Dear Family,
Our week started off with a wonderful
dinner on Monday night. Two older couples invited us to their home for
dinner. It was delicious and the company was great. We have some
very dear friends in the ward.
The past week was very busy- TRANSFERS.
We had 11 new arrivals and 27 departures. Transfer Tuesday is huge.
We have about 100 missionaries come for transfer meeting where they will
receive a new companion. We also had to bring 4 missionaries up from Tasmania
and send 8 missionaries back to Tas. (That is the way the Australians refer to
Tasmania). When you are transferred to Tas you can only take 1 suitcase.
We have a TASSIE room in one of the flats. That is where all the
extra luggage is stored. We have 22 missionaries in Tas right now so we
are constantly buying airline tickets. The Zone leaders come each month for MLC
(missionary leaders council) meeting so it is always crazy getting them to
Melbourne and back in the same day. It takes 1 1/2 hours each way to the
airport.
The transfer this week required renting
hotel rooms in the city and renting a huge bus. We had dinner and a
testimony in the conference room, at the hotel. The mission home is not
able to sleep 27 missionaries. We had breakfast the next morning at 5:30
am and were on the bus at 6:30 am heading to the airport. We had
missionaries going to Tonga, New Zealand, USA, Tahiti, Samoa and Queensland,
Australia. 3 senior couples, counting Adrienne and me, each were assigned
a different group. President and Sister Maxwell had to run back and forth
saying good-bye to each missionary. It is a very large international airport.
Once we got all groups through security we all went downstairs and waited
for our new arrivals. We all got back on the bus and back to the office.
The new arrivals, called goldens not greenies went to lunch at the
mission home. They all come back to the office for a meeting with their
new companions. It is a very long two days, sad when they leave us and
happy for our new arrivals. We always have more to love.
Thursday night we went to visit the TUI
family. They are the Tongan family who have adopted us. They have a
daughter, 25 years old, who has stopped coming to church. The RS
president asked us to make friends with her. They have 11 children and
they all live at home. There is one daughter-in-law and 2 grandchildren
also in the house. They are planning a huge family reunion in Salt Lake
next summer, . We will be so excited to see them.
Friday was clean our flat night.
It had been two weeks since cleaning but it really doesn't get dirty or
dusty. It is not like New Mexico with so much dirt and dust.
Saturday we went with Elder and Sister
Hullinger down to Philip Island. There was a beach town called Cowes that
reminded us of a 1960 California hippie town. We ate lunch at "the
garage" which was an actual garage. The food was very good. It was
different but unique.
We saw tie-dyed shirts and vintage VW
buses for sale. The weather was cold and wet but the country side is
gorgeous.
Saturday was stake conference for the
adults. The meeting was so good and spiritual but poorly attended.
Sunday, Mother's Day all the women were
given a rose corsage as we walked into the chapel. Very nice. It
was a very inspiring meeting. The stake president, President Page, is a
wonderful, kind, loving man. I am very impressed. He was very
tender.
Sunday night all the senior missionaries
went to Elder and Sister Jose's flat. Jose is not Mexican. They are
from Perth, Australia. We had a lovely time and it was pot luck. Love
these senior missionaries.
We as Moms and Grandmas are blessed and
very happy to be called Mom and Grandma.
"And now I bid unto
all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit
and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air
to meet YOU before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of
both quick and dead. Amen" Moroni 10:34
Mom and Grandma
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