McRae Matters

Hello America! It is time we wrote and updated everyone on our life in Australia. We have been busy as usual. We were excited about our last transfer, out of 48 companionships, 37 of them changed! It was more than a little crazy! There were four missionaries up north coming down to transfers and three of the four were being transferred. It made it pretty crazy for the Elders to get 6 suitcases, plus three bikes loaded into one car. And that happened in almost every zone. We were picking up sisters and delivering them all over the place. It was really fun though.

The Church is running TV spots here in Australia during the Easter season and throughout the next few months and are offering a free copy of "The Lamb of God" DVD. We have received well over 200 referrals from these ads and it will be going for a while yet. It has become a full time job for Sister Heslop in the office. I am still doing the mail every day and getting missionaries arrivals and departures all set up, but the referrals have been really exciting.

We are holding FHE every Monday night at our house for the less actives in our ward. We have done it for the past two weeks and they will be coming again tonight. We have included only single members who don't really have family to join with. We have the missionaries over weekly at least and our social life is pretty much limited to Elder McRae's best mate, Elda Tayla (Elder Taylor). They don't pronoun "R's" here so it's pretty fun to talk with them.

Elder McRae is turning 65 this year (yikes! where did the time go?) and is having a rather difficult time trying to locate the right people to get it done. We have been working on it for almost three weeks now, so hopefully this week he can get it taken care of.

We have both been given an "assignment" in church - not a calling mind you - just an assignment. I am teaching the 8 to 12 year olds in Primary, and Elder McRae is teaching the young single adults. It's fun to teach again, I really like the kids. Elder McRae last Sunday was teaching "The Plan of Salvation" and the three kingdoms of glory. The young single adults didn't seem that interested in the lesson, so he stopped and ask them if they would like to talk about something else. In talking with them, he found out that five of the six had just returned from missions and they really knew pretty much all there was to know about the Plan of Salvation. They spent the rest of the class time visiting and getting to know each other.

I have been asked to speak on Sunday on the Atonement. I have begun to prepare but that is such a deep subject and I don't feel like I have much time to prepare. If anyone has any ideas, please email me ASAP!

We talked with Rick and Lisa on Monday. Rick leaves for Kuwait on Tuesday. Michael is already over there. I am very sad to have two of our sons in harm's way, but I am so proud of them and their willingness to serve their country. Our love goes out to Lisa and Julie and their families for their support and love. May Heavenly Father look out for you and bless you in their absence. We pray for them and for each of you every night. The Gospel is true! We love you all.