Transfer Photos - 1st June 2021

The AAM Blog updated with photos of the missionary transfer that happened on Tuesday 1st June. These photos went up before we'd spoken to Elder East on P-Day the following day, so we saw pictures of him at the transfer, but didn't know if he'd been transferred to a new area or had a change in companion(s) ot otherwise affected by transfers. The fact that he was physically at the transfer meeting tends to suggest he was somehow affected.

Elissa was happy to see that Elder East had received the package with the winter coat that he was after.

It's not that hard to play "Where's Elder East?" in these photos. Whilst almost every other missionary is in thick jackets to keep warm, Elder East is there in just a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves ...

The first photo is the Zoom meeting on the previous night letting the missionaries know what was happening.

The rest of the photos are from transfer day itself.

Zone Conference Photos - 25th May 2021

The AAM blog was updated with the photos of the Zone Conference that was held on Tuesday 25th May. I think Zone Conference is a bit of a misnomer. During the Covid reduction in missionary numbers, all of the Zones meet together for Zone Conference, so it's practically a Mission Conference.

As always I've grabbed the photos that feature Elder East and invite you to play "Where's Elder East?" [Hint: he's not in the photo of President and Sister Marquis.]

Video Chat - 26th May 2021 - Zone Conference and Stake Conference

Time for another update from the weekly video chat with Elder East.

Reflecting on his opportunity to go through the Temple on the previous P Day he said that it was a good experience, but he couldn't help shake the impression that his focus should be "out there" (ie doing missionary work), rather than "in here" (ie doing Temple work.)

They had Zone Conference the previous day. Elder East joked that the Marquis' are trunky, or at least ready to go home after their three years of service. Their personal effects have already been shipped home and they're currently living out of suitcases in a hotel. They have three grandchildren that they haven't met yet, and another one due soon.

The focus for Zone Conference was on teaching skills. This included remote training from Elder Bednar on talking about Gospel principles. They also broke into Zones for individual Zone training, which for Marion Zone meant training from Elder East. He mentioned that he didn't get to socialise that much during Zoen Conference compared to normal due to his training preparation, as well as focusing on chatting to several missionaries and a senior couple who were due to go home the following week.

He said that there was a surprise announcement during the last 15 minutes of the conference that they're going to be allowed to start tracting again. (ie door knocking.) Elder East is excited as this is another opportunity to be able to find people willing to hear the gospel. He's missing the fact that his Zone Leader and training responsibilities have reduced his opportunities to find people to teach.

The previous weekend they had Stake Conference and were happy to have one of their investigators at Stake Conference one of the members had helped bring him along. The Stake President had met them and their investigator before the meeting started and made a special effort of acknowledging the missionaries serving in the stake.

The regularly scheduled transfers are due to occur on Monday (31st May). Elder East reckons he wouldn't mind a change, as he's now been in the ward for over 4 months. At the same time, he'd be disappointed to miss seeing those whom they're teaching progress in the gospel.

A few final dot points from our discussion:

• He asked us if we had any MoTab music that he could have. It's one of the things they're allowed to listen to, and he didn't take any with him.
• They were going to be heading off to get a sewing needle later that afternoon. A member had offered to fix his bag that had broken, but they needed a stronger sewing needle to do so.
• They had a lesson scheduled to teach that evening as well as for each of the next three days.
• All three members of the companionship are doing cooking. They've learnt to buy frozen vegetables as fresh ones tend to get forgotten and go off.
• Edler Brown and Edler East are having to adjust to having different training styles.
• Elder East has been out on his mission for 349 days ...

Arriver Training Photos - 12th & 13th May 2021

 The AAM Blog has put up some photos of the missionary intake from the 12th May. This includes the Arrival Dinner ion the evening of the 12th May, and the Arriver Training on the 13th May. As a joint trainer of Elder Davey with Elder Brown, there are obviously several photos of Elder East. 

I've done the usual search and download from the blog so that you the reader can play along with "Find Elder East!".

The first three photos are from the Arriver's Dinner, whilst the second lot of three photos are from the Arrviers Training day.

Video Chat - 19th May 2021 - Going to the Temple For the Second Time

My connection during our video chat last P-Day kept dropping out, so I didn’t get to hear all of what was said, and as usual at the moment, it wasn’t an overly long call. The bad connection was due to us chatting earlier than our normal call time, so I was trying to connect whilst at work. The reason for the earlier call was that a number of the AAM missionaries, including Elder East, were getting the chance to go through the Adelaide Temple during the afternoon. It was going to be only the second time that Elder East will have been through the temple, so it was exciting for him. The fact that he was going to be going through with four of his previous missionary companions was an added bonus. Elissa mentioned that she was teaching about consecration in Seminary that week, and that consecration includes the consecration of ourselves and our time. She compared it to Elder East’s preparation and service as a missionary and in the temple.

