December 8, 2014

We don’t know where November went.  Seriously! As of yesterday, we  are 8 months into our mission! Don't know how that happened either. Sometimes, time just seems to fly, (other times it doesn't).

We had a really nice Thanksgiving, given we were out of the country in a place that doesn't celebrate it!  We helped fix for, and serve, 54 people the traditional turkey feast!  We ate at noon, because it was lunch time for the Service Center people and that's mostly who it was for.  All the senior missionaries cooked and brought their own food assignment. And they brought the BEST stuff (even fresh fruit arranged as a turkey). It was a fantastic lunch with all the trimmings and everyone ate way too much and then had dessert! And then more dessert.  So, essentially, it was just like any other Thanksgiving, food wise! Except no pumpkin pie.  Someone should have gone to Costco. But we did have pavlova and THAT is a treat!

Thanksgiving Dinner

Amy and Bryon and Amanda and Adri and Joshua B. were here for 10 days and brought the turkey napkins and cranberry sauce and stuffing!  Many of the people had never tasted stuffing before or cranberry sauce, so it was fun to watch the tasting and watch them find that they really liked both!  It was a good day. They met so many people that we're sure their heads were spinning. Then we headed over to watch the two grand-daughters be baptized at the temple.  It was Adri's first time, so that was fun to watch!

We had a great time trying to keep up with the family and trying to keep up on our work here.  We probably weren't very successful at either (although their jet lag was in our favor) but we had a good time showing them the sights, walking the Harbor bridge for photo's and eating our way through the tourist thing.  We made some good memories and we think it's a time we will all, always remember!  

It is Christmas time here even though it's pretty warm some days! The Christmas Lights are up on the temple grounds (and although it isn't SLC temple) they are beautiful! Along with huge paintings of the Savior's life on display for all to see inside the Service Center. They are each lighted just right!  Large, large nativity and a film about Christ that is just amazing! We wrote an article about it that you may enjoy reading.  Christmas lights.  

   

We have assignments to be hosts during the month of December for that, in the evening from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. so that will keep us busy!

The information for articles keep coming in, along with subjects our boss would like to see up, so we keep going.  Right now, there are maybe 7 possible articles on our desks to be written. Plus Alan's (our boss') ideas. I tried explaining it to a friend via e-mail the other day.  It's sort of like having 7 sacrament meeting talks to put together and give.  Researching the quotes and Church info to go with them and then making sure they're word perfect!  Putting it into what seems the right order and then doing it again, because it doesn't seem right. Sometimes we start from scratch, sometimes we have more to get us going.  Sometimes taking pictures and adding captions, and sometimes just choosing from the pictures others have taken. It takes TIME! But it's funny. . . once we get into it, the spirit takes over and we can't let go of the project.  Sort of like a dog with a bone.  And that is a huge blessing!!!

We are still amazed by one article we wrote a few weeks ago. We think we mentioned it in the last post as well (like we said, a dog with a bone). It has broken all records for Facebook 'likes' on Australia Newsroom by a mile. It's one that just makes us happy, as that one started from scratch.  If you haven't read it all ready, you'll like it.  Not so much the way it's written, but, the story itself!  He is an amazing man who gives of himself in a way that most of us never dream of.  He's actually a self proclaimed agnostic, but inside some where, he's a Mormon, we just know it!  Scott Neeson   Like it on Facebook and pass it on if you feel so inclined.

We sat in Fast and Testimony Meeting today in our ward and it was amazing to hear one brother say how this was the last testimony meeting for 2014.  It was a bit of a shock.  We were set apart as missionaries and went to the MTC, left for Australia in 2014!  To look at the year being over is just, shocking almost.

This is the only Christmas we will spend in Australia, so, while we will miss family and friends and all the normal traditions, we intend to enjoy the experience.  We certainly have every reminder of The Savior around us every day that anyone could ask for.  More Christmas lights around our home than we would ever put up! It's an opportunity to step back from the norm and see the big picture.  We've got to do that!!! Even though stepping back will be painful . . . as we love ALL the traditions back home and all the people too.  We'll get by.

