Ceff Mission Blog

 Mission Report No 25 We received an email from the Missionary Department last week giving us a new date for our mission to end - 28th September 2023. I think we will probably take a couple of weeks to drive home, by they time we stop in to visit people on the way home in both Queensland and New South Wales. I hope we spend the rest of our time in Cairns but there is one other place we would serve in Queensland and that is Mackay, as we have some very good friends there. We'll see what happens. Monday 19 September 2022 Early start today, doing the edges for some people who can't do it themselves and have a real estate inspection happening later today. Dental appointment at 1.30pm for me as I've had some sort of gum infection which I have self treated and is getting better, but was not that good when I made the appointment. But I self treated with an alcohol based mouthwash and burned the inside of my mouth! Fixed the infection though. The dentist took X-rays just to make su...

Monday 12 September 2022 Today was little Mannie's birthday. Margot made him a fruit birthday cake, with his name carved in watermelon. It was very creative and a big hit with him as he loves watermelon. The young Elders came with us to meet the family and sing Happy Birthday to him. It was a fun night. Kite surfed late arvo - first session on a new North Code Zero kite, which is designed for foiling. Awesome kite, but using a new kite and a long mast for the first time was not a particularly smart move! Tuesday 13th September Up to Atherton today to have lunch with Elders Pollock and Taufelele, and Gypsy in the park, which was really nice. Then the Elders came to meet the Cashmores with us. Elder Pollock was thrilled to sit in David's 7 Series BMW which is sitting in his garage waiting for an engine re-build. The Elders are keen to do some service work to help the Cashmores. Wednesday 14th September Today was the first opportunity for Elder Misa to run a District Council meeti...

 Funny - was just having a chat with an old friend in Geelong, who knows me very well. He asked how the Church members up here are handling my sense of humor. To which I replied, "It's been a bit of a struggle." I am trying to be more serious, but it doesn't come easy for me. I think I'm getting better though, slowly. We are likely to be up here for another 12 months. Maybe by the end of our time I'll be this totally serious guy who never says anything out of left field to the surprise of everyone. Maybe I won't have changed at all, but rest assured I am working on it. Hopefully less inappropriate things will be falling out of my mouth! Monday 5th September We said good-by to Elder Tuave today. He had only been in Cairns for 12 weeks and he was a little bit sad to be leaving so soon. After he left, our new District Leader, Elder Misa, arrived, so we then had the Elders remaining in Cairns District, to our place for lunch. Tuesday 6th September Back up to A...

From the week before - Manny thinks wearing Margot's nametag is pretty cool!   Monday 29 August 2022 Took the Subaru to get the rear struts replaced today. We've been using a Mission car most of the time, which we pay $200.00 a month for. That covers fuel, and all on-road costs and maintenance, which is a pretty good deal. I just use the Suby when I go kitesurfing, which is maybe twice a week (ok maybe it's three times a week, but no more). I think the rear struts probably got damaged when I was out visiting farmers, selling aerial photos, last year. Went for a swim in the arvo. Tuesday 30 August Exciting day today. Went to Atherton and visited our friends David and Leila and had a very good discussion with them. David is interesting - every time we visit he lets out a little bit more about their interactions with the missionaries 40 odd years ago in Melbourne. They actually attended Church meetings in Footscray back then and would have met people that we know in Footscray....