On the road again...

 January 21, 2021

We haven't been able to post for awhile because we've been on the road again to Perth & busy as little worker bees! So I hope you like seeing pictures & hearing about our adventures, because this post might be a bit long! And I will apologize in advance...many of the photos/adventures involved sitting around laughing while consuming much delicious food. We've gained a few pounds since coming to Australia!! 

We attended a 3-day Senior Missionary conference & then joined up w/the younger missionaries for another two days. It was a wonderful, fantastic, uplifting time spent together & a much needed kick in the pants! There is much to be accomplished in the next few months before we leave Western Australia to return home & the conference helped us refocus our eyes on our missionary purpose & doing all we can to help others come unto Christ here in Kalgoorlie in the time remaining to us here.  

Nearly to Perth we got pushed off the road to allow these huge semi's hauling two gigantic dump trucks past us on the highway. You just can't appreciate how large these trucks are until they move past you...not as humongous as the mining trucks in Kalgoorlie, but still pretty dang big! The tires alone are over 12 ft. tall.

God truly is in the details of our lives! We have been praying for an opportunity to see some of our dear friends from Karratha before we leave for home, so we were beyond excited to find out several of them were in Perth at the same time as we were. It was so awesome to be able to reconnect w/them, even for a short time & such a blessing as we probably won't be able to see them again before we leave to come home. They will be forever in our hearts! 

Here's the Lekias family...the first family to welcome us to Western Australia. If you recall they made the sweet little poster to greet us at the airport & we still have it. Joel is the Branch Pres. in Karratha. We sure love them! We introduced them to our Murder Marble Game & they loved it... the six year old, Melissa, picked it up in minutes & schooled us all on how to play the game. Little Gideon, the four year old, had asked his mom last week if they could go over to the Tate's place for a swim. When Nicole told him we didn't live there anymore, but had moved to Kalgoorlie, he shrugged & said, 'well, then let's go there'!

Here we are w/the Baker's afterwards...Georgia & her kids...India & Reece. We just missed Kent who flew out to work on the largest natural gas platform in the world. India has been accepted into a prestigious ballet academy in Perth...she is very talented & dedicated to her craft...reminds of of our Belle. Reese is a lot like our Lachlan...loves gaming & is a feisty kid. Georgia reminds me of our Kim...a smart & kind woman w/lots of wisdom gained through hardship. Kent's dad is a counselor in our Mission Presidency. They hadn't even been in the ward for a day when contacted by a member of the Bishopric (his brother-in-law) & were surprised to hear their names called/sustained as the new YSA leaders in church a couple days later! They are a wonderful family & we will miss them.

Here we are at Baskin Robbins with our dear Karratha friends, Stuart & Michelle Otto (waving, who is the new Branch Pres. in Port Hedland) & Catherine & Artie Dimitrov. They are all from New Zealand (Kewie's) but have been in WA for many years. We will look forward to the day when they come to visit us in America, which they assure us will be sooner rather than later. I look like I'm wearing Mickey Mouse ears!! 

Our first day w/the Senior couples we went to the Optus Stadium...a 65,000 seat stadium smack downtown on the river. We had a private tour & learned a lot about the strange sporting world down under. Cricket, footie, soccer & rugby are all played here & the playing field has to be changed to accommodate each sport. Very strange & expensive...

In one of the locker rooms w/Elder Tate...this logo reminded me of the Capital High School Eagles. Pres. & Sister Bennallack in front of one of the Cricket team logos. President loves that game...we just don't understand the allure. Seriously, one game can go on for several hours or even days...seems very boring & slow to us...like watching paint dry.

Sister Furin & myself in the spa room...it was a very warm day & she was tempted to take a dip in the ice cold water. Not me!! They are the medical couple from Vancouver, WA & she loves, loves the water! If able, she would spend every day in the ocean. They are such fun people & so dedicated to looking after/loving our young missionaries. If missionary parents knew the care & kindness our senior couple have for their son's/daughter's, they would be so relieved of worry. We plan on taking a road trip to go visit after we get home!