We watched the video downstairs tonight (Sunday) about the Saviors birth, life, teachings, Crucifixion and Resurrection. It is an amazing compilation of films and shows some really touching scenes from the Book of Mormon. It would be impossible not to feel the spirit as you watch it, but knowing some of the people in the room are non-members is really something else! Especially given that we've spent the evening with pictures of Him and Christmas hymns on a great sound system. A huge blessing of being on Church grounds and being able to host for the Christmas Lights. We are grateful.

It is great to hear these young missionaries bear their testimonies as they end of the film.  I have heard 3 of them now, and they are really incredible.  So, so, good, and so capable.  It would be hard not to feel your testimony just burning.  I hope they all feel it as they watch. We hope you all feel it as you go through the season.  How fortunate we all are to know who Christ is and what He has given us!  Merry Christmas!!

Our kids have sent us a 'Peanuts" nativity (which is just awesome) and looks so great in our office, a small Christmas tree with lights and all the decorations, a Christmas movie and CD, a Christmas tie for Ray, so he can be 'stylin'!!  We have each other, and that is certainly one of the best gifts this year! We have a snug little home and people we have learned to care about and feel comfortable with. We are blessed.

The only thing we don't have is all of you!! We miss you all SO much!  You are in our prayers and in our hearts this Christmas time, probably more than most years, because we know how dear people can be now, and we miss you! Have good preparations and enjoy the season and all that goes with it! We love you.

November 18^th 2014/ Gold Coast PA Training Seminar

The week before this one, we went to Narooma to speak at the branch there.  It was the most amazing area.  Lakes and rivers and the ocean, all in one small area.  We stayed in a sort of cabin that someone in the branch gives to the visiting missionaries for free.  I was a little worried, but it was great!  They own this area with lots of lodging on it, and all very well taken care of.  It was like this huge family resort. Amazing property, a bit like being up in the mountains, and yet quite close to the town.

Narooma Branch, above the whale

Narooma Harbor

Narooma Branch (Up stairs)

The branch was a good one, growing pretty fast.  The people in these branches work so hard, because they wear many hats!  And yet they are so happy with the work and  so eager to please.  They are an amazing force for good.  They meet in a space above a deli, but it was all very new    and they had just the room they needed and it was  perfect. It had been a long drive (7 hours down and 6 hours back), but it was more than worth it.  We learn so much from them, not the other way around.

Pat and Ray's future home on the water

Narooma

                                                                                                                                                                                                                            The Branch President and his wife are from Scotland.  I'm guessing they were probably about 28 or 30?  They have been here one year, and have come without their family.  They didn't have children, so they are a bit on their own and yet so happy and brave about being so involved in the Church.

                               ***********************

View from the Balcony

We are home from the Gold Coast, flew in this evening.  We are in the office tonight because 2 articles need to be put up.  I am spending my time on the blog and Ray is working at posting, because that’s what he does so well, all the time!

Gold Coast

We are happy to be back in Sydney.  It felt just a little like coming home . . . actually a lot like coming home!  So odd.

Elder Moore at conference

The Coast was wonderful and so beautiful.  Our room was on the 23^rd floor and faced the ocean.  It was a five star hotel and it earned every one of them!  Every time there was a mix up with what had been arranged, all we had to do was mention it, and it was very quickly fixed, with grace and kindness.  Just for example, before the first morning session started on Saturday, we noticed that the “break’ stuff was somewhat set up outside the conference room.  Many, many cups and saucers and 2 wooden boxes of tea bags and a warmer with coffee written on it.  I went down to the front desk and explained the situation, and that punch and water had been ordered. I kid you not, 15 minutes later I came out to check and all these beautiful urns had been set up with colorful juices and punch and lemon aid and many clear glasses!  And ICE! (which is pretty rare here). It was like magic!  Not a cup or saucer in sight!! When we actually came out for the break, a couple of hours later, pastries and nuts had been added.  We were so helped and blessed.

Public Affairs training conference

John Cunniffe (NSW) Terry Travers (Tasmania)

                                                                                                                                                                       It actually feels so much more missionary like to be back here.  The other was just great, but this feels better.  It was a welcome respite and we were grateful for it, and awed by the sites, but normal is good, we think especially on a mission.  Keeps us more focused!! And feels more right!

