Combining North & South Mission

Early morning sunrise, so beautiful

It occurred to me that I had not made an entry for January.  So, I thought I better get February's done before the month was gone.  When I opened the blog, I found I had made an entry but forgot to Publish it.  Shoot.

The big news this month is the announcement that the Australia Sydney North and Sydney South mission will be combining in July.  President and Sister Checketts will have finished their 3 year assignment.  President and Sister Bingham from the South mission will have 1 year into their assignment.  The Bingham's will be moving up to the Mission home and taking over responsibility for the newly combined mission.  What a job that will be.  We will have 300+ missionaries.

President Checketts has been really good at keeping the Junior and Senior missionaries informed as to what will take place.  We will be intaking fewer missionaries.  The eventual goal will be to  bring the numbers down at first to 270.  Then over the next year or so down to 180.  Elder Ellison and I will only be involved with the transition for 6-8 weeks.  We are anxious to see how our current assignments will blend with the other Senior couples from the South mission.

Elder Ellison and I attended our northern Zones, "Zone Conference".  About 2 hours from Sydney.  I

love this opportunity to be taught by President and Sister Checketts.  They always have something to help young missionaries do a better job at their calling.  I always feel I learn so much from these Conferences.  President and Sister Checketts are Great teachers.  I love learning from them.

After Zone Conference on Friday Elder Ellison and I drove 3 more hours north to Port Macquarie.  It is along the coast at the northern end of NSW (New South Wales).  It is a BEAUTIFUL Beach community.  We had a comfortable hotel room.  Saturday we drove the coastal beach route that took several hours.  We stopped at a Rain Forrest museum and had a delicious breakfast.  We stopped at several beautiful beaches and a light house.  We drove through small, open spaces with  horses, cows, goats and small populations.  A nice change from the hustle and bustle of Sydney.  I especially like these types of vacations.  They are relaxing and enjoyable to see different scenery.  I know my husband likes to be active and doing physical activities, but he is kind enough to do the things that I like to do that aren't so physical.  It gives us opportunities to talk about life, plans for the future, hypothetical ideas, share our love of the gospel and just renew our relationship.  It is very rejuvenating.   

Sunday we drove back to Sydney making a couple of detours to see some sights of interest.  We enjoyed this time away from the fast pace, non stop work at our office assignment.  So much so Monty suggested we take time once every 2 months to get away and see some more sights

before our mission ends in August.  Sounds like a great idea to me.  We will see if it happens.  So much to do with our assignments at the mission office.

Finally, I am happy to report that we have now had a working A/C for 3 weeks.  I am sleeping better and life is good!  

Big Eucalyptus trees, big blue skies walking to work

(I wrote this a month ago and forgot to enter it to the Blog.  Oooops.  A little late)

Well, summer is finally here.  How do I know this?  Because our A/C has been broken for the past 2 months.  Isn't that when air conditioning breaks, summer time?  Actually it wasn't working when we got here.  The Church Service Center  had repair people come out and service it in March with unseasonably warm temps. About April it went into fall and winter weather mode.  We didn't realize the A/C still wasn't working until it hit 108 degrees and no A/C early December.

Fortunately Elder Ellison observed that the Self Reliance building was getting all new ducting and A/C.  He noticed a portable unit sitting on the side that was going to be trashed.  He asked if we could use it until our A/C was fixed.  Elder Ellison is such a good engineer.  He was able to put it between our 2 sliding glass doors so the hose could drain outside the Flat.  He got some of that old wavy material people use to put around their pool fencing, drill the correct size hole for the tubing to fit through and get this broken unit working.  It was nice that he got that plastic material wedged between the sliders.  We were able to keep some of the heat out and most of the bugs stayed out as well.  This portable unit cooled about a 3 foot circle in our living room.  Over time I learned to pull our heavy drapes over our single pained windows, that are floor to ceiling windows, plus close all doors into bedroom, kitchen and bathroom.  This helped keep the little A/C we got out of the portable unit into critical rooms.  After 3 bids, vacation time off  for installers which is about 4 weeks long here in AU., we finally got the whole unit replaced.  Our Flat is now nice and cool and I can sleep once again.

Our 2 Elders that recently transferred into the ward are really enjoyable, just like the previous 2 Elders.  Elder A is from Utah, Elder B is from Australia.  They both spoke in Sacrament meeting a month ago.  It is amazing how such young men can bare such powerful and interesting testimony.  They were both so impressive.  I always take great pride in our missionaries when I see them doing or being great representatives of Jesus Christ.  I feel like a proud mother or should I say grandmother.

Last week as I was assisting missionaries going home I had the opportunity to interact with a Sister that I had previously had no contact with in the 10 months I have been here.  I was so disappointed she was going home because she was such an impressive young lady.  Unfortunately we don't get to know each missionary personally, I wish I did.  I sure know each one by name.  Doing the mail every day has helped me know all 160 missionaries names.  It is a good feeling recognizing them by name.  Especially when mail comes for people not in the mission, I know longer go searching for a name that is not in our mission.  I just recognize it is not one of ours.  "Return to Sender"  PLEASE!

Sydney Harbour

Last story.  The day after Christmas is a big holiday here in AU.  It is called "Boxing Day". (Google it for definition if you don't know what it is.  I didn't).  We went with 30 couples from the North and South Mission on a chartered Catamaran.  Along with 1000's of small boats and extreme yachts we got positioned on the harbor to  watch the start of the Sydney to Hobart race.  This is a big event and several hundred thousand people turn out to watch or participate in the 3 day race.  Our skipper manuvered us expertly around large and small boats to get in a good position to watch these beautiful sail boats take off.  Several times I thought we were going to crash into OR be crashed by another boat.  It was an amazing activity.  After 4 hours of small choppy waters I was starting to turn a little green.  Getting back on to the floating dock was another adventure.  The skipper stayed at the throttle moving us back and forward, with 2 of the Senior Elders giving us a hand and a push on to the deck.  It was lucky no one fell in and was crushed between the boat and the dock.  We all made it safely ashore albeit with very wobbly legs.  Sleeping that night was not comfortable as I felt I was still moving up, down and sideways on the boat.  I don't think I would do well in the Navy.

I check the Kaysville/Layton weather every morning when I get up.  It doesn't look like we have received much snow?  I also check weather in Iowa where our daughter and family live.  It is freezing in Iowa.  Literally below 0,  sometimes minus temperatures.  It makes me wonder how did those Pioneers trek across such freezing cold plains?  I am amazed at what Pioneers had to endure just to follow the Prophet and Heavenly Fathers plan for them.  They were and are amazing people.  We need to remember what our ancestors sacrificed for us to be members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Pioneer gave their all.  They ENDURED to the END.  Hope we can do the same.

Several of the Senior missionaries that welcomed us so warmly when we arrived have or are finishing their missions shortly.  I am sad to see them go.  By the time President and Sister Checketts leave in July we will be 1 of 2 couples left out of the group we joined in with.  Always a change to get use to in the mission field.  So grateful for this amazing Gospel of Jesus Christ.  How it blesses our lives and those of others.  Never take it for granted, Love it and Live it!

Love,
Sister Ellison