Just How Big is an Aussie Cyclone?

Nothing but DARK CLOUDS do we see lately!
 PS:  Who can spot the hidden cockatoo?

Hello to all our dear family and Friends!  

"Oh, Mom!  This storm's too scary!  I'm
hiding my eyes until it's over!"

A local 3-Ft. Submerged 'Road Closed" signs not far from our flat.

Cyclone Debbie hits 500 miles north of us in wild fury.

This blog will be soaking wet and wild, because that's what our current weather situation  is here in Brisbane.  A huge Category 4+ cyclone made landfall up the east coast a few hundred miles, leaving much damage to the area and the properties of the 25.000 people that were evacuated where it hit the hardest. All was sunny here in Brisbane until  the stalled storm did its lazy reversal and headed straight for us! For 3 days the warnings have been given:  prepare for high winds, torrential rains, and much flooding.  Debbie, the cyclone. had just about settled down when a huge massive storm kicked up south of us in Sydney.  The two wicked fronts collided here today, and life in Brisbane came to an abrupt halt.  Both exits from our neighborhood are flooded and the roads are closed!  The high winds are downing branches and rain has been pelting us for days.  Today it hit its apex, sending an expected 15 inches of rain in about 8 hours.  There is nowhere for this much water to go!  We are fine and safe, and feel blessed to still have power.  Everyone is under "house watch" with the media and law enforcement telling everyone to go home and STAY HOME!  Today's school closings were extended through tomorrow at least. 

Today we were supposed to feed lunch to 50 missionary Zone Leaders and Sister Trainer Leaders for their quarterly  training with President McSwain, etc.  We confirmed with the Mission Pres.'s wife that yes, the meeting would go forward today.  This AM when we heard news of the fronts colliding by about 1 PM, we called the Mission Office.  "Yes, training is on!"So we finished our preparations and just as we were starting to load up the car with the menu of pulled pork sandwiches on FRESH bakery buns from our friend Jean's bakery, baked beans, cookies, fruit, coleslaw with all the trimmings the call came:  "The Temple is closing, and the police want everyone out by noon!"  (The meeting was in the Stake Center which shares the Temple Property.)  So, lunch was cancelled!  What does one do with four huge crock pots full of food, 72 buns, etc when one has a cozy little fridge to fit our cozy flat?  Hmmm.  We got creative and will feed missionaries Monday, and Tuesday, etc. at their Zone conferences until the food runs out!  (Pictured with Sister Yates is Sister Kolia from Samoa who stayed with us a while when recouperating from foot surgery and was unable to tract. She had never tasted snow peas, sweet red peppers, nor tangelos, all of which we'd packed in our sack lunches on this very busy day a few weeks ago!  But all three were winners, and I've never EVER heard such happy lip-smacking during a meal!)

In mid-February we flew up to Townsville, QLD, to present the Self-Reliance Initiatives to the Priesthood Brethren in the District there. The Townsville District has seven branches and a very motivated leader, President Mayer.  He had his Branch Presidents come for Saturday training with us, and he skyped those two in who were too far to come in.  This district is about an 8 hour drive from east to west, and 5 hour from top to bottom!  The meeting was very successful and we felt blessed to give a fireside to the membership the next evening, Sunday.  They are at the ground level of implementing some Self-Reliance Initiatives, and some good outcomes have been forthcoming since our visit!  One senior missionary couple, the Redds, are a big help.  Elder Redd is a counselor in the District Presidency and Sister Redd is the District Relief Society President.  That has been most helpful because after our visit to Townsville, in early March they flew to Brisbane for a Seniors' Mission Conference and stayed 3 days with us. This allowed us to give them more Self-Reliance materials and training to take back with them.  Sister Redd is a former Mormon Tabernacle Choir soprano, and since I was in charge of music for the conference, I asked her to sing a solo.  It was a blessing to accompany her and we share a common dear friend and sister---Joan Yarrington!  What a small and wonderful world it is!