Sister Fugal and Sue Owen (Queensland)

Sister Moore & Sister Wallace

Our fearless leader Richard Hunter and two members from New Zealand

Just before we left for the training, we had posted the most amazing article we have worked on yet!  By far! It fell together so well, because this guy’s story is just incredible!!! We did a lot of research and took notes like crazy at the fireside.  It’s a story we hope you’ll love too.  I think it may be the longest one EVER, but there was no way to leave any of it out!

Stephen Webster and Tom from New Zealand

 It is AWESOME.  We hope you'll take a look at it, because we think you'll like it too, and then like it on Facebook, because it will help his story spread. It's about Scott Neeson and it is quiet a tale to tell. See article here.  Don't forget to watch the videos from CCF.

We have lots to do now, and we're glad. Many times lately, we have been reminded how blessed we are to be in Sydney.  At the conference, we had a chance to visit with the 4 PA missionaries who are stationed in New Zealand, who were actually trained with us in Salt Lake, the Wallaces and the Fugals. Two very nice couples.  They talked about how they hadn't really been warm since they arrived and that, although it's beautiful there, it rains and blows almost all the time.  It made us silently thankful for where we are!  But we think that very, very often. We need to not ever take it for granted!!

We hope you are all well. Amy and Bryon arrive this Friday with the kids.  While we don't envy them the very long flight from Minn., it will be great to see them and show them a little of the area.  They will be here for 10 days and then off to Fiji for a couple of days. They will be here over Thanksgiving and are going to help us serve dinner to the full time employees in the Service Center, so they can experience a Thanksgiving dinner. The other Senior Missionaries are all contributing food and it should make for a fun, full day!!!  Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.  There are definitely many things we miss about the USA!  Many of those are people.  We love you all!

Nov. 2nd. ADELAIDE and Difficult Good Byes

October has been the longest month, and taken us totally by surprise. It was just a difficult one, we still can’t totally figure out why.  Just some hard adjustments all over again. We are glad to say hello to November!

We are a little blue, the Fiels (the office couple) left last Thursday.  They will be traveling for a month all across Australia, then New Zealand, and then to an island that we can’t remember the name of.  They will be in Utah the 1^st of December.  Oh, how we will miss them. They lived right next door to us and they were fun people.  Ray used to trip in front of the mission office very often for her as we walked to work.  One day she came out the door to say hello, and purposefully fell into the hedge for us. It was so like her. And so funny.  The neighborhood is sadly quiet without them.

The Fiels and the Allens

The Roberts 

The Roberts from Family History leave next week.  They are traveling a bit on their way home as well.  They are a special couple and we love them too.  It's interesting, on a mission, that you bond very quickly with the other couples, because they become your support system.  We are amazed how hard it is to see them both go.  No one replaces the Roberts, as they were just here for the Million Names thing that the article was about. The Roberts live in West Layton and are the proverbial farmers.  We will miss them as well. So much!

The Roberts and the lady who collected one million names

We spent 4 days of this week in Adelaide, training a new Public Affairs Council there. It was such a good time to get away, and the people there were all so nice and so eager and enthusiastic about their callings.  

We love these signs

After the council meeting, we met with 2 Stake Presidency members and that was nice.  Just to talk about Public Affairs, and their goals.  The next night we went to dinner with the director of PA for Adelaide and her husband.

The MacIlwaines and Allens

The MacIlwaine's, their children and grand children

 It was fun to hear their story and talk about their family, and then hear some of her concerns about her calling.  It was a good evening. later we'll put in a picture of their family.

The next night we met with a Stake President and his PA person for their Stake.  A little bit farther away, but worth the trip.  The best part, aside from the council meeting, was probably the opportunity to go to the Adelaide temple.  Who would have thought!!?? 

Adelaide Temple

We had a fun coincidence there.  We met the temple President and Matron, such nice people.  We had just put an article on newsroom about him being presented with an Australian flag from a Parliament member. This really nice couple were spending their next to last day as Temple President/Matron.  How lucky we felt to meet them, and have them talk about the article.  We had just put it up a few days before kind of as a fluke and were so grateful for the timing of it all. Before they were released.  We saw it as a tender mercy!!

