January - February - March 2009 - Busy, Busy, Busy

We have been extremely busy these past three months, with many assignments and tasks that we have been doing as Public Affairs missionaries for our Church. We have said goodbyes to fellow senior missionaries going home and hello to new ones coming to take their places. We had Clint's 87 year old father come in February to visit along with brother Alan and wife Lorianne. We have been involved with our Australia Scout activities which we have throughly enjoyed. Our work continues every week with members of our assigned LDS Ward, the Fairfield 3rd in the Paramatta Stake. The recent tragic bush fires in Victoria kept us busy with some Public Affairs tasks. So, we have just kept our "shoulder to the wheel, moving the work along."

We have been anticipating some replacements for us and held off making plans to come home in June. However, no word yet for those to come after us so we have started to determine when and what we should do about coming back to Utah....

December 2008 - Christmas Again Down Under

This was our second Christmas season in Australia. We were involved with many activities and events that kept us very busy. We were also still moving our offices at the Buckland House, the new home of LDS Public Affairs in Sydney. There were activities with our Cub Scouts, leaders and parents which also included a trip to the Temple to see the Christmas Lights and Nativity Display. We had many events with other senior missionaries as well as with our ward members and Australian relatives. We even took time to show some of our new senior missionaries the beautiful country south of Sydney, both inland and along the coast. We received numerous cards and packages from home which made Christmas special for us. We are again reminded of the importance of the birth of Christ and what that meaningful event has in our lives.