Not much to see here...but Elder Tate got really excited when we rode on the escalators or in the huge cargo elevators! Had to teach everyone about them & what they could/could not do. Facts matter, people!! 

This is the Matagarup Bridge...the coolest walking bridge ever!! It's 1200 ft. long & about 240 ft high. Cost those Aussie taxpayers about $91 million to construct. The city is thinking of allowing bundgie jumping off the top arch...possibly to recover some of the budget?! That wouldn't interest me, but our daughter Leslee would totally go for it! She bundgied one of the tallest bridges in the world...over 750 ft in South Africa...so this would be a piece of cake for her! 

The beautiful Perth skyline from the Stadium. A gorgeous clear day spend t/great friends in lovely surroundings. Hard to get better than that!

Lunch w/friends!! Pres. & Sister Bennallack; the Mitchell's; the Furin's'; the Vawdreys & the Britton's (in blue hat). Such wonderful people & amazing senior missionaries. We wish there were more coming into our mission, but there is not. Such a sad thing...the Lord needs more couples who recognize the amazing opportunity & blessing it is to serve together w/their spouse & other couples who love & desire to serve the Lord. 

Later that evening we met up w/the two MP counselor's & their wives for a dinner at one of the Bennallack's favorite Thai restaurants. We had the place to ourselves, so could be as loud as we wanted...which we were. Much laughter & fun stories were shared down the table. One of our favorite stories is how Pres. Baker's family were taught the gospel by a young Elder from Boise, Idaho...Ted Anderson. Pres. Baker was a teenager at the time & later served his own mission in San Diego. He & his family remained very close to Bro. Anderson these many years & he even came to Boise to give the eulogy & speak at Bro. Anderson's funeral a few years ago. When he found out that was where we were from, Pres. Baker called us to personally welcome us to the Perth mission & has been a  great support to us while we've been here. We are so very grateful to his &  Trish's friendship & will miss them when we leave. But we know that won't be the end of our conversations or time together. 

Elder Tate tried to teach this young statue, but his message fell on deaf ears....

The following day we met up w/some new friends we gained just a few weeks ago! We met Paul Mortley at his nephew Eli's baptism in December. Paul's brother's family are our away-from-home family while here in Kalgoorlie. He's an EMT/site safety supervisor at mines throughout WA & travels pretty extensively...had some cool stories to tell about diamonds & the British monarchy. The two gals are sisters & friends of his family...fun loving people who adore America & are hoping (Paul anyway) to move to the States in the very near future. We had lunch at an Irish pub in a very eclectic part of Perth. The pub was built in the late 1890's & had some beautiful woodwork & floors. A very fun place to hangout w/new friends & try some different dishes. They had stout meat pies, while we had more conservative fish/chips/salad. 

The next several photos are from a dinner we had w/the Baker's & Bro & Sister Grinceri. He is currently serving as a Patriarch, but according to him, his most fascinating & frightening position was when, as a 29 yr. old man along w/his 26 yr. old wife, Vicky, were called to serve over the Rome Italy mission. Crazy young, right! She spoke absolutely no Italian...had one baby & was expecting another. Guess who was serving there among the beautiful young sisters & was given the assignment to help Sister Grinceri? Janis Stonehocker (Bielski)!! 

For those who don't know Janis, she & Tom/their family were in our ward for many, many years & their kids are the same ages as ours. She & Tom were an important part of the Brookhollow ward & served faithfully in many callings throughout the years. She was best friends w/July Bollschwieller & Candy Crouch & the three of them could be found at garage sales all over Boise & were founding members of our long running book group. We have very fond memories (& some not so fond ones!) of their time as part of the ward family. Janis was so excited to hear about our visit & see the photos we shared w/her. The world really is a very small place...especially within the Church.

