Three Seventies!

 

 

Elder McKay

            Elder Hamilton          

Elder Rockwood

We have met with an apostle and now three seventies here in Australia!  That's pretty amazing being that we live in Utah and never met with any Seventies!  This week Elder Kyle S. McKay, Elder Kevin S. Hamilton and Area Seventy, Elder Stephen T. Rockwood all spoke to us here in the Brisbane area.  The focus was Family History.  Elder McKay is the Church Historian and Recorder, Elder Hamilton is the Executive Director of the Family History Department and Elder Rockwood was just put in as the CEO of Family Search.

On Tuesday we met with Elder McKay who is in charge of the Saints series of books and also took part in acquiring the Kirtland Temple plus all of the other historic places and artifacts recently.  Saints #4 is finished and is being reviewed by our leaders before being published.  He told us stories from his family history and encouraged us to get to know our relatives better.  He told us to write things down--that's how they get preserved.  I think that is the hard part. Keep them alive. Elder McKay was very casual and personable and said to ask questions about anything and we would just chat!  P.S. His dad is second cousins to David O. McKay.  His dad is 2 years old and still rides a horse!

Elder Hamilton and Elder Rockwood came on Thursday.  They talked about how to use family history as a missionary tool. He told of a recent convert who tried to shoo missionaries away in her neighborhood, "Go away, we don't need you here. We all have churches to go to!" Then one of the missionaries said, "We also help people do family history."  That interested her and she started going to the meetinghouse Family History Center to search for her family.  It was amazing to see how fast she turned around from being hostile to wanting to know more. 

Another story Elder Hamilton told was when he was waiting somewhere and started talking to a man next to him.  He started with, "Where are you from?"  Elder  Hamilton followed with, "Where are you really from?  Where did your people come from?"  Before you know it Elder Hamilton pulled out his phone and showed him the Family Search app which is completely free.  They popped in some names and all this info started showing up!  The man kept saying, "How are you doing this?!!!"  Elder Hamilton said that it wasn't anything he was doing but that it was an app that helps you find your ancestors.  The man was intrigued.  Elder Hamilton said, "I have two friends that can help you with this and he set him up with the missionaries!

It was amazing to hear how family search was opening doors for the Church.  People want to know more about their ancestors.  Some just want to know WHO their ancestors are.  It was quite a week.

We gave our Ford Edge, Charlotte, to the Bondies and she got picked up and shipped to Hawaii!  She is a 2008 with lots of miles and love on her but she can still help out Ty's family in Hawaii.

At the office we've been packing everything up to get ready for the remodel.  We've had the planners come over twice now and originally they said they'd start May 13th but now they want us out by May 8th!  I'm actually glad we get to work from home.  They estimate it will take 3 weeks but Tim says it will take longer.  Tim used to be in charge of construction, among 7 other departments, for the school district and he says he's never seen a job come in on time or on budget!  

Also, we're up to 6 missionary flats now that are being sold.  If investors buy them our missionaries can usually stay in them.  If not, we have to move out at the end of the contract and find new flats!

My brother, Richard, is coming next Sunday so I'm super excited about that!  I asked him if he wanted to snorkel or kayak and he said, "I want to do it all!"  Very typical of my brother!  Sure love him!

Love you all.  I hope you get a chance every now and then to check in on us here down under.  Time is running out for us.  Miss you.