mission conference ❤️

my last official act as relief society president was on wednesday... (only because it had been planned months ago and i thought handballing it toour new rsp would be terribly poor form) catering the mission zone conference luncheon. i feel like it was a little too easy to be honest... all we had to do this time around was have 4 sisters prepare some lasagnes and then appear at the stake centre with them. set a few tables, cut some salad stuff to assist the mission presidents house keeper/ function co-ordinator... i don't know what her actual title is haha (who is the reason it's all become so easy... it's my friends mum and she is so organised it's insane!) then cut and serve them at lunchtime. it was done and dusted before we knew it and we were off home again. joseph was a little gem, sat and played quietly with his lego in the room off the kitchen... and i barely heard a peep out of him the entire time. winning!

i love being around the missionaries... there's such a wonderful spirit to be felt there. when they had finished, they gathered for their zone photo and then sang called to serve to those of us there assisting. it was so lovely. i will miss things like this. ♥

working in the lords vineyard

i had the best time today out in the kafarelas vineyard taking pictures of the ellenbrook sisters. these chicks are such a crack up and we laughed and laughed while we took them.

i had an idea a while back to get some pictures of them "working in the lords vineyard" and i was so pleased with how they ended up, even though it was so hot and sunny!

seriously can't you tell how fun they are from those faces?

clearly excited to get to work!

sister j is off to her new area tomorrow, we are going to miss her, but i am sure there are more wonderful adventures for her ahead in the lords vineyard ♥

ellenbrook sisters ❤️

i love these girls... a few weeks back, sister aperaamo was transferred on, and i got a phone call asking if i could please snap a few pics before she departed.

i was only too happy to do so, and laughed with these awesome sisters as they messed about, said silly things and walked down a nearby alley way.

it has been such an immense pleasure having them in our ward and although i am sad to have said goodbye to sister a, i know she is needed elsewhere to continue to serve...

♥

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“The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.” - Joseph Smith Jnr

zone conference luncheon

joseph and i had an adventure today... each of the ward relief societies within our stake were asked to cater a zone conference for the mission and today was our turn.

one of the gorgeous sisters helped out by cooking half the food, and i collected it all from her house where we had kept it frozen. then leah and darrio arrived to help me and we got to work. we defrosted and cooked and worked busily away together while darrio chased after joseph and right as we put out the last pot of soup, the missionaries filtered in.

it was all over so quickly and we were packing away... but it felt so good to serve. to serve those who are serving the lord. the missionaries (all 58 of them) sang "called to serve" to us as a thank you and it was just all so perfect. what a blessing it is to serve.

darrio took this little snap of joseph as they ran about outside and sent it to me with the caption "little man with a good plan." let's hope he loves the temple as much when he grows up as he does now!

photos for the sisters

it's monday today, transfers tomorrow and one of these gorgeous sisters is leaving us. these two beautiful sisters have loved their time together, worked so hard... and seen a lot of success for their efforts. i am sad to say goodbye to sister dishman, but thrilled that i got to spend some time with them today taking some snaps, so that they can remember the fun they've had together

for those of you who may happen to be browsing my blog that aren't members of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints... you can read more about our missionary efforts here ♥

clark is home!

ladies, he is back! take a number. 

our "little brother" clark arrived back from the philippines olongapo mission on thursday and today we had his homecoming lunch at their house in baldivis. i cannot believe its been more than two years (he had to come home for a few months at the start after ruining his knee so badly that he needed surgery in the mtc) since he left and here he is back with us already.

not much has changed, he's exactly the same, cracking the same bad jokes and messing around... only difference is his "mexican" accent... apparently tagalog for two years will do that to you.

it was honestly like old times, the old crew back together... and we had so. much. fun. good food, good company and lots of laughs... what could possibly be better?

can't wait for our next hang, all is right with the world again

welcome home clarky boy!

missionary mail

monday brings missionary mail and photos from dominque in new zealand. she is currently serving in pukekohe with sister park from utah and by the looks of it, having the time of her life.

she hasn't changed one bit, seeing the pictures of her... and i know she has made the best decision she has ever made in her life - because by the time she is done, everything will be different!

she is a legend, i love her, i'm so proud and miss her every day. ♥

sister kendall is off!

well it's official, we have a missionary in the family. niques was set apart last night in samoa "with a healthy body and a sharp mind" ready to serve the lord in the hamilton, new zealand mission. she has worked so hard, for so long and is finally there - and we could not be prouder if we tried. 

return with honour my little sister. it has been a joy watching you grow and i know you will be a fine missionary 

♥

rich gets his melchizedek

yesterday was our dianella stake conference and we had the wonderful opportunity to be there with our friend richard as he was advanced in the priesthood, to receive his melchizedek priesthood and become an elder. what a special day... so of course... out comes the camera. 

i love that we are blessed to have the temple in the back lot of our chapel, none of those photos in front of the chapel... haha they give me the irrits, if my camera is out... we are in front of the temple!

and plus... that is the next stop for the seleue family - they are going to be sealed as a family in the new zealand temple in july. we are so excited for them (although more than just a little bummed that we won't be there with them!)

again... how lucky we are. less than a ten minute drive from our house!

my sweet friend florence with her babies. how i love them, i am so glad they decided to move to perth!

and a snap of the seleue boys, rich and his brother maaliva with baby melchizedek.

congrats rich!

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i was so glad i happened to be out the back taking photos though, as after all the ordinations, these 6 young men came outside to recreate a photograph they had taken two years earlier. the six are all from our stake and had made a goal together to serve a mission once they were old enough, 2 years later - 3 of them received the melchizedek priesthood in one day and got one step closer to their goal. their goal is the same and they are all still united. they are the future of the church here in perth and i am sure it could not be in better hands.

"as long as you look towards the temple, 

you will never be lost..."

niques is going on a mission!

oh. my. gosh. it is finally happening!! after over a year of preparing and trying her butt off to get there, niques got her mission call today!

dear sister kendall... you are hereby called to serve as a missionary for the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints, labouring in the hamilton, new zealand mission, reporting to the auckland missionary training centre, april 23rd 2015.

new zealand! how exciting. we are stoked, she is excited... and it's all go go go.

good things come to those who do!

they're home/ my birthday

i got the best birthday gift this year... my parents got home last night!!! it is so nice to have them home and safe and all the grandchildren are loving it too. my eldest brother and his children came to our ward today and we all sat together as one huge family... then home for birthday lunch.

i got a selfie stick from a friend who knows i appreciate ridiculous gifts and doug and i were cracking up giving it a try when everyone left. classic. i don't know how keen i would be on using it in public... (how embarassing right...?) but it was a crack up here at home. selfieeeee!

my beautiful best friend jen also gave me this amazing hand made clutch. she actually made it for her handmade store to sell online earlier this year and over the months that have passed i have continued to hint that if it didn't sell that she should give it to me for my birthday. i like it so much that i even told doug to buy it for me! then at dinner the other night, lo and behold i unwrapped my gift and there it was. as subtle as a brick eh. hahaha.  

doug bought me a new purse (mimco! squeee) that's a beautiful deep green with cutout stars all over the top layer of the leather, and a new dinner set. both very happily received, my husband knows me far too well!  

it was a perfect birthday. especially having my little ones to cuddle. i can't get over what a sweet baby joseph is, especially when he asleep snuggled up to doug like this. 

♥