September 20, 2011 Tuesday
This morning we dropped in at Narrogin Gas. It’s a local business that President and Sister Moulds recently bought. Wow! It certainly had more than just tanks of propane. They had every kind and color of balloon anyone would want for any occasion (except baptism). They also sell all kinds of gas barbeques and supplies for cooking while camping. There was also a huge area displaying all kinds of tables, decorations, etc., for patios.
We went there to discuss the baptism Sunday. He was going to assign one of his counselors to organize it and we were worried that it wouldn’t happen. It’s been 3 weeks and that particular counselor hasn’t been over to visit the member that we found in Katanning who has been there 10 years and hadn’t ever been contacted. So we convinced him to let us do it. He suggested speakers. We had a good visit with him. He’s always so busy at church. Catching him at a slow moment at work was a good thing. Sister Moulds was there too. Bless her heart; she’s trying to clean the place ups. Evidently the other owners weren’t too diligent in keeping the bugs and mice out of the place. We are glad it’s her doing that and not us!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
A SATISFIED JW
19 September 2011 Monday
This afternoon we went to see Ann Kelly. Orson had found her tracting. She’s over 80, very sharp mentally and attends the J-dub meetings but doesn’t believe in everything they teach. She had said we could come back, but she greeted us at the door with, “You can come in as long as you don’t tell me that the Jehovah’s Witnesses aren’t true and you don’t try to get me to change churches.” Orson agreed to that and then used a very soft approach to get her talking about what was wrong with the J-dubs. She got out her JW bible and her King James bible and we compared some scriptures. She agreed with everything we said concerning them and how they were wrong. She was surprised that the apostate Mormons, the Millerites, had an influence on the founder of the JWs. She agreed that they were wrong that there couldn’t be more scripture if God wanted to bring it. Just as we were ready to introduce the Book of Mormon, she said, “Well, that’s enough. I’m not going to change churches. Would you like a drink of water?” And that was it. She was good to talk to. We felt sorry for her. She grew up in an orphanage until she was 5. Someone took her home when she was 2 ½, but they must have not liked her because they returned her to the orphanage. She was finally adopted by a single teacher. She says she was nice but not a warm person. You could tell that she missed the hugging, etc., that she saw some children get. She has 5 kids but only 2 of them speak to her. Her husband left her to raise them alone. They probably got the same kind of mothering that she had. What a blessing it is to be born of “goodly parents!”
After dinner tonight we drove south of town into the bush where we saw the kangaroos before. We were hoping for another sighting, but they must have not been awake yet. Sigh….
This afternoon we went to see Ann Kelly. Orson had found her tracting. She’s over 80, very sharp mentally and attends the J-dub meetings but doesn’t believe in everything they teach. She had said we could come back, but she greeted us at the door with, “You can come in as long as you don’t tell me that the Jehovah’s Witnesses aren’t true and you don’t try to get me to change churches.” Orson agreed to that and then used a very soft approach to get her talking about what was wrong with the J-dubs. She got out her JW bible and her King James bible and we compared some scriptures. She agreed with everything we said concerning them and how they were wrong. She was surprised that the apostate Mormons, the Millerites, had an influence on the founder of the JWs. She agreed that they were wrong that there couldn’t be more scripture if God wanted to bring it. Just as we were ready to introduce the Book of Mormon, she said, “Well, that’s enough. I’m not going to change churches. Would you like a drink of water?” And that was it. She was good to talk to. We felt sorry for her. She grew up in an orphanage until she was 5. Someone took her home when she was 2 ½, but they must have not liked her because they returned her to the orphanage. She was finally adopted by a single teacher. She says she was nice but not a warm person. You could tell that she missed the hugging, etc., that she saw some children get. She has 5 kids but only 2 of them speak to her. Her husband left her to raise them alone. They probably got the same kind of mothering that she had. What a blessing it is to be born of “goodly parents!”
After dinner tonight we drove south of town into the bush where we saw the kangaroos before. We were hoping for another sighting, but they must have not been awake yet. Sigh….
YES!
