August 10 – 16, 2026
Monday –
Today we went to the second zone conference. As the senior zone leaders we thought we’d attend all three zone conferences this time so we could check in and say “hello” to all the senior missionaries. Although many of the messages were the same as the zone confrence on Friday, there were some different messages shared today from the visiitng general Authorities – Elder Wakolo and Elder Eyring. We were glad to be able to attend both and hear the inspirted messages, be uplifted, and fellowship with our senior friends!
After zone conference, we helped set up for the senior dinner that would be held at the same building on Tuesday evening. By the time we got home that day it was already time for District Council. Eric hadn’t been feeling good all day so by the time we arrived home he looked totally wiped out! We skipped DC so he went to bed early.
Tuesday –
Eric wasn’t feeling better today – he had coughed all night and was totally congested – so we decided to stay home from zone conference #3 and let Eric rest/recuperate in hopes he would be able to attend the Senior dinner that night, which he was supposed to be conducting at.
After a full day of rest/sleep, we were able to attend the senior dinner with all the senior missionaries from the mission, President and Sister Doane, Elder and Sister Eyring, and Elder and Sister Wakolo. Miraculously, Eric was much better and able to conduct the evening. The dinner was catered by a family in the area and it was BEAUTIFUL and DELICIOUS! For the program, we had been assigned to have 5 senior missionaries share a miracle they had experienced so far on the mission and 5 others to share a leadership skill they had learned from their parents. I shared a miracle I have experienced – which has been the blessings we have seen for our families back at home, specifically for our parents. They have all experienced some major trials since we’ve been on our mission, and even though we haven’t been there to help them, we have seen miracles happen and witness our siblings go “above and beyond” to support and help our parents. It has been SUCH a great blessing and comfort to us, being all the way across the world, to know that our dear siblings are “picking up the slack” for us not being there and that God is also keenly aware of our families and sends miracles and tender mercies to bless them everyday!
Eric shared a lesson he learned from his dad, Ron Helland, about integrity. He shared about a relay race he participated in for his school in 9th grade. Eric was the last leg of the relay and after successfully being passed the baton, took off running for the finish line. One of his fellow teammates ran along side Eric for a few seconds, telling him not to look back, to run his fastest because the guy behind him was gaining on him, etc. Eric didn’t look back and just kept running. When we crossed the finish line and looked back – the next person was quite a distance behind – there was no way ANYONE else could have caught up with him. Their team EASILY won the race. However, Eric’s dad, who was in charge of the track meet that day, indicated that Eric’s team had been disqualified from the race for breaking a rule, therefore, losing the race. Even though there was no way the next team could have caught up to Eric’s team, because his friend ran alongside him for a few seconds to provide “motivation” to go even faster, that was against the rules (“pacing”). Later, when Eric asked his dad why he disqualified them as they would have easily won no matter if his friend had run aside or not, Ron said, “It doesn’t matter. Your team broke the rules.” Eric said that lesson taught him the importance of having integrity at all times. His dad was a great example to him of that.
Wednesday –
Today we headed early to the Mission office for an all day MLC (Mission Leadership Counsel) with President and Sister Doane and our visiting general authroities (from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM). We had a fabulous, FULL day of trainining, inspiriation, and planning! After the trainining, we drove back to our flat to get ready for another senior missionary outing for the week – attending the musical “Fiddler on the Roof.” Due to rush hour traffic and being tired from the long day, we ended up having to hurry out the door for dinner and the play.
