Mission Report No 74

Mission Report No 18 - a bit rough and well overdue. 

Monday 18th July

We went to visit our friend Gypsy up at Atherton. She has a list of questions about the Gospel and Church which we worked our way through with her. It was a really nice visit. She seems to be making progress in her spiritual journey.

Tuesday 19th July

Margot and I taught the health lesson to the district council this morning.

I had a really good kite session at Yorkey's this afternoon. I clocked up 4.25 Kl on the foil, which was my longest and best session yet.

Leahannah and Jiah arrived tonight. They are here for a week so we will have a bit of a different week, keeping busy with them.

Wednesday 20th July

Shopping day today. Leanannah and Jiah came with me to Tobruk Memorial Pool to do laps.

Thursday 21st July

Went to Hartley's Crocodile Park this morning. Was not quite as good as last time, but was still very good. In the arvo, Margot and I had a bit of running around to do so we dropped Lea and Jiah at the pool and picked them up on the way home. 

Had a very good Branch Council meeting for Cairns 1st Branch this evening.

Friday 22 July

We did a half day trip to Fitzroy Island today, mainly to do some snorkeling out there. It was very good. A lot cheaper than the boat trip out to the reef. Maybe not the quantity of fish, but there was certainly plenty of variety, and we saw some big turtles as well, which we didn't see out on the reef. We even got Margot out on the SUP board and in to the water looking at everything, which she had never done before.

I finished the day with a climb up Mt Whitfield, bumping in to Mark Luki on my way back down.

Saturday 23rd July

I did a lunch time walk up Mt Whitfield with Jiah, and then we went out to Yorkey's Knob this arvo and I had a kite surf. That was too much! Knackered!

Went to Sambasat Thai restaurant tonight. Great food!

Sunday 24th July

Went to both branch meetings in Cairns. Unfortunately Leahannah woke up not feeling well enough to come to Church.  

My cousin Taya Ceff and her baby Kie came to visit today. Taya is the daughter of my cousin Mark, who died last year. Had a wonderful time with her, and she seemed to get along really well with Leahannah, and everyone else. Kie was a very relaxed little baby - he's only a few months old. Didn't get a pic! (we are seeing them again in a couple of weeks though.)

Monday 25th July

Leahannah and Jiah at Wright's Lookout
near Barron Falls. Cairns in the distance.

Crazy day with airport runs with young Elders leaving and arriving, Leahannah and Jiah, leaving but not leaving because their flight got cancelled. Jetstar arringed a room for Lea and Jiah at the Crystalbrook Flynn Hotel which as exciting for Jiah as he had never stayed in a flash hotel before, especially as it was on a floor that gave great views over Cairns.

Elder Dollery ready to leave Cairns

Tuesday 26th July

Jiah on the ferris wheel, near the
hotel they stayed in last night

Lea and Jiah did actually leave today. Apparently yesterday was a very foggy day in Sydney and it caused chaos as flights could not takeoff and land until lunchtime.

Margot and I went up to Atherton again to teach Gypsy, who says that she is looking forward to getting baptized!

7.00pm tonight I attended my first District council meeting here in Cairns.

27 July 2022

Spent most of the day getting the house ready for our guests to arrive tomorrow.

28 July 2022

11.30am picked up Pres and Sr Vongsawad and Pres Pitman from Cairns airport. We'd met Pres Pitman when we first arrived in the Brisbane Mission, but this was the first time meeting the Vongaswads of course. Lovely couple - here for three years!

29 July 2022

To be honest, I cant remember now as I write this, whether is was today or yesterday we all went (all 11 of us) to Hakura Japanese Restaurant in Edge Hill. We didn't have a booking. There were a few people in there when we got there, but they pretty much all left when we turned up! Great meal!

30 July 2022

Quiet day in some ways. Before putting the Vongsawads and Pres Pitman on the plane down to Townsville at 10.00 I took them for a short walk through the Botanical Gardens, which they seemed very impressed with.

This evening we had a wonderful meal at OK Sushi with my friend Hong and his friend Wesley from Melbourne. Both are pentecostal Christians and both had a lot of questions for us, which was really good!

31 July 2022

Drove to Townsville today, so we could attend our first live Zone Conference since we have been missionaries in Cairns. Stayed tonight and the next night at Ian and Louise Watson's place, which was really nice. Ian is a kite-surfing friend of mine who has been on two trips to Tonga with me.

1 August 2022

Zone Conference started at 10.00am

After Zone Conference, Ian and I went for a SUP as there wasn't enough wind to kitesurf.

Tuesday 2 August 2022

Went for an early walk up Castle Hill in Townsville with Ian, then drove to Ingham to have lunch with Glen at a Chinese buffet, which was very nice.

Drove back to Cairns via Mission Beach South, trying to find my cousin Jonathan Bathman, who is Pat Lockwood's son.

Wednesday 3rd August

Recovery day

Thursday 4th August

Visited Sr Skewes for her birthday, which was actually yesterday, but better late than never!

YSA Committee meeting 6.00pm

YSA Institute 7.00pm which was taught by Matt Smith and Br Rea, whom I think is the Seminaries and Institute director for Queensland. Worked out that Br Rea is the younger brother of Sr Sandra Rea, who served in Geelong way back when I was ward mission leader there.