Ha Loh (Hallo) from Hong Kong

This is the beginning transcript of the Mother's Day Call that we almost forgot to make. Dia emailed us to call her at 9:30 a.m. Monday, HK time. We figured it our time, 13 hours difference, so 8:30 or so Sunday night. At 8:50, I wander in to Dave, "When did Dia need us to call?"

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

It was good to hear her voice, but she had a lengthy list of topics to discussion so to get it all in, she said, "I'm going to talk really fast, you just listen,"--and while she spoke a blue streak, Mom transcribed four pages. So here goes.

Hong Kong is amazing!!! My first impression is green and slimy, hot and humid. Like Tulsa, mid- summer, only with the promise that the heat and stickiness will escalate when spring is over. It is such a juxtaposition of opposites: food vendors outside five star hotel restaurants, old buildings and new ones right next to each other, no zoning! Old people and young, nursing homes are practically nonexistent, so I see people pushing as many wheelchairs as strollers. Everyone takes care of their parents at home.

My companion and I are in Tolo Harbor Stake and have charge of three wards on Sundays. Two meet in the same building so it's not too difficult. We had a baptism yesterday. Okay, I know that I can't have a baptism after one week, but my companion had a baptism, and since I "grandfathered" in as her new companion, I get to claim her baptism. Cool!

Our wards are convert wards and I love that, because being first generation, these people have tattoos, oddball clothing, funky hairstyles and pure, fervent testimonies. The Relief Society president is so legit but was wearing the oddest clothes I've ever seen Sunday--sundress + long socks and tennis shoes.  They treat missionaries with such respect and are so grateful for the gospel.

Our apartment is tiny, a closet, and efficient. One walks in the door and our bunk bed is on the right, the kitchen opposite and the whole thing is so ergonomic. Without moving my feet, I can pluck from the fridge, cook on the hotplate or nuke in the microwave whatever I've chopped on the tiny counter. Behind the door opposite, in the bathroom, one can sit on the toilet (WE HAVE A SIT-DOWN TOILET! no squatter! Yay!) wash hands in the sink and clean the shower without budging off the commode. That's all it is. Done. The whole apartment is smaller than my bedroom in Tulsa.

It's WILD! as is the landlady who is crazy and comes down to screech at us. I can't understand her, I can't understand anyone's Cantonese, except my beautiful companion, Sister Black whose Chinese sir-name is the same as mine, Sister Bahhk, (meaning white!) HA! More on my new comp. she is understanding, fun, helpful, strong in the gospel and right off instigated the "roommate conversation," wanting to know my absolutes, needs, stressors and desires so we can be successful companions.

We visited a ward member's home, an affluent family who are lucky enough to have qualified for govt. housing, which is very elite. Their apartment is as big as ours, but so much more in a more refined design and quality workmanship. Their bunkbeds (still situated inside the front door) are equipped with pull-out desks and a tv that swings down. They are there with their two children, 23 and 17 years old.

We went to a ward pot-luck this week. It was a food free-for-all. They handed me a pair of chopsticks and I learned they were to be used as a defensive weapon. All of the food was placed on a tiny, round table in the meeting house and then (Whoa, Nelly) people started to eat! There were not even plates. Sister Black and I grabbed a food lid and ate off that, but all bets were off as people not only ate freestyle, but plucked off everyone else's plates, put food on everyone else's plates and feasted upon everyone else's dish. They ate and talked indiscriminately and food splashed in and out of mouths. I loved it!!!! So much for the polite eating lectures at the MTC.

Mom is too tired to keep typing, so watch for next installment tomorrow. We're one page done.