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 The Church's future is in good hands.

I have come to admire the young missionaries. Both the Elders and the Sisters.  It is not easy to leave family, work, school, friends, etc. and devote 18 months or two years to the Lord's work.  The majority of missionaries we have worked with are dedicated, sincere, hard working and seeking to gather Israel.  Picture: from L to R Sister Sonntag, Idaho, Sister Miller, Utah, Sister Wilde, Idaho, and Sister Hull Montana. We have worked with Sisters and Elders from, the United States, Canada, China, Taiwan, Phillipines, Tonga, Samoa, Australia and New Zealand.  The two middle sisters are wearing candy leis.  It is a tradition to make these for missionaries who are going home at the end of the current transfer. I think the thing that impresses me the most is how as soon as they get to a new location they jump in and learn members names and the work that needs to be done. They also immediately love the companions, friends and members they work with.  They are a great example to me

Our dear Sister Gao was with us when we first got to Rockhampton. I wrote quite a bit about her in a previous blog. She went home after the last transfer. Typically a missionary flies home still a missionary where they report to their Stake President and are released. Because Sister Gao was returning to China, where religions other than the state approved ones are forbidden. she had no Stake President or Bishop to report to. The Misiion President had her report to him and released her. The President's wife took off her badge and handed it to her. She was then no longer a missionary. It was hard for her. She has been worried about going back home where there are no organized branches or wards to support or fellowship her. Luckily she has been accepted at BYU Idaho and will start there Spring Semester. I hope and pray that nothing happens to prevent her from going. She is amazing. Her name on facebook is Gloria Yuren Gao. She added an americanized first name as many of them do. We hope to get to see here when we get home from our mission as I have family iin the Idaho Falls, Idaho area.

It is getting hotter here.  Supposedly we had one of the hottest Springs for awhile here. Great. Oh well, it is what it is. I have over time ordered cotton or linen clothes from Etsy which helps. I even have a 100% cotton slip. It makes a difference. We are going to go to Townsville which is a two hour flight north for an in person zone conference with a member of the Pacific Area Presidency. His name is Elder Taniela B. Wakolo. He is an Area Seventy and he was born in Fiji. I have not been to Townsville so that should be enjoyable. They will fly us up and back.

Plants are starting to bloom more and fruits like mangos are getting bigger on trees. The flowers, bushes and trees are amazing. I will try and take some pictures.

There is nothing more joyful than sitting with the Sisters teaching a lesson to a friend. (Investigator) My favorite is the Plan of Salvation.  You can just see the light turning on inside of them. We had a lesson with a man from African who has moved here. He has just become a doctor and will be practising here in Rockhampton. When the Sisters started teaching the Plan of Salvation he said, "Boy you start with the tough stuff don't you,"  He believed most of what we told him. He was also flabbergasted that we have no paid clergy and pay our expencies for our mission.  He just kept say, "really?" It was a great lesson and we got to bear our testimonies about various points. I hope he continues to take the lesson. 

I have one more funny sign to show to you. Liquor stores here are called "bottle stores" and are stand alone buildings. You cannot buy liquor at grocery stores, etc. Anyway it cracked me up that a lot of them are drive thru and this one lets you decide if you want some coffee to go with the liquor.


Love you All!




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