Tender Mercies.

In addition to the already mentioned "tender mercies" here are a few others we want to remember.

Logan's priesthood blessings before leaving for the airport were so wonderful, very comforting, inspired to our personal concerns, and we thank him!

In the SLC airport as we were walking to the airline counter to check in, we saw an older couple walking towards us headed for the security gates with missionary name tags on. We stopped to introduce ourselves and found out they were headed to Australia too, although Melbourne instead of Adelaide. I've already forgotten where their home is (somewhere south of us in Utah) but we were on the same flight to LA and they were nice to make sure we got to the right shuttle bus to get to the right terminal to find the right gate for the right flight to Adelaide. He served a mission in Australia in his youth and we so appreciated their kindness.

Upon arrival in Adelaide after some 22 hours of traveling, we walked off the plane and began the trip up the ramp and saw a blonde lady leaning over the railing saying..."I see missionary tags!"
The Judd's ( mission office couple we will be replacing) were able to meet us at the gate and they were a welcome sight to our weary, jet lagged eyes!

 I've been looking, more than a few times, for an extra pair of glasses I thought I packed to bring with me to Australia. I looked, then Lee looked, then we both looked again....no luck. In the stress of packing suitcases with weight restrictions, we packed, then consolidated, then weighed, then replaced items and weighed, redistributed, weighed, you get the idea. So even if I knew where the glasses were packed initially, they were long since moved from that spot. I emailed Kacey and had her check for the glasses in a couple of places downstairs in our basement where we were camping the last couple of weeks at home....still no glasses. So Lee checked the empty suitcases again and ANOTHER tender mercy! There in a front zippered interior pocket he found two spare pair!

Mount Gambier's winter weather has been a tender mercy, at least since Monday. Monday was cold, foggy, windy, and rainy...and we are trying to locate addresses in an unfamiliar town with unfamiliar streets and house numbers, driving on the right side of the car on the left side of the road. Even with a Garmin GPS, we wanted to quit and go home! Since then we have had sunshine, and even though it is a bit chilly (it is winter after all) and it's been most pleasant. Lee's driving is gradually improving as is our sense of direction and geographical knowledge. This weather has also allowed us to get back to our morning daily walk. 

We are thankful!