Sydney South Christmas Zone Conference

You all have to realize that missionaries do some really silly things. One of those things is eating TimTams by sucking milk through them. TimTams are a favorite Australian biscuit or cookie that comes in different flavors. Basically it is a cookie covered with milk chocolate with a filling of either caramel, mint, chocolate, etc. Some senior missionaries have been known to take suitcases full of TimTams home with them. Not this senior couple!

The elder on the right had a TimTam eating contest for his talent. The elder on the left is one of the assistants to President McMaster. Note how they suck the milk up through the TimTam.
Eating TimTams

Aussie 12 Days of Christmas

On the Twelfth day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me,
Twelve possums playing,
Eleven lizards leaping,
Ten wombats washing,
Nine crocs a-snoozing?
Eight dingos dancing,
Seven emus laying,
Six sharks a=surfing,
Five kangaroos,
Four lyrebirds,
Three wet galahs,
Two snakes on skiis,
And a kookaburra in a gum tree.
Aussie Elders sing Aussie version of 12 Days of Christmas.

AUSSIE JINGLE BELLS

Dashing through the bush
In a rusty Holden Ute
Kicking up the dust
Esky in the boot
Kelpie by my side
Singing Christmas songs
It’s summer time and I am in
My singlet, shorts and thongs.

CHORUS:
OH, JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS
JINGLE ALL THE WAY
CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA
ON A SCORCHING SUMMER’S DAY
JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS
CHRISTMAS TIME IS BEAUT
OH WHAT FUN IT IS TO RIDE
IN A RUSTY HOLDEN UTE.

Engine’s getting hot
Dodge the kangaroos
Swaggy climbs aboard
He is welcome too
All the family is there
Sitting by the pool
Christmas day, the Aussie way
By the barbeque.

CHORUS

Come the afternoon
Grandpa has a doze
The kids and Uncle Bruce
Are swimming in their clothes
The time comes round to go
We take a family snap
Then pack the car all shoot through
Before the washing up.

CHORUS
Aussie Elders sing Aussie version of Jingle Bells.

Sydney South Mission Christmas Zone Conference

The first Zone Conference was held in Mortdale. We both forgot our cameras. These pictures were taken at the second Zone Conference in Cambelltown. They have a big, beautiful stake center, just like our stake center in Round Rock, same plan.
The main meal was chicken quarteres, baked white and sweet potatoes, corn, carrots, rolls and salads.
Pavlova - a very sweet, delicious Australian dessert served at Christmas time. It is made of a meringue shell with whipped cream in the center, decorated with fresh fruit.
Passion fruit cake, chocolate cake filled with whipped cream, brownies and fresh strawberriey, more chocolate cake with cream, fresh fruit. The man walking toward the camera is the President Tupuo, the Stake President. He runs a catering company and they did the desserts.
Brownies and fresh strawberries. Creme filled cakes.
Trifle - layers of custard, gelatin, fresh fruits, creme.
Creme filled chocolate cake next to the fresh fruit display.

Sea Cliff Bridge

On Sunday 30 November we took a Sunday afternoon drive through the Royal National Park and then on the Sea Cliff Bridge. These pictures were shot as we walked across the bridge and enjoyed the warm, sunny weather with no flies. The color of the ocean was beautiful and the sky was almost cloudless.
View of bridge from top of hill.
Sea Cliff Bridge
Elizabeth on Sea Cliff Bridge.
Sea Cliff Bridge.
Sea Cliff Bridge going towards Sydney.
Rocky beach below the bridge.
Rocky shoreline, bridge
More rocky beach.
Note designs in rock.

Mission President's Seminar.

We left Sydney on November 12th for Auckland, New Zealand. The Mission President's Seminar was held in Takapuna, a very nice, up-scale suburb of Auckland. We flew Air New Zealand. The flight is 3 hours and very nice. We happened to be on the same flight as President and Sister Quinn from Adelaide.
Upon arrival we were met by a corporate cab driver and taken to the hotel, the Spencer on Byron. Our room was on the 10th floor overlooking the bay and Rangitoto, a very large volcanic island.
Auckland skyline and harbor.
Auckland skyline.
Spencer on Byron hotel.
View from our room on the 10th floor of hotel.

