August 2015

July 10th 
We picked up two YSA, Jessie and Jolea (male and female) from Brisbane, at the airport and took them out to a Catholic retreat several miles away. It was fun to listen to them talk and buy them lunch.  Then on the 16th we picked them up and took them back to the airport for their flight home. 

Fun to hear their tales of the week. Jolea had been the only girl in attendance and so slept alone.  She had hoped to have long conversations with girls of other faiths about their beliefs and hers. 

They had been sent, as youth, to see how interfaith works.  They were both returned missionaries and not the least bit fearful.  So brave.  I don't know that it will have lasting effects on the country but it might on these 2 young people as they get older.  Inter-faith will at least mean something to them. 

Jessie and Jolea

Interfaith Conference

July 19th

We had the opportunity to go to a baptism today. It was down near Sydney and it was actually a woman who had come to hear Elder Cook speak at Notre Dame on May 7th this year on religious freedom and then had gone to hear him speak later in the week at a religious symposium. Melina Forrest.

She had met with senior missionaries downtown and then young missionaries a bit later and taken the discussions. That's the nutshell part of the story, but it all worked out. She is single, but just a lovely woman, who has a degree from Notre Dame and is well acquainted with the assistant dean of the law school there, who is also LDS.  Many small things made it work, I would guess.

August 13th

Church Youth Choir that sang

We went to Adelaide for 6 days. They were having a 175th anniversary from the day the first missionary/Church member arrived in Australia. William Barratt 17 and one half years old, who came from England, alone.  He came to Adelaide.  They had a Multi-Cultural/ Multi- Faith event that was absolutely everything a Public Affairs happening should be.  A full cultural hall and over-flow!!  Lots of displays, flags, Church information, dances and musical numbers from different cultures, members and not.  Lots and lots of political leaders and community leaders.  The Govenor of South Australia came with his contingency and spoke about the Church and William Barratt!  He shared that he wished this young man could somehow see what he started here.  He praised the Church for their good works in the community. He is an Asian man, so I had to wonder if he might be Buddist.

His Excellency the Honourable Hieu Van Le AO, Governor of South Australia 

A govenor coming to something the Church has is a very rare thing in Australia.  You have to remember that the Church is only about 1% or less of the population in this country.  When he arrives, everyone must be seated BEFORE he enters. They actually had covered chairs with ribbon as they do in some weddings, for the dignitaries to sit on.

Indian Performing Group

Cantonese Opera Group

Cultural Displays

They had the leader of both political parties, Council Members, leaders of The Multi-Faith group in South Australia--not a member-- leader of the Muslim womens group and some of their members.  The list goes on.  The gym, the halls and foyer were all covered with multi cultural displays and Church displays. IT WAS AMAZING the amount of work that had been done and the amount of MONTHS that had been spent to pull this off!!  

Muslim Women's Association members

President Korte and Caroline McIlwaine

The Public Affairs Director of the multi-stake council in Adelaide was the instigator and the driving force behind all of it.  Her name is Caroline Mcllwaine and she is wonderful!  I think she set a standard that will be an example in this country for years to come.  And made friends with a very influential person in SA.  Who knows how he maybe able to help the Church in the future.  One can only imagine!

It was such a pleasure to be there. We took pictures and quotes like CRAZY!!  Please take a minute to go to mormonnewsroom.org.au to like the story!  IT HAS REALLY TAKEN OFF!!  BUT EVERY 'LIKE' HELPS.

We stayed until Tuesday night to cover a Fireside for the 'Time Out for Women' people who had presented on Saturday in Sydney. Adelaide ended up with David Archuleta and Brad Wilcox.  I actually went into the room they were meeting in before the fireside and ask if I could get pictures.  Very Bold of me!!!  Love the badge and the camera.  Those and most importantly a quick prayer for courage carried me through.

David and Brad (left) and Church leaders

David and Sister Liester his accompanist from our mission

Elder O'Riorden and his wife, Brad Wilcox and David Archuleta

David sang 'Come Come Ye Saints' A'capella.  Really, really beautiful.  Then, later in the meeting, he sang 'Glorious', which as you know, is the theme song for 'Meet the Mormons'. To hear him sing it live, WOW what an experience.  I have the lyrics on my desk so I will learn every word. The spirit was so strong that tears ran for a second. The phrase 'the music of the Gospel' kept going through my mind. It felt like exactly that!!

Brad Wilcix and David Archuleta

David and Brad (again)

Then we took quotes in the fireside like crazy.  Great, great meeting with what we figure was over 800 YSA and Youth. Just wonderful!  Good spirit and laughter too. SO many wonderful quotes from both of them.  Only room for a few in the article.  Which will hopefully go up Tuesday or Thursday.

On Wednesday morning when we were getting ready to board the plane back to Sydney, this very short good looking guy in a sweat shirt came up to us and said 'Hey, there's two missionaries I recognize." It was David.  We shook hands and said hello and watched him go back up the concourse. We don't know how he even saw us, or where he came from!  It was such a blessing for us! Can't even explain why. Tender Mercy. He is a very nice, kind, kind of shy person. I never would have guessed shy. 

August 16th
Yesterday was Saturday and one of those difficult Senior Missionary days. Three couples went to Watson Bay, via the River Cat and Sydney and then a ferry to Watson. Went to see the oldest lighthouse in NSW, or so we were told. Left at 9:00 and got home after 5:00.  It was a cloudy, very cool day but it was also a wonderful day. Sometimes we don't take the moments to notice the beauties all around us!! How blessed we are as missionaries to be in this place.  We are grateful every day, but more grateful after a trip like that one!! We love this country and it's beauties.  We just love America more.

A selfie!!!

Allen's, Willis's and Black's

Elder and Sister Black from Spokane

The 'Girls'

The Willis's from Snowflake Arizona

First lighthouse in Australia??

Watson Bay

The trip to PNG has been changed to late (very late) in September, so we will not be going. We are both sad and relieved. We would have been gone when the Browns (our replacement couple) comes in to be trained so, that wouldn't have worked. They would have still sent us, but it seemed a real conflict of interest, as there is no boss here to train them.  It feels good now.

Richard (our boss in New Zealand) wants to send us to Melbourne and Tasmania, as stories from there are the least of any area, but we will see what happens.  Not counting on it yet, we'll know more Monday or Tuesday.

Australia National Flower

We are 7 weeks from leaving Sydney and the 'to do list' is long and full.  Which will make it go quicker. 

 No boss for us yet, but they have it down to 3 candidates.  I got to sit in on the interview with the 7 finalists, as did Sister Willis.  Some tough questions were asked.  It was all done on a video conference.  The three that I picked were all chosen as the final three. Not inspiration I don't think, just a lucky guess.  Still, it was fun to be involved. Got to ask a couple of questions, because we have a very nice boss in New Zealand who looks out for us aged missionaries.

 We will see everyone soon, we cannot wait!  And yet we can, because there are peoplewe have gotten close to here that we will never see again.  Bitter/sweet.  I'd say sweet and sour, but that just brings thoughts of the Mandarin.  Wait, we can consider that in our future!!!  And lots more.

We love you all, thanks for reading the blog!  It makes us happy.
More to come next month.