assignment we will have the opportunity to work closely with the Area presidency. Although we are still trying to figure out exactly what we do one of our first assignments is to help organize Elder Nelson's and Elder Bednar's visits in May. We will make our last visit (Nepal) while they go to conference. Mission life is great and we are happy to be able to serve where ever needed.

Kung Hei Fat Choi

Chinese New Year is a much bigger deal here than Christmas.We thought when they said Kung Hei Fat Choi that it meant Happy New Year but interpreted correctly it mean "wish you prosperity". Everything about new year has to do with good luck and money. It is the year of the rabbit so I have seen more bunny stuff than I would see at Easter at home. Flowers, blooming trees. orange trees are a big part just like how we have Christmas trees and a tree lot they have orange trees and they sell them on a lot. Flower stands are everywhere and you see people buying all kinds of flowers. They even have a version of Santa who hands out red envelopes, they call them pockets, with money in them. How much money depends how well you know the person, how much you like them and how much you have to give. These pockets are generally given from the senior people to those younger than them.

Hanoi, Vietnam

We were in Hanoi for a couple of days to train a new couple. We were going to a RS event one evening so decided to walk over to the nearby market to get some veggies to make a salad. The markets are pretty primitive, but you can buy fruits, veggies, and all kinds of meat and fish. Peter saw roasted dog there but fortunately for all of us he forgot to take a picture. As you walk past the houses most of them have some type of business on the first floor. We were most fascinsted by the gaming or computer centers.







These girls were in a small alley way skinning and cutting up duck for the local restaurant, they were happy and willing to pose to have there picture taken with someones dinner.