More Christmas in Taiwan

We went Christmas Caroling with the Senior Missionary couples to the Taipei Train Station and a Hospital. Some stopped to take pictures of us and listened to the carols. We had fun passing out candy canes and missionary cards.

There was a little competition next to us in the Train Station. A group of young soccer players were next to us by the Christmas Tree, and several of them were showing off their nimble ball skills.  Hard to compete with that.

Sister Shen invited us to her Ward Christmas Party, and gave us a Christmas gift.  Her ward is located about 30 minutes from our apartment on the MRT.  Sister Shen is a dedicated Temple worker.  She was converted to the church when she was 21 and then one year later served a mission.  After her mission she taught school and is now retired. She never married, and is now 71 years old. We just couldn't say no when she invited us.  

We were sitting across from this cute family when Sister Shen started taking pictures with her IPad  The part of the evening that was unusual to us is that the Ward Christmas Party was on Sunday at 5pm. There was a program after the dinner, and then Santa arrived with a wrapped package for everyone including us.  They insisted that we each take a package.  It was cookies which we gave to the Missionaries.  We found out that the ward had been recently divided from another ward, and there is only 9 children in the new ward.

Christmas in Taiwan

The fresh potted Poinsettia plants in front of the Temple seem to thrive on the mild winter temperatures in the 60's day and night, and mostly rainy.

Our Christmas in Taiwan was highlighted by the 12th Annual Christmas Pageant performed by our English Ward. The Pageant is outside next to the Temple.  We took our Landlords, Herman and Wendy Xuang, who are Buddhist to see the Pageant. The Xuang's had never seen anything like this before, and they wanted to know if this what Christmas was like in America.

President and Sister He, the Temple President and Matron, invited all of the Senior Missionary couples over to help decorate the Christmas Tree in their home. This was their first Christmas tree; and they said, "we don't have any idea how to decorate a Christmas tree."

Brother and Sister Christensen, ward members who are from the US and who work for the US Government, invited us over for Sunday dinner and then gave each of us a large Christmas Basket of goodies. We enjoyed their warm hospitality, delicious dinner, and the American goodies.

Juming Museum - Final- Part 4

Bob, a proud "Father and Grandpa", standing
 by the Ju Ming statue titled, "Proud Father"

What looks like condo's on the hill side are burial sites.  The burial sites can be quite expensive, especially when you have view of the ocean. We have been told that the Interment sites cost $50,000 US dollars and up. That isn't so expensive when you can put many jars of ashes (several generations) in one burial site.