Adelaide is a very pretty city.

Building in Adelaide

 We really enjoyed it.  Quaint, and yet large.  Maybe a bit of the feel of New Orleans (because of the design of many of the buildings) but very calm and quiet.  They have great parks with walking paths and we did some serious walking, which is always good.

We went to the ocean one afternoon, just to see it, and walked out on a very, very long pier. The locals tell us it isn't the ocean, but the Gulf. Whatever it was, it was beautiful! We only had 2 hours but we enjoyed it. Didn't even walk on the sand, but we loved it, and are grateful.

A couple on the Gulf pier

The Gulf

 We came into the office on Saturday and did some catch up, and we're here tonight, Sunday evening, and we thought it would be a great time to write on the blog before the Australian National Public Affairs council monthly teleconference.  Which means. . . we are in our jeans and very happy about it!!

The Moores are in their office across the hall, preparing as well, and they are so excited.  Two of their married kids are on the plane to Australia as we speak.  They have been here 13 months, so they are extremely pumped to see them.

November is going to be a busy month.  We go to speak in Narooma on the 9th.  It is 7 hours away, so we are leaving Friday night, the 7th.  Then, on Monday the 10th, Stephanie Allen Egbert (our niece) comes in with a collegue for the day, before they fly to New Zealand, Fiji and other places un-known on Church business.  We're going to show them around a bit, so we are looking forward to the day.

Then on the 14th, we leave for Brisbane and the Gold Coast for a Pacific Area Public Affairs Conference.  We just have a small part on it, so we will mostly just enjoy. The Gold Coast is the Las Vegas of Australia, so it's an interesting choice, but they are very good at accommodating conferences, so we are happy to attend.  The day that it ends, the G-20 conference begins.  We will not get back to Sydney until Tuesday evening of the 18th. 

On Saturday the 21st our daughter and her husband and 3 kids come to Sydney for 10 days.  We will have a chance to spend some time with them between work and have tried to clear our calendars a bit. 

On Thanksgiving Day (the 27th) they're going to help us and the other senior missionaries put on a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for the Service Center (all Australians).  So it will be fun to share turkey and dressing and the like with them.  About 50 people in all, so we don't think any of us will have much time to miss home that day, thank goodness! What a blessing that is this year! Before we know it, November will be over!

We are happy, we are well, we enjoy our time together and we love the work.  Articles are coming in like crazy.  we are busy, busy and BUSY, and on a mission, that is a great blessing!!  SO great! We are blessed and we are grateful. 

It is quickly getting to be summer here, and then we have a day here and there with a bit of a chill, and we are happy for both. The flowers are getting beautiful, and many of the trees have these gorgeous flowers on them.  It's the first we've seen of all of these as we came in the fall here, and it is AMAZING!  In Adelaide we snapped a picture of the most beautiful purple tree.  We'll try to include it on the blog.

Down Town Adelaide 

We went to our ward today and saw 6 babies blessed with three rows of non-members attending for that.  The missionaries were nearly bursting with pride.  It was fun to be there.  

We send our love and thanks for ALL your support.  We love hearing from all of you, it keeps us sane and gets us over any rough spots.  We do still pine for home fairly often. Mostly people. Everything else is just stuff and replaceable. We are so blessed, all the time, and we love Newsroom and all the good news that comes our way via the internet.  What a great time to live and be a member of the Church.   We have to say that Public Affairs is a great mission.  If you're looking at a mission, give it some consideration.

I must say in closing that I still yearn to drive on the proper side of the road, in the appropriate side on the car.   Even now, it seems so very strange. But the beauties all around us more than make up for that. We love you all, and you are in our prayers, every day!!!  Be safe. 

October 17th 2014 -- BAPTISM

It is a very cold summer day today, and last night we had 80 km winds and rain all night long! Rain like we have never seen before, even in Florida! Yesterday was the same.  Kind of an odd summer right now.  Pretty sure we will miss these 3 days of weather all too soon.

