It is Monday morning and all of Australia is on a holiday, THE QUEEN'S (ELIZABETH) BIRTHDAY!!!
Dear Family,
Monday night we were invited to a member's house for dinner. They are missionaries that live in our ward. They are in their ninth year as missionaries. They teach the addiction program and are going to start teaching the marriage and family program. Anyway, the dinner was lovely and the table decorated beautifully. There was another couple and single sister. As always it was a very fun evening.
This past weekend was the highlight of our week. My best friend from elementary and junior high school, Heidi Hayes Jacobs, came to Melbourne. Her husband Jeff Jacobs came with her. She is a renowned educator and speaks all over the world. She has written several books. She travels constantly and has seen the world. I always knew she was very smart. We had not seen each other for 40 plus years. She had a speaking engagement in Brisbane and then came to Melbourne. Adrienne and I came to the city and stayed in the same hotel where they were staying. When we saw Heidi it was a very emotional reunion. We hugged for a long time. Memories came flooding into my mind. We did everything together, our families were close, her dad taught me to water ski, and the list goes on. We went to dinner at the Pure South restaurant. It was organic Tasmanian food. It was good food and the atmosphere was very pleasant. We walked along the Yarra River to get to the restaurant. It is a beautiful site walking along the river with all of lights from the city. It was a most relaxing and very pleasant evening.
Jeff is Jewish but not practicing his religion.
Heidi is LDS but not practicing her religion.
They are a very happy compatible couple who really enjoy each other.
We talked about religion. Yes, we did and it was a great conversation. His comments were that religions of all kinds should come together and associate one with another. He said the world would be in such a better place if we were all agreeable. It gave us the opportunity to talk about the church being a worldwide church. They were surprised that there were 144 temples throughout the world. We told them that in the Melbourne mission we have 25 different countries represented by young missionaries. We explained these young missionaries from all over the world are serving missions in many different countries. He was very impressed and said, "I am glad to hear that." This was another little miracle for us.
This morning (Sunday) we went to the Chinese branch, in the city, to Sacrament meeting. It was a very spiritual meeting. There were about 80 people in attendance. The count included the missionaries but they have enough converts to do the whole service without the missionaries. That is good. They were either speaking Cantonese or Mandarin. Cantonese is spoken in Hong Kong. Both languages are written almost the same way but when it is spoken it is different. Hope that made sense. We wore headsets and one of the members translated for us. A couple of the missionaries bore their testimony and it was very touching. We may not have understood what they said but the spirit was very strong. Whenever we are around the missionaries in church or meetings or conferences the spirit is very strong.
The office got together last night at the mission President's home for dinner. It was to say good-bye to the Brent, Maika and little Ether Daire. He has been a volunteer in the office dealing with the vehicles and all the problems with driving a mission car.
Brent is 31 and Maika is 25 years old. Ether is 10 months old. They have been married 3 years. They have been called as a senior couple to serve a mission. They can't tell us where they are going because the country hasn't recognized the church yet. It will happen soon but until then it is a secret where they will be living. Last Thursday they came to the office to learn and understand what each of us do. He will be going with an area seventy to the country and meeting with the government officials. It is very exciting but very unusual. Hopefully, in a couple of weeks he can tell us where they are going. Brent has a master's degree, has graduated from a military school, compared to West Point, and is a veteran of the Afghanistan war. He gets some compensation from the government because he was wounded. He is very funny and very patriotic. We will really miss them but what a wonderful opportunity awaits them. Being a missionary is GREAT!!!!!!
In closing;
"Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward." D&C 58: 27-28
We love you all,
The moms, The grandmas, The sister sisters
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