May Mission Updates

We're thrilled to announce that we have been approved for a humanitarian grant through the Church. We will be creating family learning centers in a few out bush communities. The purpose will be to provide fun crafts, games, literacy activities for parents and children. I’ve been working on PowerPoint presentations that will be converted into DVD’s so that members of the community who can read can teach those who can’t. We’re also going to have children’s literature and toys for story groups and play groups. It’s a rather unique one-of-a-kind project with lots of work ahead, but we feel there will be great rewards.

May has been a great month for baptisms the mission broke a May record and Alice Springs District got 10 baptisms. We have been working very hard in some out bush communities and the people are responding well. One community the missionaries visited had families who have been waiting for over a year to be visited by the missionaries. Fellow community members who were already baptized have been busy sharing the gospel. The second time the missionaries came out there, the people had built their own little “chapel.” One man who was baptized was so excited that after he came out of the water he kept saying over and over, “Thank you thank you!” He smiled at everyone and gave them two thumbs up. He was still saying thank you when the Elders drove away. The gospel is such a blessing in the lives of people who accept it and live it.

Marvelous Mother's Day

Thanks to those of you who sent Mother’s Day best wishes or called. My Mother’s Day was one I will always remember. It started at Church with wonderful talks. They passed out a long stem red rose and a little tub of chocolates to each woman. At Relief Society we were treated to a great brunch. Elder Shumway presented me with a Mother’s Day Message on refrigerator magnet. I used the idea on it to make different Power Points I sent to our moms and children.


The real surprise came when we went to a “District Meeting” Sunday night at the Church. What I found instead was that Elder Shumway and other Alice Springs Elders had prepared a special “Diner” complete with menus listing unrecognizable names for different foods. You didn’t know what you had ordered until you got it. It was great fun. We loved sharing it with the Quinn family as well.
Then they surprised us with special Aboriginal dot paintings they had all written messages on and signed. What followed was a Collet Family tradition. They went around the table and took turns saying something they liked about each mother. It was a simple thing, but very powerful. I would highly recommend it to all of you. The Collet family does it on birthdays and other special occasions. You could pick one person each family home evening and do it as well. Sometimes we just don’t take the opportunity to share our feelings with each other. That was something I loved about my dad. He never missed an opportunity to say something positive about the people he loved.

May Zone Conference

Last weekend Pres. and Sister Quinn and the Assistants came to Alice Springs for the Zone Conference. Their daughter, Kristen and her husband Abram came along with their two children. It was a wonderful conference. Kristen and Abram spoke as well and added greatly to the spirit. Zone conferences are always so uplifting and energizing. We learned about total commitment, transformation, faith in Jesus Christ, and miracles.

I spent Saturday morning teaching the Assistants how to teach the missionaries to teach literacy. Missionaries are teaching large groups of Sudanese and Asian immigrants in other areas of the mission.
Sister Quinn and I spent the afternoon with an investigator who recently had a new baby. She is a lovely person and a truly dedicated mother. We had a golf tournament and dinner at Club Lasseter with some investigators and branch members. It was all very successful and we had a good time building relationships. (No, I didn’t golf.)

President and Sister Quinn, Abram and Kristen, Ryan Quinn (who arrived later in the week) and the missionaries attended church out bush in Alcoota and got to attend the baptism of two converts. They had a very memorable experience. We watched Kristen’s baby and toddler. We got to be “grandparents” for the day.
It is so thrilling to think of the things that have happened in the last 10 years, which is culminating in President Quinn and his wife, and Elder and Sister Shumway having these amazing experiences half way around the world from where we thought we would be. We have been able to share our lives with some wonderful people from Australia, and have also been a part of the lives of the Quinn family. Who could have guessed that the events of 10 years ago, with Shawn and Lisa getting married would have such a positive lasting effect on so many people? We are very thankful to be a small part of the Quinn family and hope to share an eternity of friendship.