Sister Grinceri cooked a delicious Italian meal for us...poached salmon w/tomatoes & peppers, fettuccini & her dessert was incredible!! Homemade apple cake (not really a cake, more of a pastry) & gelato. So good! Again...creeping poundage on our butts!!

On Monday we met w/all the young missionaries for a combined day of fun & games: played baseball, which most of them had never done & knew nothing about; had a bunch of fun competition games, like 'minute to win it', Jeopardy, relays, etc. Here's some pictures of the games: Elder Tate/Elder Furin in the donut eating contest.; necktie competition, just hanging out; best friends/comps receiving instruction; seeing the temple at night. 

It was a very full day & we were exhausted, but so happy to have all been together once again. At the end of the day it was wonderful to be able to walk outside & be in front of the beautiful Perth Temple. And, after Feb 8th, we will be able to go back inside to perform ordinances once again. We can hardly wait!! 

Our last evening was bittersweet....our first senior couple to return home left Tuesday evening. They are/were wonderful missionaries who love the Lord & the young missionaries! She was always making some kind of craft thing to give away; was a shopping fool who could be counted on to be late for just about everything. They're both really hard workers who helped clean numerous flats together w/the young missionaries & managed to make it fun; they cleaned/inventories all the cars that were turned into the mission when 80 missionaries left; he helped Elder Tate gather up & repair all the bikes in the mission...about 80 were put into storage at the mission office chapel. They served as the Branch President/wife up in no man's land of Port Hedland for almost a year & did it with a smile & hug. They will be sorely missed by us all.

The Vawdrey's live in the SLC, Provo area...along w/three of the other couples who will also be returning home over the next few months, so we are very hopeful that we can all be together once again at our mission reunion next October. All of us senior missionaries surprised them by showing up to say farewell at the airport. We were surprised (shouldn't have been!) to discover we had to wear face masks to be allowed inside or risk a $50K fine! Fortunately, one of the Sister's had a pkg so we were ok. Having not worn a mask before, we now know it will not be an easy thing to return home & have to wear them everywhere we go. Elder Tate might not be coming back w/me! Seriously!!

A very busy, but wonderful experience came to an end & we headed back to Kalgoorlie w/our Elders following behind in a car...yes, they now have their own vehicle, so we won't have to go rescue them when they get a flat bike tire; need to go to the shops or have some other 'emergency'. They're good boys, but very needy sometimes. 

We are so grateful for the experiences we've shared w/our senior couple friends. They are all unique, talented & dedicated individuals who love the Lord & desire to serve Him. And, as it reads in D&C 4;3, which we quote each week in our District meetings...'if ye have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work.' 

So what does that really mean? We've come to better understand the in order to truly understand a principle of the Gospel, one must first desire to gain understanding. It is through sincere desire that our hearts are enlarged, that our abilities increase & our minds are truly opened to the promptings of the Spirit. That is when true learning occurs & we can gain wisdom. 

I know the US Constitution was/is an inspired document & the founding father's were chosen by God to bring about a new land of freedom. It was only there that the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ could be brought about. Joseph Smith, as a young man of 14, desired to know his standing before God & which church he should join. He put that desire to the test & asked in faith...& as we know, he received an answer that removed all doubt from his mind as to whether or not God the Father & His holy Son exist.

There's a lot I don't know, but I do know Joseph's account is true. I know he was/is the Prophet God chose to bring about the restoration of all things. I know we are led by a true Prophet...even Pres. Russell M. Nelson & we have Apostles & otther righteous men/women leading & directing the affairs of the Kingdom of God on the earth today. I know that by hearkening to their words & seeking spiritual confirmation to the things they tell us, we can know for ourselves the 'truth of all things' by the power of the  Holy Ghost. I know the Priesthood is God's power by which families can be sealed together forever; & that our Savior's return is drawing ever closer.

