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Nothing but DARK CLOUDS do we see lately!
PS: Who can spot the hidden cockatoo? |
Hello to all our dear family and Friends!
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"Oh, Mom! This storm's too scary! I'm
hiding my eyes until it's over!" |
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| A local 3-Ft. Submerged 'Road Closed" signs not far from our flat. |
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| 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.
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| Elder Yates at Gunner Doors, Kissing Point Fort, Townsville |
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| Rare Black Cockatoos harvesting red berries for their "fancy feathers" |
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| We never get enough of Australia's exquisite coastlines! |
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| Friends throughout History, Two Flags Wave Unitedly |
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| 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!
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| 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
attending the Temple regularly to do work for her loved ones, and we were privileged to be with her to share her excitement. In her enthusiasm, she invited another class member, Alison, to also attend the temple with her. Alison had not attended for years, and was reawakened to the strength and power found in the temple which is available to all who prepare to enter this Holy House. We went 2 weeks ago with both of these fine women to share an endowment session, and it was a red-letter day for all of us! 
been cared for and renovated---a delight to the eyes. Let's all get out the sand paper and paint and give the "Boo Radley House a similar makeover, yes? It's a powerful reminder that "A Stitch in Time Saves Nine," as Grandmere or our Mother would say. Take care to keep ourselves in good shape, not allowing subtle deterioration to enter our lives in any way. A little TLC every day can keep the cobwebs of life away! The third house with fence in front is on the street behind us---a typical small 60's type house on stilts, but with an immaculately manicured yard. Keep it up, good neighbor!
choice for warm afternoons. Winter doesn't mean that things stop blooming either! Mother Nature has a knack here in Australia for playing her colorful hand of blooming things throughout the whole year!!! Each display is a surprise which lights up the whole city in colors so intense that you'd think they'd been photo-shopped! Just as one begins to fade, another surprise arises overnight, enticing our eyes and our senses. This is not lost on the animals and birds who head for the latest bloom to taste the sweet berries or gorge on the clear nectar of a blooming flower. This past few weeks it's been the lorakeets loving the golden pendar tree's yellow nectar-filled flower clusters. The lorakeets are plentiful in our backyard now because 
we have a small golden pendar tree which they LOVE! It's like watching kids on an Easter egg hunt run as quickly as they can from one place to the next, gathering eggs or candies until their baskets are full to overflowing. Still they run, trying to fit more in as the sweet candies in the eggs entice them. The "lori's", as the locals call them, come to the tree in pairs and sip the nectar, hanging like acrobats onto the spindly branches of the 
pendar tree while they drink their fill. When another pair tries to get in on the action, the dominant pair tries to chase them off! Hey, lori's, there is plenty of nectar for all of your little birdie bellies! All's good in the end as throughout the day everyone gets their chance to sip the sweet nectar until they're totally satisfied! 
This week we inspected flats again which is a joy and interesting. An UNHEARD OF TRUE STORY we encountered with the Logan Zone Leaders, Elders Tenney and Demke, yesterday. When we asked about their stove, they said they had to get a new one because the old one didn't work. They "blew" their food budget having to eat more fast food because of no way to cook. When the landlord and repairmen came in to replace the stove, they pulled it out from the wall. Immediately, about 50-100 roaches flew and scurried about in all directions!! YUCKY! Yes, there had been a cockroach problem in their flat, but this topped it all--it was the mother-lode, the main NEST! The roaches had eaten through all the WIRING and ruined the oven. Thus, Elders Demke and Tenney never to this day dare to open their stove without a defensive weapon in hand for protection from these monstrous and menacing Aussie roaches!!
We managed one over-nighter north to Coolray with the Osbornes and Sister Mead, the other Self-Reliance missionaries in Brisbane, to celebrate Sr. Osborne's birthday. We love the Emundi markets there. Then last Saturday a fun picnic at a park for celebrating Elder Osborne's 69th b-day. We are blessed to have like-minded friends about us share experiences with. Interestingly, our ages are now consecutive and ascending: 67, 68, 69, 70. Yes, Sister Yates is the 'Baby" and Elder Yates the 'Senior.' 
morning exercise walk, what might it be? Gladly, though some might eat this, we would not dare. The sun has gone to bed and so must we! As Senior Missionaries we have to use common sense for our rule book. Thanks for being wonderful, supportive people in our lives. Each day we picture you and pray for your well-being and progress in your individual lives. 
Mortality is a huge blessing not to be squandered, for we value the time we have on Earth to show our allegiance to our Heavenly Father and His dear Son, our Savior. This we do through our daily quiet acts of obedience and service. We feel it an honor to serve Them in this Australia Brisbane Mission. We hope this finds all well in your corner of the world, and that you are feeling healthy and confident in your lives and where they are leading you. How we love you all! 😊😃
Mortality is a huge blessing not to be squandered, for we value the time we have on Earth to show our allegiance to our Heavenly Father and His dear Son, our Savior. This we do through our daily quiet acts of obedience and service. We feel it an honor to serve Them in this Australia Brisbane Mission. We hope this finds all well in your corner of the world, and that you are feeling healthy and confident in your lives and where they are leading you. How we love you all! 😊😃