Elder East mentioned that he enjoyed the Canberra Youth Fireside that he’d been asked to participate in via Zoom on Sunday evening. Besides the opportunity to speak to the Canberran youth, he also enjoyed catching up with the other Canberran missionaries at the end of the fireside.

Elder East spoke about how the number of the missionaries in the AAM didn’t seem to increase, even with the new intake of missionaries. Two Sisters had unexpectedly gone home for health reasons, with both being reassigned to serve in their home missions. Another Elder had gone home several weeks ago as well. He still had some time left on his mission, but had struggled to adjust with the reassignment from serving in his original mission in Africa, and serving back here in Australia. Elder East thinks that the Elder is regretting his choice to return home as he has called on P-Days to talk with some of the missionaries still serving in the AAM.

Some minor dot points:

• Elder East says it was cool to catch up with Elder Reeves when he stayed with them overnight during the new missionary intake. He says that Elder Reeves has injured his back though which is a concern for him at the moment.
• Elder East now thinks that he’ll continue to train Elder Davey, even if their three-way companionship is broken up at transfers.
• He said that he enjoyed catching up with me at the airport on Monday.

Adelaide Airport Lunch with Dad - 17th May 2021

I emailed President Marquis prior to recently going over to Western Australia, requesting:

President Marquis,

I will be flying between Perth and Canberra on Monday 17th May and will have a 4.5hr stopover in Adelaide between 11:30am and 4pm. 

Would it be possible for me to catch up with Elder East and his companions and to take them to a short lunch (assuming he is still in Adelaide post the 12th May missionary intake)?

I understand if it’s not allowed, but thought I would ask and see if it was possible. 

Thanks for all you are doing for Elder East and the other missionaries,

President Marquis responded back:

Thank you for reaching out. I’m sure a short “reunion” at the airport would be a boost to Elder East. If he does not feel it would be a distraction, I’m happy to have him meet you at the airport. There are restaurants in the airport terminal and there is also one just off the main baggage claim area in the Atura Hotel which is connected to the airport. I’ll leave it to you to talk with him about this and to coordinate the details. I do not know yet whether he will be impacted by the transfer next week but it is the case that even if he were, he’d still be serving in Adelaide as all our outlying areas are currently closed except Darwin and I do not anticipate any changes in Darwin on 12 May.

Sister Marquis and I love Elder East and are grateful to you and Sister East for raising up such a valiant and noble son. He is a true blessing to the AAM.

Following the approval from President Marquis, we arranged to meet up at the airport at noon on Monday 17th May.

I arrived at Adelaide Airport from Perth about 11:30am on the Monday morning, and received a message from Elder East just after noon that they had arrived. We quickly found each other and I was introduced to his two companions - Elder Brown, and his new trainee, Elder Davey from Rockhampton in Queensland.

I treated all three to a lunch of gourmet salads from Soul Origin at the Airport and we spent our time chatting. Whilst in Perth I had grabbed a bunch of Magic The Gathering booster packs as a gift for Elder East. I know that he often plays the game with other missionaries during their spare time on P Days. He was quite happy with what I'd bought him.

It was great seeing Elder East. He looks like he's lost some of the weight that he'd put on - he is trying to be conscious of his health. More importantly, he carried the Spirit with him and he sounded and acted like somebody who has been set apart as one representing the Saviour Jesus Christ and who is there to serve others.

It was great to spend time seeing him again after 11 months. It was only an hour of time spent with him and his companions, but it was an awesome time to treasure until we see him in person again in mid-2022.

Canberra Stake Youth Fireside - 16th May 2021

Canberra Stake arranged for a missionary-themed youth fireside on the evening of Sunday 16th May. They invited a number of currently serving missionaries from the Stake to join in a Q&A with the Canberran youth. Elder East was able to join in, along with Elder Stiles and Sister Malu who are also serving from Canberra in the AAM, and Sister Abel and Elder Vakalahi who were serving from his home ward.

Elissa joined Jewel in going to the fireside so she could see Elder East

I am told that Elder East spoke well to the questions he was asked, with some of his [paraphrased] responses being:

• Q: What is the hardest thing about your mission?  A: Friends you develop who start to learn about the Gospel but who are unwilling to repent or make the commitment to follow the Saviour
• Q: What has surprised you the most?  A: That he doesn't miss home. (Apparently there was a lot of laughter and looks at Elissa after he made that comment to see how she'd react, but as we always comment, we've raised him to be independent and go on a mission. We're glad he's enjoying his mission and isn't homesick.)
• Q: What was the worst food you've eaten? A: Some of his companion's cooking.
• Q: What was a spiritual highlight he's had? A: Receiving the prompting to leave his Sunday class and to go outside to discover that their investigator's husband was outside.