We pray for you our dear family & friends & promise as you continue to move forward in faith, though there may be times when the days may be dark & confusing, that the light...which is Christ the Lord, will shine brightly before you; that His angels will be round about you, strengthening & bearing you up. We promise that by not grasping in fear to the rod of iron; or wandering off because of doubt, but by holding fast & tightly to the word of God, you will find your way safely to the tree & be partakers of the fruit which is most delicious above all else...even our Savior & Redeemer, Jesus Christ. 

Love to you all....Hurrah for Israel!!   Elder & Sister Tate

Merry Christmas 2020 & Happy New Year 2021!!

December 26, 2020

The past couple of weeks have simply blown by! Can't say we're not excited to see the end of 2020 & the chaos of COVID, an upside down election & other crazy happenings, but through it all we've certainly learned some important lessons, gained greater perspectives, & come to better #HearHim as we've followed our beloved Prophet & leaders. We hope the coming year will be more peaceful, bring more kindness & give us opportunities to teach & lead others to Christ. We also have been enjoying the wonderful #LighttheWorld initiative & the great opportunities this time of year affords each of us.

I put out a desperate FB post for anyone's extra Christmas items to help to decorate our naked flat. We didn't want to spend anymore $$ on decorations that we would just leave behind so were very happy when we received lots of lovely donated items...trees, ornaments, etc for ourselves & the Elder's flat. I was so excited to have something to put up...Here's our humble little tree & home afterwards. 

Leslee contacted our friends Alison & Nawal, to be our own personal elves to do some Christmas shopping for her. They filled the giant stocking w/lots of goodies for us to unwrap Christmas morning. They had so much fun & got totally into the spirit of giving. We made a haul thanks to our own personal Santa & her cute, sneaky elves!!  

The week before Christmas we went to Perth for our annual Christmas conference w/all the missionaries & had a fantastic time. It was wonderful to be among all our young Elders & Sisters & feel of their energy & enthusiasm, as well as our other senior missionaries; to receive instruction from our Mission President. We had a fantastic Christmas feast provided w/all the delicious trimmings both American & Australian; beautiful handmade decorations our RS sisters do so well everywhere the world round; laughter & good times. Later that day we went to a local park (of which they have sooo many) to have some fun & let off some steam & eat pizza...teenagers favorite anywhere you go. The next day we spent a couple hours at one of the big malls spreading a little Christmas cheer w/caroling & mingling among the shoppers. Unlike in America & other highly populated areas, there was very little physical distancing or masks to be seen.  

These are all of our young Sister missionaries. Most are from Western Australia, but a few are from Malaysia & the Philippines. In total we now have 34 young missionaries serving & 5 senior couples. We are hopeful of getting about 20 more missionaries from around Australia over the next few months. We still don't have any senior couples coming in...they will most likely be asking for volunteers from the Perth area to help out when we all start leaving, which begins mid-January.

Along w/the happy were some bittersweet moments. The first was that President Bennallack & his wife have been w/their youngest daughter/family for the past month back east in Sydney. She had been undergoing cancer treatment for the past 1.5 yrs, but to no avail & was dying. President decided to make the quick trip back to attend our much anticipated conference but learned, just prior to landing late Thursday night, that he would have to be placed under isolation for 24 hrs. So he wasn't even able to personally attend the conference Friday, but had to do it over Zoom. 

The second & most bitter pill was that he received a phone call early Sat. morning informing him that his daughter had passed away. It was a very sad time knowing he had sacrificed being w/his daughter/family to come back to be w/all of us. He put his missionaries needs before his own & sacrificed precious time in order to perform his duties. What a selfless, devoted man of God! And instead of staying at home to grieve w/a broken heart, he came to the mall to join w/us in singing the songs of celebration & joy that Christmas brings. We could see his tears & hear the tender feelings of his soul as he sang songs of praise to our Savior & felt our own testimonies strengthened as we listened to him bear witness of the birth of Christ & the eternal blessings that can come to all mankind through Him. It is an experience I shall never forget.