18 Sep 2011 Sunday
Amy had her baptismal interview today during Sunday School with President Moulds. She came out all smiles. He even showed her the baptismal font. They checked out the baptismal clothing—as per West Australia, it’s dismal. We’ll make a trip to Perth this week to get something for her to wear and also some baptismal forms since we didn’t get any when we were given our area book. The sisters talked her into staying for Relief Society and for the luncheon after. President Ferris was one of the stake speakers and he ended up visiting with Amy for a while after the lunch. She helped clean up and seemed to really enjoy herself.
Yesterday while we were going over the baptismal questions with her, she said that Brett still wants to be baptized. President Moulds mentioned it again today, so we are going to try to get him ready for next Sunday too. He has time at home this week. We are so blessed to have been given this sweet family to teach!
He also told us that Di Jardine can be baptized. She the woman in Katanning whose parents removed her name from church records when she was 14. She is now married to a member. We called and told her husband. She’d worked night shift last night, so she was still sleeping. We hope she will want to become a member so they can go to the temple.
I started making up our area book. We finally got the forms for it on Wednesday. It’s a lot of work to go back over two months of teaching, visiting, etc., and fill out the stuff. I highly recommend doing it on a daily or at least weekly basis.
It’s dumping rain today. We’ve had a lot of rain the last couple of days. It’s great for the farmers.
Amy had her baptismal interview today during Sunday School with President Moulds. She came out all smiles. He even showed her the baptismal font. They checked out the baptismal clothing—as per West Australia, it’s dismal. We’ll make a trip to Perth this week to get something for her to wear and also some baptismal forms since we didn’t get any when we were given our area book. The sisters talked her into staying for Relief Society and for the luncheon after. President Ferris was one of the stake speakers and he ended up visiting with Amy for a while after the lunch. She helped clean up and seemed to really enjoy herself.
Yesterday while we were going over the baptismal questions with her, she said that Brett still wants to be baptized. President Moulds mentioned it again today, so we are going to try to get him ready for next Sunday too. He has time at home this week. We are so blessed to have been given this sweet family to teach!
He also told us that Di Jardine can be baptized. She the woman in Katanning whose parents removed her name from church records when she was 14. She is now married to a member. We called and told her husband. She’d worked night shift last night, so she was still sleeping. We hope she will want to become a member so they can go to the temple.
I started making up our area book. We finally got the forms for it on Wednesday. It’s a lot of work to go back over two months of teaching, visiting, etc., and fill out the stuff. I highly recommend doing it on a daily or at least weekly basis.
It’s dumping rain today. We’ve had a lot of rain the last couple of days. It’s great for the farmers.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Farewell, so long, auf....
One of the trials of tracting in the country!
Black headed sheep. They make white sheep look really boring.
September 15, 2011 Thursday
Yesterday afternoon we drove to Perth to the Mission Home for a farewell dinner for Sister Kruger (from England), who has been the mission secretary, and Sister Matuauto (originally from Samoa but has lived in SLC for 40 years), who has run the commissary (supplies) for the last 18 months. We arrived here just 3 weeks after they did. The dinner was an oriental dinner prepared by Jenny, the woman hired to cook for the mission home on special occasions. All the senior missionaries were there with the exception of the Curtis’s who are in Esperance which is at least a 12 hour drive from here. We were able to meet 2 new couples who are here. The Lanes are from Queensland and have been assigned to Geralton Branch where the Walkers served for a year. The Marsdens are from New Zealand and were sent to Broome for 2 months. They are now taking the place of Sisters Kruger and Matuauto in the office. After dinner we gathered in the family room to exchange some stories and hear the sisters’ final testimonies. They both spoke of how much they had learned. It had been hard for them to adjust to having a companion since Sister Kruger has been divorced for 25 years and Sister M has never been married. But they both said they’d learned to love each other after the “rough corners” had been knocked off. It’s so good to get together with the other seniors. We drove home after a prayer that we’d travel safely. The big risk at night on that road is hitting a kangaroo. We saw 4 but they were all standing on the side of the road waiting for us to pass :o)
Yesterday morning we gave a lesson to Maxine, a lady in her late 70’s who’s a Lutheran. She was very teachable and then her husband came in. He was full of questions which we were able to answer (infant baptism, etc.), but he couldn’t “get over the need for ‘the book.’” We were there 2 ½ hours! We told him he could go straight to the Lord and ask about its truthfulness. In the end, he said he wanted to keep his minister between him and Christ—go figure! We did get to testify to him and felt the spirit as we did, so now it’s all up to him.
