Church with the Hanoi Branch

At 9am two young single adults were baptized and confirmed members of the Hanoi Branch. Eric has been attending the Branch for weeks and now knows everyone. He has been able to go on splits and teaching assignments with the Elders. We just found out that the Elders are only here from Cambodia for three months. The Vietnamese government kindly has allowed full-time missionaries in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) as long as they are from Vietnam. Vietnam has 9 missionaries in the field (all from the Saigon branch). One is serving in Atlanta, and eight are serving in the Cambodia Mission, which includes Vietnam. Technically, all could come over and serve in Vietnam, but four are sisters and the Mission President doesn't feel comfortable leaving them here all by themselves. So that leaves the four Vietnamese elders currently serving in Vietnam. They would stay here longer, but because the Cambodia mission is getting a fresh crop of American Viet-speaking elders that need to be trained, the Mission President will pull the Vietnamese missionaries currently here back to Cambodia temporarily. It's complicated, but at least they're finally here. Church starts at 10am. There was about 50 members in attendance. I was the only one singing in English. Eric and two other dudes in the Branch took turns translating different parts of the meetings for the non-Vietnamese speaking visitors like myself and Pearce.

Pearce is really into listening to Sacrament now. He wouldn't take them off. There was no Nursery for the toddlers so Pearce sat in Primary for 2hrs in the same room with six other children singing and speaking Vietnamese only. I think Pearce deserves a treat for good behavior. In Fact, I think I deserve a treat for good behavior! Bring on the treats!