Mission Report No 34
Monday 21 November 2022
Quick visit with my friend John this morning for scripture reading and prayer. Then by 11.00am we were ready to do the big drive down to Townsville for Zone Conference with Elder Wakolo of the Area Presidency, as well as the Vongsawads of course. It's a four-hour drive but it took us longer with a few "pitstops" along the way.
We arrived in Townsville at the Hargraves (senior couple) home at Mt Louisa at about 5.30pm, so with time enough for us to get ready to meet all the other senior couples with the Vongsawads and the Wakolos. We met at the Watermark restaurant at about 6.45pm, picking up the Myers from their hotel along the way. It was good to catch up with the Myers as we had not seen them in person since we stayed the night with them on the big drive up to Cairns. We also got to meet the Speights and the Stokes for the first time too. A good night was had by all, I think.
Tuesday 22 November 2022
An early start today with Zone Conference starting at 9.00am. Elder and Sister Wakolo did most of the training, and President and Sister Vongsawad did some as well.
From the Church website -
"Since joining the Church in 1994, he (Elder Wakolo) has served in numerous callings, including seminary and institute teacher, branch president, high councillor, bishop’s counsellor, stake president’s counsellor, stake president, president of the Arkansas Little Rock Mission, and an Area Seventy."
Prior to joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he had joined 7 different denominations. He had been taught by 23 missionaries (maybe pairs of missionaries, I am not sure) before he finally committed to baptism. His wife was a faithful member all that time, having been promised in her patriarchal blessing that if she was faithful, her husband would eventually join the Church. She was, and he did!
He knows his scriptures really well, referring to them and reciting them off the top of his head many times through the day. He was a joy to listen to and had a profound effect on everyone there, I think.
In the afternoon we drove home, stopping at cousin Glen's place in Ingham and staying long enough to go for dinner at the local Chinese restaurant and then we arrived home at about 10.30pm. It was a long day!
Wednesday 23rd November 2022
Not a lot to report today. Dental appointment for me in the morning, to fix a broken front tooth. Sisters conference with Sister Wakolo for Margot in the afternoon. Went to invite one of the YSA to come to institute tomorrow night.
A bit of a recovery day really, after a long day and late night yesterday.
Thursday 24th November 2022
A doctor's appointment for me this morning, as a follow-up from getting my hearing tested last week. I had a bit of a wax build up in my left ear that needed attending too. I promise that is the most detail I will ever get in to with medical appointments.
I tried to have a kite foil session this afternoon, but there was just not quite enough wind. Got back home early at least to get ready to teach Young Single Adult institute class tonight.
This was our second week teaching institute tonight. I was not sure exactly what to do with this class until 4.30 this morning, when I was reading the recommended conference talk, which was from Elder Oaks April 2004 General Conference address, Preparation for the Second Coming. As I was reading the transcript of this talk, I felt that watching the video, in parts, and discussing each part, would be a good way to run the class. I then thought of my friend, Heta Erueti, who I talked about in my report last week, and felt that I should invite him and his wife to come and talk to the YSA at the class.
Later that morning, when I was about to send out some messages on Messenger, I noticed that one of our favourite YSAs was online, so I sent her a message to invite her to class. She has not been to institute class or to Sunday meetings for a long time, so it was fantastic that she came.
After going through the video as planned, I then handed to the time over to Brother Erueti, to tell the YSA his story. He has terminal cancer and has been given 1-2 years. He sees it as a blessing. He has become bolder in sharing his testimony, and his wife, who is not yet a member of the Church has just started having the discussions with Elders Pemberton and Ricks and has decided to be baptized in December and then, hopefully in 12 months' time, to be sealed to her husband in the Temple. It was a pretty moving story, and as a group we discussed what we felt prompted to talk about. I think it may have been a life changing experience for at least one young lady. That was pretty much confirmed the next morning when I received a message from her, thanking me for inviting her.
Friday 25th November 2022
If you are ever in Cairns, we can recommend True Thai as a great value Thai Restaurant. Their lunch special for $12.90 is great value. We met our friend Yoriko there for lunch today.
Visited John this morning for a quick scripture reading and prayer.
Rest of the day was a bit of running around doing various bits of shopping and other errands.
Saturday 26th November 2022
In preparation for tomorrow being a very spiritual day, today was a very physical day. It started with our Tai Chi class, which went well, with three new students coming this week.
After Tai Chi we did flat and car inspections at both the Cairn's Elder's flats.
Following inspections, Margot went to a Relief Society activity, and I went to buy a used bike that I found on Facebook marketplace. It's a Merida Road Race bike model 930, probably their entry level bike, but it's so good to have a good bike!
I went for a longer rider than normal, in part to pick up my phone which I accidentally left with Arthur, who I bought the bike from, on my way to the pool.
It had been 10 days since I had been to the pool, so it was a slow 1000m of laps, then of course I rode back home.
Sunday 27th November 2022
Early start today, leaving Cairns about 8.00am to head up to Atherton Branch for their meetings. Didn't think I'd be speaking but there was only one speaker, the Branch President's wife, Meryl Stuart (who gave an excellent talk), so I ended up being the final speaker. I just took some notes while she was speaking, added in some personal experiences on the fly, and that was it. I've tried doing this a couple of times recently, and it seems to work OK. It does not work if you are the first speaker though!
We visited our friend David in Yungaburra after doing the flat inspection with Elders Taufalele and Chadburn. We had a great chat with David, mainly focussing on Church history and the statements of the Witnesses to the Book of Mormon.
We drove through pouring rain back to Atherton, and then to Speewah to visit our friends Paul and Jackie. I've spent time foiling with Paul out at Yorkey's and have been guilty of getting home late after having extended conversations with him in the car park. I had met Jackie a couple of times there, but Margot had not met her yet, and I knew that they would get on like a house on fire. Paul is a coconut harvester, propagator, supplier - he is the coconut guru of north Queensland! Very interesting fellow to talk to and has a solid faith in Christ! We have a barter arrangement too - I supply him with fresh bread and he gives me coconuts, so we can drink coconut water and eat the meat, regularly. He and Jackie are going to Victoria for about 5 weeks over summer and so I might have to buy some from Paul to keep me in supply of coconuts while he's away.
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