We taught Amy the Gospel of Jesus Christ lesson today. By the time you get to this lesson on faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost and enduring to the end, you’ve already discussed most of it anyway in connection with the other lessons. Bless her heart, she did say, “I just think it’s so nice that yous guys will let me get baptized.” What a sweetheart!
Tonight we are doing “institute” since we were gone last night.
Black headed sheep. They make white sheep look really boring.
September 15, 2011 Thursday
Yesterday afternoon we drove to Perth to the Mission Home for a farewell dinner for Sister Kruger (from England), who has been the mission secretary, and Sister Matuauto (originally from Samoa but has lived in SLC for 40 years), who has run the commissary (supplies) for the last 18 months. We arrived here just 3 weeks after they did. The dinner was an oriental dinner prepared by Jenny, the woman hired to cook for the mission home on special occasions. All the senior missionaries were there with the exception of the Curtis’s who are in Esperance which is at least a 12 hour drive from here. We were able to meet 2 new couples who are here. The Lanes are from Queensland and have been assigned to Geralton Branch where the Walkers served for a year. The Marsdens are from New Zealand and were sent to Broome for 2 months. They are now taking the place of Sisters Kruger and Matuauto in the office. After dinner we gathered in the family room to exchange some stories and hear the sisters’ final testimonies. They both spoke of how much they had learned. It had been hard for them to adjust to having a companion since Sister Kruger has been divorced for 25 years and Sister M has never been married. But they both said they’d learned to love each other after the “rough corners” had been knocked off. It’s so good to get together with the other seniors. We drove home after a prayer that we’d travel safely. The big risk at night on that road is hitting a kangaroo. We saw 4 but they were all standing on the side of the road waiting for us to pass :o)
Yesterday morning we gave a lesson to Maxine, a lady in her late 70’s who’s a Lutheran. She was very teachable and then her husband came in. He was full of questions which we were able to answer (infant baptism, etc.), but he couldn’t “get over the need for ‘the book.’” We were there 2 ½ hours! We told him he could go straight to the Lord and ask about its truthfulness. In the end, he said he wanted to keep his minister between him and Christ—go figure! We did get to testify to him and felt the spirit as we did, so now it’s all up to him.
We taught Amy the Gospel of Jesus Christ lesson today. By the time you get to this lesson on faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost and enduring to the end, you’ve already discussed most of it anyway in connection with the other lessons. Bless her heart, she did say, “I just think it’s so nice that yous guys will let me get baptized.” What a sweetheart!
Tonight we are doing “institute” since we were gone last night.
GREAT MONDAY
Check out our bathroom window. It only goes 5/6 of the way to the top. It's great for getting rid of unpleasant odors, but it certainly makes for a cold seat in the wintertime! We had a window like this at our flat in Thornlie too. BRRRRRR!
September 12, 2011 Monday
Some Mondays leave a lot to be desired, but today was great. This morning we taught a first lesson to Madelin. We met the family over a month ago but haven’t been able to teach them because of Dieterik’s work which was always interfering when we had something set up. Madelin is very curious about the gospel and has always had a lot of questions when we’ve talked. She seemed very comfortable with everything we presented and is excited to read the Book of Mormon. Just as we were finishing her friend arrived with her little boy named Elijah Malachi. She commented that she knows Tanya Sala one of the branch members. We would have loved to have been able to listen to the conversation after we left.
Then after lunch we taught Peter Atkinson. He’s doing a home study course to become a Baptist minister but was willing to listen to us explain about our beliefs. We could tell he’d done a little “homework” before we came because he even knew the church began sometime between 1820 and 1830. We talked around the first lesson and tried to get him to read the Book of Mormon, but he was still comfortable saying that the Bible was all he needs. They just don’t get it that God can continue revealing things to as many people as he wants.