Back home we looked forward to the upcoming holidy activities. We enjoyed a lovely dinner w/the Prall family on Christmas Eve then went to the Mortley's for their annual Christmas Day celebration of...what else? A water fight!! It was very welcome as temperatures hovered around 102*-106 for the next couple of days. I'm longing for a white Christmas next year!

And look at these desserts!! Homemade Pavlova & Trifle....so delicious!

We received some of our favorite games from our son, Josh....as you all know, we love playing games & he sent us two great ones. Cover Your Assests & Splendor. We look forward to introducing them at our New Year's Day game night. He also sent us some very special treats that are almost impossible to find here & if you read one of our last posts, you'll see/remember just how expensive they are. 

Here's Elders Winter & van der Linden (yes, that's his name!) enjoying their first & probably their last taste of our Twinkies! 

Of course, it wouldn't have been a real Christmas without being able to celebrate with our family & we give thanks once again for modern tech that allows us that blessings. If we'd only bought stock in Zoom our lives would be much richer right now! JK....

Family is what brings us the most joy in our lives & the blessings of eternal families through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is what we seek to bring to others. That in no way means we don't have challenges, issues & sorrows... but it is because of the gospel that we are able to put those difficult aspects of living into proper perspective & continue moving ever forward on the covenant path.

We are so very grateful for this past year's opportunities for growth, learning & teaching moments. For the Christlike attributes we constantly are given chances to obtain...patience, humility, charity, virtue, knowledge, hope, diligence & obedience. Through those we have come to know & respect, friends, family, missionaries, investigators & Church  leaders/members...we see in their lives these very characteristics & qualities. There are so many who give of their time/energy to help others w/no expectation of anything in return; those who sacrifice their own needs/wants in order to bless & lift others; for people who so willingly share of their bounty so that others may have; & those who simply strive to bring joy & laughter into other's hearts. 

We give thanks for all these wonderful souls that have enriched our lives & blessed us so abundantly this past year & pray for the blessings of heaven to be upon you throughout the coming New Year....Hurrah for Israel! 

Love to you all....Elder & Sister Tate! 

It's the most wonderful time of the Year!!

 December 10, 2020

We've had a very busy couple of weeks with everyone getting prepared for Christmas & all the activities which that brings. We had our 2nd Australian Christmas party last Friday night & a good time was had by all. So much delicious food, good conversations & laughter all around. I baked 50 pumpkin pie tarts (plus 10 coconut cream for he RS helpers to sample), we did a small turkey, largest available was only about 10 lbs & it barely fit in the oven, & homemade stuffing. They were a hit & helped bring a little bit of home & Christmas Spirit to us. 

Here's John & Robert, the bakers (& brothers) where we get our donated bread Mon-Fri & who also gave us the tart shells for free! They are such awesome guys! So, of course, we had to give them some samples & now they want me to come in & teach them how to make dessert pies, cause they only do meat pies, like everyone else in Australia. They're thinking the coconut cream & pumpkin tarts will be very popular. Who knows...this might be a new sensation down under! 

Last night we went to the Kaa family's home for dinner. They had come to our place a couple weeks ago for FHE & we had a lovely time w/KT, Ellen & their four kids. They are very gracious people who truly love missionaries. KT actually served in this mission & spent time here in Kalgoorlie, returning later to marry & raise his family. It was a missionary opportunity to meet/spend time w/Ellen's mother/stepfather & KT's good friend...all of whom are nonmembers. 

They invited us over for a traditional Maori hungi (hungee). KT dug a pit in the backyard & put about a dozen foil wrapped packages of different meats & veggies like pumpkin, potatoes, yams, cabbage, carrots...into a very large iron basket that is placed on top of big red hot iron discs. It's then covered w/cloth then more heated discs are put on top of that & again covered w/more cloths to be finally covered over w/dirt. Because it's such a time consuming process, whenever anyone does a hungi, several families contribute & enough is cooked to provide dinner for many people. KT also made several dozen pieces of fry bread...like scones that was served w/butter & jam. 

