Transfer Week
This week we joined in on the branch family history class. (We forgot to take pictures) We met some new people and enjoyed lots of laughs. We printed our family names, so they are ready to take to the temple when we go up for zone conference in a few weeks. By researching our ancestors, we can perform sacred temple ordinances allowing our families to be together beyond this life. We always feel a special connection as we read the histories of our ancestors which strengthen our connection to past generations. I read some of my grandpa Cottam’s stories of his mission in Australia 118 years ago. When he was serving in Melbourne, he told of some missionaries traveling by ship from Perth to join him. As Dave and I are serving in the Perth mission that made me feel a special connection to him. Later when he arrived home and married, he named my uncle Melbourne in remembrance of the love he had for the people of Australia and his service there.
Elder Taylor and Elder Jones took us “street contacting” down
York Street. We each had a Book of Mormon and walked down York Street sharing
the gospel and offering people the Book of Mormon. We met a nice young man from
Germany who was traveling on holiday. We talked to him about the gospel and
offered him a Book of Mormon. He said he never reads; he just listens to podcasts
as he travels. Instead of a hard copy of the Book of Mormon we had him download
the Book of Mormon app on his phone. Hopefully when he returns to Germany, he
will look up the missionaries.
We also met our new friend Ian. Ian had just been released from the hospital and was having some hard times. Our hearts just ached for him. He was so happy just to have us stop and talk to him and show that we cared about him. As tears formed in his eyes, he kept telling us over and over “this is a God moment…God sent you here to me”. It was a very humbling moment to see someone struggling so much but so grateful for a small act of kindness…”by small and simple things are great things brought to pass”. We keep wondering over and over again why we have been so blessed when others struggle. It reminded us that we are put here on this earth to help others around us and lift their burdens. One of the quotes from President Monson that I love so much is “you can never escape the influence you have on those around you.” Be the good in someone’s life this week!
When we received our mission call everyone warned of the big spiders and snakes. We had a visitor at our flat this week. This is a skink. He was almost a foot long (they tell us that he is a small one) but Australians tell us they are good because they keep the snakes away. Skinks love to lay in the sun and sunbathe.
Every 6 weeks in the mission we have transfers. Some missionaries stay where they have been serving, and others move on to different areas and assignments. A video is made at the mission office telling where every missionary is assigned to serve. At 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday night we received the transfer video. As they read off each missionary’s name and put their picture up on the board, we patiently waited for the Albany area. As they read the assignment for our area my heart broke. Elder Taylor will be transferred to the Bussleton area. We have grown to love Elder Jones and Elder Taylor like one of our own kids. They will always have a special place in our heart as “our first missionaries”. We are excited for Elder Taylor and the great things coming his way. There are 2 sets of Elders, and an awesome senior couple, the Speirs in Bussleton. They are lucky to have Elder Taylor serve with them. The Bussleton chapel does not have a baptismal font, so baptisms are done in the ocean. What a once in a lifetime opportunity and we are excited for Elder Taylor to get to experience this. The water is so clear and blue. It is beautiful. He will do great things in Bussleton! We are grateful to keep Elder Jones with us. He is such a great missionary and humble and kind. He is fun to be around and has a great testimony. Our new Elder coming to join Elder Jones is Elder Bingham. We are excited to get to know him and serve with him. Stay tuned for more on Elder Bingham next week.
While grocery shopping on Wednesday we accidentally stumbled into the first fabric shop I have been in to in 6 weeks. Kim and my sisters (my quilting buddies) were beginning to wonder who this person was in my body. No purchases made this time.
We traveled to Mt Barker and Kendenup this week (45minutes) and had great visits with some of the members and friends there. (Again, we forgot pictures) It is so great to hear their life stories. We, of course, stopped at our favorite bakery and had meat pies as well as donut eclairs then sent Elder Taylor on his way.
Friday, the Elders Quorum had a get together for the men in the ward and Sister Chenery had cooked some delicious food. (Failed again at pictures) I helped Sister Chenery in the kitchen. The men had a great time telling stories and getting to know each other better.
Saturday was our favorite day this week. Our friend Lee was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Lee is amazing. Since the missionaries found him, he has dove right into learning about the gospel. It was such an honor to be able to be a part of his special day and watch him progress and become closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He is such a great example to us.
Australian tidbits for the week...
(we didn’t find to many…we
must be becoming more Australian)
They say Holiday not Vacation
Morning Tea--a social gathering after a morning activity
where people enjoy a light meal of sandwiches, breads, desserts and snacks. (We
have had a lot of these since being here)
Australian milk is packaged Full Cream (our Whole milk), Hi-Lo Milk (I’m assuming 2% or 1%), and Lite (Skim?)
They do not have refrigerated or boxed sugar cook dough in Australia.
Our branch friends said refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough is a new thing
here and is hard to find and expensive. We made fruit pizza for the “Morning
Tea” after Lee’s baptism which required a sugar cook crust. We didn’t have time
to make it from scratch, so we made “Curtis’s World-Famous sugar cookies”. As a
kid Curtis (our son) used to make cookies using cake mixes and altering the way
you put them together, so they are cookie shape not cake shape. We called them “Curtis’s
World-Famous cookies.” It drove Samantha (our daughter) crazy. She would always
say…”they are not World Famous”. I can’t
see her rolling her eyes right now.
Until next week…May your troubles be less and your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door.
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