Tonight we had dinner and family home evening with Jeremy and Merja Priest. They had Amy and Brett and family there too. It was a nice evening. They had us bring the “activity” so we had everyone play “Hot ‘n Cold” so the little boys could play too. Of course, they didn’t want to quit playing until the ice cream came out. Tonight was Brett’s night off between going from night shift to day shift so he was able to come home which worked out really great. Orson was able to talk to him and reassure him that we will wait for him to be ready before he gets baptized.
September 12, 2011 Monday
Some Mondays leave a lot to be desired, but today was great. This morning we taught a first lesson to Madelin. We met the family over a month ago but haven’t been able to teach them because of Dieterik’s work which was always interfering when we had something set up. Madelin is very curious about the gospel and has always had a lot of questions when we’ve talked. She seemed very comfortable with everything we presented and is excited to read the Book of Mormon. Just as we were finishing her friend arrived with her little boy named Elijah Malachi. She commented that she knows Tanya Sala one of the branch members. We would have loved to have been able to listen to the conversation after we left.
Then after lunch we taught Peter Atkinson. He’s doing a home study course to become a Baptist minister but was willing to listen to us explain about our beliefs. We could tell he’d done a little “homework” before we came because he even knew the church began sometime between 1820 and 1830. We talked around the first lesson and tried to get him to read the Book of Mormon, but he was still comfortable saying that the Bible was all he needs. They just don’t get it that God can continue revealing things to as many people as he wants.
Tonight we had dinner and family home evening with Jeremy and Merja Priest. They had Amy and Brett and family there too. It was a nice evening. They had us bring the “activity” so we had everyone play “Hot ‘n Cold” so the little boys could play too. Of course, they didn’t want to quit playing until the ice cream came out. Tonight was Brett’s night off between going from night shift to day shift so he was able to come home which worked out really great. Orson was able to talk to him and reassure him that we will wait for him to be ready before he gets baptized.
Hash Browns are Indonesian?
September 11, 2011 Sunday
This morning Amy and the boys made it to church after the sacrament was over. It must have been a bad morning because you could tell Deycan had been crying when they came in. Blake settled in and was really good, but Deycan was “pulling his mom’s chain” non-stop. She went out into the foyer with him; then Blake went out. Pretty soon Blake came in and took his mom’s purse out. When sacrament meeting was over, she was already gone. We worried about her so we called her tonight. She explained that if she hadn’t left she was worried she was going to “flog” them right there in the church. She did say that Michelle Olde called and had her and the boys come over to play for a while this afternoon. That’s good for all of them since boy the husbands work in the mines and are gone two weeks at a time.
This evening we had a dinner appointment with Euce, the Indonesian lady we met at the library. When she invited us, she said she would fix spaghetti for us. When we got there, she had her boyfriend, Eddy Mason, there too. He was quite the talker so we listened while she cooked dinner. She asked us if we liked chicken, fish, or beef. We told her we’d eat anything. (What? No spaghetti?) She then pulled frozen hash brown patties and two kinds of frozen, breaded fish out of the freezer. But when she was done cooking there was all of that plus some Indonesian fish and beef, some fish balls, and some fried cubes she called fish tofu. It was all okay. I really liked the Indonesian beef and Indonesian fish the best. And then she thought we ought to eat seconds. Luckily, we had to leave so we could teach Brett over the phone again or she’d have made us eat more! She’s a sweet lady who is struggling to care for herself and make a go of it here in Australia.
Brett wasn’t feeling good and had gone to bed early, so that lesson didn’t happen. Amy said he is stressing out over being able to quit his coffee and still work the night shifts he has. She said he doesn’t want to be baptized and then only do it half way. We’re going to talk to him and let him know we aren’t going to push him into baptism. We want him to feel good about it when he does it. It would be different if he were home with Amy every night, but working away like he does, he isn’t getting the same kind of support. We will let him take his time to get ready.
