Week of 1/11/26 – 1/17/26
This week we got out of the “city” and traveled north to teach at two zone conferences – one was in New Castle (2 hours away) and one in Coffs Harbor (4 hours north of New Castle). We stayed in Grafton, which was an additional hour north of Coffs Harbor and the north edge of the Sydney Mission. As of June 2026, Grafton and Coffs Harbor will be in the Brisbane South mission so I’m glad we were able to travel up there while it’s still in our mission! So, we drove 7 hours on Tuesday, an hour back and forth on Wednesday, then the 7 hour drive back home on Thursday. We LOVED teaching those two zones and meeting more INCREDIBLE missionaries! It was wonderful to see all the beautiful flora and fauna that we don’t see as much in the busy downtown, full of bridges, roads, sky scrapers, buses and trains! 😆
Monday – We had our district council with the zone leaders and fed 8 Elder missionaries (the guys!) for dinner.
Tuesday – Woke up at 5:00 am so we could be at New Castle by 8:00 am. After the training we hit a couple stores in New Castle, had lunch at a little cafe then drove to Grafton to spend the night. We also had our first Australian Mexican food, not bad.
Wednesday – Since we were teaching this zone AFTER their zone conference (at 5:30 pm instead of 9:00 am) with President and Sister Doane, we went early to Coffs Harbor and hiked around the Coffs Harbor jetty – it was beautiful! This is the first time I’ve waded in the water since we’ve been here. I was super surprised by how warm the water was. It was also SO CLEAR you could see through, down to the sand. The sand is super white and so clean! We also had lunch there where we had a gorgeous view of the ocean! Eric tried snapper and I had prawns and a delicious baked cauliflower dish with some yummy cheese mixture on top (now I want to find a similar recipe!)! We then taught the preventative mental health lesson to that zone then drove back to the flat we were staying in in Grafton. Since the flat/duplex was in a more remote town with nature all around, I was afraid I might see a big spider. Thankfully, I didn’t see one! I’ll be happy if I go the whole two years NEVER seeing a big spider (or snake!).
He ate the whole thing.
Thursday – We drove back home to Sydney – stopping in Coffs Harbor to go to Kangaroo (Emerald) Beach. We were able to hike around there and saw so many “hidden,” beautiful beaches that were void of any people! I wish I had my swimsuit and a towel and could just enjoy the water, views and peaceful solitude! Next time!!! We were able to take some pics of a kangaroo just waiting to pose with us!
Friday – We prepared our lessons for church on Sunday then met our friends, Elder and Sister Westover down at the Sydney Opera House wharf, picked up “take away” (aka fast food take out) then went for a picnic in the Botanical Gardens to watch an outdoor play, “The Wind in the Willows!” It was soooo beautiful to be sitting in the middle of the gorgeous gardens watching the fabulous play put on by the Australian Shakespeare Company. The first half of the play was located by the main pond and some characters actually rowed boats in to enter the play. The second half we all had to pick up our chairs/blankets and more to another location where an actual set was waiting for us. The actors/costumes were phenomenal and even though it’s usually a children’s story, the play was hilarious for adults to watch! I can’t wait to go back and explore the Botanical Garden! We also saw this awesome location where they show movies every night (maybe just in the summer?). A huge screen comes up from the ocean and movie viewers choose one of three locations to enjoy dinner then move to movie seats to watch the movie. Behind the movie screen is the ocean, the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor bridge. We’re definitely going to make reservations to eat/watch a movie there!
Saturday – I had the young women in our church group and their mom’s over for Australian style pancakes then an introduction to the Young Women’s program. We had a great time getting to know each other, laughing and learning together! I love the young women in our group, my assistant Valerie, and the two moms! What a super fun group! I’m glad to make new friends every day!
After the YW activity, we picked up two of the missionaries in our district and went to visit a gentleman in a retirement community who had requested missionaries to come by and teach him about the gospel of Jesus Christ. I was SUPER excited because this was the first lesson I was able to teach, along with Elder Weng. Elder Helland and Moyes were there but they just let us share our testimonies of the power of prayer, that we ARE God’s children, that He loves us and cares about what we care about. He will ALWAYS hear and answer our prayers in the way that is best for us and our own eternal journey!
That evening we had our 4 bestie sister missionaries over for dinner as one of the sisters, Sister Hansen will be completing her mission and going home next week. We loved getting to share a meal and enjoy these sweet sister’s company! We call them our “trainers” because we have been able to attend some lessons with them and they have lovingly shown us the ropes. I know we will stay in contact with them well past our missions!
