Dear Family,
We encourage you to look
at the blog cannonsisterscalledtoserve.blogspot.com.au for the pictures of all we write about in
our weekly letter.
Monday, It was Australia
Day, similar to our 4th of July. The office couples took the afternoon
off and took the train to the city. We strolled along the Yarra River,
had
dinner and watched the
fireworks. It was cool almost cold by the time we left the city at 10:30
pm. We did have a great time.
Wednesday, Temple night.
As usual a spiritual experience. Every three months the
missionaries have a temple assignment. They love going to the temple
and
we love having them come
to visit us afterwards. They are happy to have been to the temple and
show their enthusiasm with their big smiles.
Thursday night will now
be our ward mission meeting. We discussed how ward member can be involved
in bringing investigators and less active members to church.
Our bishop would like 50
new members by the end of the year. One of our ward missionaries, a
native Australian, said that Australian people are not interested in religion
or joining a church.
We don't have many baptisms here. I record all baptisms for the
mission and submit them to Salt Lake. Most are Chinese, Islanders,
Iranians who have moved to Melbourne.
Oh, by the way we almost
got stopped for drug testing, but they let us pass. WHEW! We are on
our way to the monthly Mission President's Fireside.
Now for our BIG SATURDAY
ADVENTURE!!!!!!
Left our house at 7:30
am and returned home at 5:30pm. There were six of us who went exploring
and boy did we see alot!!! GET ON the BLOG to see the pics.
Drove through the Yarra
Valley wine country. It was beautiful and so lush with grapes ready to be
harvested.
Our first stop was the
beginning of the Yarra Range (mountains). The forests are totally different
that ours at home. The fern trees are like the plants we have as house
plants.
They are huge, I mean
really huge trees. It is impossible to explain. SEE PICS
Our next stop was
Marysville. In 2009 most of Marysville was destroyed in a bush fire. The
town was beautiful and the foliage was magnificent. It was as if there
had never
been a fire. While there
we visted the Steavensen Falls. They are the tallest falls in Australia.
Look at PICS that don't do them justice. The sun was out, slightly
cold but
a wonderful place to
walk and breathe fresh air. Being in an office all day we crave fresh
air. Afterwards we went to Bruno's Sculptured Garden. PICS
The gallery and
the land all around were
destroyed and burned. Most of his statues survived the fire but all the
landscaping was gone. As you can see in the pics the plants and flowers have
grown back. It as if
there was no fire. His work is amazing, colorful and a joy to see.
Next stop was Alexandra.
It is way Northeast of Melbourne. It is in the BUSH. We had fish
and chips for lunch and an ice cream cone.
We stopped at another
small town, Mansfield. We found two really cute fun shops, so exciting.
Adrienne and I each purchased a gorgeous gray throw blanket made
in Australia. It
has animals on it, soft and cuddly. It will be in our homes as a memory
of our time in Australia. There was also a very nice clothing store.
To see stores
like these was great but
surprising. All of these little towns or villages are pretty much the
same. They are not fancy but great for the needs of the ranchers.
The bush is very barren,
PIC. It is mostly sheep stations and cattle stations (ranches). The PIC of the
bush is how Adrienne and I envisioned Australia. We thought it would be similar
in Melbourne. Big surprise, NO, they are completely different.
Melbourne is so green, the trees, all the colorful flowers, and bushes.
We drove a few hours to reach
the bush land. It was so
interesting to see. It would be a very hard life to live in the bush.
People go around and help each other shear their sheep. (WATCH THE
THORNBIRDS AGAIN TO
SEE WHAT IT IS LIKE.)
Next to the last stop
was a very small town called Bonnie Doon. They people couldn't decide
what type of church building they should build and couldn't agree so now there
are three churches right next to each other and basically the same design. PIC
Anglican Christ Church 2nd Sunday each month at 11:30am
Uniting Victoria Memorial Church (Christian) 4th Sunday each month
at 11:30am
Catholic meet each Sunday
Our last stop was the
town of YEA, Australia. Picture of the cute YEA post office and the
Senior Lawn Bowling tournament. YEA vs SEYMOUR. We parked the
van
and went and watch it.
Slow but fun and the teams were all pumped and having a great time.
ALL IN ALL IT WAS A
FANTASTIC MEMORABLE DAY !!!!!!!!!!!
MOSIAH 2:17
" And behold I
tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye
are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service
of you
Lord."
LOVE TO EACH OF YOU.
The Moms The
Sisters The Grandmas
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