We had some extra hours when in Townsville  and were able to enjoy their beautiful beaches, wildlife, and history.  While eating dinner at President Mayer's home, we heard an awful  screeching outside.  Asking what it was, Pres. told the story of hearing the same noise when he first came to Australia.  He was a guest overnight at his future in-law's home, and heard the screaming.  Thinking the neighbors were having a row, he decided to go back to sleep, but was awakened several times during the night with more screaming.  In the morning he carefully asked if the neighbors were all right or did they have squabbles because he heard a lady screaming off and on throughout the night. Their  hosts chuckled as they told him it was a bird whose proper name is a curlew, but has the rightfully-earned nickname of "Screaming Lady Bird."  This bird was everywhere in Townsville, and we were at peace knowing that despite the noise, no one was suffering at all!   Their beaches are beautiful and we walked miles on them! The rare black cockatoos were not rare here, as they were harvesting red berries and munching them delightedly.  They are all black when still, but in flight put on a show of brilliant red beneath their wings and under their tails. A history lesson was had as we hiked up to a sharp peak along the ocean called "Kissing Point Fort."  This point was of great strategic importance in both WWI and WWII and battles were fought in WW II over this point which protected much of the Australian Coastline from invasion.

Elder Yates at Gunner Doors, Kissing Point Fort, Townsville 

Rare Black Cockatoos harvesting red berries for their "fancy feathers"

We never get enough of  Australia's exquisite coastlines!  

Friends throughout History, Two Flags  Wave Unitedly

10 minute old loggerhead hatchling

What would this world be without beautiful scenery and the flora and fauna go match it? We are very blessed as Senior Missionaries to have the opportunity to go anywhere in our mission, which is all of Queensland, and down into parts of New South Wales.  We work hard every day with our fulfilling missionary duties, and derive much joy!  Then we're told by our Manager Carl Maurer, go do something fun.  So when he went out of town, we did too!  The other Self-Reliance couple, the Osbornes, and we drove north to Bundeberg about 4 1/2 hours and saw one of the most magnificent things we've ever seen in nature.  The very endangered Loggerhead turtles were laying their eggs on this stretch of beach near Bundeberg.  75% of all the loggerhead turtles in existence still lay their eggs on this beach.  A ward member had told us how wonderful it was to go see the turtles lay their eggs at night.  We were blessed to go at the end of the laying season and the beginning of the eggs hatching.  Seeing a huge mama loggerhead lay 128 eggs was stunning but the eggs were laid in an area that has predator            foxes who dig up the eggs as soon as they're laid.  We watched the mama head out to sea to swim the 2.000 miles to her home.  She will not rest nor eat until she arrives---about another 6 weeks.  This was her 5th and last batch eggs for the year, and she doesn't eat during the whole laying period, because there is NO ROOM for food!  Her hard shell makes her have to fast for the entire 4-month period of laying and returning to her home.  She won't be back for 2 years to lay as it is so hard on them to fast and make the journey.  What about the foxes?  We got to carefully take the eggs (look like ping-pong balls) by flashlight down the beach a ways to a "fox safety pen" where they were expertly buried by a ranger at the exact depth and coverage the mama turtle created. So awesome!  We human mamas should not complain about our childbearing conditions, ever!  As we were preparing to leave, a call went out that if we'd like to see some new baby loggerhead hatchlings, there was a batch hatching up a ways on the beach.  You bet we scurried into the group and saw these little eggs hatch and the hatchlings push their little heads and bodies out of the sand.  38 hatchlings appeared within the hour and began their journey to the sea.  They only have to swim to the nearest reef, about 15 miles, where they will stay hidden from predators, hopefully, to grow up!  Unfortunately, only about 1 in 1,000 live to maturity!  That's a sad fact, and why they are so endangered, but beautiful!

I am the King of Kangaroos--A big RED you don't want to cross! 

We finally got a chance two weeks ago to visit a koala and kangaroo sanctuary where one can roam among the boomers (roos), and hold a live koala. Ah, our AU dreams are coming true, one by one! These baby koalas are too cute for words.  There were all species of  Queensland kangaroos here, from the small wallabies like the one pictured above, to the huge big red ones who stand taller than Elder Yates who is 6'4"!  You don't want to anger one of these feisty fellows, for they look like body builders in their prime!  So muscular and huge!  

Considering the number of "nature" stories we tell, you might get the wrong impression of our mission. Yes, we work hard and love the many duties and opportunities we have on our mission!  But we want to share a bit of the culture, beauty and natural wonders that make Queensland the gorgeous place it is to us, day after day!  Back to some highlights of our labors this month.  We completed teaching  a Self-Reliance Course called My Foundation: Principles, Skills and Habits of Self-Reliance, to the Samoan Ward Young Women in our Logan Stake.  They are an incredible group of faithful young women who love the Lord.  There is such love and unity among them and we have felt their love during these lessons.The great story behind this is that when the YW President Sr. Kiso  took over a few years ago, there were only 6-8 girls attending.  In looking on her membership rosters, she found out there were over 40 on the rolls.  She and her counselors, along with the girls  began to reach out to these "lost" ones.  It has been a miracle to see the growth in the past few years, and the joyful spirits they have.  In the back row with the orange shirt, you'll notice Sister Yates, the only pale face in the group as Elder Yates was the photographer, 😄

