Hiking with Friends

So we got our internet back for a little bit anyway, so I thought I would hurry and post about our fun hike that Gary and I went on with some friends on Saturday.

Peter Hwang and Shelly Zhang are our great friends. They are so fun to be with. Peter is Korean and our Branch President. Shelly is Chinese and my 1st Counselor in the Young Women program. They are a great couple and we love to spend time with them. Shelly and Peter have been great about taking us to new restaurants in Qingdao. They took us to an Italian restaurant Saturday after our hike. It was fabulous. The chef is from Italy. The pizza was amazing.

Anyway, before dinner they took us on a hike to another side of Fushan. It is the one side I had not been to. I love hiking and we had a blast. The weather was a little foggy, but it was still beautiful.

I have a new friend, too. Her name is Coco.

As you can see, she really likes me. Actually, she is trying to lick the chocolate brownie off of my hand. She is a good dog. She runs out in front of us, turns around and to make sure we are coming, and then goes on. Sometimes she would stop to make sure Shelly was coming. As long as she heard Shelly's voice or saw Shelly, she would keep moving. 

She reminds me of another dog who looks just like her. Malayna, I think I have found Rocky's girlfriend. She is a lot like him except that she does not come back to us when people come around. She just goes by them and just keeps going. What do you think? I think you and Rocky should come over to China, so we can introduce them. They would hit it off swimmingly. 

This hike reminded me of all the hikes we have taken, you, me, Rocky, the kids. I am glad I was able to go on this hike and make new memories while remembering old memories.

English Corner

So every Wednesday night from 6 pm to about 8 pm, I have an English Corner. An English corner is set up so that students can come and practice their English skills. It is a safe, fun environment for them. They are not given a grade, so there are no worries about tests and things. We have fun and speak English in a relaxed way. I went to a few last semester, but this semester I am in charge of an English Corner. I have done two weeks so far and it has been fun and interesting. I usually have about 8 people there, all boys so far. That is okay. I know others would like to come, but they have classes on Wednesday nights. 

Anyway, even though it has only been two weeks and I don't have that many students attend, I have been worried about the activities and what the students might like. I want to give them as much time as I can to speak English. I don't want to speak to them all the time. They gave me some good ideas last week on what they would like to do. So I took their advice and found an idea of my own for today's corner.

We talked about Survival. First, I showed them a clip of the reality show "Survivor" and talked a little bit about what they do on the show. I divided them into groups and told them they were going to have to figure out how to survive.

Here was the scenario:

SURVIVAL: A Simulation Game

You and your companions have just survived the crash of a small plane.  Both the pilot and co-pilot were killed in the crash. It is the middle of January and you are in Northern Canada. The daily temperature is 32 below zero, and the night time temperature is 40 below zero. There is snow on the ground and the countryside is wooded with several creeks crisscrossing the area. The nearest town is 32 kilometers away. You are all dressed in city clothes appropriate for a business meeting. Your group of survivors managed to salvage the following items:

A ball of steel wool

A small ax

A  loaded  .45-caliber pistol

Can of Crisco shortening

Newspapers (one per person)

Cigarette lighter (without fluid)

Extra shirt and pants for each survivor

6 x 6 meter piece of heavy-duty canvas

A large map made of plastic

One quart (about 1 liter) of 100-proof whiskey

A  compass

Family-size chocolate bars (one per person)

Your task as a group is to list the above 12 items in order of importance for your survival.  List the uses for each.  You MUST come to agreement as a group.

I gave them as much time as they wanted to decide which things were the most important and why. I had two groups and each group had the items in a different order. I really liked listening to their reasoning and logic. Once they each had decided what order to put the items in, each group (one was the Avenger and one was Superman) had to get up and explain (in English, of course) what they chose and why. 

After they explained their reasoning which were very logical, I might add, I gave them the answers of an expert. There was a point value for each item that they chose as their top 6 (usually 5, but I did 6). The team with the least amount of points for their top six was the team that survived. If you want to try this by yourself, stop here so you don't understand the explanation.

Here is the explanation:

EXPLANATION

Mid-January is the coldest time of year in Northern Canada.  The first problem the survivors face is the preservation of body heat and the protection against its loss.  This problem can be solved by building a fire, minimizing movement and exertion, using as much insulation as possible, and constructing a shelter.

The participants have just crash-landed.  Many individuals tend to overlook the enormous shock reaction this has on the human body, and the deaths of the pilot and co-pilot increases the shock. Decision-making under such circumstances is extremely difficult.  Such a situation requires a strong emphasis on the use of reasoning for making decisions and for reducing fear and panic.  Shock would be shown in the survivors by feelings of helplessness, loneliness, hopelessness, and fear.  These feelings have brought about more fatalities than perhaps any other cause in survival situations.  Certainly the state of shock means the movement of the survivors should be at a minimum, and that an attempt to calm them should be made.

