Transfers and a Road Trip (wk ending 16 Mar 2014).

We celebrated from afar Shelby's March birthday!

Sunday, we received texts from Kacey and Lindsey about the announcement made in church in Utah, that our home ward is splitting next Sunday! That is exciting news!

Monday the transferred and going home missionaries arrived in Adelaide from Darwin and Alice Springs. Lee had a full van and trailer for luggage and stuff in two groups of arrivers landing at 3:30 and 4:30 pm, and all back to the office by 5:30. 'Hosts' gather at the office until their arrival. We LOVE interacting with missionaries!

We received notice that that we are getting another senior Australian missionary couple in May!
Yaaaaaaaay!

Eight traffic infringements were received from Sydney this week, and two were for the same car/driver a week apart. YIKES!! Camera infringements are sent to the main church offices in Sydney where the cars are registered to the church, who then asks us to identify or "nominate" the driver and send license information etc. We also had an accident in the mission this week but thankfully no one was injured.

Tuesday's transfer meeting went long. Each leaver was invited to bear their testimony and share 2-3 things they learned that would benefit the remaining missionaries. Highlights are as follows:

Brother and Sister Larson spoke, quoting the lyrics to the LDS hymn with comments, "I'll go where you want me to go, I'll say what you want me to say, I'll BE what you want me to be."

Sister Salazar: Be obedient so HE can bless you. She didn't come alone to Australia, she has the Spirit with her. We cannot choose what happens to us, but we choose how we react.

Sister Finau: Don't be your own worst enemy! Fast for miracles.

Elder Taylor: The Atonement is real....through the ordinances we have access to the Atonement!

Elder Flood: We ARE God's children, companionship unity is the key, forget yourself and give 110%. Remember we are not representing a company, it's Jesus Christ's name on the badge over our heart!

Elder Visesio : SMILE cause it's a joyful work! Unite w companions, sustain your leaders, go to work!

Elder Brough: Preach My Gospel was designed to save YOU ( the missionary). The basics are there. Keep a journal, be unified. 

President and Sister Carter both spoke briefly. Sister Carter shared D&C 123:17 and used the phrase "cheerfully do all we can" several times in her remarks. President Carter said, "The atonement is greater than our greatest sin!" And he challenged all to live after the manner of happiness...and to remember! He quoted Thomas S. Monson who quoted a poet by saying God gave us memories so we can have June roses in the December of our lives.

Elder Holmes announced transfers as well as new trainers, District and Zone leaders. Elder Bingham from Idaho is the new assistant.

Firle chapel parking lot on transfer day....missionaries, cars, bikes, luggage, hugs, piles, smiles!

Tuesday night leaver dinner at the mission home, prepared by the seniors, was roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, salad, veggies, rolls and butter, with hot apple crisp and ice cream for dessert. Leaver testimonies were shared in a very wonderful meeting after which Pres and Sis Carter sang their farewell song. We did pictures, hugs, goodbyes and got home around 9:30 after clean up etc.

Elders Brough (like rough) and Visesio (vaCESSeeo) both leavers

Arizonians...Elders Taylor and Brough (both leaving). Sisters Heywood and Byler.

They let me be in the picture too since I was born in Phoenix.

Elder Brough (leaving) from Gilbert, Arizona

Seniors at the leaver dinner....Goodrichs, Salazar (leaver in 2 weeks), Whites, Sheffields

Lee took his first van w/trailer full of leavers and all of their luggage to the airport by 6:00 am for an 8:05am flight. Elder White took a second van w/trailer to the airport with those transferred to Darwin for their 10:00am flight.  Lee came back to the office for a second group of leavers and stayed to bring back a full load of arrivers. Elder White gathered a second load of arrivers and President Carter transported from the airport as well. We have 12 new missionaries this transfer!

The new arrivers 12 March 2014:  

Martineau, Purev-ochir, Soli, Travers, Payze, Funaka, Freeman, Aspinall, Graham, Pitcher, Beard, Orr (in front)

Dinner was barbecued burgers, with condiments, salads, chips, and ice cream sundaes or bars for dessert after President had interviewed all 12 arrivers on Wednesday. We ate outside in the backyard of the mission home and it was lovely. All of the new missionaries, their trainers, the assistants, and all the senior missionaries plus the Carter's were in attendance. We went to the church after dinner for the meeting portion of the evening. 

