6 July 2012

I feel like at least a couple of months have gone by since I had a chance to write in my blog!  I’m going to apologize now--that I have so much to catch up on.  Now that we’re on the downhill slope, the speed is beginning to pick up!  President and Sister Smibert slipped quietly away, with only a phone call and a letter.  They wanted the passing of the baton to be smooth, and it was.  But they have made an impression on our lives that we hope will be eternal.  We love them.

We just returned from a whirlwind trip to Perth for a Zone Conference where we met and interviewed with our new president, R. Bruce Lindsay.  He’s wonderful, as we knew he would be.  He made us feel like he came here just for us!  His wife is a spunky little lady with a ready hug and a “Let’s get down to business” attitude, much like Sister Smibert.  They have their 14-year-old son, Robbie, with them, a great kid, who is excited to rub shoulders with these Elders.  They were all tired with jet lag still, and you could tell it was their first time at this (not quite polished yet), but they will be great.  He seems more relaxed than I imagined him to be, just watching him on TV, but then maybe it’s just the jet lag, and of course, everything is so new, just as it was for us.  It takes a while to start feeling comfortable, and to start understanding the “language!”  He’s making a quick tour of the mission so that he can meet all the missionaries who couldn’t come to Perth for the Zone Conferences this weekend.

We took our cute sisters with us to Perth for the conference.  They stayed with some other sisters there while we stayed with the Innises again (from Alberta, Canada).  We enjoyed our quiet visits with them both nights, and one meal at a restaurant with the Innises, Marsdens (NZ) and Lanes (Queensland).  These have all become dear friends.  I hope we can stay in touch with them after the mission.  We have had the sisters over quite a bit lately.  They are having to do a lot of member work down here.

We are planning a baptism for the 21^st of July for the Bansoys, who have turned out to be the Pansoys!  (Elder Ashby happened to see Jellie’s resume this week.)  The 3 teenagers are on board too, unless something comes up.  It was fun to see the Elders in Perth; it seems that they all knew that we have a family being baptized!  Our DLs and ZLs must have talked.  We have been rather reticent to say much about it here to the members, in case it didn’t really happen….We can hardly believe it ourselves!  A FAMILY!!!

The last lesson was the Gospel lesson, where you teach them the first principles and ordinances of the gospel;  there was just such a sweet feeling!  I got to explain the laws of justice and mercy, and how the Savior was willing to pay the punishment attached to our sins.  I saw that sweet look I have been waiting to see on their faces just then, and I knew they understood.  Elder Ashby asked them again if they would repent, and be baptized.  Each of them said, yes….  No feeling like this!  I just don’t have words for it.

We have taken several different members with us to teach them—Jacinta David, the Young Adult Leader, Sophie Ormsby, the YW President, Sister Karaka, Adam Cowcill, an AP holder who goes to Joko’s school, and David Olman, who was home from his mission in the Philipines temporarily, and has since returned.  They have met other members at church, so we hope that the transition will be smooth if and when we leave.  We want them to meet some young Elders next.  I find myself feeling sort of protective of them.  I don’t want them to be disillusioned or disappointed when they find out that the members aren’t perhaps what they expect, or other things like that.  They are so humble and sweet.

We have been worried about what to do for Alisha and Jason.  They have been very gracious to us and have learned quite a bit, and actually have progressed somewhat, but they weren’t able to keep their commitments very well because of the situation right now in their lives.  For several weeks their house has been torn up for remodeling, for one thing!  The Holy Ghost was telling them the same thing we were feeling.  So when we arrived for our lesson this week, they said they wanted to talk with us first, and we knew what was coming.  So we listened carefully while they expressed their feelings and their frustrations about his job, which takes him away for fully half of the time, leaving Alisha to take care of all six kids full time alone.  They feel overwhelmed, and little do we blame them!  Their kids are not doing well in school, and he wants all his time to be spent when he’s home with them.  Then they gave us time to express our own feelings, and as always, I am so in awe of my wonderful husband’s graciousness and tact.  He thanked them for being up front and honest with us, and complimented them for putting family first.  He testified that God had led us to them.  He challenged them to take the time when they can to find the church again.  I asked them the name of the church just to make sure they knew it.  I asked them to keep the door open to faith by having prayer over their meal, or when they gather their family at bedtime, and to talk about their faith in God with the children sometimes so that when the time comes that they are ready, the boys will not reject the idea.  We had prayer with them again, and wished them well.  We had been turned away, but it’s strange to say, we had felt the Spirit of the Lord there.  It was so humbling and gratifying to arrive home that day and find a letter from our daughter’s family with their six kids, all strong and active in the church because they do keep their commitments!  Oh, thank you, Heavenly Father!  And thank you, Angie and Gary and kids!

We went on a whale-watching tour boat!  We just decided to do it, because what if we never get another chance?  And the whales are here now, having just come from Antarctica.  It was fabulous!  It was a small catamaran with one big sail and an engine.  There were about 25 people aboard, and a very talkative skipper from whom we learned quite a bit.  As we made our way around Breaksea Island, we saw the famous lighthouse, as well as between 5 and 8 whales, seals, sea birds which I can’t name, except the albatross, and even a pod of dolphins!  We even saw a calf about 1 week old, probably with umbilical cord still attached!  It was about 1 ton, a humpback, and its mother was enormous!  They were not threatened by our nearness, so we were about 20 feet away.  It was a gorgeous day, not too cold, and we both enjoyed ourselves very much.  It’s something I’ve always wanted to see.  It seemed quite unreal.

I’ve never mentioned that there are shark attacks here quite regularly.  Another one last week near Perth. 

We have been watching some of the Tour de France, in the past few days, which actually takes most of a month, I think.  What a grueling, tremendous effort that takes!

I am doing quite well in the last couple of weeks.  I am starting to get used to my meds finally.  I can’t miss a dose, however.  As far as my feet, I finally bought some sturdy shoes which hold in my feet better.  (I would call them black gym shoes)  Both my podiatrists said that was what it would take, and it does seem to help.  But oh, they do look ugly!