It was a delicious meal spent w/good people. We had a great discussion w/Ellen's parents about his time in America & about the true meaning of Christmas. I think we will be playing games soon w/Ellen's mom & stepdad...hopefully will get them married soon & on their way towards baptism. That's KT in the front of the picture...a big teddy bear of a guy. 

In the past we've mentioned how expensive things are here, especially American food/products. Our favorite mayo is Best Foods & it is around $10.50/per quart size jar. Here are a couple photos of a section of popular American foods in one of the small grocers. You might want to be sitting down when you see the prices! 

It's hard to see so I'll point out that the boxes of cereal are $10.95, the boxes of soda are $19.95, the pop tarts are $8.79, the box of 10 Twinkies is $19.99, the Hershey's candy bars are $7.95 each, & the bags of chips are also $7.95. Understandably, we don't eat many things from the States here. Who knows how long they took to get put on the shelves & how long they've been sitting there?! Fun to see, though. 

This time of year means lots of sporting events...it's still hard for us to wrap our heads around the fact that it's 90*+ outside & they're playing cricket, footie & basketball outside. Looking at this picture, you'd think we were in the good ole USA at any playing field in the spring or fall. But no, Christmas is just around the corner & so is twinkling lights, decorated trees & holiday music. 

Elder Tate's U-14 team is wrapping up their season & has one more game before tournament begins. He has managed to bring these boys along & teach them some life skills as well as help them improve their basketball moves. He loves them & they really love & respect their coach. 

This is the Tau Pau family. Maraea (Mariah) & their boys are very active in the community in basketball. The twins are on Randy's team & are both very good players. Plus they're two of our young teachers & their little brother will be turning 12 next month. Unfortunately, they are moving to Perth just before Christmas. Elder Tate is very sad to lose them on his team, especially with the tournament coming up, but we're especially sad to see them leave the ward for they are such a good family & wonderful examples to everyone. We certainly wish them the very best on this new adventure!

Time has hurried on & we are now seeing our senior missionaries begin preparations to leave for home. It is a very bittersweet time...for while we know & can certainly appreciate that they are excited to return home to loved ones, their diligent & steadfast service will be greatly missed. It is nearly impossible to express how much senior missionaries contribute to the building up of God's kingdom! From supporting/encouraging/teaching new members who are just beginning their life-long journey on the covenant path to those who are returning after years of being away; to assisting in starting up Family History programs, Self-Reliance or Pathway education classes; helping train those in leadership positions & being there as support to members who just need a helping hand; & probably most importantly, senior couples can often bridge the gap & bring love & encouragement to young Elders & Sisters who are far from home for perhaps the first time...missing their families, struggling to feel they are good enough, learning to have faith in their Savior & to listen to the promptings of the Spirit & act quickly when it comes. We are called upon to be a listening ear, a shoulder to lean on, a quick hug & word of praise...it is amazing how much of a difference we can make in the lives of so many. 

In closing, may you all feel the blessings that can be ours...especially as we focus on Christ during this wonderful time of year. We pray for continued safety, peace & love to be in your hearts & home as you gather to celebrate our Savior's birth. He lives & love us! 

Hurrah for Israel!!  Love to you all....Elder & Sister Tate 

#GiveThanks

 November 20, 2020

Look at that date! I can't believe this year is almost gone but I think most of us will be glad to see all it's craziness behind. Gives new meaning to the phrase, 'this too shall pass!' However, I was reminded the other day that the movie 'Mad Max' took place in 2021...so we may have more coming down the road! But, along w/the nutso things that have occured there have been some totally awesome blessings. 

