New Missionaries and the Boxes Have Arrived!!

We said a sad good-bye to Elder Collet and Elder Hardester. Elder Collet has been a powerful force in Alice for over a year. He made a lasting impact and will be missed by many. We were happy to start to get to know Elder Hardester and are sure his enthusiasm and positive attitude will be of benefit wherever he goes.

We are thrilled to have Elder McKnight return to us as our new Alice Springs Zone Leader. He brought with him Elder Pawtui. Elder McKnight is already making a powerful impact and Elder Pawtui is eager, hardworking and dedicated.

There has been so much to do, I really didn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel; but now I do. President Quinn has sent two senior sisters here to Alice Springs. They are both delightful. One, Sister Lovegrove, is a retired elementary school teacher and librarian. Not only that, but she is Australian. So now we will be able to produce American and Australian versions of the reading and language programs. Sister Wood is from America and she can help me with the American version. I can’t fully express how thrilled I am to have them here and how enthusiastic, talented and inspired they are. It is no coincidence that a refurbished flat two doors down from us came up for rent just as they were coming in. Elder Shumway and I have moved into that one with the help of the other six missionaries.

We are so excited! Christmas has come early and the boxes from Utah are here. We will be putting the bags together as soon as the books get here, which should be any day now. The first thing we will be introducing in the Family Learning Centers will be these bags and toys.
President and Sister Quinn were here for zone conference so they came to our flat to see the materials. We are all very thrilled with what is here. We are so grateful to all those who made it happen.

Hurray!!!

To all our friends in Blanding and Monticello who contributed so many resources and so much time to this project: Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! I want to give a special thanks to Marla Atkinson who was willing to share 2 ½ years of literacy bag work and development with us. Thanks to Patty Lyman, Elaine Johnson and Nedra Bunker for organizing the efforts of the Relief Societies of Blanding and Monticello. Thanks to the teachers who donated surplus books and materials, the Young Women who helped make toys for the Humanitarian Camp Project, the toys maker, and the Burtenshaws for delivering the shipment to SLC. I know the list is much longer than I can write, so thanks to everyone who contributed in any way to the project. I will continue to post blogs that will give updates and pictures on the progress of this amazing adventure in Australia. I believe there are many great things that will come from the out bush Family Learning Centers. Below is Patty Lyman’s email to me as the boxes were sent off. It gives a good description of what all was sent:
HURRAY!!! THE BOXES ARE ON THEIR WAY TO SALT LAKE CITY!!
What a fun huge project - there are 8 "Imagine If" boxes that have all the files - bags - scissors - erasers - rulers - a few notebooks - paper clips -elastics - crayons and the list goes on and on - there are some toys in their Frisbees - cars - jump ropes - wonderful little balls - etc!! Then there are 2 fruit boxes full of the basal books - Margaret Olderog sent the Kindergarten ones. Lynnette Brewer is wonderful and sent the yellow first grade ones and the phonics books - 2nd grade, red, came from Becky Larsen!! And they are packed with the 3rd grade books which also has the listening library CD's. They looked great - 3rd is Green - SO MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Then there are two boxes of toys - the wonderful wooden ones - I'd just leave them and not paint them - they are gorgeous and smell great!! And then there are some stuffed animals - Winnie the Pooh, Barney, Dogs, Cats and Horses!!
So anyway they have left Blanding and are on their way - I have talked with TODD a couple of times and will continue to keep in touch with him -
So love you tons - I have taken a few pictures and when my kids are home and we all get a minute we will e-mail them.
Love, Patty