Last Saturday, October 11th, our grand-daughter Libby was baptized by her dad Spencer.  On August 2nd, our grand-daughter Mia was baptized by her dad Ryan. Those are very important events and close to our hearts! No baptism can ever take the place of a baptism in the family! They matter SO much, even when we can't attend them, they bless our lives and make us happy.

Going along with that, last Friday, October 10th, the Ranasinghe's were baptized.  They are the couple from Shri- Lanka (and their daughter) who became interested in the Church when she (the mom) was walking around the temple grounds 5 months ago and felt profound peace there. There was a question for a while if the father, David, would actually be baptized, as he is out of town 85% of the time, so the discussions were more difficult for him.  What a blessing that the whole family did it together!

It was a very special evening.  Seeing the dad come up out of the water was just amazing!  Prior to the actual baptism, I had a spiritual experience that stays with me even at this minute. The senior missionary men were asked to sing 'How Great Thou Art' in the chapel after the talks. It is Dave Ranasinghe's favorite hymn (mine as well). There were maybe 10 of them who sang, and it was so beautiful.  I watched them,in their suits and ties, (a couple just in white shirts) with their missionary badges and a glow on their faces and listened to those words as if they were brand new.  The spirit was so strong, the sound was extraordinary and it was one of those perfect moments in life. I knew I was so blessed to be there, that I was exactly where I was suppose to be and that the Church is so true that it astounds me, even at my age. The thought that came so strongly was, 'who would have thought, a couple of years ago, that we would be serving a mission in Australia and have an evening like this one?

Watching them was such a testament of the power of the priesthood, you couldn't help but feel that. Also, it was so touching to know that we had come to know and love and respect these men, and that I am fortunate enough to have Elder Allen as my eternal companion. I was so proud of him in that moment and so in love with him.  How does that still happen after 46 years? 

This is probably the only baptism we will witness while we are here, but we are grateful, and it was enough.

We are so busy, it is a true blessing.  Stories just seem to come out of the woodwork right now. It takes a lot longer to get them approved and posted at present, but we are confident that will improve. We love what we are doing, even though most of the time, we are very tired at night. Extra projects just keep coming at us and it's hard to know which ball to keep in the air, and how!!

The times we can break away on a Saturday just hold us together and keep us sane.  Last Saturday we went to Palm Beach (really, in Australia).  It was the best beach we've seen so far.  Lots of pine trees and not very busy.  It was a bit cool that day, which was perfect! We sat and read and talked and soaked in the beauty around us.  We took our camping chairs from K-Mart and enjoyed every minute. I walked up the road and got us 'take out' from this little outside place.  We felt like we had died and gone to heaven, and came home feeling totally decompressed.

Conference was wonderful, we watched it on our little i-pad in our flat, for the most part. Didn't even matter, it was still amazing, even if it had to buffer pretty often, we still loved it.  Just different than Utah where you can all watch it on your big-screens, live.  Such a blessing!

A couple of days ago we got a request from our boss that was interesting.  Bruce Lindsay, the former KSL anchor and present mission president in Perth, asked for a couple of PA people to coach 2 of his missionaries prior to a radio interview, as he was not in the city at that time.  We got elected.  So, we did a little research of what their responses should be to various questions and called the Elders. We were so ready to be of help, and save their day!  Every scenario we presented to them, they had the absolute perfect answer.  EVERY time! We didn't come away from that phone call feeling very helpful, but it sure boosted our confidence in the divine spirit that guides these young missionaries.  We all know they have it, theoretically, but it's something else to see it literally. They are so amazing!! There is just no other word for it. (we could say awesome, but they tell us that's WAY to American). However. . . they were AWE --SOME!!

We need to end this epistle for now. We are so grateful for e-mail and face-time. Don't know how we would have done a mission 20 years ago?  Just when we feel all weird and missing home, someone calls or writes and it does us SO much good.  Thank you all. Please don't think we are ever too busy for that!!  Hope you are all well and that you all know we love you. You are all, and forever will be, our best 'mates'!