Arrivers dinner in Carter's backyard. 

Elder Holmes announced the companionships and area assignments, and then we heard briefly from each new missionary. President and Sister Carter spoke and after a closing song and prayer, we all went back to the mission office to disperse bedding and bikes, collect luggage piles, and load the cars. We got home after 10pm. It was a good, but looooong day!

With this transfer, a new Elizabeth zone was formed, and several new areas opened; sister's areas in Port Pirie, Alice Springs and Mount Gambier, and a new Port Augusta Elder's area. We had 5 leavers as you will see in a picture, Elders Brough, Taylor, Flood, Visesio, and Sis Finau. They are loved and will be missed!

Thursday morning, Elder and Sister Goodrich took the last travelers to the airport. 

Sis Kafoa and Sis Graham were headed to above mentioned Alice Springs sisters area.

The Whites loaded up a large rental trailer with flat furnishings for Port Pirie and Port Augusta, two new areas. They got the missionaries settled and came back Friday.

We went back to our old stomping grounds Thursday to Mount Gambier, transporting two newly assigned sister missionaries. The senior couple, the Smiths, love Mt Gamby and are having great success. We visited Bishop Nethercott and Bec on the way out of town Friday morning and got to see Stephanie Thursday afternoon. It was a nice break although the dry brown landscape looked so different than it did when we traveled in September (spring).

Elders Oliva (Brisbane, Queensland) and Prouting (Auckland, NZ) and Sheffield (Riverton, UT hee hee)...

part of the Mt. Gambier caravan.

Sisters Travers (Tasmania) and Mansfield (Washington) opening a sisters area in Mt. Gamier...the rest of the caravan.

We arrived home to the office around 2:15 Friday.....poor Elder Goodrich was holding down the fort alone for the first time and the phone was ringing off of the hook all day. Sisters Goodrich and Salazar were preparing and serving lunch to those attending the Firle zone specialized training meetings, and with us and the Whites out of town, he was flying solo in the office.

Add the pressure of Sister Salazar's car not starting that morning to this picture and you have the recipe for a total GONG SHOW! As always though, things seem to work out, and we'll be laughing about it Monday.

We used the weekend to catch up with rest and housekeeping etc. The weather has changed....cloudy and threatening all day Saturday and finally started raining about 5:00 pm. We got the clothes off the clothesline in the nick of time.

Sunday, Sister Salazar spoke in church on adversity. She had only a few minutes to cover the topic but outlined 3 things to help us see the "big" eternal picture and make it through our difficulties: 1. Be humble 2. Be Prayerful 3. Have gratitude.

Lee did a great job with our second English class. Someone covered for us on Wednesday since we had transfers but we will facilitate regularly now on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. We reviewed the training video Saturday and caught a couple of things we need to implement or correct.

If you have interest, google Daily Dose LDS Learning English for more information on the program. 

Lou passed the sacrament for the first time as a Priesthood holder today. Petra said he was very excited to perform his duty and he was all smiles which was inspiring and touching.

The Firle area sisters asked Lee for Priesthood blessings Sunday afternoon. One sister is brand new in the mission and her companion trainer will be going home June 4. They are darling together!

We were invited to the Puckridge's for Sunday dinner and had a wonderful meal and enjoyable time getting acquainted. Brother Puckeridge has education and background in agriculture and worked in Cambodia and Thailand for many years. He studied years ago in London for his PHD and recently his grandson was called to serve a mission in that very area. They have many interesting life stories and a house full of mementos.

I should report on the situation I shared last week about the life flighted baby from Alice Springs. That's the first thing I asked Elder Taylor when he arrived in Adelaide from Alice Springs and he said, "It is a miracle, even the Doctors say so!" So there you have the good news!

It is amazing how quickly the days and weeks pass. We are constantly trying to remember what happened last week to share on the blog that doesn't sound like what we wrote the week before. You'll notice if you read regularly, that we have highs and lows of course, but we LOVE contributing in our small way. We recognize and greatly appreciate our own spiritual growth as a result of serving and our capacity to love is expanding as well.

Someone wrote to ask if we are happy? We are grateful AND happy to be involved in this great work! We are blessed to serve with President and Sister Carter, whom we love, and the wonderful missionaries of the Australia Adelaide Mission!