Just some extra pictures:

Sister Allen and Sister Moore on Pat's Birthday

Senior Missionaries after a hard day in the office at Pancakes on the Rocks

Deer in the headlights Elder Allen and cute Sister Allen 

Our fearless boss, Alan Wakeley, with bowler hat we bought him, knocking on  #10 Downing Street in London.  He will be back in September after 4 months extended leave.

Our favorite bird the Kookaburra.  It has a wonderful voice. 

The Ropes Crossing Ward after ward conference.  Prize to anyone who can find Elder and Sister Allen

August 26th 2014

So, over a week has passed since we last wrote.  It has been busy, as facts and quotes from events all around Australia have been coming in.  We love these Public Affairs people in the wards, branches and stakes around the country. They are so good.  We have been writing their events into article form, and actually have 6 articles saved for the future, which we haven't been able to do much of, up to now.  It's a good feeling. And a blessing.

We went to Mudgee last weekend to speak in a small branch there.  It is the most beautiful, quaint city.  And the drive there is even better.  It is about 4 hours away from our little flat and goes through lots of farmlands and vineyards and Kangaroo crossing signs.  Those signs are for real, as we sadly passed a few dead ones on the side of the road, just as we see deer back home.  Made us feel so bad.

We have a question for those of you who are better at the internet than we are --which is just about anyone!  We passed a herd of cows who were all black, except. . . from their tummy up around their back is a bout a 10 inch strip if white. Circles their body completely. All the herd was the same and they were beautiful.  We were too far away to get a picture, but the strip is perfectly straight and even.  We think Heavenly Father must be good at coloring in the lines. Any grandchild want to take this research on for us??

We loved the branch in Mudgee.  There were 11 members there, plus two Elders who work in the area, and us!  It is amazing that even with the small numbers, the spirit was so strong and the lessons so good.  There was a beautiful piano there, but no one to play it. They sang hymns to a CD and we kid you not, the sound was as strong and true as any congregation we've ever heard. He DOES make up for what we lack, even in numbers. So much spirit in that room, and so much kindness. It was a little building, converted from a small home and sits on 5 acres for future growth. With such a large, beautiful, town, you just have to imagine there are people out there, waiting for the truth. We're going to pray for those Elders!

Mudgee Branch Members

Elders Leintiner and Taylor  (Elder Taylor is Dixie Moss's nephew)

We had FHE with the couple missionaries last night.  It's always a nice evening and a good dinner. We had Pavlova last night for the first time, with all kinds of fresh fruit!  It was really good! 
They are a good group of couples.  All of us so different and yet the same. So many stories to share and they come out one by one, usually not in the large group. (We are having them over 4 at a time to get to know them better).
It is of great interest to us that, though every couple have a different assignment, (even the Moores in Public Affairs have a different job, they don't have anything to do with the website) and yet, we all feel like we were called to exactly the right place for the exactly the right purpose. (of course, who would ever think Australia wasn't the right place???) Says something about Heavenly Father and his hand in the missionary program that 10 couples are doing what they enjoy in one way or another.  Not one of them, however, would have said that in the first 3 months.

Another thing about the couples here.  There are two couples who are on their mission with their second spouse.  All four original spouses have died and here they are married again and serving a mission and going forward.  Their stories are so sad from the past, and so happy in the present.  They have been through SO much, and come out on top.  It's interesting that they can talk about their first partners and have tears about what happened to them, and then talk about their present partner with love and respect and happiness. They truly are pioneers in their own lives.  Trying to blaze a new trail. 

It makes us feel so grateful to be on this mission together and not have that particular challenge. Some of their grown-up children aren't happy about the situation.  I find that sad.  

We never know what life has in store, or what we'll be asked to do, but we are grateful for the gospel and the peace it brings to those who go through such tough trials.  He strengthens us and tests us in all  things, members and non- members alike.  No one is immune to those really difficult challenges.  I think it was Sheri Dew who said, something like: if you haven't had a long term challenge that feels absolutely impossible to carry, wait a bit, it will come!  That is so sadly true.