Our Logan Ward's Relief Society Birthday Celebration with Jaydan in Sister Yates' arms.  She's always ready to hold a baby due to lack of grandkids!  This is typical Sunday dress for our very Polynesian ward.  Out of the entire ward, only about 5 families aren't South Pacific Island transplants

Now it's Saturday, April 8th and we just had a while to finish this blog.  A quick update as to Cyclone Debbie and the backlash heaped upon Brisbane  Thursday, March 30 when this blog began.  Most areas of Brisbane sustained more than 2 feet of torrential rain in 12 hours.  Many topped at 3 feet.  Bridges were washed out, major flooding, and hundreds of trees downed because of the winds.  Whole sections of Brisbane were out of power for  2 days, but gratefully we were fine! Mother Nature put on a show we'll never forget, and the cleanups and rebuilds will go on  for weeks.

 Participants in our Goal Setting Class where we assist them in identifying goals and plans in many areas prior to their leaving the mission.  Most Aus. Brisbane missionaries are from Asia and the Pacific. Many go home to poor job/educational opportunities but want to improve themselves.  We assist as we can. Elder Apable on right is from the Philippines, and Elder Ho, left, from Germany.  

Today, April 8th, we've been out on our mission exactly 8 months! What!  Already?   It's uncanny how fast the time is passing and how little we feel that we have accomplished.  We remind ourselves that in many regards, we are the "seed planters" who sow the seeds of Self-Reliance in Wards, branches, stakes and districts, and pray and work to help them grow!  These inspired initiatives are very new to most, even the Priesthood Leadership oftentimes. So we teach the doctrine and look for how we can support the Priesthood in their turning their keys to begin helping their members as they determine how to  best accomplish that .  What an opportunity to watch lives change as people get excited  about becoming more self-reliant!  They often then take a class that helps them get into a trade or university, get a better job, improve their English, manage their personal finances, or learn  to support their children in school better! One by one, and group by group, we're seeing CHANGE, and we love being a small part of that growth here in Queensland!  

We send our love to each of you, our faithful family and friends, and wish you a wonderful Easter this next week.  We are so blessed because of our knowledge of the blessings that the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ can and does bring into the lives of every soul who has ever lived upon this Earth!  He is Risen!

Always with love, 

Elder and Sister Yates, Dad/Mom, Grandpa/Grandma, David/Marsha     

Sending Love to You---our dearest Valentines!

Home is where the heart is, and our hearts reach out to you this February holiday and every day!!  Our hearts have dual residency because we love you all so much and the great people here who make our mission come alive with opportunities each day.  

Finding our math solutions in the dark of  a moonless blackout!

January blew in and out like a whirling winter snowstorm, and we watch the months roll past us as if they were only a week!  That's the beauty of mission life, and we couldn't be happier.  Each day brings sweet and challenging engagements with people and situations which bring substance to the meaning of the word "SELF-RELIANCE!"  We are so humbled to be busy in the work of helping people to perceive how to better their lives.  Watching them take steps in that direction is so fulfilling, and we are witnessing many "starts" as new life adventures unfold.  From employment to higher education, or from helping kids succeed in school to handling family finances, we are blessed to be teaching and/or supporting the process in many dear souls' lives!   Wednesday we begin a "Personal Finances" class

Now Elder Lamositele,  our YSA SR student left for his Perth mission 

about 45 minutes away which will be taught weekly for two hours for 12 weeks.  In our second semester of BYU-Idaho Pathway we are deep into "Maths," as they call it.  How's your memory of how to find the surface area and the volume of a sphere?  Yes, we're a bit rusty and in the dark on some of these principles, so we do our math homework as well in order to tutor some of the students who are struggling. Once again we had the power go out during a 2 1/2 hour class, and we limped along with only our phones and computer screens to light our  'pathway' through the likes of variables and formulas.  It's common here to have outages as everyone who can afford it is cranking their "air-con" due to the very hot and humid days!  This week it's supposed to get to 104 F, but the 100 degrees  we had today was sweltering enough, thank you!

A few of  'our' Logan Stake Sister missionaries at conf.   