The play was PHENOMENAL – as good as the movie but even more impressive in person to see the dancers, singers and the fiddler perform! This was truly one of the best muscial performances I’ve seen! After a FULL day we happily walked home to our apartment, arriving home at 10:30 PM. As we got off the evelator on our floor, Eric said, “Uh oh – I don’t have my keys!” I have a spare set of keys in my big purse – which I quickly exchanged for a small purse BEFORE we left for the play, as only very small purses are allowed in the theater. In our rush to leave the apartment, Eric had left his keys in his suit pocket and I left my keys in my large purse. Here we were – standing outside our apartment, exhausted and ready for bed, with NO WAY to get in!!! It was not a happy moment – ha ha – especially because this has happened to us twice before – when we first arrived in Sydney. We thought we had planned ahead to ensure this would NOT happen again, but apparently our “planning” was incomplete. Instead, Eric called the housing coordinator, Elder Clough, who was still on the bus riding home from the play with our other senior missionary friends, to let hims know that we were locked out and asked if we could meet him to get a spare key. “Meeting him” meant us taking a bus from Town Hall all the way to Carlingford (about an hour bus ride) where Elder Clough so kindly met us as the bus stop to give us the key. Then we had to get back on the bus and ride back to our apartment, another hour ride. I initially wanted to be upset with Eric but quickly realized that we were both at fault and neither of us has followed through completely with our “back up” plans. Instead, we ended up laughing as we walked home from the bus to our apartment, arriving around 12:30 am!
We WILL be completing our “back up” plans TOMORROW! Ha ha!
Thursday –
This morning Eric dropped me off at the church so I could go out with the sister missionaries while he went directly to make two more copies of the keys to our apartment. One to “hide” and one to give to the concierge for our building. I was able to go “finding” with Sister Hall and Sister Nichols, take them and two other missionaries (Elder Khatshwa and Elder Palma) to lunch at Five Guys, and spend time “contacting” in the park. It was a FABULOUS five hours I was able to spend with them! Meanwhile, Eric took Anssi golfing. A friend, Brett, was supposed to join them but he ended up being sick and couldn’t join. Eric took part in “ministering” on the golf course. It was a GREAT day for both of us!
Friday –
Today we were supposed to go out with the missionaries again but instead had to go to Carlingford (I think we drove there almost every day this week!) for a doctor’s appointment for me, dropped off our borrowed spare key, picked up some supplies from the mission office, then headed to Costco to purchase food for the “Going Away Party” for the Westovers we were in charge of for that evening.
The party for Elder and Sister Westover, who have also served in the Hyde Park Group, went fabulously! We started with a “bingo” – Where are the Westover’s game – which got everyone moving and talking with each other. We then had a potluck dinner (we took fetticine chicken alfredo, rolls, drinks and a chocolate cake) and a few games. At the end of the evning we were blessed to hear Elder and Sister Westover’s testmonies and say our “good byes.” They were our first dear friends here on the mission and we have thoroughly enjoyed serving with them! They will be greatly missed but we are also excited for them to get home to their family again!
Saturday –
Today was our granddaughter, Gwen’s, 10th birthday! She had a Pride and Prejudice birthday party, which we were sad to miss! Thank goodness for Amazon, where we can still send everyone gifts for their bdays and other special events! It sounds like Gwen had a SUPER FUN birthday – watercoloring, playing croquet, watching P and P and learning to embroider! The Bennett sisters would have been proud!
Today was also Gianella’s birthday. Gianella joined our group a few months ago. She is a dear friend/recent convert from Peru and now serves as one of my Young Women assistants. She’s pretty darn amazing! The sister missionaries and I wanted to celebrate with her so we took her to an oceanside cafe for brunch. Although it was POURING rain, we still had a wonderful time with DELICIOUS food and the BEST EVER company!
After I returned home, Eric and I were supposed to get ready to attend a rugby game with the other senior missionaries (our scheduled monthly outing), however, I was pooped out and needed some time to relax at home! We had been out EVERY night this week! Eric ended up inviting Ansii to attend the game with him – watching the Eels VS Cowboys. After the game the group went to eat at a pancake dessert location. I had a little FOMO but was mostly glad to stay home, lay on the couch, watch a little TV and go to bed early!
Sunday –
Today was our last dinner with our two missionary leavers – Elder Fisher and Elder Taira – who will be completing their missions this week. We also invited Thais and Gianella over to celebrate both of their birthdays that occured this past week. We had a delicious dinner of spagetti, French bread, ceaser salad, and brownie sundaes! It was such a blessing to hear the two elders share their testmonies at the end of dinner. They have both been AMAZING missionaries and we will miss them greatly! What a pleasure and honor to serve with them and learn from them. Elder Fisher’s parents are flying out to meet him so they can tour the mission and area. Elder Taira will fly home to his family in Japan on Friday! Well done, thou good and faithful servants…until we meet again!
The Helland's Down Under 