Saturday, March 26, 2011

Monday, March 14, 2011

Karen is Still Sick

Dear Family

Monday we did our usual. Then the rest of the day your Dad did taxes and I slept. I loved the day! Then we went to FHE. We always walk to the tram with Jenna and Eliza. We walk past Subway so of course, we have to stop and get a drink. It's fun, the girls like it. We talked to Julie on the phone for her birthday. We can NOT believe our youngest child is 29!! That means Dad is getting old.

Thursday poor Dad went to the QV all by himself. I stayed home and slept all day. I thought I was dying. On Friday I slept all morning and we didn't go into the QV until 1:00 in the afternoon. I felt a little better. When I got to the QV I called Jenny. I call home when I feel the need.

I just want to say the Elders are very sweet to me. Many called to see how I was doing, and when I came back to the QV they all said they missed me and they were glad I was back. We are like a little family. We worry about each other.

On Saturday was English class. Brother Choey taught us all about Food. He worked in the restaurant business for 40 years, teaching and training. He knew a lot. It was fun to hear what he had to teach. Saturday night was the Chinese Fireside. We helped with the food. The program was on callings. It was very good. Dad spoke at it. They wanted him to talk about the callings he has had and how he felt when he got released. The wards here have found that when the extend a call to the Chinese people and then they get released, they feel like it's a bad thing. Some of them get offended and stop coming to church. The program was very good and explained all about how you get the call and release.

Sunday Sister Liffereth (mission president's wife) spoke in Sacrament Meeting. It was the best talk on faith. She told us that early Saturday morning the doorbell ran and on the porch was their Bishop. He was unshaven and teary eyed. His son is serving a mission in Japan, and he was still missing. He had been up all night with Salt Lake trying to get information., but there wasn't any. So President Liffereth tried to see what he could do. He gave the Bishop a blessing. When he was ready to leave sister Liffereth said, "Bishop tell me how you feel in your heart right now." He said "I don't know if my son is dead or alive but I know he is okay." She said that is faith. The story has a happy ending. He was found. There are still eight missing. We need to pray for the people in Japan.

Well that is all. I think I am feeling better, so that is good.

We love you all and ask Heavenly Father to let our mission bless our Family.

Love,
Mom and Dad


Saturday, March 19, 2011

Monday, March 7, 20011

Banana's and The Book of Mormon

Dear Family,

Well, we had a big shock on Monday. We went to the store to buy banana's. They were $6.95 per Kilo. A kilo=2lbs. We got seven bananas for $12.00. We about died.

Here is a funny Aussie saying. Com over for a cup and bring some nibbles.

Anyway, after we went to the store we went to Costco with the Elders. We had fun. We came home and put everything away and got ready for FHE (family home evening). We had a little going away party at FHE for Elder Blake and Newman. Elder Mertz (an Elder Karen has become very close to) is being transferred to another area. I'm so sad. He is my comfort zone.

We are teaching a girl named Ivy and she is reading the Book of Mormon. All she wanted for us to do in the lesson was just answer her questions. So we didn't prepare anything. We started, and we answered her questions. That only took 2o minutes. When I looked down at my watch, I panicked. So I said, "can we share some stories for Nephi with you?" As I said those words I was also praying at the same time for help in remembering a story. Admittedly Lehi's dream came to me. So we talked about that, then 2 Nephi 5, one of my favorites, came to me. That is about how Nephi teaches us to be happy. So we talked about that. She really liked those stories. As missionaries we are promised to have the spirit help us, and we got it! AWESOME!

Wednesday we taught three lessons again and they all went well. Thursday we taught two lessons and had Institute. I taught the lesson it was on the creation. We had five people there. It went well. I felt the spirit so that is enough for me. Then we stood around and talked and ate food. There is one thing they love to eat, that Elder Woo has taught me to love. It's called seaweed. I love it. It looks and smells weird, but really good. They are long strips that are crunchy and tasty.

My cough got worse again, so we went back to the Doctor. He now thinks I have bacterial infection. So he gave me some different medication to take. He said if I do not get better in five days they are going to run tests. So pray for me because the test will take away all of my spending money! Ha ha!

