28 March - Crystal and Shell Harbour

Crystal 

We met Crystal today at Shellharbour went to lunch and sat on the beach and talked. 

 We invited her to attend church again.

We contacted her Relief Society President in hopes that she will start attending church again.

27 March 2019 - First Zone Conference

First Zone Conference

It was a great training.  It will help us as we both learn to work together.   Sister Runia did a training session to teach us all how to work better with our companion.  President Runia's training was about being happy now! - not waiting until... to be happy.

23 March 2019 - Emus in the Field!

Emu's in the field outside of Grenfell. We drove to Grenfell to met a member.  On the way back to Cowra - we saw Emu's! 

20 March 2019 - P-Day at Wyangala Dam

P-Day at Wyangala Dam

Today we decided that we needed to take a P-Day and take a break!  Between Orange and Cowra we saw a sign for Wyangala Dam State Park.  Ron and water go together and since it was on the way to Cowra - why not!  Let's go.  So we put on our jeans and hiking boots and packed a lunch, off we went for the day.

Wyangala Dam

It was a beautiful day to be out in the Bush.

 We hiked up to Balanced Rock.

We saw a couple mobs of kangaroos! (A mob is a group of Kangaroos.)  They were all sitting in the shade.  Some decided they wanted to look at us and we looked at them.  We did not want to get very close - they are unpredictable and pack quite a punch!

Look carefully, there are quite a few kangaroos in this picture - they are either laying down or they are standing watch - watching us.

Below the Dam is the town of Wyangala - with a population of less than 200 people.

12 March 2019 - Cowra Branch

Cowra Branch Building, Cowra, New South Wales

When we left Sydney, to go to Orange and then to our assignment in Cowra, we were to contact the Orange District President, President Sullivan. The Sullivans live in Cowra. Ron called and left a message and sent a text message as well to let him know we were coming to meet with him.  He never responded. (We learned later we had his land line - which they do not use)  We drove to Cowra and decided to just show up at his home.  We arrived in Cowra and found the Church.  Repairmen were working on the electrical systems, so we took a look in the little building.  

We had the home address for President Sullivan and realized it was close to the Church.  We started walking away from the Church in search of their home. (We walked in the wrong direction – did not know which way the numbers ran.) We soon realized we were walking the wrong way.  As we turned around to go back, a car stopped at the corner and a women and her children called to us and asked if we were the Christensen’s!

She introduced herself to us as Sister Sullivan and pointed to her home and invited us in.  The family was so excited.  Sunday night President Runia (Australia Sydney Mission President) talked with President Sullivan to ask about the need for Senior Missionaries in Cowra.  They had been praying since Sunday that we would be sent to Cowra. Tuesday morning, President Runia called the Sullivans and spoke with Sister Sullivan to let them know we were coming.  She had not told the children.  They were at school when the call came. When the children saw us at the street corner, they realized their prayers had been answered.  It was truly a tender mercy to see the excitement and faith of the children when they realized their prayers were answered.

11 March - We arrive in Orange - our home - for now

The Flat in Orange is nice but 100 Km is too far to travel to the area we are assigned each day.  We hope to soon find a flat in Cowra.

 Orange is a pretty community of about 30,000.  I love the trees in the middle of the road.  I love the idea - widen the road, and leave the trees where they are!  Notice the picture below - the car is parked between the curb and the trees in the road.

This picture was taken 3 April 2019 - no sign of Spring here!  This is Fall colors beginning in Orange, Australia where we are down under and upside down in the seasons.  My brain is so confused!  I keep thinking it's October - not April!

9 March 2019 - All Mission Conference

All Mission Conference

We had the privilege of attending an All Mission Conference just days after our arrival.  The spirit and the energy there truly provided a great start to our mission - even though we still do not have an assignment!  We met some very special  missionaries while there.  Elder Formica is now a Zone Leader.  He was a brand new missionary last year when we were living in Sydney.  We met Sister Matafeo - also a brand new missionary last year.

And Elder Ritchie - He is Chinese Speaking Missionary serving in the Syndey area.  He cousin to Aria - Calvin's wife.  

6 March 2019 - Arrival in Sydney

President and Sister Runia met us and other arriving missionaries at the Sydney Airport.

We are so excited to be counted worthy to be part of this great movement of Gathering Israel.  President Nelson has said "The Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel. That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today.    Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty. And if you choose to, if you want to, you can be a big part of it. You can be a big part of something big, something grand, something majestic!"  

This is where we want to be, right now - gathering Israel in Australia!

March 4, 2019 - Off we go!

Packing and weighing suitcases and packing again and weighing again.  Pack again and weighed again.  Finally after numerous attempts we made it.  Lacy took us to the Salt Lake International Airport.

Wow , our whole life packed into these suitcases!  Australia here we come.

Two hours later we board a plane for Los Angeles and finally at Midnight in LA - our plane leaves for Sydney.

March 5, just a moment in time as we crossed the international date line and landed in Sydney on 6 March, 2019 after a 14 hour flight from Los Angeles.  The entire flight is over the Pacific Ocean.

March 2, 2019

This is going to be fun!  We are done with our MTC training, but we do not fly out until Monday, March 4th.  So - we take our first a P-Day activity with the family. The last fling before we leave for 2 years.  Ron and I packed our snowshoes and winter clothes and met Dan and family.  We all went to the Ben Lommond Trailhead, North Fork Park, Nordic Ski Center.  Dan rented cross country skis for his family.

The Children got their cross country skis on - with much assistance - me I'm glad I'm on Snowshoes!! 

Off we went - Ron stayed with Nat and helped him.  Nat and Grandpa made a great team working together to keep Nat upright.

Porter was convinced that it was more fun to fall down.  He fell and laughed, got up, fell again and laughed.  Dan tried to hold him up by his little back pack.  "Dad, I can do it myself"  fall and giggle again.

 

Grandpa and I decided it was good nobody had to keep picking us up.

Lacey Joy is amazing - skiing with Lydia in her carrier

With all the dramatics going on - Annelise is way ahead! 

I caught up to her and we had a great time together  - at times she also thought it was fun to fall down!

We finished the course and had hot chocolate and Herbal Teas in the Yurt!  

Preach my Gospel Training - Feb 25 to March 1, 2019

Another MTC tradition - take a picture in front of the world map and point to where you are going in the world.  Note to self - don't do a selfie - it comes out backwards.  So those of you who know your Australia geography - note that we are pointing to the East Coast of Australia - but wait - it looks like the West Coast - yes the Selfie photo turned it Australia around.  We really are in the Australia, Sydney Mission - on the East Coast of Australia!  So, we got someone to take our picture below.

The junior Elders and Sisters are given a companion when they arrive at the MTC.  The Senior Couples are put into a  companionship - with another Senior Couple and we are put into a District of  6 to 8 Senior Missionaries.  We love our Companion Couple!  The Vandeveer's are a gift from Heavenly Father for us! As we were being told about the companionship we would be placed in, I was overwhelmed with the Spirit.  The Spirit bore powerful witness that the couple we would be given was not a random selection.  They were specifically chosen for us.  We had such a good time together and we became very close. They are serving in the Montana, Billings Mission with the Young Single Adults. 

We were taught from Preach My Gospel by young return missionaries. We learned so much from them.  We were the oldies, but they were the experienced missionaries.

The lessons learned at the MTC will stay with me throughout my life.  The Spirit is strong, the energy level is high and the Cereal containers in the Cafeteria are huge.