Dear Family: It is a bit late, so I'll try to keep this update hopefully not too long. We are in a particularly
busy time with uni, Institute and Eternal Marriage classes, which seem to take a fair amount of time for prep
as we teach the Old Testament, Pearl of Great Price, Eternal Marriage, (but we finished the Book of Mormon
class we were teaching). It has been a bit less stressful as far as prep time not having to prepare the B of M.
I just recently said to my companion, Elder Mac, that it seems somewhat easier to prepare now then previously.
Dad responded it isn't necessarily the prep time is easier, but that our ability to do the prep has increased. Gee, how
come as we close in on 14 months of service, we're finally finding it a bit easier. Alright all you return missionaries,
when was your most productive time. It is hard to imagine even with all/ or so many life experiences under our belts,
there is still a learning curve. And it sure hasn't been because we ever sloughed off. Da you think, your Dad would ever
allow that? Dad said last week the Stake President asked if we would extend another 18 months and Dad responded
he would, but me/grandma mac wouldn't. Kind of felt he hung me out there and I said why didn't you say I need
knee surgery as to be less offensive. Dad responded to me, would you stay over here beyond the 18 months if your
knee weren't a problem. And I had to own up, NOPE. Miss the grandkids way too much.
We had the wonderful privilege of attending the temple with Van, a member of just over a year, as he took out his own
endowments, having asked Dad to be his escort. Along, were two couples of our Eternal Marriage class and one of our
most beautiful YSA- YM. There is nothing like the sweet peaceful spirit that you feel only in our beautiful temples. Van is
33, unmarried and finally got the picture, his next step should be marriage. Tomorrow evening his (past?) girlfriend, who
previously called us this past weekend, said she wanted to come over to our flat to just talk. She is the one that en-
couraged him to take the discussions, be baptized and to continue to grow in the church and her support has been
monumental to him.
I'm sure Dad had told you of us driving into Sydney to hear Elder Quentin Cook speak to our mission. Well, he had to
go back to the states for health reasons; but we were still remarkably blessed to hear Bishop McMullen of the Presiding
Bishopric,& his wife and Elder Jay Jensen (one of the 7 Presidents of the Seventies). Each of them were so dynamic spiritually.
What a great day it was. I just want to share one story from Elder Jensen. He said he is one of 10 children (lived in Utah
as a kid). He dated a young gal while in his later years of high school close to the time to make the decision to
either serve a mission or not. Is that really a choice, don't think so; isn't a mission a commandment for worthy
young men? Anyway, Elder Jensen continued, just after the new year, on a date with his high school sweetheart he said
he thought the right thing to do was to get married. Doesn't exactly sound like it was done in a romantic way, does it?
He went home later, checked in with his parents telling them he was home and said by the way, he and his girlfriend
had decided to get married and then went straight to bed. Years later, Elder Jensen said his Mom told him that night
his Dad cried for a long time and couldn't believe his son, Jay, wasn't going to serve a mission.
Several weeks later Elder Jensen, while attending a Sacrament meeting, where a returning missionary talked about his
mission, it made such a strong impression on Elder Jensen; he told his sweetheart, he knew he needed to serve
a mission. Rest of the story, 31 or 33 days after returning from his mission, he married his sweetheart in the temple.
He never said it, but I thought it, had he not served a mission; he probably wouldn't be in the beautiful church service
he is currently doing.
A week ago, Thursday, one our wonderful YSA's stopped in about 7:30 PM, just wanting to talk and stayed til about
11:30 PM. The next day, Kiki (return missionary and aged 26) called Dad while I was getting a perm asking if I wanted
to attend a play the next day and to call back. I didn't as I thought oh, it just to close to using up a good part of Saturday afternoon. Well, I going to fast forward to next day and I had already asked Dad to call her back and say I couldn't. Just as Dad was to pick me up, Kiki called saying let's just go to the play. How could I resist? The play wasn't something I'd see twice, but we both thought it was magical and just fun, good for a few laughs. She was going to take
me home, but just a heartbeat away, was a lovely art museum and she asked if I'd like to see some of the art and
it was stuff she really likes. After that Kiki said, want to go out for dinner? I said, no, I need to go home fix dinner
for Elder Mac and then we had a baptism we planned to attend. We had a nice conversation on the way home. I'm
sorry all you great men, sometimes as women, we need women friends. Albeit, I could pretty easily be her grandma.
When I got out of Kiki's car, I thanked her for a lovely afternoon and she wanted to give me a hug, which I sure appreciated. I KNOW I didn't come over here to play, but a bit of wholesome recreation sure helps every so often.
I know some of you, have said, there is no way in heck, you would have ever been interested in ever hanging out or
around people our age when you were in your 20's. I continue to be amazed, at the many, loving kindness of these
great Aussies. Without a doubt, we will carry a bit of them in our hearts as we return.
We have a young YSA couple who attend Institute and are engaged to be married in late November in Sydney temple and another one of our YSA's, a young woman who is also engaged to be married and she had previously asked if we could fly back late spring, 2009. Well this past Tuesday, she said they have moved up their date to Jan. 31st in the Melbourne
temple and couldn't we change our flights for after that. I said, oh, I want to be back to see two new grandchildren, attend the baptism of the twins, Jacob and Makayla and get my knee fixed. And she responded, oh you can just hobble around a couple of weeks longer.
Well life is mostly good here and again I can't say a mission isn't a bit hard at times; but these beautiful YSA's have gotten
into our hearts big time.
Hope this finds you all well.
Miss and love you all,
sis mac aka mom/ grandma/ pat
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