With A Spring in Our Step and Our Surroundings!

Elder Yates Happily Graduates from Physio As We 'Carry On' in the ABM!

 GREETINGS to our loved ones and dear friends scattered abroad but close in our hearts, 

Pres. Zeisel's back yard with ocean behind back houses

Thank you again for all your well-wishes and thoughtful prayers in behalf of Elder Yates.  We are beginning to realize from many people's stories that he is a 'model of fine and swift recovery' from triple bypass surgery.  Just yesterday we were invited to share lunch between PathwayConnect sessions with one of our students, Connie Ziesel, the wife of the North Brisbane Stake President. Since he works from home, President Zeisel was there as well.  During lunch she found out E. Yates had triple bypass surgery and was just coming up on the 12-week post-op mark.  She was astounded at his magnificent recovery and would not have guessed it was so recent a surgery.  Her brother had the same surgery a bit ago at Elder Yates' age and had quite a difficult recovery. The lunch was delightful and they thanked us for our service as PathwayConnect teachers in their stake for the past 14 months.  They live on an inlet about 500 yards from the ocean and boats decorate everyone's back yards!  Ziesels have no boat but use their kayak to get their exercise. Also, a nurse recently commented that "he was far ahead" in stamina and regaining  full function to the degree that it surprised her! Gratefully, we acknowledge the hand of the Lord in

preserving Elder Yates to receive the blessing of a quality prolongation of his life!  He just walked in the door with his certificate of graduation for the fairly challenging 6 weeks of physical therapy he has successfully and cheerfully completed--Phase II Cardio Rehabilitation Program.  Now, without the use of their hospital gym, we'll have to invent some creative ways to exercise in addition to walking so he can continue to strengthen his whole body.  His sternum should be pretty well-knitted together, so he is free to do most "normal" activities. Caution is still needed for heavy lifting, pushing or pulling! 

This month we've been busily engaged in the Self-Reliance work in many stakes and wards.  Sister Yates was asked to speak at Centenary Stake's Women's (JEWELS) Conference to present two sessions on Strengthening Families and Relationships. JEWELS stood for Journey of Extraordinary Women Enriched in Love and Strengthening our Sisterhood. It was a stretch from our normal presentations so required some prayerful preparation. However, it was a joyful experience all around!  The stake is mostly South Pacific Islanders, and the sisters divided into "troops" representing noble women in the scriptures. The partial troop pictured here honored Rebekah.  The conference lasted 2.5 days. They don't do things small around here!  Big programs, big celebrations, and big feeds!  You'll note the sisters are casually dressed because they just finished a Pioneer Hike before their breakfast.  Elder Yates is pictured with one of the brethren who was serving up "cacao mush," their Samoan cereal!  Mmm, it's very good because it has freshly roasted and ground cacao beans as the flavor!  And, oh, how cute these Polynesian babies are!  Their eyes are captivating, and they are the happiest babies we've EVER seen!  This little angel baby girl has her attentive cousin looking after her while her mother participates in the conference.  My presentation hopefully touched some hearts and I heard immediately from several sisters their reactions and 'take-away' messages.  This sister pictured here came up to me on her way out and said, 'I'm a visitor from  Sydney, and I'm going home a changed woman!"  That was a powerful statement to hear, and she quickly elaborated on what meant so much to her.  Yes, the Holy Ghost is the teacher who softens our hearts and allows us to have witness borne to our souls as to what we need to do to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The "Big Feed" after the baptism of the 4 Tu Sing immigrant
children who just arrived 3 weeks ago from Samoa.  We
had 10 Senior Missionaries and 6 young Elders and Sisters
attend this amazing event.  The Lord is gathering His precious
children from near and far into the gospel net.  (More on this
below.) 

Elder Yates at our PathwayConnect meeting where we teach AM and PM
2 1/2 hour classes, plus tutoring, etc.  We enjoy the students so much
and watch them take off in their often first University classes.  This is
our quick break before the last hour of our evening class.  The students
take turns bringing 'snacks.'  This spread was brought by 1 very large
young Samoan man who is getting married next month to an American
girl!  Notice, the size of the spread matched his eating habits!! 

Now that man knows how to eat!

Now for a splash of Brisbane's spring colors and critters!  Be sure to spot the Padymelon--not a fruit!

The cuteness of these little yearling koalas never wears off !  Oh, that we could tuck one in our suitcase upon our return!

