Sunday, September 21, 2014

September 14 2014 Weekly Letter

Australia Sep 14, 2014
Dear Family;
We just got back from the Archibald’s flat so we will start with today and go backwards.  Sister Archibald called after Church and invited us up for desert about 7.  She said Rashika and Devmini were coming up with the Moore’s after the missionary discussion.   She also invited all the other Sr couples.  She made a dump cake and used cherries, blueberries and pineapple, with whipped cream.  It was very, very good.  Everyone was there except the Feil’s, they had another meeting.  The Allen’s have been in Perth for a week so it was good to see them back.  Rashika said Dave found the Church in Sri Lanka, and said it was just a small branch but he enjoyed it.  It was only about 20 min from his house.  He even wrote notes from Sacrament Meeting, Sunday School and Priesthood, and even gave the hymn numbers of what they sang.  We were so excited he went on his own.  There are no young missionaries in that country, and we don’t know about Service Missionaries.  We are getting excited for their baptism date, the Sr couples are going to do the dinner with the Oatlands Ward helping.  Rashika is doing the rolls, and the cake because it is Devmini’s 14th birthday.  We saw the counselor in the Bishopbric from that Ward in the store yesterday and he said they are so excited.  We are also!  We had a lot of fun visiting tonight and Rashika told us a little about Sri Lanka and Devmini told about her school.  Always fun to get together.  We are so blessed to be serving here with all these wonderful people.  We are going to miss them.
Church today was really good, it was the Primary Program, there are about 60-70 children in the Primary and they sang so good.  Bishop Curtis’s wife is the music director, and he sat on the front row and sang every song and the little kids were watching him.  It was so cute.  We were asked to take a few minutes in the Sunday School class to talk about what we are doing on our mission. 
Let me tell you about the weather this week before going on.  Monday thru Thursday was beautiful, Spring was definitely in the air.  Sunny, no wind, and 75 degrees all 4 days.  We were all ready to put the winter clothes away, and then Friday morning we woke up to rain and wind, and it stayed in the 50’s.  Saturday was the same, all though we didn’t have too much rain, just cold and wind.  We decided about 9 to brave it and go to the Quays on the rivercat.  We changed ferries when we got there to the Manly ferry.   When we got to Manly we walked a couple of blocks to the beach, and it really is a pretty beach and the waves were beautiful.  Not too many people in the water though, it was pretty chilly.  There were no shells, so after walking for a bit we walked up another street and found a cute little café and had prawns and chips, and fish and chips and salads.  We had the best dressing on the salad we have had in this country so we asked what it was and they said homemade basil, oil and vinegar.  We walked back to the ferry, waited about 10 minutes, then went back to the quays.  We had our bowl of mango yogurt, mine with kiwi fruit, and Dad’s with strawberries, before catching the rivercat back.  By the time we went to the store and came home it was almost 6.  Another good day.  There were lots of fun stores on Manly but we didn’t go in any.
Friday we were in the office alone which worked out well as we listened to the entire BYU game.  The Smylie’s were in Wollongong for a Family History Fair for 2 days, Mark was off getting ready to go to the States on Monday, for 2 weeks,  and he told Kailee not to come in because she left today to go back the BYU Hawaii.  She did come in to bring the bike back the mission gave her when she got here, and to tell us goodbye.  We are really going to miss her.  She is going to be in Hawaii about 3 weeks to give her report to the Uni, and help interview the next intern to come in January.  Tuesday we took Kailee to lunch and Mark had asked us to get the lunch for Wednesday, a farewell for Kailee, and a birthday for Elder Smylie.  We ordered the cake and nenish tarts for the lunch.  Wednesday Elder Smylie got a call from Hyde Park FH center that they had major computer problems and needed them fixed that day because the director was going out of town Thursday and they would be gone Friday and Saturday so Mark told them to go get it taken care of and be back by 3 for a birthday tea.  We went across the street and got the sandwiches and chips and drink for lunch, and went back and got it ready.  The Smith’s came because they have worked with Kailee in the Young Single Adult program.  We just visited, the 2 service Elders were in that day also.  They are really going to miss Kailee in the office.  The Smylies got back just before 3 so we got the tea set up.   That day was really a sugar overload!
Thursday we were working away when Elder Smylie said they wanted to take Kailee to lunch and would we come with them.  We all ran across the street and had a good lunch, at least as good as you can get over there.   3 times in a week is a little much.
Monday night for Family Home Evening the Smylie’s had the dinner and they had meat pies, Harry de wheels, style with mashed potatoes and peas and gravy.  She also had a green salad.  The Archibald’s did desert and fresh fruit and cookies.  Elder Archibald read an article from the Meridian Magazine “Why we Suddenly Have So Many LDS Missionaries from Zimbabwe.  It was written by Maurine Proctor and if you have time you need to look it up and read it.  I did post it on FB last week.  She starts out by saying “If you have been praying for missionary opportunites, you will want to learn about this.  You can pack a suitcase for an African missionary who may not be able to serve without your help.”  Three very high profile LDS professional golfers from the Ladies European Tour put it all together.  Check it out everyone!  We were also thinking it might be great for a service for the family Christmas Parties.  After reading that they showed the DVD “Called to Serve” with David Archuleta.  Very good.
Last week I said I had bought Colliwog dolls, but I hit the wrong letter, it should have read Golliwog.  C and G look sort of alike right?
This coming Saturday we go the Opera House to see “The King and I” and we are super excited.  The Feil’s, Killebrew’s, Moore’s, Smith’s, and Archibald’s are going, and we are going to eat at a restaurant on Darling Harbor before the play.
We send our deepest sympathy to Mandy and family in the loss of her grandfather.  He was a great man and will be missed by the many people who knew him.
A very Happy 11th Birthday to Dixon on Friday.
We Love You All and you are always in our Prayers!  Looking for to talking to you tomorrow.

Love,   Mum and Dad

No comments:

Post a Comment