Before taking off, a pilot has to file a flight plan which contains vital information such as the course, speed, estimated time of arrival, type of aircraft, and number of passengers.  Search-and-rescue operations begin shortly after the failure of a plane to appear at its destination at the estimated time of arrival.

The 20 miles to the nearest town is a long walk under even ideal conditions, particularly if one is not used to walking such distances.  In this situation, the walk is even more difficult due to shock, snow, dress, and water barriers.  It would mean almost certain death from freezing and exhaustion. At temperatures of minus 25 to minus 40, the loss of body heat through exertion is a very serious matter.

Once the survivors have found ways to keep warm, their next task is to attract the attention of search planes. Thus, all the items the group has salvaged must be assessed for their value in signaling the group’s whereabouts.

RANKINGS

1.  Cigarette lighter (without fluid)

The gravest danger facing the group is exposure to cold.  The greatest need is for a source of warmth and the second greatest need is for signaling devices.  This makes building a fire the first order of business. Without matches, something is needed to produce sparks, and even without fluid, a 

cigarette lighter can do that. (I did not really know this. I figured that without fluid, the cigarette lighter would be useless).

2.  Ball of steel wool

To make a fire, the survivors need a means of catching he sparks made by the cigarette lighter.  This is the best substance for catching a spark and supporting a flame, even if the steel wool is a little wet. (None of the students knew what this was, so they did not put it high on their list. I brought a piece to show them, but did not explain what it is for. I wanted to see if they could figure it out).

3.  Extra shirt and pants for each survivor 

Besides adding warmth to the body, clothes can also be used for shelter, signaling, bedding, bandages, string (when unraveled), and fuel for the fire. (This was number one for both teams. They understood that staying warm was their main concern). 

4.  Can of Crisco shortening

This has many uses.  A mirror-like signaling device can be made from the lid.  After shining the lid with steel wool, it will reflect sunlight and generate 5 to 7 million candlepower.  This is bright enough to be seen beyond the horizon.  While this could be limited somewhat by the trees, a member of the 

group could climb a tree and use the mirrored lid to signal search planes. If they had no other means of signaling than this, they would have a better than 80% chance of being rescued within the first day. 

There are other uses for this item.  It can be rubbed on exposed skin for protection against the cold.  When melted into an oil, the shortening is helpful as fuel.  When soaked into a piece of cloth, melted shortening will act like a candle.  The empty can is useful in melting snow for drinking water.  It is much safer to drink warmed water than to eat snow, since warm water will help retain body heat.   Water is important because dehydration will affect decision-making.  The can is also useful as a cup. (I showed them a picture of this and explained that it was like liquid vegetable oil. Both teams said they would use it to cook animals they had killed).

5.  20 x 20 foot piece of canvas

The cold makes shelter necessary, and canvas would protect against wind and snow (canvas is used in making tents).  Spread on a frame made of trees, it could be used as a tent or a wind screen.  It might also be used as a ground cover to keep the survivors dry.  It’s shape, when contrasted with the surrounding terrain,  makes it a signaling device. (Both teams put this high on their list because they could use it to make a tent).

6. Small ax

Survivors need a constant supply of wood in order to maintain the fire.  The ax could be used for this as well as for clearing a sheltered campsite, cutting tree branches for ground insulation, and constructing a frame for the canvas tent.

7.  Family size chocolate bars (one per person)

Chocolate will provide some food energy.  Since it contains mostly carbohydrates, it supplies the energy without making digestive demands on the body.

8.  Newspapers (one per person)

These are useful in starting a fire.  They can also be used as insulation under clothing when rolled up and placed around a person’s arms and legs.  A newspaper  can also be used  as a verbal signaling device when rolled up in a megaphone-shape.  It could also provide reading material for recreation.

9.  Loaded .45-caliber pistol

The pistol provides a sound-signaling device.  (The international distress signal is 3 shots fired in rapid succession). There have been numerous cases of survivors going undetected because they were too weak to make a loud enough noise to attract attention.  The butt of the pistol could be used as a 

hammer, and the powder from the shells will assist in fire building.  By placing a small bit of cloth in a cartridge emptied of its bullet, one can start a fire by firing the gun at dry wood on the ground. The pistol also has some serious disadvantages.  Anger, frustration, impatience, irritability, and lapses of rationality may increase as the group awaits rescue.  The availability of a lethal weapon is a danger to the group under these conditions. Although a pistol could be used in hunting, it would take an expert marksman to kill an animal with it.  Then the animal would have to be transported to the crash site, which could prove difficult to impossible depending on its size. (Both teams would use the gun to kill food to feed themselves).

