Chinese New Year Celebration

We had a very fun Chinese New Year Celebration. The Young Adults wanted to have a time to celebrate together. Last year we were involved in a very big stake celebration. This year another stake is doing it on Feb. 14. So we gave some shadow leadership and they did a very good job. We invited people from both wards. Some older people came but it was mostly young adults. There were 13 investigators there and some Australian young adults, which was good. Had some entertainment and good food and we played games. It was a very fun event. Many stayed to help clean up, which was very nice. I tried to post a slideshow and it didn't work. No time to fix it so go to view all images and you can see it.

Yesterday my comment was this feels like a Bakersfield summer day. It got up to 44C which is around 107F. I felt really bad for the tennis players. The Australian Open is going on and if you aren't a top ranked player you play in the outer courts. Not good. They finally closed the ceiling of the Rod Laver Arena yesterday and turned on the air conditioner. . Lots of complaining by participants and attenders. We actually had a chance to go last week on p-day. We were given two tickets by Lisa Waycott daughter of Erla Coulston. We had a great day watching professional tennis. A lot better than on TV. We were able to see James Blake from America play.

Some of our young friends are back from Holiday. It is good to have them here again. The work is a bit slow during this time of year. Many students gone and the weather does not help. We have been spending a lot of our time finding non attending members. We went hunting for some potential seminary students for the teacher. Found some and others had moved. Not a lot of success in having them come to seminary. We continue to be the Retention Missionaries. Doing all that we can to keep the ones that are new so that they don't become non attenders. We offer many different ideas to help the wards with this problem. They are trying. We also continue to visit members in hospitals and the older members who need a visit. We love this part of our mission. The Elders are teaching some really good investigators and we pray that they will stay strong and that they will feel the sweet spirit testify to them of the truth.

Congratulations to sweet Courtney and Brigham on their marriage. We were missing family very much on Jan 10th. We would have loved to have been with them at the Temple.

It is great to read Jordans letters from Paraguay. What a great example he is to all of us as he serves willingly and happily. He will be greatly blessed for his great attitude.

We would like to share with you are great joy to serve as missionaries. Our testimony of Jesus Christ continues to grow more then we thought possible as we teach of him and his Gospel restored. We know that the plan of salvation is in place. Now our great responsibilty is to live according to the precepts taught so that we will reach the goals set out in that great plan. We know that God lives and loves us and wants us to return to live with him. We pray that as a family we will do all that we need to do to be together forever. Stay strong, keep the faith, do all that you are called upon to do with joy and happiness as you work towards that goal. We love you, miss you and marvel in all that you do.

Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa Elder and Sister Urmston