In late January, we had a beautiful  half-day worldwide mission conference broadcast from Salt Lake, then another half-day of training with the Brisbane FULL crowd of nearly 200 missionaries.  For the "junior" missionaries, SLC streamlined some of their reporting, gave more latitude to them on governing their schedules to suit their days, and showed great respect for their ability to "act for themselves." We are blessed with a great mission president and wife, the McSwains!  They have a true love and zest for the work and make everyone feel capable and positive!  We have a lot of sweet sister missionaries who are so earnest and full of love!  We even get to start inspecting missionary flats for another of our mission duties!  Hmm.  We passed our own  1/2 year inspection from the Kuraby Woods flat manager with flying colors.  Guess that qualifies us to evaluate elders' and sisters' flats.  The checklist for mission flats is very exact so I'd better find several pairs of "white gloves."                                                                                                                    

Newest addition to the Kooka gang--young baby.

                                                                                                                                                       

Noisy Miner bird enjoying seeds on our bottle brush tree blossoms

Nature is constantly stunning us with beauty and its beasts, both large and small!  Meet our newest kookaburra baby who is trying to get brave enough to join his parents on our back fence.  Each kooka has its unique markings and characteristics.  This little fellow is still a whiny toddler, but laughs like only a kooka can----LOUDLY!!  Outside our back garden fence is bush land, as you recall.  We USA'ers would call it the woods.  Wallabies  are quite normal and we get regular visits from one pair, especially the mama wallaby.  This is her latest sweet little darling, and it's first time out of her pouch that we've actually seen itmove around---even bouncing on its spring-loaded back legs. Well, if you can call 50 yards away and a full zoom on the lens while mama  and baby are in the bush a true sighting!  Despite the brush and distance, you get the idea.  The mama wallaby is a very efficient mother; her young one stays in the pouch about 6 months, and nurses several months more.  Meanwhile, another embryo forms into a little pink hairless critter who makes the "Australian climb" into the mother's pouch when it is only the size of a jelly bean!  There it will suckle, and mama wallaby usually always has another little joey in the pouch simultaneously.  Amazing adaptations!  The spider is a 'tiny' garden spider on about 6-inch rock, but its back is a shiny tinfoil reflective metal armor of some sort!  Watch your step!

But the best beast of all surprised the daylights out of us and came three days in a row from the bush, under our fence into the back garden where it had clawed out two little spaces to enter and exit by. We were astounded to be hosting none other than a nearly 6 ft.Lace Monitor Lizard!  Day one he just kept along the back fence, and we watched him in awe with those powerful arms and menacing claws. Day two we caught sight of him on the patio, but he quickly scooted away when he saw Elder Yates inside the patio door staring at him.  I ran for the camera but we were too late!  Day 3 he came right up on our patio, and was flicking his tongue (how he smells) on our patio door.  He slowly moved under our patio table, but shot away when Elder Yates opened the door to get a decent picture of him.  Nope.  He was not about to stick around for a photo shoot! So, the picture is fuzzy, but notice the LENGTH of the tail back beyond his body in the iron grill of the screen door.  He is HUGE, and powerful, and a welcomed guest, if he wants to return.  The other picture is from the internet, so you can see what he would look like!  We feel so lucky to share this bush land with such fine creatures!    Go, Mr. Goanna (what the aboriginals call them, and they're a delicacy to eat! Fried lizard, anyone?

Indigenous Aussie playing his Digeridoo

Grandpa Yates digging in to his first and maybe last dragon fruit!

Head shot of the Lace Monitor Lizard type that investigated our patio/back garden.  Does he smell the kookaburras?

Bush fire burning out of control on the Freeway we were on

Ah! Just the smell of ripe mangoes is delicious!

Now to the Saturday AM Kuraby outdoor market where we buy our fruits and veggies fresh from the farms inland.  This aboriginal man above was playing his 8 foot digeridoo--a wind instrument that is like a natural wooden trumpet.   In usage over 1,500 years, they have a beautiful tone, and the longer the pipe, the lower the sound. However "natural" the man looks, I doubt he will be eating monitor lizard for lunch!  We popped over to see a fruit that was called the "Dragon Fruit." Pink and green, it opened to our surprise with a clear melon-like center with suspended poppy seeds throughout. Better looks than taste, though.  We much prefer the "toad melon", known as piel de sapo--so tasty 'yous'! Overall, nothing beats MANGO SEASON, for sure! We wish it would last all year. 