10.  Quart of 100 proof whiskey

The only uses of whiskey are as an aid in fire building and as a fuel for a torch (made by soaking a piece of clothing in the whiskey and attaching it to a tree branch).  The empty bottle could be used for storing water.   The danger of whiskey  is that someone might drink it, thinking it would bring 

warmth.  Alcohol takes on the temperature it is exposed to, and a drink of minus 30 degrees ahrenheit whiskey would freeze a person’s esophagus and stomach.  Alcohol also dilates the blood vessels in the skin, resulting in  chilled blood belong carried back to the heart, resulting in a rapid loss of 

body heat.  Thus, a drunk person is more likely to get hypothermia than a sober person is. (This was an interesting bit of information. Since I don't drink alcohol, I had no idea that it takes on the temperature it is exposed to. I have always heard that whiskey warms you up inside. Both groups put this high on the list for that very reason. Who knew?)

11.  Compass

Because a compass might encourage someone to try to walk to the nearest town, it is a dangerous item.  It’s only redeeming feature is that it could be used as a reflector of sunlight (due to its glass top).

12.  Sectional air map made of plastic 

This is also among the least desirable of the items because it will encourage individuals to try to walk to the nearest town. It’s only  useful feature is as a ground cover to keep someone dry. (They both put the compass and map fairly high on their list because it would help them walk to the nearest town. None of us really thought about just staying put and waiting. We should have because of the cold though).

How to score

Each team should list its top 5 choices in order prior to seeing the answer sheet.  To award points,   look at the ranking numbers on this answer sheet.  Award points to each team’s top choices according to the numbers here.  For example, the map would earn 12 points, while the steel wool would earn 2 

points. Lowest score wins (and survives).

So the Avenger score 30 points and Superman scored 34 points. Unfortunately Team Superman did not survive the experience.

What was even more interesting was that they really liked the activity. They said they really liked it because they had to speak English and they had to think and use logic. I was not sure they would like it, so I was glad that they did. It was a fun night. I actually like only have boys in this English Corner. I will let you know what we do next week and how it turns out. 

If anyone has any suggestions for activities involving speaking only English for Chinese students, I would love ideas.

Grateful for the Spirit

So it has been a wonderful couple of days. I have been able to feel the Spirit very strongly and have felt the Lord's love for me. 

On Saturday night, we had our Relief Society Birthday dinner. We invited the men to be with us and it was a great evening. Our Relief Society 1st counselor talked about the history of the Relief Society. Then we watched President Uchtdorf's talk at the General Women's Meeting in October 2014. If you have not watched it in a while, I recommend that you do so.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/living-the-gospel-joyful?lang=eng

He talks about us being Children of our Heavenly Father. We are his children, but we this is not something we have earned or will ever lose. We will always be His child. However, if we want to return and live with Him, we do need to do something. We need to obey Him and His commandments. We must obey all of them even if they are hard. I love what he says here:

And yet for some of us, obedience to God’s commandments doesn’t always feel very joyful. Let’s face it: there may be some that seem harder or less appealing—commandments that we approach with the enthusiasm of a child sitting before a plate of healthy but hated vegetables. We grit our teeth and force ourselves to comply so that we can move on to more desirable activities.

Perhaps during times such as these, we might find ourselves asking, “Do we really need to obey all of God’s commandments?”

My response to this question is simple:
I think God knows something we don’t—things that are beyond our capacity to comprehend! Our Father in Heaven is an eternal being whose experience, wisdom, and intelligence are infinitely greater than ours.⁴ Not only that, but He is also eternally loving, compassionate, and focused on one blessed goal: to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life.⁵

When I feel like things are not going as I had hoped or things are a little difficult, I try to remember that He knows what is best for me. He knows more than I do. He knows all. He knows what will be best for me to help me so that I may return to Him. He sent His Son to die for me, so that if I keep His commandments, repent, serve and endure to the end, I WILL be with Him eternally.

After this talk, one of our Korean sisters, Jennifer Lee, played the guitar and sang, "You Raise Me Up." She dedicated to all of the Relief Society sisters in our branch. She is such a wonderful person and feels that we are all great, too! She is a wonderful singer and even has had the chance to sing once with the Tabernacle Choir.

There was not a dry eye in the house after she was done. We all feel the same about the wonderful sisters in our branch even the new ones. We just had three new sisters move into our branch. One has a 12 year old girl and a 10 year old girl. I now have two young women. Yeah!!

Our branch president gave some remarks last. He talked about each one of us. I was so touched when he talked about me and told me he loved me. He is a wonderful man and is testimony is wonderfully simple. He always says what he means. It really touched me. Sometimes I feel like I am not having an effect on anyone's life, but the Lord knew what I needed to hear last night and touched the heart of our Branch President to help get the word out. 

