China Update‏

So much has been going on since we returned from the Chongqing and the cruise. It is hard to believe that we returned a week ago tonight..

After the trip, Marvin Wu - our tour guide, invited us to his home for a home cooked Chinese dinner with his family. His wife Betty and little Yoyo - their daughter, were very gracious and we had a wonderful evening. Betty made 6 or 7 different Chinese dishes for 8 of us BYU teachers and it was a wonderful evening. Betty agreed to take us to the market to buy spices and agreed to even teach us how to cook the dishes. Now, we just have to find a day and time we can get together !

This weekend has been a wonderful one for us. We had the chance to finally watch General Conference, which was last weekend. Yesterday, we went to Brother Harrison's apartment, where we usually hold our Branch meetings, to watch conference. The District was supposed to send us copies of Conference in Chinese, Korean and English BUT they mistakenly sent us ONLY Chinese! Therefore, we had to listen instead of watch - which was just fine. Yesterday we watched the Saturday afternoon session of Conference and today we watched the Sunday morning session.
It makes us realize how much we take General Conference for granted, when we are at home, in the USA! We are just "thirsty" to hear the Prophet and all the General Authorities. It was very emotional for us to see them on the T.V. today. Joe Goodrich had downloaded it off the internet for today.
After Conference, we prepared dinner for the Koreans - Hawaiian haystacks. The Koreans thought they were unusual. They could not quite understand why we would mix all that cold, sweet, food with gravy and chicken #@$%*&. Every Sunday, the Koreans have food prepared for us to eat, after church. Sometimes it is a meal and sometimes it is fresh fruit. Lately they have been serving the best Asian pears for our eating enjoyment! The mangos are in season now and they are wonderful. China has the best fruit I have ever eaten. I especially love the pomellos, which are ripe in the Fall.

On the ride to Church today I saw a funny thing that I keep forgetting to add to the Blog site. All the young people here think it is "cool" to wear glasses. BUT, they wear glasses, if they don't need glasses! I mean, they wear the glass frame - with NO glass in..... And they think they look so good... We all have to laugh when we see it.

I had an odd thing happen to me this past week at school..
I was teaching a class on idioms and we were having fun, as the students in each group presented their definitions of the idioms they were assigned. I was walking around the classroom, when I noticed something strange looking in the back corner of the classroom. Now, I have seen some pretty disgusting things in the back of these classrooms - things I really questioned their origin. BUT, this one really "takes the cake" as far as disgusting goes!!!!!!!! I could not believe my eyes....

I truly believe that you must live life to the fullest and enjoy each day, because you may never pass the same way again. Take time to "smell the roses". I must say that I am doing just that while I am in China. It is a chance of a lifetime and I feel so blessed to be among these exceptional people. The students have taught me MUCH more than I could ever teach them. They know something that many people my age NEVER know, and that is how to love and accept others unconditionally. Each day in China is such an experience to cherish and it is my prayer that I remember to do just that. We are so blessed to have a loving, caring family whicht has so many material advantages. I pray that I never forget my experiences here. I doubt I will, because I am a changed person because of the time I have spent among these dear people.

All our love,
Mom