This morning Amy and the boys made it to church after the sacrament was over. It must have been a bad morning because you could tell Deycan had been crying when they came in. Blake settled in and was really good, but Deycan was “pulling his mom’s chain” non-stop. She went out into the foyer with him; then Blake went out. Pretty soon Blake came in and took his mom’s purse out. When sacrament meeting was over, she was already gone. We worried about her so we called her tonight. She explained that if she hadn’t left she was worried she was going to “flog” them right there in the church. She did say that Michelle Olde called and had her and the boys come over to play for a while this afternoon. That’s good for all of them since boy the husbands work in the mines and are gone two weeks at a time.
This evening we had a dinner appointment with Euce, the Indonesian lady we met at the library. When she invited us, she said she would fix spaghetti for us. When we got there, she had her boyfriend, Eddy Mason, there too. He was quite the talker so we listened while she cooked dinner. She asked us if we liked chicken, fish, or beef. We told her we’d eat anything. (What? No spaghetti?) She then pulled frozen hash brown patties and two kinds of frozen, breaded fish out of the freezer. But when she was done cooking there was all of that plus some Indonesian fish and beef, some fish balls, and some fried cubes she called fish tofu. It was all okay. I really liked the Indonesian beef and Indonesian fish the best. And then she thought we ought to eat seconds. Luckily, we had to leave so we could teach Brett over the phone again or she’d have made us eat more! She’s a sweet lady who is struggling to care for herself and make a go of it here in Australia.
Brett wasn’t feeling good and had gone to bed early, so that lesson didn’t happen. Amy said he is stressing out over being able to quit his coffee and still work the night shifts he has. She said he doesn’t want to be baptized and then only do it half way. We’re going to talk to him and let him know we aren’t going to push him into baptism. We want him to feel good about it when he does it. It would be different if he were home with Amy every night, but working away like he does, he isn’t getting the same kind of support. We will let him take his time to get ready.
BAPTISM!
September 10, 2011 Saturday
Today we had special permission to drive to Perth to attend the baptism of the Oxby kids, Kiera and Kaylen. We had worked with Michelle and the two kids when we first went to the Thornlie ward. They were so cute and willing to learn and Michelle was trying to get over her old boyfriend. Michelle is very sharp and we wanted her back in the church so badly. Then she decided to go back to her old way of life. And we felt sooooooo bad. She asked us not to come back anymore.
Well, things didn’t work out with the old fellow, and I think she finally realized how important it is to raise her kids in the church. After we left Thornlie, she started bringing the kids to church and had the sister missionaries teach them. So we went to the baptism and it was great. They even read some poetry Kiera has written about God and their “new life.”
On the way up we drove through Wandering, a very small town on a side road to Perth, because they were having their fair today. It was cute. They had a wagon pulled by Clydesdales and some donkey carts people could ride on. There were a couple of the big, bouncy air things for little kids. There was also a little “train” that a guy had made by cutting out the sides of old metal barrels, put a seat in them, mounted them on small 3 wheel trailers, painted them bright colors and pulled them around with his quadrunner. Only really little kids fit in them and it was just cute! There were antique cars, motorcycles, engines, etc., and lots of booths with homemade stuff for sale. They sold snocones, hamburgers, cotton candy and soft serve ice cream. It was held in the local RV park which obviously wasn’t very full. It was just a nice relaxed atmosphere.
Yesterday, we were able to meet with Amy and went over some of the commandments with her. She’s still so positive. She did tell us about her 6-year old, Blake. When he was 14 months old, he picked up some kind of a “virus” that nearly killed him. It was some kind of a “septicemia” I think. The doctors had given up on him, and she believes it was only through the faith and prayers of her family that he lived. Anyway, some of the “bug” has settled in his joints and is afflicting him with an arthritis-type problem. It’s already destroyed the growth plates in his knees and ankles. He has pins in his ankles to keep him walking moderately normal. I had noticed he runs funny but hadn’t thought much about it. The doctors in Perth haven’t seen anything like it before. He’s on pain medication and gets some injections every so often to try to slow down the damage. Now his left shoulder is being attacked. It’s so hard for her to watch this happening to her little guy.
