Hello

Dear family,

It is now almost 5:00pm and it has been another busy day. The days start early and really go fast.  We are trying to get ready for all the new missionaries that are coming in in Nov and Dec. there is so much paper work. I am glad I do not work at the main office in SLC. With as many missionaries as there are all over the world,I do not know how everyone is accounted for and taken care of. We can't even keep track of who was what car,or who changed phones with whom and who decided they wanted to change to a different flat. There are some missionaries who just do that. But we love them. 

We had a family home evening last night with some of the Senior missionaries. One couple is going home to Canada. They will be sorely missed. They have been up close to the bush in a small branch. He has been the branch president and has done wonderful things up there. I hope when we leave we will have been able to help the mission. We try. We met at Pres and Sis Maxwell's home and had a great time together. There were around 20 people and we had a great time. We played a game I will teach you when we get home.

The weather has been wonderful this afternoon. It is a typical spring time here in Australia. The other night it was a thunder and lightning storm. It was unbelievable.

It was so good to face time the other night. I am sorry I could not talk to everyone for very long. The costumes were great. Please send pictures. Hope everyone has a great Halloween.

I love you all and miss you
Love ,Mom

P.S. If anyone wants to send some Sees Butterscotch little candies we would love it. The address here is 76 Cathie's Lane
            Wantirna South Vic 3152

Dear Family,

          "Live in such a way that those who know you but don't know HIM will want to know HIM because they know you.""

That quote was from our stake conference this week.  Loved both the quote and stake conference.

This week has been an education.  We have so many things to learn and do for the mission.  We are glad to get new assignments, doing work on the computer.

The office help has realized we can take on new work and get it done quickly.  We have really used our organizational skills to get the office in order.  The other

senior missionaries joke with us about being so organized and that the office has never been in better shape.  Which is true.

We didn't take lunch all week because several different zones were attending the temple.  It takes two sessions to do one zone.  They go to the temple and then

come and hang out with us.  We love having them around but finally it is time for them to leave and go and do the work.  Elder King, our financial missionary eventually

comes out of his office and makes them go.  Elder King is a great source of fun in the office.  He is a very small man, who was a principal in the schools.  He is smart and keeps

us entertained.  We will miss him and Sister King when they leave the office on January 1.

Friday, the Chinese Zone came to the temple.  We fixed lunch for them, about 24 missionaries.  We made soup, bought bread, fruit, brownies etc.  Their area is made up of students and 

recent converts.  They never get invited to homes for dinner.  When they come to the temple we always fix food.

We have been to IKEA twice, buying Christmas STUFF to decorate our little abode.  We are getting excited for the Christmas season.  We are already playing Christmas music. which is

no surprise to my children.  After all it is October.  The stores do not decorate like Nordstrom, or any stores in America.  A small area or 1 table of decorations is about it.  Quite disappointing but we have still managed to buy some cute LITTLE things.

Our exploring day was Saturday.  We went to a village called Maling.  It was a wonderful find.  Nice clothing stores, gift stores, cute cafes, and a great great bookstore.  We spent quite a bit of time in that store.  We walked and walked.  The weather was perfect.  We will return to that village.

This weekend has been stake conference.  We had an area (Pacific area) Seventy presiding, Elder Thompson.  He and his wife are from New Zealand.  The topic was, Hastening the Work.  President Monson chose this topic.  Elder Thompson said that is unusual for the prophet to make the decision on topics.  Things are moving fast in this church.  Elder Thompson made the comment that people are returning to the church.  Remember when we sent a quote from Elder Perry saying the same thing, people will return and join the church and not know why.  The gospel is moving forward and we must move with it.  Talk to people, invite people to listen to our message.  Elder Thompson said to watch and listen in the next 12-18 months, lots of changes coming.

            "To be close to the Lord we must  be willing to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

The whole conference was great and spiritual and emotional.

We went on a long walk today, Sunday.  We live in a beautiful area for walking.  Melbourne is really lush and green.  Every where  we walk we see new flowers blooming.  Love all the color.

We have two other quotes from conference, both by Neal A. Maxwell

       "If a person had the courage to walk through the doors of the chapel we should have the courage to walk across the room and welcome them."

       " If everything your children knew about the gospel was what you had taught them as parents, how much would they know."

We are so grateful for the way you are all teaching our grandchildren about the Savior and that you have FHE and that you pray together.  