Like many of you, we watched Pres. Nelson's recent video on gratitude. We have loved reading countless social media posts expressing thanks to God for so many blessings, miracles, acts of kindness, healings & other tender mercies. Our hearts have been lifted w/gladness; we've rejoiced & wept to read the wonderful tributes given to parents, family members, friends, strangers, teachers & so many other people who have made an impact upon so many lives. 

One of the things I #givethanks for is our scripture study group. Every week we have a class w/ladies from the ward. We were studying the Book of Mormon/Come, Follow Me guide, but decided to change it up a bit & now choose a topic for the week then come together to discuss it & how we can improve upon, change, or implement it into our lives. A couple weeks ago we met at Nawal Te Puke's home...she's from Ghana & met her husband when he was serving a mission there. They now have three boisterous boys, the oldest of which was baptised a couple months ago. She prepared several traditional dishes that were sooo delicious. 

Alison is on the left & was baptised in February. She's from South Africa & Nawal, on the right, is dressed in her beautiful traditional clothing. We love them & #givethanks for their eagerness to keep learning about the Gospel & for also giving us the opportunity to experience new cultures.

And this was our low-cal dessert...decadent chocolate cheesecake, homemade chocolate toffee

& apple crumble. None of us were dieting....then.

Things are heating up here in the Goldfields! Not only is the temperature rising as we move into summer, but our teaching pool has also increased. We now have a family from Sudan that are being taught...mom, dad, 2 little kids & an adult cousin. She was looking for help w/prayers & searching for a way to help her little family draw closer to God; saw something about prayer online & the Church's name w/it so reached out. We received the referral & met w/her this past week. She & her two little boys came to our game night & had a good time. When asked which church they would like to go to on Sunday, the boys said, "This one!" So fingers crossed!!

We had a visit from a young friend from Perth this past weekend. Cindy came down on the train & spent a few days looking over Kalgoorlie & hanging out w/us old folks. She's a delightful gal w/a heart of gold who doesn't recognize her own worth. Something we all struggle w/at times. She brought me the most fantastic birthday gift she made! A book w/pictures of some of our young missionaries as well as senior couples still serving & of other's who have gone home plus dear friends from Karratha w/lovely greetings from them all. It was unexpected & beautiful. I don't cry often but it brought me to tears. I'm so blessed to know such giving, kind people! Cindy & I enjoyed our time together & now look forward to another visit come Christmastime when we go to Perth for a missionary conference w/everyone. I #givethanks for the loving kindness of people & wonderful friends! 

                  

We made a very quick trip down to Esperance at the beginning of this week to find some missing members & give a blessing to an elderly sister there. No coincidences when it comes to our Father's children being found...the one separated from the fold. There are about two dozen Saints in this small community, but only one family is actually active. Last time we were there, this sister requested a blessing of peace, which she received. She has said several times how much it has helped here. This time she wanted a blessing on her home & council for some decisions that need to be made. When we arrived she was talking on the phone to her younger daughter who had called to give some very distressing news to her mom. She was very upset & sad, so to receive a blessing & help from her Heavenly Father was very welcome & needed.

Her daughters have not been active for 20+ yrs...one has had a very hard life & didn't want anything to do w/either her mom or the church. We had no idea how or even if, she would speak to us, but when Elder Tate knocked on the door & introduced himself, she said, "I knew God was going to send someone to find me." She agreed that she needed help to get her life back on track & that she needed to talk to her mother & mend fences. 

Her younger sister, who lives around the corner, works at a local grocers.  She was the one talking on the phone when we arrived at her mom's house the day before. We went in to the store hoping to meet up w/her, but she had stepped out to run a couple of errands. Long story short, we dallied about, looking for a few things we didn't need hoping she would return. About 10 mins. later she did & a clerk, who had helped me earlier, brought her to where I was looking at cards. The gal was so excited to talk to us & asked if we could come to her house the next morning, which we happily did.

