Sunday Jul 21, 2013
Dear Family and Friends:
We got back from Church about a half hour ago. We visited
a ward that is about 6 blocks from our flat. The Bishop works for the
Church at Buckland House, he is over the cars for the mission. It is a
very small Ward, 15 in Primary, 9 in Relief Society, 2 full time sister
missionaries, 2 Stake Visitors, 1 visitor, and myself. The teacher was
doing sharing time in Primary, so someone got her when they were ready for
the lesson. Dad said there was about 8 in High Priest. It was
really good though. I think this is the Ward we will attend when we are
not visiting others. As part of the lesson the question was asked if
the Lord still asks hard things of us. A sister missionary that looks
like she could be from India, said that she joined the Church and 6 months
later she knew that the Lord wanted her to serve a mission. She said she
is the only member of her family that is a member and she did not have the
means to go on a mission and she did not know enough about the Church.
She has now been here in Australia for a little over a year. She said if
you trust in the Lord things will work out. I was very touched by her
story and realize how very easy we have it. I do count my blessings every
day.
This has been a really busy week. On Friday we
sent the hard drive to Salt Lake with over 14,000 images we had done.
Monday night we had Family Home Evening with the Sr. Missionaries. Sister
Jorgensen served taco soup, with cheese and crackers. There were 6 couple
missionaries, the Temple President and his wife, and a couple who is
visiting the Tanner Missionaries. The Williams were in charge of the
lesson and they had everyone bring their favorite quote from a Prophet.
It was very good. Tues night we went to the Temple and they needed
couples to do sealings so we were able to do most of the Williams family names
they had ready. Wednesday morning we were working away when a
man came in to work with us. We thought he was coming on Thursday.
He is Danny Chinn from Hong Kong. He is over this program we are using
for all of Asia and the Pacific. He had never seen the camera we are
using so he also learned a lot. He really gave us a lot of help is
setting up the folders, etc. that we have to use. He took us to lunch,
Sister Williams knew of a Chinese restaurant across the street and through the
mall. We went there and it was a very authentic Chinese, we were the only
non-Asian in there and we were really glad Danny could speak Chinese, he
ordered for us and it was very good. He had to have them bring a fork
instead of chop sticks. There was enough food for us to bring home for
another meal. Thurs. and Fri were just usual days at the office. We
work for about an hour then take a walk around Buckland House and down to check
the mail. We are really enjoying this weather. The wind has been blowing
a little the past couple of days, and we have had a couple of days of light
rain. Friday night we moved some furniture in the flat to open
up the dining room and living room and have it not look so cluttered. We
are excited to use our patio when it gets a little warmer.
Yesterday after doing our Sat chores, we are really loving
taking about 30 min to clean, we decided to go for a ride. Dix decided if
we are starting to travel next week we had better drive out of town. The
Williams had to go talk today about 5 hrs. away so they left yesterday
morning. We got fuel, first time since we have been here, it cost $45.00
and then we headed towards the Blue Mountains. The freeways here are
called motor ways, the speed limit signs 80 with a circle around it is about 50
mph, 100 is 70 mph. He said it is getting natural to drive on
the left side of the road. I am still getting used to it however,
riding not driving. Another sign we saw a lot of was “Keep left unless
overtaking”. We did see a couple of signs for kangaroo crossing, they normally
come out at night like deer. We went to Leura, a resort town in the
mountains, very pretty and very old. Reminded me of Park City with shops
on both sides of the street. We walked up one side and down the other,
stopping at a pastry shop and got cookies and shortbread and some water.
We then continued up the road to Katoomba, another little town. We walked
around and stopped in for a sandwich at a little store. We were the only
ones there but by the time we left there was only standing room, there were
only about 5 tables. It was very good. Driving around the
town we saw a Vinnny’s so we went in and I was able to get a couple of shirts
and a small shoulder strap bag to use when we are touring. The prices
were a little higher because it was a resort town, but $7.00 is still a good
price for a shirt. We came home and decided there was a few things
we needed at the store to make lunches next week so we walked up to the store about
3 blocks from our flat. We are finding more things we are used to having
that they don’t have here. Who thought graham crackers was an American
thing? They are not to be had here. I finally found celery salt,
but no celery seed. We went to a Sr. Missionary social at the apartment
of Malcom Arvidson who works for the Church at Buckland House. He loves
to get the couples together. We rode with the Jorgensen’s. We were
supposed to bring a main and dessert. I made a tortellini casserole and a
chocolate cake. It is fun cooking from scratch, I just have to remember
to look recipes up at the office with no internet at the flat. I think we
are finally getting the oven down with the conversion chart. We have gone
to using self-rising flour because the baking powder just isn’t the same.
Sister Arvidson has just returned from a 5 week trip with her two sisters to
Scotland, Ireland, and England to do Family History. She told us some of
her adventures and it was an enjoyable evening.
Sister Williams’s daughter told her about a recipe she had used
for dinner, a pork roast with whole cranberry sauce and Russian salad dressing,
in the crockpot. Of course there is no Russian dressing, and I found
little bottles of cranberry sauce, 2 would probably make a can. She found
a recipe to make the dressing so I made it last night as I had a pork roast in
the freezer. It smells really good, we are going to have it with twice
baked potatoes, sweet potato, and a bowl of fresh fruit. The
dressing is really good, I halved the recipe and still have enough to have with
salad. There is no russet potatoes so we bought some nice looking
reds. There is also no Velveeta cheese, or cheese spread. Ricotta
is the closest we have found. I am trying to figure out how to make cheeseburger
soup when we are in charge of dinner on the 26th of Aug.
We are in charge of the lesson and dessert on the 12th of Aug.
The mission president is changing the speaking assignments to
once a month instead of twice. It is just too expensive to go that often
that far away. Some of them would be two nights because they are so
far. Petro is going up and a hotel and food. We are excited to go
see some of the country however. On the next 3 day holiday we and the
Williams are going up to the Church Ranch.
We are still waiting for emails or letters to let us know what
everyone is doing. Thanks Sarah for yours, it is good to know how you are
doing. We have no idea what the rest of the families are up to
however. We were able to check email this morning before Sacrament
Meeting began and Tif posted pictures of the Roberts cleanup
and barbecue. We were pretty teary eyed as the meeting started.
We were excited to hear of Brielle’s birth and thanks to modern
technology we were able to be in the hospital room to meet her and congratulate
Jessica and Thomas. Thanks Deven!
We are enjoying our time here and know this is where we should
be at this time, just wish you could all be here to enjoy it with us. We
pray for you daily and love you all very much.
We are supposed to get our cell phone from the mission this week
and I will let you know our number. We are grateful we have Vonage and
can talk to some of you and text you.
We are looking forward to Wed, the 24th. The Sr.
missionaries are having a barbecue at the Mission home, next door to our
office. I am taking potato salad, and going to attempt peanut butter
fingers. We can’t find a big cookie sheet so I will just put it in
two. The powdered sugar here is called icing mix.
Sister Jorgensen just came over to invite us over for bread and
soup. We have just eaten so she said she said she will bring over some
rolls when they get out of the oven. She asked how we had dinner ready so
early when we go to the 9am meeting. I said the crockpot.
Love,
Mum and Dad
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