Love to all of you,

The Moms and grandmas

Hello

Hello family

Everyone has left the office and it is just Dee Dee and I and it is quiet. It has been a busy day. We have had missionaries in here all morning. It was temple day for one of the zones. Again,it is always fun to have the missionaries in the office. Several missionaries have been in some trouble this week. They went to an area out of their zone,and then hit a kangaroo while going a little above the speed limit. Need I say more! The speed limits around here are really enforced. There are are cameras everywhere at the stop lights. The fines are in the hundreds of dollars. You do not speed because you always get caught.

The pictures up at the cabin were great. Did everyone go. How is Isaac's knee. I am so sorry that happened. Hopefully he will get back on a horse. Alex has said he is a good rider. I remember being bucked off a horse when I was in Junior high. Not fun.

The weather here is getting much warmer. It was around 70 degrees. I have a feeling it is going to get really hot in the summer. Dee Dee and I went to IKEA last night and they had so many Christmas decorations . Needless to say we bought some. It is hard to imagine Christmas when it is hot. We are looking for a Christmas candle. ,but we have not found one. Apparently, they really don't have Christmas trees like we have. We'll have to see. And then of course it will be expensive!

I love seeing the instagrams . The pictures are all great. Disneyland looked fun.
I love you all and miss you. Give everyone a kiss from me. Tell the children I love them and miss them. Next time you want to face time,let me know.

Love, Mom

Touring around

Catholic Church

Train Station

Apartments

Dear dear Family,

This week was crazy.  The mission secretary is having emergency surgery today, Monday, and will be out for 2-3 weeks.  So Adrienne and and I have been scrambling because we need to take on many of her duties, which are on the computer.  We were not computer savvy when we came on our mission.  We were nervous being called to work in the office.  By the time we get home we may be able to teach you things on a computer.  HaHaHa

This month the missionaries have interviews, zone conference and get to participate in an endowment session.  Lots of scheduling is involved.  Adrienne makes all the temple arrangements.  Because they get to the temple many of them come early and stay after to visit the office, get supplies and just chat.  One group was late so they did baptisms.  We have had many of the city missionaries come.  The city branches and wards are made up of Chinese and Vietnamese.  They have wonderful spirits and are having great success in bringing souls unto Christ.  The buildings in the city are open all day, so the students come and study, eat, visit,&  hang out.  There are two senior missionary couples serving there.  They have very long days.  The converts stay very active while living here, most are going to school.  We don't know how active they are when they return home to China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Vietnam.

Between all the Asian languages and the Australian dialect we often ask them to repeat what they are saying.  I don't think we will come home with an Australian accent.  The Australians don't say or pronounce the ER sound at the end of the words.  We Americans, on the other hand, say ER very clearly.

Went to our weekly Temple session on Wednesday.  We love all that we see and learn.  The workers are all starting to know, The Sister Sisters.

Thursday we were able to visit one of our visiting teaching families, Rosemary and John Body.  They showed us around their beautiful English garden.  The husband, who is totally inactive, talks with us, prays with us and listesn to our short message.  They are in their 70's and very pleasant happy people.  Three of our other ladies got a written note.  We gave our phone number in case they wanted a visit.  We are not very encouraged but we will keep trying.  The last lady likes our visits but doesn't get to church, bad back.  Her daughter who isn't a member likes us to come.

Yesterday, Saturday, we took the train to the city at 8:45 am.  We can walk to the station from our house.  We sat across from two great ladies who are originally from South Africa.  They came to Australia 35 years ago because of the aparheid.  They were going to the city for an International Convention of Jehovah Witness. It is being held in the football stadium.  On Friday they had 96,000 people. They knew we were Mormon Missionaries.  We talked to them about Family History and gave them the familysearch.org site.  Their sister did genealogy. It was a wonderful conversation.  We laughed  and enjoyed one another for 40 minutes.

As we walked around the city we saw old and new architecture.  They have combined the old and new beautifully.  It makes for a great city. Because of the lack of space the buildings are all very very tall.  There is construction of new high rises everywhere. Interspersed are old church buildings.  We walked for hours and thoroughly enjoyed the day. Our first stop was a lovely candy store.  I bought dark chocolate covered almonds and Adrienne got milk chocolate caramels.  There are 3 separate shopping centers connected by sky walks.  Each one represented a different price range.  We stopped for and "American" hamburger with chips (fries) at the high end mall.  It was scrumptious.  The young girl working the counter said, "We don't get many Mormon missionaries here." She smiled and said her mother was Mormon and her brother just got back from a mission in Russia.  We get happy when we talk about our church.