Elder Collet's Birthday

Happy Birthday to Elder Collet! We surprised him at a dinner date with the Bartons. The elders and we presented him with a cake, socks, and engraved pens. He has been able to accomplish amazing things here in the Alice District. We have developed a strong friendship and a healthy respect for him. He has demonstrated profound leadership, the ability for thinking outside the box, dedication, and love for this work and the people he teaches. We have had some truly inspiring District Meetings led by him. He has a sense of humor similar to Elder Shumway's and a personality in many ways like Mike’s, our son. We imagine that he was this kind of missionary.

Good-bye to Elder McKnight and Hello to Elder Hardester

This was the first transfer Elder Shumway and I have experienced in our district. We have all grown very close, so it was hard to say good-bye. But we know that wherever Elder McKnight serves he will be a blessing in the lives of those around him and continue to be an excellent missionary. We thank him for his example, his faith, his diligence, his genuine love for the work and the people. He will never be forgotten and his impact will be lasting.
We are happy to have Elder Hardester as an important part of the Alice Springs District. He brings with him enthusiasm, spirituality, diligence, talent and hard work. We are enjoying getting to know him.

Thanks for the Birthday Surprises

April 9th
The sisters in the branch surprised me with a luncheon at a very nice restaurant and some lovely gifts and cards. Unfortunately, I forgot about a picture until half of the guests had left. Elder Shumway and the other elders surprised me with a birthday dinner and "gifts" like a Big Mac and candy. You that know me know how much I love those -not. It was all good fun. Thanks to those who sent the great birthday cards.

A Marvelous Week and a Wonder Part 2

Our marvelous week continued Friday March 28 with our arrival in Adelaide. The kids were great on the plane. There was an extra seat by Elder Shumway and me, so Keely spent much of the flight with us. Here are some highlights of the next four days. For further details and highlights, go to Shawn and Lisa's blog link.

Somehow Keely and Ben were able to get their parents and grandparents to the temple on time. During the sealing Keely was a perfect little lady, while Benjamin reminded everyone of his baby blessing wherein he was told he would be humble and powerful. We are still waiting for the humble part!
Ben’s becoming part of our family and his sealing in the temple were the culmination of a string of miracles that testify over and over of God’s tender mercies in our lives. It was such a memorable experience to be able share with everyone in the sealing room together. It makes us so very grateful to know that families can, indeed, be together forever.

A wonderful young woman and convert baptized by Elder Collet one year ago, Tanya Wells worked hard to ready so she could get her endowments when we came to Adelaide. Saturday morning, before Ben’s sealing, we were privileged to accompany her in the temple. She is such a wonderful example of a good member of the church: eagerly learning, quickly to progressing, and enthusiastically spreading the Gospel. She came with us to Ben’s sealing afterward.

There were lots of adventures, stories, and swinging on the porch swing with Keely and Ben.

Saturday we were all off with Keely and Benjamin to the Beach House Amusement Park.

Keely found a face painter and became a baby kangaroo. Ben thoroughly enjoyed the transformation.

We found our way out the door and to the beach. It was too cold for swimming, but there was plenty to do digging holes, building sand castles, chasing waves and seagulls, collecting shells, walking down the peer, and watching Ben ride on Grandpa’s shoulders.

We enjoyed dinner at Elder and Sister Smith’s the first night there. Most of the other evenings were spent playing Scrabble. Sister Shumway was a miserable failure and wanted to bow out for the following nights. Shawn courageously took her on as his partner, but found that bad luck and letters followed her. Everyone was content to let her sit at the table and work on her computer thereafter.

Monday night we enjoyed a heart warming family home evening together and the next morning, we were off. Keely came along even though it was early. She insisted on wearing the shell necklace she and Grandma Shumway made together. We had a wonderful conversation all the way to the airport.
This week will remain permanently etched in our all hearts and minds. Thanks so much to Lisa and Shawn for the sacrifices they made to get the whole family here and to President and Sister Quinn for their gracious hospitality and the amazing dinners at home as well as their favorite Thai restaurant.
It was hard to say good-bye, but we are thrilled to be here doing what we know the Lord wants us to do. More importantly, it makes us so aware of the importance of blessing we all can earn of never having to say good-bye forever. Our families can be together forever.