October 5th 2014/ Sunday

Sister Allen's favorite tree in Australia

We can’t believe it's October, and yet we totally can. Day after tomorrow, we will officially be 6 months into our mission.  I know, I know, you're all saying, "have they really been gone 6 months?"  Because, that's how missions seem to work.  If they aren't yours, they go really fast.

If they are yours, the first 3 months are really long, and then (according to others) after 6 months, the time seems to fly.  So we will see.  We are certainly busier and more tired than we have been so far. 

On the other hand, most everything seems pretty normal to us now, and we can get almost any place here.  There are hours of the day and sometimes days of the week that we actually forget we're in Australia.  It's so weird.

We were set apart as temple workers last Thursday.  Ray will start in 2 weeks and I may not start till January.  It will only be a couple of Wednesday nights a month, so that will be good.  They say December is really busy here, as we all take turns hosting at the temple Christmas lights display.  Apparently they have like 12,000 people come to see the lights and singers etc.  This will be our first and only one, so we'll enjoy it and be glad to be busy during that particular season. We are having some pass along cards prepared for the month, which will be handed out to visitors, advertising the Newsroom Website.  Feel free to visit the site any time Mormon newsroom.  You will be called UNIQUE VISITORS on the monthly reports, and we get brownie points for that!

We had some interesting news yesterday. At least in Australia, they are no longer asking senior couples to extend, as the visas for them cost more than the 2 to 6 months are worth.  We have often wondered what we would say, if we were lucky enough to be asked.

Lucky, meaning that it would be a sign of sorts that we had at least done an adequate job.

I have to say (however undedicated it sounds) that it's nice to have it taken out of our hands.

We are including some pictures of our visit to the Targee Branch here.  It was a couple of weeks ago, but we didn't want to lose them along the way.  They don't have anything to do with the text, but here you go.

Targee Branch Pot luck after block time

Targee Branch members and missionaries

Targee Branch building

We have been able to watch just a bit of conference so far.  The official time to watch it at our ward is next weekend.  I have seen all of Women's Conference, and we have watched most of Saturday morning.  It is interesting to be away from Utah when Conference happens. We miss all the traditions that go with it, but it is so amazing to know that we can get it on the i-pad this quickly.  We could watch it live, but the time difference makes that difficult.  Unless we want to get up at 3:00 in the morning, which we don't.

We spent last Saturday in downtown Sidney.  All day!  The Feils (the mission office couple) took us down. They will end their mission in 3 weeks, so we were happy to go on a trek with them.  They are the couple who have been married 6 years now.  They know SO much about this area and are a treasure chest of information.  They are also fun to hang out with, so it was a very good day, one we will always remember!

Elder and Sister Fiel

 

We walked the Sydney Harbor bridge and took many, many pictures that will never do it justice.  The views of the entire city were absolutely stunning!!!! What an area we're in!  I think we seldom have a prayer that we don't thank Heavenly Father for letting us be here.  It is an honor and a privilege to serve Him and it is just plain amazing to do it here in Australia. What a blessing!  

Later this month, we head to Adelaide to do some training to those who have been called to Public Affairs in that area.  The council members are all new, so it will be great to spend some time with them and go over the packet of their responsibilities and share the vision.  Not that it's OUR vision by any means, but we are finally seeing the scope of it. We are so happy to be involved in Public Affairs, even in our small way.

The more we travel around this country, the more we see that, so far, the whole of the outer perimeter is absolutely beautiful. So happy to see a bit of it, and be doing the work at the same time.

It is Sunday evening at 9:50 and we are just headed home from the office.  There was a PA meeting this evening, as there is twice a month.

One more thing.  We started daylight savings time today.  We sprang FORWARD an hour!  It boggles the mind to know what time it is now for you, as we have kids in all 4 time zones in the U.S. and 2 family members in Lebanon? Too much for our tiny pea brains to work with. But we will try.

Just a last note.  It is Monday here now, Labor Day!  The service center is actually closed, so we are here for a while and it is VERY quiet.  That's both good and bad. Conference is over for you all.  We are so excited to hear the rest of it, because you are all saying it was wonderful.  But then, it always is!

Love you all, and appreciate your contact with us, more than we can ever say. We still miss you!