21-28 June 2020 Two busy weeks

Everyone tells us the kangaroos are easily spotted when you are out in the bush areas.  But we found a mob while coming home one evening from shopping at Costco.  Right by the soccer field across the street we turned and saw about 16 just grazing.  They may have been wallabies by the looks of their size, but I am not certain.  They were oblivious to us until a large truck loudly started up and they took off across the field. 

Each day, as we walk to the office, we are met by the birds.  In the morning as I walk with some of the other senior missionaries, we hear kookaburras right at dawn.  Here is one bird that just sat and looked at us as we walked by.  His green coloring though not readily apparent in the picture made him especially noticeable to us.

These weeks have been busy and hectic.  A week ago, the young Australian missionaries that were sent home were reassigned to Sydney.  They arrived over three days from all over the continent leaving their homes again to serve.  I was touched to hear them tell of their previous assignments and their desires to continue to serve though some really only have just months left.  Others, like our grandson Sam, have completed the online MTC work and are just beginning their two years.  This past week and through Tuesday, there will have been 5 Zone Conferences for more training and instruction from the mission president, the assistants, and the newly called tech missionaries which will guide the social media work. 

With arrivals, the office couples all handle orientation responsibilities.  I watched and assisted Sister Blackham as she explained all the ins and outs of their phones, passing out SIM cards and the expectations for approved use.  She  and her husband return home this week, so it's now all been handed over to me.  I have been surprised by how much work it takes to help keep these phones working and repaired.  I have had my phone since before our mission in Germany and have never had to repair it.  I just gave some out last week that will be brought in tomorrow with cracked screens and cases or missing volume buttons and a myriad of other problems.  Some can be fixed for a price.  Others may just need a hammer taken to them!

 It is fun to get to know the young missionaries and watch how enthusiastic they are about missionary service.  They always want to know how they can help us or if there is anything else they can do.  Social distancing is still supposed to be the order of the day, but they were so happy to see each other after weeks of isolating in flats and elsewhere.  These are a few of our Sydney Australia missionaries.

With Elaine and Carl Blackham and Karleen and Claude Stoker returning to the states this week, the mission office will be down to just three and a half couples working there.  I am basically the "half" as Don works in our office downstairs.  So now I have two offices.  I will spend morning upstairs for now dealing with the phones and spend some of the afternoon in our office downstairs in the Service Centre doing my other work with humanitarian projects and preparing for more ESL classes to resume.

We're into the days of the long good-byes as we spend time saying good-bye to these two wonderful couples that will be very difficult to replace.  Friday evening after the fourth Zone Conference, all the senior couples went to dinner at Gringos Mexican Cantina.  We really enjoyed the time to relax and get out together.  President and Sister Runia made all the arrangements and invited us all to join them.  Again, I found the social distancing requirements funny as we could have six at one table and 10 at the other.  I have no idea how that arrangement is determined but it worked out well and the staff were so friendly and helpful.

Yesterday, the four couples that will be left working in the mission office headed to Manly from Kissing Point on the ferry to enjoy the decidedly great winter weather, the beaches, and more food.  So Don and I, Ron and Elise Christensen, Mel and Nina Anderson, and Mike and Theresa Thomas set off together.  They ferry took us by several stops, one being Cockatoo Island, the largest island in Sydney Harbour.  Originally inhabited by indigenous people, it once served as a penal colony primarily for re-offenders in the early European colonization days and is listed as one of  the convict sites.  From the mid 1800's it became the site of Australia's biggest shipyards until the 1990's.  Now it has a camp and glampsite and is used for many cultural and historical activities.

It's always great to see the harbour and sites of Sydney from the water.  We passed many of the skyscrapers and under the Harbour Bridge pass the Opera House.  It's always a good view from the water side.

What would Circular Quay be without a Crocodile Dundee poser?  Lots of sail boats on the harbour today too. 

The ferry took us to Manly where we walked again down the other side of the Corso pedestrian way where we've come once before though the shops were mostly closed on that occasion.  Today, we all got take away food and sat on the beach to eat.  Then we hiked to some look-out spots to watch for whales and the surfers.  

Here we are with the other six missionary couples that we are working along side for now.  Mike and Theresa Thomas from Centerville, Utah.  Mike handles all the finances, bills, and now is in charge of the transporation fleet too.  She is a mission office secretary that has had travel and visas added to her other duties.  Elise and Ron Christensen from Highland, Utah are filling in as the medical team.  Don and I each have assignments from the Area Legal Counsel and now I will have a few more things to help with upstairs in addition to starting our ESL classes again.  Finally, Nina and Mel Anderson from Hooper, Utah handle the missionary flats and other duties in the office.  International travellers and flights allowing tourist visas are not expected to begin any time soon.   

And the birds just keep posing and waiting for you to get the best shot!

The waves were larger than they look here.  Cormorants and gulls all over the beaches and rocks.

Cabbage Tree Bay with Shelly Beach- a great place for snorkelers too.  Around the beach there were an abundance of turkeys looking for hand-outs from picnickers.  I don't think these look like Thanksgiving size however.  Another great day returning on the ferry and preparing for the new week-another Zone Conference and saying good-bye to Stokers and  Blackhams.  They will be greatly missed for their tireless service to all.

Our Sam will leave his home for Tempe this Tuesday also as he begins his own mission service.  How great to serve at the same time as our first grandchild.  We are so proud of him and his righteous desire to help others find peace by inviting all to "Hear Him."