Typical Weekend in Melbourne

Thought I might share with you a typical weekend in the Melbourne West Mission for a Senior Couple serving in the Language Zone.

Friday. Weather was beautiful. After doing the missionary morning things we headed out to have lunch at Lucy Persecheti's. Lucy is probably the most Christlike person we have met. She never thinks about herself. She arrived in Melbourne with her Husband and mother many years ago. She is Italian. She was Catholic. She decided before she arrived that she did not like the Catholic church. So she tried the Pentecostal and a couple others, never finding what she wanted. Finally she was visited by two Missionaries and she knew her prayers were answered. Her mother also joined and after 27 years her husband. They were sealed in the Temple and he died shortly after. Two sons neither are members. The lunch is always a meal which she does not eat. She never sits down only serves. Friday it was a beautiful fish, fried in a batter, mixed vegetables, beetroot(Matthew's favorite) rolls and appetizer of salami and olives, then ice cream over a lovely cake. She is a sweetheart and we love her and love our visits. We took her a Church DVD which she loves to watch.

Next off to see Justin and Stewart. New members. Stewart is 46, born with an illness so he can not see anything unless it is right up to his eyes. He also has small hands and feet. He wears special shoes. Justin is 31 and has had a tough life. He is very kind to Stewart and does many things for him. We love our visits with them. Never a dull moment with Stewart. We are giving them our new member lessons.

Next to Cathy Pike a new member and a new member discussion. She has been diagnosed with Whooping Cough. Taking forever to get to a specialist. She will be well before she gets to see someone.

Back to the Flat to meet with Abby. She teaches me Chinese and trimmed my hair and we talk about what ever she wants to know about. She is one of the first young Chinese that we met.

Next is Jane. She comes for any kind of lesson we have for her. She has been a member for a year plus. We always try to help with some of the trials she is going through right now. Meanwhile I am making cookies for the Baptism this evening.

Off to Caulfield Ward the the baptism of Justin Tang. Great young 19 year old. He told in his testimony, how when he was a little boy he had Asthma really bad and was in and out of the hospital and his parents were told to give him up. They did not and then he said that through out his life he knew there was a higher power helping him. He came to Melbourne and found the higher power. Wonderful spirit . Nancy who has been a great fellowshipper for Justin spoke and you would have thought she had been a member her whole life. New member last August.We love her and her dedication to missionary work.

Saturday we start again. It was 44degrees Celsius which is about 104. Off this morning to help Shu move back into the city. She has been at a 4 week clinical for her nursing class. She has now finished and is looking for a job. Her testimony grows daily as she sees the Lords hand in her life. She is very happy and looks forward to what is ahead for her in her life. She was blessed to get a room in the same place as Lucy who introduced her to the Gospel.

Back to the flat for a new member lesson with Lilian. Beautiful young women with a degree in Architecture. She is here working on her masters and works in an architecture firm. She loves to study the Gospel. We give her the easy read books for kids. She has finished Old and New Testament and now she has Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. She is also reading, very slowly, Jesus the Christ.

Spent some time on Family History for Stewart. He is very interested but unable to do his work because of his site problems.

Saturday Evening session of Stake Conference. Some of the people were not at conference becuse of the devastating fires in our Stake area. Homes have been lost, but all members are accounted for. At this writing 84 people have died. They did not have time to get out. Everything is so dry that it just explodes and with the high temperatures and winds hard to control.

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Sunday Morning we were at the building at 10:00 for a little brunch for the Chinese Members before Conference. There were about 50 new members, investigators and other members. Whenever the Chinese get together to eat is very good and a lot. President Dudfield came by and was very happy to see what was happening. Conference was wonderful. It was a satellite broadcast. We heard from President Packer, Bishop Burton, Elaine Dalton and a seventy Elder Johnson. It was really nice because they all had a connection with Australia. The whole country saw the broadcast today. Bishop Burton served his mission here 50 years ago, right here in Melbourne. He mentioned a persons name and he was sitting right behind us. He is 90 years old. Main message was that we need to have faith in Jesus Christ. Nothing new but so very wonderful to hear their perspective.

Next we went to visit our good friend Bert Culles at his Assisted Living. Shared with him what we heard at conference. Then his sweet wife Lorna came and we had a great spiritual feast as we listen to them tell of life in early Australia.

We arrived home around 6 had dinner at 7 and another weekend in finished. We are having a hard time thinking what we will do when we get home. Our life is so very full and busy.

We love our life and love the people we serve.We are taught by them every day. We love to see the growth in the new members and their willingness to serve and to learn. We have learned that God is in control and that we need to have Faith in Jesus Christ and do all that we can to be worthy of the great blessing given to us to know the Savior and be a member of his great church.