We had a wonderful dinner afterwards. What a wonderful day to spend a Saturday evening.

So I was already feeling the Spirit when I arrived at Sacrament Meeting this morning. I am so grateful that we have a branch here that we can go to church and partake of the Sacrament. Our speaker spoke about "The Law of the Harvest" and about Faith. Very spiritual.

During Sunday School, we were discussing lesson #10 "Take My Yoke Upon You, and Learn of Me." We read Matthew 11:28-30:

28 ¶Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

As we were discussing what it means to take His yoke upon us, my thoughts went back to girl's camp in July 2011 and Beaver camp. We had an spiritual activity, A Faith Walk, about the young women taking The Savior's yoke upon them so that He can help them with their burdens.

The girl's were taken on a walk with their backpacks. Along the way, the girl's made stops and were given burdens to carry. Each burden was a rock. The rocks varied in size from very small to fairly large. At some stops the girls were allowed to choose the size of their burden. They put these burdens into their backpacks and continued on with their journey.

Meanwhile, I had made my way up to the top of a very steep hill to await the girl's coming. I would be representing our Father and Mother in Heaven. I would be there to meet them as they completed their journey. I could not see the girl's along the way. I only got to see them as they rounded the corner at the bottom of the hill. I could see that many of the girl's were very tired and weak because of their many burdens.

I was not the only one waiting for them. Bishop Bitner was waiting for them, too. As the Bishop, he is one who can help the young women release the burdens off their shoulders through repentance. He was supposed to be waiting next to the large picture of the Savior. The girl's were supposed to climb to the Savior where the Bishop would take their burdens, so that the rest of the trip up the hill would not be affected by the burdens. This is what the Savior does. If we take His yoke upon us, He will help carry our burdens, so that we can make the final journey to our Heavenly Father.

However, the Bishop and all of the other Bishops there could not stand and watch the girl's suffer. I, too, wanted go down and help them because I could see the pain they were going through. Bishop Bitner went down closer to the bottom of the hill to help. Many of the girl's turned their burdens over to him. Some told him they could do it on their own, but then allowed him to help them. We do this many times, too. The Savior wants to lift or help carry our burdens, but we think we can do it all on our own. Then we realize we do not have to. We can turn our burdens over to Him because He is willing. We do not have to do it alone. We are never alone. We always have our Savior.

Once the girl's dropped their burdens off at the feet of the Savior and continued their final journey up the hill, I was calling to them that they could do it. The other girls in our ward, who had completed their journey already, were there to encourage the others. It was wonderful to see especially the older sisters who were crying and wishing they could help their younger sister, to see the joy on their faces as their sisters completed the journey and could be wrapped in our arms, safe and sound.

I will always remember this Faith Walk!

Here are some pictures about it. I hope the young women who were there will remember the feelings they had as they completed this faith walk. I hope those reading this blog can also feel the Spirit and know that the Savior will take upon Him our burdens if we take upon us His yoke and learn of Him.

Some pictures are blurry, but I felt all of them needed to be put here, so you could get the full idea.

I love how when you are feeling the Spirit it reminds you of another time you felt the Spirit and you feel the Spirit even stronger. That is what I was feeling during the Sunday School lesson today. It was a wonderful two days.

I am grateful that the Lord helps me carry my burdens or lifts my burdens for me. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to feel the Spirit these last few days. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to go to church and to be among faithful Saints each week. I am grateful for all off the many opportunities I have had in my life to serve the Lord in the Young Women organization. I have been blessed to get to know many young women over the years, and see them grow in life and in testimony, and be friends with over the years of their lives. 

I am grateful to be a part of the gospel and a part of a worldwide family.

Tangqui and Little Qingdao

Last Saturday, Gary and I went with our friend, Li Zhixing, to Tangqui. It was a food festival and market which was spread over many streets in one particular area of Qingdao. There were a lot of people, lots of great food and lots of things being sold. You could pretty much find almost anything you wanted to buy there that day. We did not buy much though. Only food.

Eating skewers again. We also bought some egg custard tarts. Both are very delicious. 

Gary had the man above paint his Chinese name in characters. It looked like flowers and birds, but the Chinese can read it.

That was a fun morning. After this visit and some very delicious beef noodles, Gary had to go do some tutoring, so Li Zhixing and I went to Little Qingdao. It is a peninsula off of Qingdao. It is beautiful and quiet there. What a great day! Tell me if you think Little Qingdao is as wonderful as I do. You can see the city to the right of the picture below. That's how close we are to the city.

So what do you think. I had a wonderful time discovering this new little gem in Qingdao. The city is so big, I am still making new discoveries. I love that! Behind me is the Naval Museum. We still need to go there, too!