One lady told us to go find the boutiques, It was a few blocks from the shopping centers.  They were lovely but we never went inside to any of them.  The cheapest thing in all these stores was about $600.00.

We were told to go see the Victoria market.  It was an experience of SMELL, food, cultures, STUFF and now that we have seen it once, once is enough.

On the blog, cannonsisterscalledtoserve.blogspot.com.au we posted pictures of the City and Adrienne and I wearing fancy horse racing hats.  Hats are a must at the races, and formal events.  We got a good laugh.

We walked the whole city, got back on the train and walked from the station to home. It was 5:00pm. .  Our feet hurt but it was a GLORIOUS DAY!

Love to all,

The MOMS

Dear Loved ones,

Well, this week has been very eventful.  First off it was transfer week and new arrivals.  16 new missionaries arrived.  We will have 308 missionaries here by November.  It is a huge mission.  These new missionaries come in and they are scared, excited and wondering what is happening.  We don't get home til 9 at night. They are long days but these missionaries bring so much energy that we are all buoyed up and we are excited. They can turn a rainy day to sun.  WE LOVE THEM.

We got a new Chinese missionary that spoke very little English. He has been sent to Tasmania where several other Chinese missionaries are serving.  Australia does not consider Tasmania one of their states, but it is.  When people moved to Tasmania years ago and settled they  were families and relatives, so people talk about inbreeding.  Of course, for the Cannon family that also happened. But all the missionaries hope to go there and serve.  Our trip to Tasmania is a HIGHLIGHT for us.

We watched conference for 2 days, loved it.  The pictures of temple square, the temple and flowers were beautiful. It made us think of home.  We were at the ward 1/2 before it started to get a good seat and a parking space.  We were 2 about 10 people.  Sunday morning the stake center was full but by the second session, the chairs were all put away and the chapel was only 3/4 full. 

Tuesday and Wednesday was my 67th birthday.  Hard to believe I am so close to 70.  My office partner, Yvette, had decorated our room with balloons, confetti everywhere, banners and chocolate Cadbury candy.  Cadbury is made here.  In the afternoon all the arrivals and their companions, (about 40 people) sang Happy Birthday to me.  It was wonderful and emotional. Thursday night the office and President and Sister Maxwell all went to dinner to celebrate my birthday, and another sister's birthday.  She also works in the office.

Today it is raining. But the weather has been gorgeous.   Yesterday after conference we took a stroll through the neighborhood. Across from our house there is a ball park.  It is cricket season and we sat for awhile to watch.  We have no idea how they play cricket.  It has been explained to us and it still doesn't make sense.  The players look nice all in white.

We are here at the office, Monday 8:30 am and it is Tuesday afternoon for most of you.  We have a weekly office staff meeting with President and Sister Maxwell. They are always quite enjoyable.  Adrienne is giving the spiritual thought.

Elder Parry said,

      The Savior is the master teacher.  "Come unto me and I will give you rest.  My peace I give unto you."

Please pray for us to find people to talk with about the church.

Love you all,

Dee Dee And Adrienne

Australia

Mission President's Fireside

Sister Wardle

Brother and Sister Wardle are over the mission flats.

Another beautiful flower.

We were worried about getting a parking spot for General Conference.  It starts in 25 minutes.  No one is here.

Office decorated up my little cubby for my birthday.

All new arrivals and companions, about 40 people sang me Happy Birthday.

Hello

Dear Family,

Today has been new missionary day. There were 16 new missionaries that came in and around that many who left yesterday. Every 6 weeks we do this and it always turns out to be a zoo ? 
I will start with yesterday:
Which boys(That means all the former missionaries in our family) would you say you are
          a , The one the mission hated to see leave
          b, the one the  mission President wanted to send home early
          c, the missionary who caused the landlord to evict you as tenants
          d, the missionary who is OCD
          e,the missionary who was always happy and positive and tried very hard to follow the rules
    or.  f, the missionary 
who decides to go to lunch with friends and almost misses his flight home because no one can find him,so the mission President has to make a special trip to find him and take him to the airport !
I am sure I know which category you all fall into! 

The missionaries who arrived today look a little nervous and scared,but. They have some great trainers. In the short time I have been here I have come to know some wonderful young men and women who are going to go home and be great leaders. Nothing can prepare a young man or women like a mission. I love the people I deal with on a daily basis. They are the best of the best. I wish I could explain the different cultures we are coming to know and love. One of the Elders that left yesterday is an Elder Oppiyo who was here from Kenya. He was so powerful in a quiet way. He will go home and be such an asset to their country.

