Hello from sunny Western Australia! It's been a super busy couple of weeks with so many things happening. We've celebrated our first Thanksgiving outside the USofA! Even though we've certainly been missing our holiday traditions of family, food, & fun, we've been making new ones filled with friends, food & fun! Although Thanksgiving is an American holiday, we certainly have much to be grateful for here among these wonderful people & are so blessed to live in safe, comfortable surroundings.
Our new friends put on two lovely Thanksgiving dinners for us...one was planned by a non-member whom we've befriended here at our complex. Her name is Nari & she's the head custodian here. She's 75 yrs. old & such a hard-worker...wonderful lady with so much love for others...one of our member couples are her good friends. Together they put on a real holiday feast w/turkey & dressing (we don't say stuffing here) as well as several other American Thanksgiving dishes, plus ham & some Aussie foods. Then they decorated for Christmas just to cover their bases! A lovely evening of singing Christmas songs, lots of laughter & making new memories. They included our young Elders too & we are hopeful they will soon be teaching Nari & her husband Clinton very soon. Below is Sister Emery & her husband Manuel, Nari & Elder Tate. We are very thankful for good friends.
We left Karratha for Perth to attend a Senior Missionary Conference for several days & had a wonderful time meeting the other nine senior couples serving as MLS(member leader support) missionaries in the Australia Perth mission. We spent one day receiving instruction from Pres. & Sister Bennallack, our mission president & his wife, & two other couples who serve as specialists in Self-Reliance & English. It was an excellent day filled w/so much information...we encourage everyone to go to the Church's website & look at all the classes offered through the Self-Reliance program & become educated as to what is offered. It's really just amazing what can be done in one's own home to get a better job; education; financial security, etc. We are so thankful for this amazing Gospel that provides for our temporal needs as well as our spiritual.
After a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, we all headed next door to the small, but beautiful Perth Temple where we attended a session together. The temple is such a place of peace & comfort...it was a sweet experience considering we haven't been able to attend the temple in over three months because we are serving so far away & most likely won't again for many months. It was also wonderful being with such kind & devoted senior couples who, like us, are so happy to be serving the Lord as full-time missionaries.
It is almost impossible to describe the sweet, yet powerful feelings we have experienced knowing this is exactly where we are supposed to be at this time in our lives. Even though there are times it is difficult to be away from our family, we know the Lord is aware of our concerns. As much as we love them...He loves them even more so will watch over them for us. We are so very thankful for His love & faith in our abilities to serve Him.
The second day of the conference we went to one of the large downtown malls & sang Christmas carols in the large atrium. We had a large #LightheWorld sign & another sign with who we were. There were lots of strange looks...probably because we didn't sound that great...or perhaps because we just stood out amongst the scantily dressed, tattooed holiday shoppers. At first we noticed that the majority of people just didn't really look very happy so it was sweet when a father & his two little girls stopped & listened...then his girls asked if they could sing with us & joined in the group. Several others stopped & started singing along & one of our sisters handed out candy canes. Soon people were smiling & waving as they watched & took pictures. Hopefully we helped make others feel a little happier & lifted a few spirits.
Afterwards we returned to the chapel by the Perth Temple & decorated/packaged 30 dozen gingerbread & sugar cookies. We enjoyed lots of silly stories, laughter & 'accidents'...just plain breaking cookies as an excuse to nibble. These were boxed up for the different mission districts for all the missionaries to deliver to less actives & investigators in their areas & for themselves.
Later that evening we went to a beautiful old performing center in downtown Perth...His Majesty's Theatre to the ballet, Alice in Wonderland. Yes, you read that right...Elder Tate & all the other missionary brethren took their wives to the ballet. And most of them loved it! The music was fantastic...the costumes were amazing...& the dancing was superb! I will say, however, that the storyline was more than a little bizarre. Lewis Carroll most likely had a word of wisdom problem when he wrote the book, but whoever wrote the storyline for the ballet had to have been institutionalized! We are so thankful for the talents with which the Lord has blessed all His children. They is such beauty in how some have the gift of music; movement & the ability to combine the two.
We came home for two days then took off again to participate in the Port Hedland Branch Christmas Party. It was quite the production & I think we had enough food to feed an army...a good thing cause they had planned on 40 & there were about 60 that came. The decorations were beautiful, the children had a blast playing games & decorating cookies & the photo area was awesome! So many fun & silly pictures. Here's a few of our faves.
The photo booth was a huge hit & everyone took advantage of the funny dress up items... especially the kids. The children had fun too!
Our elves on the shelf were cute
as are the Wagner family. Special people...in so many ways!
And here's Joseph again w/his buddy, Brother Reedy, who is a counselor in the Branch Presidency. The first conversation I had with him was by text. Elder Tate & I were having a horrible first day in Port Hedland trying to get everything perfect for our initial get together with the YSA & absolutely nothing had gone right.
When things finally came together I was totally frazzled. He asked, "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
I replied..."Do you have any valium or prozac you could sell me?"
"Well, let me see what I can find!" he texted back. "There might be something stronger in the evidence locker."
I had a good chuckle...until I found out he's a police officer then I just about died! We've had a good laugh over that several times since...I've thankfully remained out of jail. :-)
Here's a picture of the only white stuff we'll see here in these parts. It's actually salt that's processed from inland seawater ponds in Port Hedland...there's lots of it. Not sure where it goes...most likely to China like every other mineral around these parts.
So we are home for a few days but will head back this Saturday for a quick trip to Port Hedland for the baptism of Hans...a 14 yr old whom the elders tracted out not quite a month ago. He's an amazing young man & so excited to be a part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are so excited for him & know he will be a great influence in his family & in also the Church. We are so thankful for our young missionaries & the dedication they have to the Lord. They are so willing to do hard things & we learn how to be better teachers by following their examples...we sure love them!!
And finally....we are so very thankful for all of you & the love & support you extend to us as we serve far away from our family & home. Our hearts are filled with joy as we keep our hearts & eyes focused on Christ & His Atonement. May you feel of His redeeming love & know He is the Savior & the Redeemer of all mankind, not only during this Christmas season, but throughout the year. God bless you...everyone! Elder & Sister Tate
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