WHAT a weekend!!!!

Dear Family:
What a weekend we have had.......
To begin - we had Branch Conference and your Dad was basically "in charge" of all the coordination of meetings and speakers. He really worked diligently to make it a great conference and he did a super job. You all would have been so proud of him, I know that I was!
The Beijing District Presidency attended and spoke as well, with President Steven Toronto presiding. It was a great conference and the Spirit was strong. Dad gave two talks and he did a great job. It was a great two days - a real spiritual feast.....

There was a BIG Communist National Celebration planned for Sunday night as well - the Communist party has been in China for 60 years and there was a huge celebration planned.....All us "Foreign Expert Teachers" were invited and we received a beautiful written invitation. When the invitation was delivered, we noted that we were to sit at the "VIP table"!!!!!!!!!! All the other teachers sat at other tables.... Shirley, our waiban, really likes us and we felt it an honor to be seated at the VIP table!!!
She told us that we would be seated by all the "big wigs" in Qingdao! She said that as soon as we arrived at the Hotel where the dinner was to be held, she would take us to the VIP room where we could relax and visit and have a drink. AND, she said that we would walk into the banquet after everyone else was seated and make an entrance...We were very intimidated by this!!!!!!!!!!!! But the BIG thing was.....we were to sit by the Mayor of Qingdao, as well as the President of Qingdao University!
There were cameras flashing and people walking around offering toasts everywhere. It was just like in the movies!!!!!!! Why we were the honored ones we will never know........
I sat next to the President of Qingdao University and visited with him all evening. Rog sat one person away from the Mayor and they chatted. What an evening.
Beautiful fresh flowers everywhere and some of the fanciest food we have ever eaten. I will include the menu.. And, the desserts and fresh fruit was unbelievable!!!!
Victoria took pictures and I will send them to you... You will get a big laugh at us....

We will leave in two days for the National Holiday/Moon Festival celebration... We will go to Guizhou - a very authentic ethnic village where we will see alot of the poor people dressed in their native dress...It promises to be an outstanding trip. I will try to send the information on it also.

I will send photo's as people send then to me...

I miss all of you and it is so wonderful that we can at least talk on Skype. I love to hear your sweet voices.

Much Love,
Mom