Last Day in Australia

"Hi!" From Australia.

(On 11/26/09) Thursday when I stepped off the curb, I broke a bone in each foot. After 2 days in the hospital, I'm home wearing braces, using a wheelchair and walker to get around in the flat.

My companion, Sister Jacobs (in photo), the other missionaries and ward members are taking good care of me. Since the office is upstairs, they are letting me do work from home (mostly phone calls). But I have no cmputer access for emails and blogging.

I still love my mission and am happy to be here.

Love you lots,

Sister Condie

Note: Carol will be coming home tomorrow, Dec 29th, due to health reasons. We are anxious to have her home so we can help her recuperate. We know she thoroughly enjoyed being on her mission and that she was a great missionary. We love you, Carol!!

October

Hi Friends and Family - There is lots going on here. Michael, who I told you about last month, was baptised and is coming to church regularly. The baptism was a great experience, even the Mission President was there. General Conference was really wonderful and I hope you enjoyed it too. We get it 2 weeks after you do. President and Sister Lee invited the senior missionaries to the Mission Home for tea (dinner) a couple weeks ago. We had a good time and a delicious feast. I sure work with great people. Sister Jean Keaton, an LDS artist, came and shared some of her experiences with us, then she gave each of us one of her sketches (We got to choose our favorite one.). My companions and I were involved in a car accident - no one was hurt - but we are on foot, trains and busses. The mission is great, busy and quite a challenge. But "Ican do it!". My companion, Sister Backshall, goes home in 2 1/2 weeks. Then I'll be given a new challenge. Thank you all for your emails and moral support. It does mean a lot to me. Thank you family for your support for each other. We have a super family and I love all of you. Friends, you are fantastic, too. Sister Condie

Thinking Allowed: Male and Female Roles Raising a Family

Thinking Allowed: Male and Female Roles Raising a Family

September, 2009

Hi again - Spring is here in Australia, and though we have had flowers all winter and leaves on trees, too, the weather is getting a little warmer. Father's Day here was September 6th. There was a special program at church and I remembered my Dad, my kids Dad, and all my wonderful sons who are dads (also those who will someday be dads). It was a great day.

Sister Backshall and I are teaching 2 progressing investigators. Michael is 18 and from the Philippines. He is very receptive and has attended a Young Adult activity and sacrament meeting. He is very patient with the two old ladies who are teaching him. The other investigator is a family from India (Vijay and Indira and their 2 little children, 18 months and 2 weeks old). They are so humble and seem to be really wanting to learn about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have seen them 2 times.

The work is going well and I am glad to be here at this time. I know my children are helping each other and that is something I am thankful for. Everyone struggles with life's challenges sometimes and when we have someone to talk with who really cares about us, it helps. Thank you all for your support to me. I love your emails, cards and letters. But mostly I love you, whether you write or not. I know how hard it is for me to write, and how hard it was for me to write when some of you were away from home. Please remember to include me in your prayers and to keep up your Book of Mormon reading.

Thank you friends for your friendship and support - I love you too. I had a good birthday - got sung to a lot, received cards and just had a good day. I Love Yous All - Sister Condie

July 20, 2009

Hi everyone - I'm still in Melbourne, but now I'm proselyting with an even older sister, Sister Backshall, from a different part of Australia. Her companion got very sick and had to go home. The Church is discontinuing senior sisters serving proselyting missions, so she needed a companion (Me). I miss the office but Sister Backshall and I are working well together and I do want to serve where the Lord wants me to and learn all I can. July is winter here, but we seldom get snow (I haven't seen any yet.). December is Summer. Can you imagine Christmas in the summer? Thank you all so much for the wonderful Memorial for Kristen. I'm very happy it was so well attended. It sounds like the flowers were beautiful and those who shared memories lifted those in attendance. I do have one great family!
My companion and I visit lots of ward members, some active and some less active. So many members who have really hard physical/emotional problems still do whatever they need to to go to church and serve others. Many less active members seem to have testimonies they share with us and they enjoy the messages/lessons we share with them, but they just don't make the effort to come to church. If we only could convince them that the ward would really benefit from their service and spirit, and they also would benefit from their service to others and hearing the testimonies of other ward members.
Our ward is Glenroy Ward and is very multicultural, but mostly Samoan. The people are friendly and love the missionaries. I love being loved.
How is the Book of Mormon reading coming? Please keep me in your prayers, and remember that I loves you'all. I don't know if that term is Samoan or Australian, but I sure hear it a lot. Please keep taking good care of each other and know that I love you lots - Sister Condie

Pictures from Australia

Sister Brooks, Sara Webber (first convert), and Carol

A Golden Contact-Sharing the message with all Melbourne residents

More pictures are on the slideshow on the sidebar.

12 June, 2009

Mission transfers came on May 26 and I was transferred to the Mission Office in Essendon. I love it here! My time with Sister Brooks was good and I learned lots. She is very conscientious and hard on herself (Patient with me). The constant tension in her made it very hard for me to relax and study, or "smell the flowers". We were careful to do all the young elders were asked to do, which was good for me in a way, but hard in other ways. President and Sister Lee both felt prompted to make a change. My Heavenly Father really is mindful of me. If I didn't know that before, which I did, I know it now. In the Mission Office I work full time with Sister Jacob, Elder and Sister Robinson, and Elder Farmer. They are a pleasure to be with. We have a great time together. I work with the referrals, help with the mail, and do anything else they ask me to do. In the evenings we study individually and as a companionship. This is such a wonderful experience for me. I'm doing better with technology, but last night we got a call on our cell phone but missed the call. I retrieved the last incoming call and called back. The person on the other end of the line was President Lee. He hadn't called, but seemed pleased to hear from me. At our next Mission Conference we'll probably have training on use of cell phones. Ballarat was out in the country, beautiful and a good experience, but Melbourne is also beautiful and I am enjoying it. It's the big city. As long as they don't ask me to drive (on the other side of the road) I'll be fine. Thank you for your emails. I love hearing from you and since I'm in the office, in spare time I can check my email and respond. You are in my thoughts and prayers often and I love you oodles. - Sister Condie