Asia Area Legal Department

The five of us are going to save the world! OK, maybe not, but some how we are supposed to keep the Church operating smoothly/legally in the almost 30 countries with over half the world’s population. OK, maybe we also hire local lawyers in every country to do the nitty-gritty for us but we still are busy. These are my direct coworkers who I interact with most and have grown to like a lot.
Starting on the right is my boss extraordinaire. Mike Jensen is the Church’s Asia Area Legal Counsel and more importantly, my landlord. He graciously offered to let me stay at his place while I’m here in Hong Kong. To top it off he insists that I eat out of his pantry whenever possible. Mike is a former bishop, stake president, mission president, area Seventy, and currently serves as the Branch President in one of the Filipina Branches here on Hong Kong Island. He is one of the kindest, humblest men I know, as well as very smart. Its fun when we get together in a group to eat or do something because he really loosens up and is hilarious.
Next to him are Elder and Sister Newell. They serve as Church service missionaries here in Hong Kong; he as the Associate Area Legal Counsel and Sister Newell as the Asia Area Employment Specialist. Elder Newell worked for over 30 years as a corporate counsel for Chevron, starting in patent law (he has a PhD in metallurgy!) and eventually serving as General Counsel. Sister Newell raised six kids and keeps me on my toes by not letting me take myself too seriously. Both are tons of fun and a little irreverent by senior couple standards. Sister Newell is a bit of a daredevil and Elder Newell has a dry sense of humor and likes to call it as he sees it.
Jennifer Chan is the administrative assistant for the legal department. She keeps everything organized and saves the rest of us when we mess things up or get all confused/lost. I’ve really enjoyed practicing my Cantonese with her (although she speaks great English too) and grown to respect her a bunch. She works too hard, and then goes home to be a single parent raising two kids helping them with their homework every night.
Then there’s me. I’m the non-paid volunteer whose contribution is worth less than he’s paid.