Bird on the Letter Box

A Bird on the Letter Box waiting for the Postie to deliver some Letters!

 

Grandkiddo's Question ~ What is a mailbox called in Australia?

Dinner with the Battyes

May 22, 2020

We were invited to the home of 

Denise & John Battye with their son David.

We had roast, potatoes, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and peas.

I think pumpkin and sweet potatoes are a staple

to eat with Australian Dinners!  

It such a surprise, but I think I'm getting used to it!

They are delicious!

For Dessert we had an Apple Crumble with whipped cream!

It was different than the Apple Crisp I make.

Delicious Also!

And then we talked.

We learned they had joined the church in their 20's.

She said she had always asked her pastor 

questions and they went unanswered.

Once she heard .

about the pre-existence 

some of her questions were answered 

and she wanted to be baptized 

after being taught by the missionaries

for two weeks!

Everyone we meet here are either converts themselves

or their parents were converts.

These people have great faith in

Heavenly Father and His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

We also found out that the Battyes have served 5 missions!

Question for the Grandkiddos ~  How many missions have the Battyes served?

Neighborhood Sausage Sizzle

We were invited to a Neighborhood Sausage Sizzle 

or in other words a Sausage Barbecue.

Everyone brought a savory or sweet thing to eat.

They always say savory meaning not sweet.

It was supposed to be held on the driveway 

but because of the rain it was held in the garage!

I thought it was a great place!

We have been to several Sausage Sizzles!

You put a sausage on a piece of white bread,

then put cooked onions and ketchup on it.

And that is how the Aussies eat their Sausage!

It was a good bye for our neighbors,

Alan and Patricia.  They are in their

80's and are moving in the their son and his wife.

We have a nice neighborhood.

One of the neighbors has told me this a few times,

"We're all friends here.  When someone

needs help we help.  But we're 

not in each others' pockets."

 Grandkiddo Question ~ What is a Sausage Barbecue called in Australia?

Cute Koalas

I LOVE these Cute Koala Bears!

They mostly sleep.  But sometimes we catch some awake!

Aren't they Sooooo Cute?

Eucalyptus leaves are low in nutrition so koalas sleep and rest 18 to 20 hours a day to conserve energy.  Koalas have a specialized diet of eucalyptus leaves, eating around 50 of the approximate 800 species that grow in Australia.  Koalas have a special bacteria in their gut to help them digest the otherwise toxic leaf.

Question for the Grandkiddos ~

What do Koalas have in their body to digest the toxic eucalyptus leaves?

 

Feeding Lorakeets

It's always a fun time when 

we feed the Lorakeets.

At Lone Pine the Lorakeet Feeding

is always at 4:00.  

A little bit before 4 they start flying in.

Then at 4 there are 100's of Lorakeets!

They have a bowl on a stick 

that they fill with food.

Then all you have to do is hold the stick 

and the birds come to eat.  

They also land on your head, arms,

and hands.  It's quite the experience!

 

Grandkiddo Question ~ Would you like to feed the Lorakeets?

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

 May 17, 2022

On the way home from our District Meeting we decided to visit 

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary to feed the Birds again and of course

see all of the other animals, birds, reptiles, ect.

Grandpa LOVES feeding the Kangaroos!

Lorakeets eating the Emu's food.  I guess the reason there are chains here is to protect the Emu food from the birds, but it doesn't look like it's working!

Cute Little Green Frogs!

Dingos - Wild Dogs of Australia

Tasmania Devil ~ Look at those SHARP TEETH!!!

Cockatoo!

When I stood close to the Cockatoo it attacked me!

Beware of Cockatoos!!!

                     

Grandkiddo Question ~ What attacked Gigi?

District Meeting

May 19, 2022

 Here we are in front of the Brisbane, Australia Temple after our weekly District Meeting.  The Office Elders and the Assistants to the Presidents were also invited.  Usually our District has 8 Junior Missionaries but today there were 12.  And of course after the meeting they Departed in Haste!

Elder Roberts, Elder Fata, Elder Jesperson, ?, Elder Willliams, Elder Thomas, Sister Jones, Elder Jones.

Sister Ryter, Sister Southland, Sister Langi, Sister Osmotherly, Sister Kaufusi, Sister Bennett, Sister Mill.

I have no idea where Elder Bennett was.  And no he wasn't taking the picture!

Points for the Grandkiddos!

Who was the only person who wasn't in the picture?

Kangaroo 🦘 Point

Our District Meeting this week was held at Kangaroo Point.  

This is where the Temple is with the chapel at the same place. 

We repeated our mission statement and the Scripture found in James 1:5 ~

'If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,

that giveth to all men liberally, 

and upbraideth not; and it shall be given."

They talked of their goals~ones that they have been working on 

and the ones that they will make.

PMG (Preach My Gospel) Training~

"You are called to represent Jesus Christ in helping people 

become clean from their sins and find greater happiness and joy.  

You do this be inviting them to come unto Jesus Christ 

and become converted to His restored gospel."

"Seek conversion to Jesus Christ and His gospel." ~ President Dallin H. Oaks

This time I had a part.  I taught about Exercise.  

Twice a month the Senior Missionary Couple teach the 

Junior Missionaries a topic about health.  

We read council from the Brethren, Benefits of Physical Activity,  

and Being Physically Active Every Day!  We played a couple of games.  

I put a True or False on everyone's chair.  I read a statement about exercise.  If it where true they tried to sit down on a chair marked true.  

If False they tried to sit down on a chair that was marked False.  

While the music played they walked around until the music stopped 

and then everyone ran for the right chairs.  

They certainly got their exercise and had a lot of fun!  

Then I had a stuffed octopus that they would throw at each other. 

When caught they had to say what was their favorite exercise and 

then a way they could put physical exercise into their daily lives.

And then of course after the closing prayers everyone is to

DEPART IN HASTE!

Return to their areas and start finding, teaching, 

helping, and working hard for the Lord!

 Elder Bennett, Sister Bennett, Elder Jones, Sister Jones, Sister Osmotherly, 

Sister Ryter, Sister Mailei, Sister Langi, Elder Fata, and Elder Roberts

Question for Grandkiddos

What are the missionaries to do after each meeting?

Australia Nature is Beautiful!

SEEIING Our First Black Swans

We saw Cute Mushrooms on our walk

Rose-Breasted Cockatoos Right in our Very Own Front Yard!

It gets dark at 5:00 here.  we take a lot of walks at night.  

this was the night that Idaho and utah experienced 

a total eclipse of the moon!

 

Question for the Grandkids~

What time does it get dark in Australia in May?