On a different note, we figure by the time we get to Oct, 2015, we will be really adequate missionaries!! Until then, it is a still a learning curve. We certainly learn a lot from other missionaries here. 
We have to say though, that we still learn the most  from those back in the states and in Beirut, who support us in every way.  We love you friends and family and learn from your every e-mail and face-time.  Thank you , thank you!  We love you.

P.S. To those who have been trying to face-time us, our I-Pad is fixed and we can now here it ring again.  YES!!!

August 17, 2014

It seems in some ways that this has been the busiest week yet.  After our training with Richard Hunter last week, we had to do some catch up with the work we had missed. It kept us going in a big way.  Plus, it is Family History month in Australia.  We had so wanted to have a few articles about it on the website this month, and we were waiting for quotes on a couple of articles, and more information on a couple more.  So for the first part of the month, we were just waiting!  And waiting.  We were getting really worried that nothing would come in till September!  That wouldn't have been awful, but we just had this as a bit of a goal! 

About the time we mentioned this to Richard during a conference call, everything just started pouring in!  It was just the best thing. So,we did 4 articles in one week, and sent them in to be approved!  2 more to be written. Can't begin to tell you the feelings about Family History that flooded in as well.  But we'll try. 

Last Wednesday, night, we went to the temple.  I had a name of a lady from England who was born in 1655. ( Elizabeth was her 1st name, but I cannot remember her last. Her first two ordinances were done in Provo, Utah in 2008.  The last two were done on August 13th, 2014 in the Sydney Temple.  The person who had submitted her name is fromTasmania!  I sat there and looked at that card for the longest time! Look how long she had waited to get the first two done?  And then to wait again 6 more years to have it all done! I hope the day was as sweet for her as it was for me. That was the beginning.  

The next day was when those quotes and facts came in e-mail after e-mail, and some in phone calls.  It was so great. I spent one entire day on Thursday writing stories and submitting them for approval! 

Then this crazy thought occurred to us, that should have entered our brains sooner in the month.  The Roberts, a couple from West Kaysville, are here in the Family History Center to submit one million names from Australian cemeteries to Salt Lake for indexing.  One Million!  In 18 months.  No one will come the replace the Roberts when they leave, it was a one time assignment, just for these names. We decided to do a story on them, and while it may not go on the website in August, they don't head for home until October, and we want to get it up before that! There are some great pictures of them as they scan these cards and on breaks they open some and read about them.  There is so much more to this story, and we'll link you to the website when it goes up. More than just one million names, they hare one million people, who will now have their names available to have their work done.

Last night, Saturday here, I couldn't sleep until after midnight. Finally went to bed and slept till 4:00 a.m.! So unusual, because I had taken something at midnight to make sure I finally slept.  That usually gives me 8 hours.

At 4:00, I was wide awake, AGAIN! Went into the living room and said, OK, what is it I'm suppose to be doing?  I finally settled with the September Ensign and, what do I read first, but an article on Family History, page 24.  We are drawn to what is going on in our lives! It's a great article!

Then I read President Monsons message on page 4, 'Hastening the Work'. (I thought it would be on missionary work, and it was, but richer) Oh my goodness.  With the Elizabeth from England on my mind, and members of our families who have passed on, it was really, really a sweet experience. A President Monson quote from that article seemed especially profound to me:   

"The Lord has never, to my knowledge!, indicated that His work is confined to mortality. Rather, His work embraces eternity. I believe He is hastening His work in the spirit world. I also believe that The Lord, through His servants there, is preparing many spirits to receive the gospel. Our job is to search out our dead and then go to the temple to perform the sacred ordinances that will bring to those beyond the veil the same opportunities we have."

"Every good Latter-day Saint in the spirit world is busy, said President Brigham Young. What are they doing there? They are preaching all the time, and preparing the way for us to hasten our work in building temples here and elsewhere."

"Through our efforts in their behalf the chains of bondage will fall from them, and the darkness surrounding them,will clear away, that light may shine upon them,and they will hear in the spirit world of the work that has been done for them by their children here, and will rejoice in your performance of these duties." 