That evening we had dinner at a Thai restaurant with old friends from Sydney. With the consolidation of the areas, the Clarks, Public Affairs, the Nallys, In field Representative, and the McLaughlins, Executive Secretary to the Area Presidency, were all transferred to New Zealand. Elder and Sister Bartholomew were spending the last two weeks of their mission at the Area Office in Takapuna training their successors who will now be stationed in New Zealand.
Dinner with good friends.

After dinner we went to the Clarks apartment for ice cream. They live in a very upscale place, far different from what we live in here in Sydney. In case you think I was obsessed with their apartment, you are right. I took a lot of pictures, but will only share a few of them with you. Just to describe their place, penthouse on top floor overlooking the beach, with swimming pool and beach access, next door to the Area Presidency's apartments. They have a kitchen with granite counter tops, dishwasher, garbage disposal, two bathrooms with two sinks in each, tub and shower in one; shower, bidet in the other one, a half bath with sink and toilet, a large bedroom with walk in closet; a spare bedroom with wall to wall closet and acts as an office and guest room; a large living-dining room.

Before eating ice cream we got the royal tour of their digs including the beach. This picture was taken on the beach access.
Clarks, Elizabeth, Bartholomews.

Clarks apartment, top floor, second from left.
Clarks kitchen. Living room in Clarks apartment. Kaye Nally, Elizabeth in Clarks' living room.
View from Clarks apartment of beach and Rangitoto, an inactive volcanic island.
Swimming pool at Clarks' apartment.

The Area Presidency lives in a group of apartments adjacent to the Clarks'.

Area Presidency Apartments.

Each morning I would get up and exercise on the beach. These are a couple of pictures I took one morning. Ranitoto is a very large volcanic island out in the bay and is very prominent from most vantage points.
Rangitoto at sunrise.
A walk on the beach.

The Seminar took place all day Thursday, Friday morning, and Saturday morning. On Friday afternoon we all went to the Auckland Museum. The following pictures were taken there and are of some of the dignitaries that attended the seminar. Elder Cook, Elder Jensen and Elder Baxter did not attend. They had meetings.
Auckland Museum.

Elder and Sister Hilbig
Elder Hilbig, Jay
Elder and Sister Callister.
Lon and Kaye Nally
Our favorite mission president and his wife. President and Sister Lee, from Adelaide, serving in the Melbourne West Mission.
Jay and Elizabeth at Auckland Museum.
Maori Masks in Auckland Museum.
Maori Dancers.
Maori carving at Museum.
Winter Gardens on grounds of Auckland Museum.
Beautiful flowers in the Winter Garden on the Auckland Museum grounds.

The Area Offices in New Zealand are very nice. The outside looks like an ordinary office building but the inside is very nice. The Auckland New Zealand Mission offices are on the first floor but rumor has it they will soon be moving into their own place near by.
Area Offices in New Zealand - Takapuna.
Administration Office name plate.

Nashville Tribute Band

The Nashville Tribute Band joined us for Family Home Evening. We had a pot luck dinner as a farewell for the Van Asperens who will be returning to Brisbane because the MOC (Microfilm department) is closing due to the consolidation. They have a daughter, Debbie, who has Downs Syndrome but functions very well. She is in her early 20's. During dinner I was able to talk with Kimberly Smith who is a second great granddaughter of Joseph and Emma and made the trip with the Kennedys and the band along with her son, who was the first descendant of Joseph and Emmma to take out his endowments prior to his mission in the Nauvoo Temple. The band performed for our program and the music and testimonies were touching. I have included a couple of their songs in the blog. I hope you enjoy them.

Jason Deere's song about Emma Smith.
Kimberly Smith and her son.
The band performing.

Jason Deere.


Band members. Jason Deere, song writer and singer (without a guitar).
Ron Saltmarsh.
Elizabeth and Bishop Dixon from Florida. He helped fund the group.
Farewell to the Van Asperens. They will be returning to Brisbane. They live across the hall from us.
Members of the band.