It's been fun to catch you up on our mission experiences, and hope you find a bit of joy in reading our meandering account of fragments of our busy days.  We feel so blessed to know each of you, our wonderful family and friends, and wish you could each come for a week to experience a koala hug, or a snorkel in the ocean, neither of which we've yet experienced here. But we want you to know how often and deeply we think about you, your challenges, hopes, and dreams.  We send our LOVE to each of you at this special time and express the happiness we have in counting you as the dear ones in our lives.  BLESS YOUR HEARTS, EVERY ONE!!

               As ever,  Elder and Sister Yates

                              Dad/Mom; David/Marsha

                              Grandpa and Grandma Yates

2017 Is Here--We're Wishing You a Marvelous Year!

Hello, and how's it going for yous?  

No, it's not a typo!  We've learned that Aussies have their own version of  Texans' "y'all."  "Yous" is plural for you---among youth especially!  By now you're no doubt all back to your normal work and schools schedules, and we hope your holidays were filled with lots of fun times together with loved ones and friends. How fun it was to catch up with family via holiday Skyping, and we loved the kind contacts we received.  Thanks to each one of you!!  "Outta sight, outta mind" isn't necessarily so!  

Thanks, dear River 1st Ward, for our amazing pillow cases which are full of love and well-wishes! Though the postage to us "down under" dwellers is shocking, we appreciate you remembering us at a time of year when we naturally miss you all so much!  We enjoy reading the ward news through emails, and wish all of you dear friends and families a productive, fun, faith-filled and self-reliant year!  

Samoan Dancing Missionaries!  Well, at least the Sisters knew the dance.  The Elders just added  great comic relief.

The holiday season here goes on and on and on!!!  That's because it's SUMMER VACATION! Aussies know how to time it right to get the most out of the holidays---about 6 more weeks to play.  Things slowed down only a hair, however, as we were heavily involved in Ward and Mission celebrations which really helped us to feel a fullness of joy throughout December! The Christmas celebration for the whole Australia Brisbane Mission (175 young and 20+ senior missionaries) was held on Friday, Dec. 23rd, and lasted almost all day with our service projects, program, meal, and other celebrations, including each Zone in Brisbane giving a "talent" of

How to organize 200 hungry missionaries for a Christmas photo?  Tell them with a LOUD voice lunch is getting cold!

Guess it doesn't matter if the "wise Elder" with the beard can't keep a straight face! Mary & Joseph are a young couple from our ward who are expecting their first baby in March!  He's our  Logan Stake Executive Secretary!    

some sort.  These ranged from classical to crazy in nature, and we laughed ourselves silly over a few of the humorous presentations that only missionaries can dream up!  Elder Yates and I were in charge of the spiritual program, and did a simple nativity with narrators from the different zones. Working with our narrators was inspiring as many are "new" English speakers and really wanted to give their best to the Lord on His birthday!  And they DID!  We kept the Nativity very simple , as the program was in the chapel.  During the program, each zone provided a lovely "solo" 1st verse of each Christmas  hymn before the other 190 joined in on the remaining verses.  What a touching spirit that brought to the program.  

Vista of the "Glass Mountains" surrounded by national parks.

Finally, we spotted a koala outside Maleny's Cheese Factory that didn't run and hide!  

With our manager's blessing, the day after Christmas we took off north heading up the Sunshine Coast  for a 3 day respite and sightseeing!  Our fine Mission President McSwain even told us to go swimming and take off our badges and relax!  The only time we did take off our badges was to go swimming, and many neat things happened with four missionaries being tourists! We adore being missionaries, and wanted to spread the joy, even while "touring." The Osbornes, the only other Self-Reliance missionaries in all of Queensland,  went with us and Elder Yates drove.  The Sunshine Coast has world renowned beaches, is only 1 1/2 hrs. north. Our first day was filled with a roving trip through Glass Mountains,  so named because to the old settlers who named them they looked like the remains of the old chimneys on the glass-making factories of England. Known as the 'hinterland, beautiful and breathtaking views greeted us around every corner for 3 days.  Truly, Queensland is pristine and gorgeous, from its tropical rain forests to the yawning extensive beaches which beckon even missionaries to jump into the South Pacific Ocean even amidst the lifeguards' multiple warnings!  

No worries--swimming's OK for Senior missionaries!

Giant  poisonous Jelly who sadly gave it all up on shore!