No better way to spend a rainy day than feeding these
free-roaming wallabies.  It had been raining for 3 days
and they were sopping wet and really hungry!  At least they
don't have to worry about being too cold here!  No snow ever!

We were really likin' this vibrant prolific lichen!
(Actually, it's probably a full-blown fungus!)
Adjacent were the rainbow mushrooms below.
Probably few of you have seen the smallest
member of the kangaroo family, the padymelon.
It's a rainforest-dwelling marsupial. They are
about 2 feet tall and rather pudgy from behind.
Being secretive, we were lucky to get a
semi-decent shot of one about 50 feet away.

One of 1,000's of Jacaranda trees dotting the city and countryside this month.
Below spot the shy Padymelon who is the tiniest kangaroo variety!

 There's never a shortage of vistas to delight the eye, and the inhabitants in those vistas to make us smile. We visited again the Lamington National Forest for an afternoon and some roads are STILL  washed out and impassable from last February's destructive Cyclone Debbie and the subsequent flooding.  What we saw was gorgeous hinterland forests with huge gum trees (eucalyptus) towering much higher than our forests down here at Brisbane's sea level.  One gum tree is nearly 2,000 years old---a usual age they can live up to! That's a ton of history these wise old trees have witnessed.  Their  growth can be attributed to more rain as the storms hit the highlands and dump their growth-producing loads of water.  

We continue to attend all the baptisms we can and to make certain to support our wards and stakes in their endeavors.  Two surprising baptisms we attended two weeks ago were under unusual circumstances.   One family with 2 children lived in Samoa and the mother passed away.  The children were sent to Brisbane to live with their grandparents permanently.  The other situation involved a dear family in our ward, the Tu Sing's, who have Samoan/Asian roots and  live in Brisbane.  His brother was entrenched with troubles trying to provide for his family in Samoa and asked the Tu Sing family in our ward (Brother Tu Sing is the Uncle) to take their four youngest children to give them a better life and education here.  Quickly they were legally adopted so they could get entry into Australia and will no doubt live their lives here. How grateful we should be for our opportunities to better ourselves and gain an education.  The children are ages 16 to 9 and are capable and beautiful kids but speak almost no English.  So school is an abrupt change, but they love being here!

We sing, and sing, and sing here! Names here are choice as well---  Left to Right: Sister Pekipaki, Sis. Yates, Sister Timoteo, and Sister Hazel Mataikamovita. These Pacific Islanders love their music!  This was a Sunday Evening Stake Relief Society Fireside wherein each ward in Logan Stake put together a choir to present a special number.  There was a beautiful narrative program that accompanied it.  These are devoted and faithful Saints!!

Elder Yates takes time to feed the rainbow lorikeets in the pouring rain!  

One truth among the many lessons we've witnessed in people's lives here shows the mission of Self-Reliance in action. It is that IF PEOPLE SEEK THE LORD'S HELP IN FAITH, HE WILL HELP THEM IN ALL OF THEIR AFFAIRS IN LIFE, BOTH TEMPORALLY AND SPIRITUALLY!  These dear people we labor with are so trusting and faithful, and live their faith with enthusiasm.  Though they may have sizable limitations, they humbly exercise their faith and miracles do

happen!  One dear family had tried and tried for years to save enough to buy a house but a housing bubble here has sent prices skyrocketing. After taking the "Personal Finance for Self-Reliance" course we taught several months ago, they put their savings plan into hyper-mode!  They had such faith that there was a house out there that met their needs. Last week they found a suitable house which they felt very strongly was the right house.  In faith they carried forward and met the criteria.  Now they have found that the house is in an area with many church members surrounding them in a town called Narangba Valley. Its residents call it "little Provo. What a blessing! 
The work is moving forward and the gospel is getting stronger here in Queensland.  Each day provides us a golden opportunity to share our message of hope through greater Self-Reliance. This week we begin our first class partnering with a QLD government entity to assist some recent immigrants in getting work!  We may need several translators, but we are excited for the opportunity to help out!  We'll let you know how we go.  Today we taught a Self-Reliance class in a Mandarin branch! Having our words translated was a new experience.  All was graciously received. 

We send our best wishes to each of you for a wonderful rest of your fall and a Happy Halloween this week!  We love you all and miss you, all the while loving our work here in this beautiful land down under!  Let us hear from you if you can!  We love to catch up with you and your life's happenings!   

With much love and sending blessings your way, 😊💗😉

Elder and Sister Yates

Dad and Mom

David and Marsha

Grandpa and Grandma