Tonight we did a lesson about the commandments over the phone with Brett. It worked out pretty well, and he gave the closing prayer. He is so willing to do whatever we ask, and he even thanked us for explaining tithing to them after his mother told them that we take 10% out of their paychecks. He’s such a nice guy.
Last night we went over to Jeremy and Merja Priest’s house to help her with some family history. Helen, the family history guru for the branch has the flu, and Merja wanted to get some names ready for the youth to take to the temple today for baptisms. Merja is from Finland, so it was kind of different to see the PAF program written in Finnish. She speaks such good English! They have the cutest little 1-year old, Emma, who even let me hold her. She’s blonde like her mom with huge dark brown eyes like her dad.
Kaelen, Michelle, and Kiera Oxby
Glad we haven't run into any of these over here!
Cute little "train" made out of metal barrels. $1.00/ride
Miniature hay baler. This guy put a lot of time into this.Lots of these minature donkeys, some with carts and some without.
Today we had special permission to drive to Perth to attend the baptism of the Oxby kids, Kiera and Kaylen. We had worked with Michelle and the two kids when we first went to the Thornlie ward. They were so cute and willing to learn and Michelle was trying to get over her old boyfriend. Michelle is very sharp and we wanted her back in the church so badly. Then she decided to go back to her old way of life. And we felt sooooooo bad. She asked us not to come back anymore.
Well, things didn’t work out with the old fellow, and I think she finally realized how important it is to raise her kids in the church. After we left Thornlie, she started bringing the kids to church and had the sister missionaries teach them. So we went to the baptism and it was great. They even read some poetry Kiera has written about God and their “new life.”
On the way up we drove through Wandering, a very small town on a side road to Perth, because they were having their fair today. It was cute. They had a wagon pulled by Clydesdales and some donkey carts people could ride on. There were a couple of the big, bouncy air things for little kids. There was also a little “train” that a guy had made by cutting out the sides of old metal barrels, put a seat in them, mounted them on small 3 wheel trailers, painted them bright colors and pulled them around with his quadrunner. Only really little kids fit in them and it was just cute! There were antique cars, motorcycles, engines, etc., and lots of booths with homemade stuff for sale. They sold snocones, hamburgers, cotton candy and soft serve ice cream. It was held in the local RV park which obviously wasn’t very full. It was just a nice relaxed atmosphere.
Yesterday, we were able to meet with Amy and went over some of the commandments with her. She’s still so positive. She did tell us about her 6-year old, Blake. When he was 14 months old, he picked up some kind of a “virus” that nearly killed him. It was some kind of a “septicemia” I think. The doctors had given up on him, and she believes it was only through the faith and prayers of her family that he lived. Anyway, some of the “bug” has settled in his joints and is afflicting him with an arthritis-type problem. It’s already destroyed the growth plates in his knees and ankles. He has pins in his ankles to keep him walking moderately normal. I had noticed he runs funny but hadn’t thought much about it. The doctors in Perth haven’t seen anything like it before. He’s on pain medication and gets some injections every so often to try to slow down the damage. Now his left shoulder is being attacked. It’s so hard for her to watch this happening to her little guy.
Tonight we did a lesson about the commandments over the phone with Brett. It worked out pretty well, and he gave the closing prayer. He is so willing to do whatever we ask, and he even thanked us for explaining tithing to them after his mother told them that we take 10% out of their paychecks. He’s such a nice guy.
Last night we went over to Jeremy and Merja Priest’s house to help her with some family history. Helen, the family history guru for the branch has the flu, and Merja wanted to get some names ready for the youth to take to the temple today for baptisms. Merja is from Finland, so it was kind of different to see the PAF program written in Finnish. She speaks such good English! They have the cutest little 1-year old, Emma, who even let me hold her. She’s blonde like her mom with huge dark brown eyes like her dad.
Kaelen, Michelle, and Kiera Oxby
Glad we haven't run into any of these over here!
Cute little "train" made out of metal barrels. $1.00/ride
Miniature hay baler. This guy put a lot of time into this.Lots of these minature donkeys, some with carts and some without.
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