"There are millions of spirit children of our Heavenly Father who never heard the name of Jesus Christ before dying and going into the spirit world.  But now they have been taught the gospel and are awaiting the day when you and I will do the research necessary to clear the way so that we can go into the house of The Lord and perform for them the work that they themselves cannot do."

That isn't the whole article, but the parts that spoke to me. "That light may shine upon them".  Wow, makes doing Family History work so real!  We have often wondered what we will do when we get home, after being pretty busy here.  I think Family History may be our answer. 

I share this, so it will be in our journal, when we look back, and wonder what we should do, going forward.

All in all, a very good week.  We keep busy, the weeks pass, and we learn things that may never have touched us back home.  We need the stretching. 

We are so grateful for the e- mails that come from all of you!  One particularly nice one came from Karl West, as the High Priest Group Leader in the Fairfiield Ward, about Ann Clark and her miraculous progress after suffering from a wicked fall. We have been praying for her, and putting her and Elwood's name in the temple here, as all of her ward has, and it made us so happy to hear the news. What a blessing!

Love to you all, we miss you, and our hearts are with you. Please don't forget us, you are on our minds and on our hearts even in the busiest of times.  We love you!

August 8th 2014

Went a few days past a week this time, but not without reason.  Our boss here in Australia, (Alan Wakeley) is still gone over-seas until September 19th.  The ultimate boss (and Alan's boss) Richard Hunter came over from New Zealand, to spend a few days in the office.

Elder and Sister Moore, Richard Hunter, and us!

He is planning a Pacific Affairs Training Conference for all people in Public Affairs in November on the Gold Coast. There are to be attendees from NZ.  and Au. A few weeks ago, we sent in suggestions for themes and a possible agenda for the weekend.  (Pat's idea - "Come and See" was selected. Ray)

We spent this week with him, going over those plans as well as talking about Mormon Newsroom and the work in this office.  It was nice to have someone who has a past and a future in this work here in the Pacific Area, look over our shoulders and offer short-cuts and suggestions.  We just didn't have enough time with Alan before he left, and we learned a few things that will make our lives easier going forward.

Richard talked with the Moores and us, and the five of us spent quite a few hours together. Tuesday and Wednesday were good, full days with him.  Thursday morning, however, We started at 8:00 a.m. in the conference room, and he added a whole other layer to mix.

He began by having us read a scripture with him. D&C 118:3. "Let the residue continue to preach from that hour, and if they will do this in all lowliness of heart, in meakness and humility, and long suffereing, I, the Lord, give unto them a promise that I will provide for their families and an effectual door shall be opened for the, from henceforth".

He was kind enough to liken that scripture to senior missionary couples. He teared up, and Leslie and I teared up and the sweetest feelings entered in. "An effectual door"!  I like that. I don't mind being residue at all, with a promise like that. It was one of those moments when you just know Heavenly Father is aware of you.  Everyone has them, but I must admit that the intensity of that moment will be with us for a long, long time.

He continued by talking about Public Affairs, and his feel for it. Richard is from Australia, but has done Public Affairs work for the Church here in Sydney, Hong Kong, Salt Lake City and now, Auckland New Zealand.  He has 5 children, ages 3 to 14, and is the one of the most genuine men we have ever met.

He went from sharing his feelings about the work, to giving a bit of a history about PA in the Church.  Apparently Neal A. Maxwell was the first person with an actual Public Affairs title. (I don't think that surprises me at all). Then Russell M. Neilson, M. Russell Ballard and now L. Tom Perry. As  he spoke, the spirit was so strong that our eyes stung a bit. 

Richard talked about a near perfect example of Public Affairs in action being Ammon and Aaron and King Lamoni and his father. It all started when Ammon just wanted to serve the King. (not convert him). Then a proclamation of religious freedom was eventually sent to the Lamanites.  A relationship of service is where it began, just reaching out to serve an opinion leader. And ending up effecting an entire nation as a bridge was built and the word was spread.