Sunday – After church we baked cupcakes and made a fresh fruit salad for a baptism that afternoon. Yesterday was my first day to teach a lesson and today Eric had the opportunity to baptize 3 people – Joy, Luis, and Jake! What a blessing that was for them AND for Eric! We were able to be part of one of Jake’s lessons and knew what an amazing spirit and son of God he is! I know he will continue to be a force for good! We love getting to visit and connect with the ward members and the people who were baptized after the baptism where we all stayed to visit and enjoy the snacks (there are a LOT of snacks for every event here – not to mention desserts in every window – it’s dessert heaven! Healthy eating is much harder for me here in Sydney!).
The week was WONDERFUL and BUSY! Both Eric and I were pretty tired each day but love what we are doing! It’s been a great opportunity to teach with Eric for the zone conferences and learn to naturally “tag team” off each other. We’re still learning new things about each other after 39 years!
Some things we learned this week:
- Gratitude for God’s wonderful creations – We’re studying the Old Testament in church right now – talking about the creation of the world and of man and women, created in God’s image. As we drove around this beautiful country here in New South Wales, I saw the beauty God created for US – ALL His children. He created every variety of animals, plants, and landscapes so every one of His children can enjoy the beauty of the Earth – whatever means the most to them – the mountains, the plains, the oceans, the forests! Even seeing totally different birds (and other animals) that we don’t have in the United States, I’m able to better appreciate the wonderful variety and gift the Creation is for each of us! Just another testament of the love God has for His children!
- A stronger testimony that God hears and answers ALL His children’s sincere and humble prayers – As we pray for guidance in ALL we do (because we definitely still don’t know what we are doing or how we should be doing it!), we DO receive answers! We know that Heavenly Father wants to be involved in the details of our lives because we ARE His beloved children! He wants us to follow His son, our Savior Jesus Christ and walk the path of discipleship here in mortality, eventually returning to live with Him! Through His scriptures, the words of His living prophets, and personal revelation – I know following Him will lead us “safely” and with the most possible JOY, that only comes from Him, through our mortal sojourn! Yes, there will be trials, loss, and sadness, even disappointment, devastation and tragedy, but as we seek Him in ALL things, we will have the best possible outcome in God’s plan and grow closer to He and our Savior! My testimony of this has only strengthened being on the mission as I feel His spirit so powerfully in my life – guiding me, comforting me, and helping me choose wisely! I have always had a strong testimony of prayer but I am overflowing with gratitude for ALL the help I receive every day here in Sydney! I better understand the words of the Hymn, “I Stand All Amazed.” I Stand All Amazed | April 2023 General Conference
“I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.
I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,
That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.
Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me
Enough to die for me!
Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!”
- Awe, Wonder, Appreciation – What a blessing and honor it is to be here in Sydney, working with hundreds of young missionaries – male and female – who have left their homes – family, friends and all the comforts they’ve known and had for the 18 or 19 years of their young lives. Here they are, working hard throughout the day and evening to serve, love, and teach people as the Savior would. Not until we came out here as missionaries ourselves could we really understand the sacrifice and devotion thousands of young adults make because they love God and His son, Jesus Christ so much, desire to serve Him and share the BEST news that has blessed their lives (right now there are over 80,000 missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints serving throughout the world). They save their own money to pay for their missions. They don’t make any money while they are here. And, except for Mondays, which is their “Preparation Day” (where they call their families, clean/launder, go shopping and do something fun with their companions and other missionaries – while staying in the areas they are assigned to), they are working all day just serving and teaching people – helping with physical labor as well as spiritual. They run classes each night at the church – teaching English, having Bible and Book of Mormon study sessions, hosting community game events, volunteering at community events, organizing baptisms, etc! I am in AWE of these responsible, hardworking young people. I’m sure not every missionary is as hardworking as the next but they do amaze me and I learn SOOOO much from them! They are only able to do and be who they are because they are in the service of the Lord! It reminds me of Savior’s teaching in Matthew 25, when He said,
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
These young missionaries are loving and serving with all their heart – giving of their time, talents, and energy to help God’s children. They are His hands here on earth! With two of our awesome missionaries leaving this week (which Eric and I definitely feel bittersweet about – happy for them, sad for us!) I think of the scripture from that same chapter in Matthew, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant…enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
The Helland's Down Under 