Dad helped Julee (a young lady they are working with) with her accounting. He was loving it and she was very grateful. Your Dad is known here as a man who is wise and very knowledgeable. Everyone highly respects him.

We taught a lesson to Ivy on the BOM I love those discussions. It makes me think, and explain the things I have learned that have become knowledge to me. For that I am grateful.

So like I told you, Elder Mertz was transferred so that means we get to teach the English classes each Saturday. Saturday was our first, we taught them American slang and the 10 most visited cities in America. They enjoyed learning about the Great Salt Lake. We shared with them about how Jenny and Gavin took us to L.A. and showed us where all of the homeless people sleep each night. They like all of our stories. Dad did a good job.

It was a good day except for the annoying tram was closed down because of road work. It was supposed to be replaced with buses, well we could not figure out where to catch the replacement bus. So we ended up walking a LONG way. It was really hot. Dad's head looked like a sprinkler. Oh well, that is missionary life.

Sunday was our ward conference. After church they had a luncheon. They do things so differently here. There are never tables or chairs set up, no plates, just napkins. There were finger food, sandwiches, sushi, carrots and celery, cookies and ice cream. We taught Elain again, the girl from last week's letter. We taught her the restoration. She wasn't sure she believed it. But she wants to come back. I felt during the lesson, that she wasn't into it, but as long as she wants to come, we will teach her. We went home so tired we went to bed early.

That's all.
We love you all.

Mom and Dad



Saturday, March 12, 2011

Monday February 28, 2011

A Busy Week of Teaching

Hi our Dear Family,

Hope this finds everyone happy and healthy! Monday was a good day. We skyped with Jenny and her family. Then we went to a goodbye picnic for Joo and Miho who are both going back to their home lands. We will miss them. They really became our good friends. Then we did a little shopping and went to FHE. Dad and I did the lesson we did a demo on the difference between a shaky testimony and a rock hard testimony. Family home evening is a lot of fun, good people, good food, good visiting.

Tuesday we taught Dan (a young man who was recently baptized). The lesson was pretty good. Dan is a new member. The Elders just turned him over to us. He offered the closing prayer and said "help me be good and not want to sin to much." It was sincere. He is awesome. It is such a thrill to work with these new members. They help us so much in our testimonies.

We went to a baptism with Elder Su and Elder Woo. We met with a girl names Elaine. She is from China and is here, in Australia, studying to be a Interior Decorator. She has no interest in religion and this is why. She was taught the first three lessons by the Elders and they offended her. So for about six months she wouldn't have anything to do with the church or talk to any of the missionaries. The Elders ran into her a month ago and she said she was interested in learning more about English. So they passed her off to us. She won't come up to the QV (the place where they teach people lessons). So that is why we were at the baptism at the church. This is the second time we we met with her. The first time we gave her an assignment to write a paragraph about fast food. When she came she was not prepared. So we asked her what she wanted to do. Elaine said she just wanted to talk because that helps her with her English. So we stared out by asking her to tell us about her favorite places she likes to go and why. That went pretty good. Then Dad started asking her about her feelings about God. She says she believes in him sometimes and sometimes not. But if she does believe in God she thinks God is a woman. So as we kept talking, before we knew it we taught her the plan of salvation and set an appointment to talk about why we have prophets. Nothing was planned. The spirit just made it happen. It was pretty amazing. So we will see how next week goes.

Saturday we had a really busy day. I love busy days. We taught four lessons and had some REALLY good discussion and good feelings. Before we knew it, it was time to go home. On our way to the tram we saw a girl that has stood us up and haven't seen for a month. She was all smiles and made an appointment to see her next week.

Sunday we took a group to a Fireside. We all went together on the tram and bus. The idea came to me the other day that is has really been a blessing not to have a car. Because it's on the bus and tram that the relationships are made. It reminds me of working in Young Womens. It's camp and youth conference and service projects where the relationships are made and developed, not on Sundays. So if we never get a car, it's okay.

Well that's all for now.

Love you all
Love,
Mom and Dad



Friday, March 4, 2011

Monday February 21, 2011

Chinese Fireside

(Jenny's notes: My parents were asked my the Mission President a month ago to provide the food for the monthly fireside that is held for all of the Chinese-speaking investigators and converts.)


