2011-09-11 District Conference

The Xi'an branch gathered in our 'zero star' hotel around a conference table to listen to a broadcast from Beijing. Our new branch presidency is sitting in the front. According to the district president, Steven Toronto, there were about 975 people listening in to the conference from all around China. All present are foreign passport holders since we are not allowed to fraternize with Chinese nationals in religious activities. There are about 25 members in our branch, 11 are BYU China teachers like us.

2011-09-07 Natalie's grandmother passed away

Luene Leifson Ludlow
1923 ~ 2011
On September 7, 2011, Hannah Luene Leifson Ludlow, 87, surrounded by family, left this mortal life to reunite with her eternal companion, Daniel Hansen Ludlow, whom she dearly missed.
Born November 1, 1923, to J. Victor Leifson and Mary A. Bradford Leifson in Spanish Fork, Utah. Luene was extremely proud of her Icelandic heritage. She spent many years searching hand written records to find her ancestors and will be greeted by thousands who were blessed by that work. Graduating from Spanish Fork High, she married her high school sweetheart, Dan Ludlow on June 10, 1942, in the Salt Lake Temple. This began her true legacy.
Mother was devoted to her family and raised 9 children whom she dearly loved, and who in turn dearly loved her. She is survived by her son Victor (V-Ann) Ludlow, daughters Sandra Ludlow, Diane (Doyle) Asay, LuAnn Rothe, Carolyn (Brent) Sweeny, Kathy (Mark) Smith, Shauna (Darrell) Smith, and Michelle (Garr) Judd; as well as 42 grandchildren and 73 great grandchildren. Also survived by her siblings Freda McKell, Thor (Loyce) Leifson, Allen (Mary Lou) Leifson, Afton Rosenbaum, June Leifson, Elaine (Dee) Pullman, and Mark (Freda Kaye) Leifson; and sisters-in-law Ruth Leifson and Marilyn Leifson. She also considered her husband's family as her own.
Preceded in death by her husband of 66 years; both parents; a daughter Ruth (Nate) Pierce; a son-in-law Ed Rothe; her brothers Glen, Ted, and Jack Leifson; and brothers-in-law William McKell and Var Rosenbaum.Her life was full of love, kindness, and compassion for all. Everyone left her home with a full heart and stomach. She blessed the lives of so many while serving with Dan all over the world: the Holy Land, Egypt, Australia, Central and South America, Nauvoo, Hawaii, and more. She became the mother to hundreds of missionaries while Dan presided over the Australia Perth Mission, and also many students while Dan directed three BYU semester abroad groups to Israel.
Luene served faithfully during her life in many positions within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She had a deep love for the gospel, a fervent testimony she bore often, and she lived her life accordingly. She enjoyed reading, art, traveling, learning, and being with friends, family, and loved ones.
Special thanks to family and many aides and nurses from Alpine Hospice and Aspen Senior Care. We were truly blessed to have many compassionate and kind individuals who lovingly cared for Mom the past two years.
Viewings will be Sunday, September 11, 2011, at the LDS Church located at 2400 North 1060 East, Provo, Utah, from 5:00 to 6:30, as well as Monday, September 12, 2011, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. Memorial services will follow at 11:00. Interment in the Benjamin, Utah Cemetery.
Condolences may be left at www.serenicare.com

2011-09-12 Fengqing Park

We rode our bikes to Fengqing Park which is near us past the RT Mart and My Fun Hospital. There is a lake with paddle boats, many trees and greenery, and families walking around enjoying a beautiful day with sunshine. In one corner of the entrance courtyard a group of musicians were performing, adding to the ambiance.

2011-09-12 Mid-Autumn Festival

Today is the mid-Autumn festival where people get together with their family and eat moon cake. We've received a couple of boxes of mooncakes which we plan to eat today, well at least one.

My supervisor in the English department wrote in an e-mail: "Hope you enjoy your first Chinese Festival---Mid Autumn Festival here. Generally it’s a family get together. We Chinese would like to sit outside, enjoy the full moon and eat the Moon Cake. Sometimes we will read the ancient Chinese poems relating to romantic stories. In Chinese culture, the moon represents a lot implications: the mood of one person; the romance etc. However, this year Xi’an has a lot of rain. We are told that tomorrow will still be raining. What a pity!"

The LA Times says - "According to custom, one is supposed to eat the cakes under the full moon on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, which this year falls on Monday. Often extravagantly expensive, they are about the size of a hockey puck and just as dense. Fillings range from red bean with salted egg yolks to cheesecake to Peking duck.

Back in the era of scarcity, they were a rare calorie-rich treat to fill the chronically hungry belly. Nowadays, the mooncake has become the Christmas fruitcake of China, passed around and regifted ad infinitum.

A typical 6.3-ounce mooncake has about 800 calories. By contrast, a McDonald's hot fudge sundae, which weighs the same, has only 330 calories."

2011-09-09 Xi'an traffic

During Paula's ride to the acupuncture appointment - I'll let her tell the story because it's her adventure, and quite an adventure it was - she saw this tired pedalist taking a rest. The road chaos is entertaining. The cars, cyclists and pedestrians are like a flock of birds all seeming to easily merge and turn together in a chaotic dance.

2011-09-07 Visit to the Big Pagoda

The Dayan pagoda (Big Pagoda) is a major tourist site in Xi'an, but seems a spot for locals as well. There are thousands of people in the square and park surrounding the pagoda, much traffic and chaos. There were some people in traditional ethic minority dress, and the family of this girl allowed me to photograph her.

2011-09 China has peanut butter!

Wandering through a modern grocery store in Xi'an is intimidating. Much of the food is a mystery to us, but we recognized peanut butter. We haven't eaten peanut butter in years so we don't plan to start now.