My Dearest Family and Friends: December 16, 2007

Out of THE WOODS:
In Provo, the neighborhood that we live in is called the "Woods." We often say when things are going good or are getting better that we are "Out of the Woods!!" So think about this- We are out of the "WOODS" yet we are in the "WOODS" trying to get out of the "WOODS" to get back into the "WOODS!!"

You really start thinking about the words we use because the Chinese are always asking me what certain words mean. I have given every Doctor here and a few of the nurses American names. Most of their names are so hard to pronounce and everything is backwards with at least 3 names for each- I just had to name each one of them. It was fun because it was like naming children- which now, I happen to have about 15 more!!! When I named them they always asked me what the name meant: I always told them the same thing. "I don't know I just like the name." I had to change a few because they too could not pronounce our American names. All of their names mean something—Does yours mean something to you? Hopefully, we all know what our name means and whom we represent - the Chinese just don't know Him and most of them have never even heard His name. ( Think about that.)
By the way Sheryl's official name is Wang Fang. (Pronounced Wong Fong)
My name is Li Lin Chin - some of you might have heard of me- in the States they call me Jet Li!!

Ok here are Sheryl's Stats:

Attitude Hung How (Very Good)
Health Boo How (Very Bad)

Lots of blood clots -too many to count up her entire right leg and even up into her core.
Major swelling in her right leg
2 IV's 1st in her hand (16 hours a day)
2nd in her lower calf close to her foot (24 hrs a day) They are anticipating for at least the next 7 to 10 days more.

SCHOOL'S IN:
Now for all of you that have gone to Ivy League schools – Sheryl now has had more IV league experience than anyone else I know. Just think- she got her IV league training right here in Chengdu. The tricky part of being an expert in the IV League stuff is getting the job. To find a place for the IV - hands- arms or legs is difficult –- to find a vein-- therein lies the miracle. But to experience that miracle you have to go through a lot of pain- and many tries to make it work. If the IV bottle finishes and we are not on top of it- her blood clots which makes for another fun time of finding a new vein. It usually takes a few Doctors and 3 or 4 nurses giving it a good college try. How about hot rags on her skin to help the process? So you know how painful college finals are- crunch time and all- try two IV league schools at the same time. Extra homework- no time off and interruptions from the tutors every 30 minutes all night long. (They call them nurses here.) So for all of us that have gone to school or are now going through school we are having pop quizzes all day long and a major final about every other day. But graduation is coming soon – January and then some post doctoral studies in the United States. Professor Lon will be making sure she gets her Doctorate by this time next year and then onto graduation. Then getting a job watching Travis- who will then be 9 and Weston who will be 7. Dallin (16) and Brandon (14) don't count- they don't need the PhD.'s to watch them. They just need a strong college graduate with no advanced degrees watching after them. (So I think I will take care of that.)

SANTA'S NOT COMING TO CHINA:
So HO HO HO: Santa is going to have to get the job done without any assistance from these parents who I think will be having Chinese for Christmas. It's utterly disgusting eating at McDonalds. I haven't done it for 20+ years and we have now eaten there 3 times this past week. I thought we would never eat there again- yet this food is getting to us and not in the right way. Can't they just give us a salad instead of always cooking it? Oh well, the other option is not to eat anything at all which has been a choice of mine quite a bit- however, Sheryl keeps eating 3 good meals a day. (If you call what we eat good.) Did I tell you- McDonalds is 1 hour+ (one way) away from here!!! The song that is played at any public place here is "All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth." (Sung by some teenager – I think it's Donny – when he was 15!) The funny thing is 99% of the people here don't speak any English at all, so why are they playing the song? We will miss all of you for the holidays but most of all our hearts are longing to be with our children. There is nothing like watching the magic Christmas morning with little boys who still know that Santa is coming to town. The only thing that is not coming to town is their parents!

WIDOW'S MITE:
I have met the most Christ-like person in China - a person that has everything that any of us would die to have. It is what is described in every General Conference on how to live- act- think and serve. A person that has the faith of a child- the work ethic of President Hinckley and the laughter of a 6 year old. She's fun, very short- (I actually think she is the 8th Dwarf -always whistling while she works.) Literally she's always singing and sometimes even dancing when she mops the floor. She's laughing when she is doing our dishes and cleaning around the hole in the bathroom. She's a person that has all, yet has nothing. Physically speaking she rents a room 8' x 8' that she lives in with her husband. I have been over to her "home" to eat a Chinese feast with 5 others. Three of us were sitting on the bed- a small table was borrowed from the upstairs neighbor and the others sat on plastic stools we would use for step stools. No kitchen- no bathroom other than the one that all the community uses. Rent is 100 Yuan a month. (Approximately $12.50 a month.) We pay her 10 Yuan a day ($1.20) to help around what we refer to as Motel 1 (using Motel 6 as a measuring device.) To Shao da Gee (her name) we just refer to her as "Knee How" which is how you would address anyone. We just say it a lot and she will have a smile that would cross the Mississippi. She is a person that has all yet does not have the Gospel. A person that spends 10 to 15 minutes studying Greg Olson pictures of the Savior that we have posted on our wall- and I mean studying the pictures!!! This is the same person that I told about in a previous update that she thinks the Savior looks like me. No one could have said anything kinder to me- I mean no one and she really did not know the significance of what that meant to me!!! Shao da Gee is all of about 4 feet 2 inches. Her husband might be an inch or two taller- maybe. Shao for short (double meaning there) has hung a picture of our family on her wall at home. She literally started dancing and singing when she got the picture from Sheryl. Our dishes, which are mostly plastic, will be "a China set" for Shao. Think of your China set that you probably have in your China cabinet at home. She does have a "CHINA CABINET" in her home. Deseret Industries would not even take it, only the sanitation dump would accept it. This Christmas season how many of us who have all the material things have the true meaning of Christmas that Shao carries with her day in and day out? Feeling true happiness- not just trying. Sometimes we think, "If only I get this done, then I'll be happy." Or, only if I make this deal happen or if I get to a certain income level or as soon as something happens, I'll be happy. Shao lives in the NOW. Everyday, and I mean everyday all day long. If only we could be that wealthy- the wealth of the widow's mite. She gives her all each and everyday- a person so full of gratitude that she is having a Thanksgiving feast everyday.

Yes, I love the people of China. I have learned so much in such a short time. I have learned that there is nothing I wouldn't do for my perfect wife. I long to go on walks with her- just the two of us. I long to go on walks with my boys holding Sheryl's hand and chasing after my little boys. God has granted us a time to deepen our love and respect for each other. I never knew it was possible because I was madly in love with her before we had this challenge. An eternity of being with the Divine- and believe me I am with someone that is a Goddess here on this earth.

I pray at this Christmas time that we all can be so grateful for what the Lord has given us or not given us. This gift that Deity has given Sheryl is her's alone. I just happen to be privileged to watch her unwrap it. The package will be completely opened by this time next year.

To all that desire to be as blessed as the Savior taught his disciples in Mark 12:41-44 of how blessed is the widow who gave her all. May we give our all to the Lord, our spouses and to those we are blessed to be around- with all our heart, might, mind and strength.

In faith, In hope, In love and In whose name I bear,

Lon A. Wardrop

P.S. If any of you are trying to save some money- here is a tip I have learned from the Chinese. Shut off all the water in your house at 8pm and turn it back on at 8AM no matter what is happening in your life. Have the hot water go on only 1 hour per day… and don't tell people in your family when that hour is. It works here!