Tuesday we headed out to the Sunshine Coast driving to Noosa Heads' Sunrise Beach, where we swam with the jellyfish, tiptoed around the myriad of species of the strange-looking stingers lying on display out on the sand or bobbing in the surf.  The "blue bottle" jellyfish was about 2 inches long and looked like a puffy little bottle but had a whip tail about 2 feet long!  A little girl near us got stung! We took the advice of the lifeguards whose warning of powerful dumping waves and strong sweep were not an understatement!  San Diego Sisters, it was reminiscent of our rip tide days in Pacific Beach!  But the "savage seagulls" were a kick!  They devoured any little crab or fish that landed even for half a second on the sand!  Swoop and gobble were their watchwords!  Hmmmm, wonder why they left the stingers (jelly fish) untouched.  Yep, because they're all STINGERS!!  This specimen was bigger around than a soccer ball, but so unique.  I was happy to throw all the little fish back into the surf if I could beat the seagulls to them, but picking up a 4-pound stinging jelly fish was above my compassion level. We drove South from Noosa Heads stopping about 6 times to go check out other stunning sights of beaches that cover ALL of the east coast of Australia!  Truly, they should be proud of their beaches with the clean sand, gorgeous views, and surf that boarders worldwide come to experience.  The southern-most beach we visited that day it was Tweed Heads,  a point of land jutting out into the ocean, creating a beautiful bay called Coolangotta-Rainbow Bay.  There was no rainbow at the moment, but about everything else--surfers, wind surfers, swimmers, and many memorials from WW II because much of the war in the Pacific involved Australia!  It's poignant to remember how impacting that war was to the entire world!  Dozens of memorial plaques marked the demise of ships or submarines that were involved in battles along the shores of Australia.  How grateful we are to those who sacrificed so much to protect our freedoms! For many of us, it was our own parents who did their duty in this world-wide threat.  We pray that history won't have to repeat this again.

Coolangotta-Rainbow Bay at Tweeds Heads Beaches, Sunshine Coast, AU 

Take a gander at this valley view and think of the lucky cows below--never a snowstorm to interrupt their idyllic lives!

Our last day of  travel brought us inland again to the hinterlands where there are so many National Parks with tremendous waterfalls & forests.  However, it's the heat of summer now, and the waterfalls aren't "falling."  It's not too far from Brisbane to take a day trip to some of them when the rainy season comes and the heat dissipates.  Yet the vistas were stunning!  Valley after valley boasted  pure beauty and many happy cows, horses or sheep grazing in highland pastures.  Even the Garden of Eden wouldn't sniff at these hinterlands!  The nice part is that outside of Brisbane, the population is scarce and spread out with lots of growing space.  After our tiny flat and crowded city, it seemed doubly spacious to be greeted by such open lands. Large, inviting farms and classy homes in cozy villages dotted the landscapes sparsely.  

Classy Residence with Bed and Breakfast Options  Book a room, anyone?  

                                                     

The semi-tropical forests are packed with flora and fauna in immense varieties.  Getting to the end of lovely hikes which were to end at waterfalls was never disappointing, falls or not!  And though I'm standing by an OLD GUM TREE, there was no kookaburra there to laugh with me! It was great to see some of the beautiful country we're happy to be living in.  Also we're glad to get back to our cozy flat to get ready for the new year, and set our sights high for much success in our self-reliance endeavors.  For our New Year's Eve day we traveled to the Gold Coast and helped teach some of the 1000 youth who attended the Young Single Adult Australia 5-day Conference.  Our boss, Carl Maurer, was in charge of the workshops, and wanted our help on a couple of the Education/Budgeting classes.  We were amazed to see so many YSA from the whole country and beyond!!!  Rubbing shoulders with this solid core of faithful youth was very heartening!  

Monday Jan. 2nd, we hosted  at our flat the Senior Missionaries and mission President and wife for the monthly Family Home Evening. It was fun to be together and share a last little bit of holiday cheer.  We shared a lesson on integrity and also President Eyring's challenge to "find ways to recognize and remember God's kindness."  As you count your many blessings daily, and reflect and record these tender gifts from our Heavenly Father, Pres. Eyring promises our testimonies will grow, and we'll feel more gratitude and the softening and refining that come because of our Savior's atonement.  As the picture indicates, we had fun games and healthy (so many New Year's resolutions could be kept) and not-so-healthy snacks (so as not to disappoint those with a sweet tooth).   

It's the perfect time, with a fresh new year ahead, to count our blessings and share the joy we have because of the truths we know and love so dearly.  Also it's the perfect time to tell each one of you how much we love and appreciate who you are, and the wonderful lives you lead, giving us fine examples to follow, and hope for the future!    

Signing off with much love coming your way...

Elder and Sister Yates,  Dad/Mom

David/Marsha, Grandpa/Grandma