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.