It was fun to talk to some of you on Sunday. I know where Patti was ,but where was Alex?  Patti did you find out if we can face time during the twins baptism. I would love to be able to do that. I am sure they are excited.

It is starting to get a little warmer but now very rainy. We changed time last Saturday night. 
Anxious to watch conference this weekend. We keep hearing that it is wonderful.

The missionaries are starting to come back for a meeting. I love you all and miss you. I pray for you every day and night. Stay strong and love the gospel. It will help us all through all our trials. The  Lord loved you and wants you to return to him. 
Love Mom

Dear Family,

It has been a pretty uneventful week.  We have the other 2 couples in the office leaving in December.  Adrienne and I have been organizing the office.  There are five files in the office for each missionary with the same information.  This week we are trying to make it one file for each missionary.  Getting rid of the duplicates.  We want things set up for the new couples that will be coming in.  We are getting new assignments each day and are a bit nervous about what we are to do and all we need to know before the other couples come in.

We went to the temple on Wednesday night. We try to go every Wednesday.  There were only 7 people in the session.  The baptistry is always full with the young kids and new members.  We love seeing all of them because they are so excited to be in the temple.

Every three months missionaries come and do an endowment session.  If they live more than an hour away they don't get that opportunity.  Each zone has a time during the month.  We have to know how many boys and girls are coming because they don't have clothing rental, but have enough for the missionaries.  It takes lots of planning for this to happen.  Adrienne has been on the phone making it happen.

Saturday, your Friday, we went wandering again out to the country.  The scenery is beautiful!!!!!! The leaves on the grape vines are starting to bloom.  The wine country is gorgeous.  Of course, there are lots of ranches, cattle and sheep.  It is rolling hills as far as you can see and very SMALL winding roads.  We see lots of bikers and 2 cars on the road and a biker do not fit on the these roads.

We stopped at a quaint antique store/cafe for lunch.  We ordered a beef pot pie.  We brought home one meal because the servings are so large.  I had to sign a paper saying I would not sue them if I got sick.  They said it was a law you couldn't take home uneaten HOT food.

We stopped at a nursery on the way home, wanting to get a flowering plant and pot for our front porch. But it turned out to be a nursery, jewelry, clothing, shoes, nic-nacs. toys, children's clothing store.  It was HEAVEN.  A GREAT FIND.  They told us they would have all their Christmas decorations up in a week.  YEAH

Christmas, Thanksgiving and Halloween are not celebrated with the same enthusiasm as the United States  BUT we have a Thanksgiving dinner invitation to the Auger family,  They are from Spanish Fork.  He is an executive in DoTerra. At church yesterday a very nice couple invited us to Christmas dinner.  We were so thrilled and got emotional.  Now we have something to look forward to for the holidays.  We were already worried we would be alone.  So silly of us.

We saw Women's Conference last night on Saturday.  It was emotional and wonderful.  15 minutes before it started Adrienne and I and one other lady were the only ones at the church. 1/2 hour after it started the chapel filled up.  Some may the comment, WELCOME to AUSTRALIA.

Last night we had our missionary fireside.  I was asked to lead the music, scary but I did it.  The missionaries always arrive late with investigators and new members.  President does not like that.  A family in our ward from Tonga fixed all the food.  They made enough for two wards.  It was all delicious.  They are the kindest sweetest people and soooo generous. I would say that 1/2 the missionaries here are islanders.   It was a wonderful evening.  President Maxwell talked about the importance of a prophet in our lives.  Told little stories about many of them.  It was very good.  How blessed we are to have a living prophet and the apostles who are prophets seers and revelators.  He quotes his dad occasionally.  Many young girls come to the fireside just to be by the missionaries.  They aren't invited but come anyway.

Adrienne needed to go Sunday before church and change a bandage for one of our office workers.  Afterwards we went to our missionary correlation meeting, then church, then set-up for the fireside, then the fireside.  A busy Sunday.  Started at 11:00 am and got home at 9:30 pm.  We were tired especially since we started daylight savings.  We fall forward an hour.

9;00 am here (Monday)  in SLC 4:00pm (Sunday) 3:00 pm in Phoenix 5:00 pm in Dallas.

President Uchtdorf said, "Find JOY in your life."

We would love you to finish the Book of Mormon by December 1st.  We have been challenged(by our mission president) to read the four gospels in December.

Love to you all,

The Sister Sisters