Good News.

 We met the member couple on the floor below today at church and asked him how to get our stove working...it's an induction cooking top with no instructions so we haven't been able to cook. We are eating all cold foods and I've been freezing since we got here. They don't have central heat like we are used to so have been using a box type heating unit in the family room ceiling and space heater for our room.  I'm wearing flannels all night long and socks. Brrrrr!
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Anyway, the couple (Chandler and Tatiana) are from Lethbridge and she went to Optometry school in New Zealand for 4 years but needs to take more courses to be able to practice back in Canada. She didn't get in this go round so came here to work until she gets in. She's practicing optometry here killing time and he will be a full time dad to the new baby girl expected in 6 weeks. They are going home to Canada (so the baby isn't born here) this Saturday and they return October 1st. (We leave September 13th).   He is a pilot but we didn't get to ask any more questions. I'll find out more tomorrow. They do  know Bart Anderson.  Small world.

  The good news is they let us hook onto their Wi-fi... He got our laptop working but we are still trying to get the Ipad to work. He'll be back tomorrow to work on it more (hoping a longer cord getting the router as close to us as possible) will help. We have to be in our bedroom which is the closest wall to his apartment.  We offered to pay internet charges while they are gone and he says no. They may have us check on their place while they are gone in exchange. This is ANOTHER tender mercy. 

FYI they are avid Edmonton hockey fans!!

 We are going out with the missionaries tonight at 5:45 for an appointment. We are invited to dinner twice this week:  Tuesday and Thursday. Every Tuesday at 8:00 pm is missionary correlation meeting with the bishop. You will be interested to know He and his wife and his niece run the local mortuary.

 We had a brief meeting with the bishop before church and then again after the block. We have a huge list of less active or part member families in this city and our team goal is to rescue as many as will be rescued. On the list are an adult son and daughter of his, so it's personal. We are not quite sure how to proceed but will discuss it further with the missionaries tonight.

Papa and I spoke in church today. (Very small attendance, 7 or 8 in relief society)  Then the kid from downstairs spoke as a new member of the bishopric (they knew he was leaving for a month and he still was called) and the rest of the time was left for the bishop and he did wonderfully. I have to listen very closely with their accent and speed to understand. It 's lovely to listen to.

Our mission president served in this town while on his mission years ago so it's easy to understand why there are 2 sets of elders and us to serve here. Mount Gambier is near and dear to his heart!

The other mission office couple that drove down with us came to Sacrament meeting and left for Adelaide afterward to be back to work in the office tomorrow.

P.S.
It occurred to me that some of the words and phrases in my blog posts may be unfamiliar to you.  If so, please ask me or any participating member of the church for clarification without risk or obligation. :-)