We got to speak to Elder East slightly later this P-Day. He had earlier joined in on a district service project in helping to clean a lady’s home. Apparently, it was hard work. We even managed to get some photos of “after” the clean-up.
Elder East had also just called my parents (his paternal grandparents – Nanny and Grandad East) before calling us. They are in their nineties and in poor health and have recently made the decision to move into aged care. Nanny told me later that evening that they’d just found out that they’d received an offer of a place in a home, however, Nanny and Grandad wouldn’t be sharing a room. Nanny had become upset and depressed about this but said that she then received Elder East’s call which had raised her spirits. Elder East will be happy to learn the positive effect a simple thing like his phone call could make – even if Nanny did think that he sounded like he’d gained an American accent.
Elder East sent us a few additional photos of the past week. The first was from Church last Sunday where a couple of recent converts (Kevin and Nicky) from the Adelaide City branch came to say hi and also had lunch with the Elders at the chapel.
There was a nice farewell photo with Elder Lwin during transfers.
The fire in the Adelaide Hills bordered Elder East's new ward so he was still able to see it on his trip down to his new area. Fortunately, heavy rains would help bring the fire under control the following day.
Elder East says that his new area, Onkaparinga Ward, is a fairly middle-class area. There are a few “dodgy parts” but not as many as Marion or Prospect Wards. Their missionary flat is a fairly new three bedroom two bathroom, two story home. They share the ward area with the Sister Missionaries from Christie’s Beach. They’ve already met the Bishop, Ward Mission Leader, and Stake President in his first week there. He even had an impromptu dinner appointment with a family they visited who were having a barbecue. They shared a message with the family and were rewarded with the leftovers from the barbecue.
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| Bishop of Onkaparinga Ward |
His companion is Elder Taua (pronounced like Tower) who is from Brisbane and is due to go home in 41 days (and counting :) ). Similar to his time with Elder Lwin, Elder East has been asked to help Elder Taua have a strong end to his mission. Elder East says that Elder Taua happens to know the Punou family that we knew from Tuggeranong Ward.
Elder East has had some positive news with investigators.
- The Sister Missionaries had a baptism in the ward last Saturday, and Elder Taua got to perform the baptism.
- An investigator in Morialta Ward that Elder East taught is scheduled to be baptised.
- They were following up with a couple who were investigating the Church. Elder East bore his testimony. He observed that the feeling of the Spirit was strong and the lady from the couple then shared her testimony about the truthfulness of the things they were being taught.
- Two children that Elder East helped teach in Onkaparinga Ward whilst previously on trade-offs had been baptised.
Some additional dot points from our discussion
- They have started doing street contacting - ie just talking to members of the public to talk about the gospel. This hadn't been allowed during previous pandemic regulations.
- Elder East seems to be enjoying the responsibility of being a Zone Leader. He has Zone Conferences coming up that he has to start preparing some training for.
- It was only a small transfer. Elder Reeves has been transferred up to Darwin and is the Zone Leader up there.
- They are losing some of their senior missionary couples soon who often serve in smaller country branches. With the large decrease in missionaries during the pandemic, several missionary flats in country towns like Alice Springs and Mildura have been sold off.
- Onkaparinga Ward is one of Dannielle Grant’s old wards from her mission that she enjoyed serving in.
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