Hi Family : )

Monday we cleaned and shopped then came home. I laid on the couch the rest of the day. I still don't feel very good so we didn't go to FHE (family home evening). The Elders are so cute. Several called to see if I was okay.

Wednesday we had a zone meeting. It went very well. Elder Su and Elder Woo are very good teachers. When we broke for lunch we made a Doctor appointment. There is an office right in the QV. I got right in and the Doctor said I have Bronchitis and gave me some meds. After that we went to the "Big W"
(The Aussie version of Walmart)and bought popcorn for the elders. They really liked it. It was a good day!

Thursday we taught a lesson to a girl named Louis. We taught her about the prodigal son. She really liked it. That is one of my favorites. Later we had Institute, there were 10 people there. It was on the Holy Ghost. I taught. It seemed to go well, but 3 Nephi 28:11 really stumped them.
("And the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and the Father giveth the Holy Ghost unto the children of me, because of me.") We spent about ten minutes on that verse. But finally I was able to help them understand. After the lessons are over I feel like I just had a work out! It's good for me.

Friday we taught Julie. She likes to learn about the New Testament. So we taught her some parables. Julie is a very cute, funny girl. We enjoy her.

(Karen and Bruce do not have a car. They walk or ride the bus or tram everywhere they go. However the Zone leaders will pick them up and take them to Costco, or anywhere else that is really far away. They will be getting a car at the end of march.)

Saturday was the big fireside. Elder Woo and Elder Su took us to Costco. We bought pizza, stuff to make tuna sandwiches, fruit, carrots and dip, and muffins. We went to the church and got it all ready. Sister Lifferith (Mission President's wife) made fried rice with a topping. We had so much food. Everyone liked it. We had a lot of sandwiches and muffins left over. But we gave them to the missionaries.

(One major difference that my parents are getting use it is portion size. The Chinese people and the Aussies eat very small portions and rarely have a second helping.)

The program went very well. We asked four new memeber to share their testimonies and how they joined the church, bringing out the role the Holy Ghost played. Then we had all of the Elders sing "Called to Serve". Then I was the final speaker. I shared some thoughts on the Holy Ghost. Then I shared Grandpa Gladwell's conversion story. When it was over a man came up to the stage. Right in front of President and Sister Lifferith (Mission President and wife) he took my hand, looked right at me and thanked me for my story. He said "I brought an investigator with me tonight and she is trying to decide whether or not to join the church. One of her delemas is her family. They will be mad at her and she won't be a welcome there. I think your story and testimony helped her. " That was awesome. President and Sister Lifferith said they loved everything we did. They were very pleased. We had lots of compliments. I'm just so glad it's over!

Sunday after church, the zone leaders brought us back to the QV. We taught a lesson and then watched church movies until it was time to go home.

Well that is all for the week.
We love all of you very much.

Love,
Mom and Dad

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Monday, February 14, 2011

Wedding Anniversary and Chinese New Year!!

Dear Family,

Hope all is well with all of you! We are both doing well. Monday we went to the zoo with the Elders and members. There were about 15 of us. We had a nice time. It was really hot and I kept thinking, "where are my shorts and T-shirt?!" It was a little pricey $25 per person. We had fun. I am glad we went. Many Elders and members gave us cards and presents for our anniversary.

We had a very slow day with no one to teach at the QV. But we had fun visiting with the Elders. Elder Burke said, "you guys are fun to talk to because it's like being home." He is from Texas. We love him, he is a lot of fun.

Thursday was slow, but we got to sit in on one lesson. I always enjoy that. Institute was taught by Bruce. It was on Jesus Christ. There were 8 people there. So it's staying steady, which is good.

Friday we went to a Chinese New Year Celebration at the Stake Center by the temple. We rode the the train and the bus with a bunch of people. It was a lot of fun. They did a Lion Dance. It was really awesome. The costume for the Lion was so amazing. It's just really hard to explain, but very interesting to watch. We had a great time. They had traditional food, it looked really interesting. Bruce said it was pretty good, but he had no idea what he was eating. He ate it anyway! At the end all of the missionaries were called up to sing "Called to Serve." I LOVED IT!

We love you and pray for all of you each day.
Love,
Mom & Dad