We learned a lot about her family & are so grateful we just 'happened' to be in the right place at the right time. Funny how things like that occur so often when it comes to our Father's children...the one needing to be found. The Spirit was very strong as we visited, asked questions & invited her to learn more about the gospel in order to attain her goals of becoming a mother & a better wife/daughter/sister. She now has the Library App on her phone, has requested Zoom lessons for the ADR program so she can quit smoking & will most likely also meet w/the missionaries online to be taught the gospel lessons. We are prayerful her husband will also want to join in w/her on this covenant path so they may learn/grow together. 

Disappointment with our Crocodile Dundee dude. He was doing so well, but made some unfortunate choices...as a result he is unable to continue learning about the restored gospel. Of course, things could change, but at this point in time he is choosing to lead a very different life than he was just a few weeks ago. We're sad for him, but optimistic that our Heavenly Father will watch over him.

We #givethanks for the love of Heavenly Parents who patiently watch over their children & who will always provide a way for them to return home. It may not be in this life, but the promises are sure that it will happen in His time & in His way. 

Happy Thanksgiving to our Australia friends & to our dear family & loved ones back in America! The Aussie's love a good meal, so turkey day was a true celebration of all things delicious. We enjoyed a wonderful traditional meal w/the Mortley family & had a wonderful time listening to & watching the antics of their children. We're grateful for their friendship, kindness & love. 

With the world in turmoil all around, it's not hard to believe that the war begun in heaven hasn't ended...it's just changed location. The skirmishes & battles may rage around us, but how grateful we are to know the outcome of the war will be won by our Lord & Savior. We continue to be amazed at the powerful messages of hope & love our beloved Prophet, President Nelson & the apostles continue to bring the world. They possess the vitality & energy of men much younger...we get tired just reading/seeing all they do! We have been warned that dark days are ahead. We have also been told that exciting things are going to happen; to eat our vitamins & get plenty of rest for many great & amazing things are ahead. 

Pres. Nelson says that he wants to jump out of bed every day to think of what wonderful things will  be happening. If he can jump out of bed w/excitement at 96, the very least I can do is stumble out of bed & be happy about it as we gird up our loins & put on the whole armor of God. We #givethanks to be led by men (and women) of such faith, dedication & vision. Truly we are a most fortunate people!

We #givethanks that 45 years ago this couple took me (Randy) into their home, gave me a room in their basement (Boise, Idaho) and taught me the gospel of Jesus Christ. Through their example my life was changed & a new family was created...I give eternal thanks for their loving kindness in mentoring me. Richard (99) & Lenore (97) Anderson, currently living in Salt Lake City, Utah. They've been great missionary examples to us having served four missions around the world. They were also the last people we said goodbye to in the States before getting on the plane to report to the great Australia Perth mission.

We #givethanks for this glorious world that was created for our benefit. It is often easy to forget that this is a fallen world & must go through a transformation in order to be perfected & receive it's paradisiacal glory. Like us, it is also becoming. It is experiencing groans, pains unexpected bruising & challenges. All creatures will fulfill the measure for which the were created.

It is by seeing others through our Savior's eyes that we can love more, forgive freely, have deeper compassion for & accepting of all who are different from ourselves. It is through seeking a deeper understanding the great plan of happiness that we can be kinder, more patient & tolerant of  disagreement & spite. We are all on the same journey...just taking different paths.

Time is speeding up! We can hardly believe 15 months have gone by w/only 7 remaining here in Western Australia! Much has changed back home & around the world while we've been serving, but the things that matter most have not...they are constant. Our love of family & friends; the gratitude we feel for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ & the sure promises He has given those who are faithful; the blessings of mortality & lessons we gain from life upon this earth; our testimonies of the Plan of Salvation & in our Savior's perfect love.  

We pray for you all & know God's watchful eye is upon all His children in every land. May you feel of His love & peace during this Thanksgiving season & #givethanks...for all things denote there is a God.

Hurrah for Israel!!  Elder & Sister Tate