Our first contact?

Wednesday Sept 7 we decided to walk around the block.   At the end of the our road is a little country grocery store, a butcher shop and other stores.    We were told that they are more expensive there becasue they are a country corner store.  We thought we would go in and see and buy a newpaper.

Just as we were getting ready to leave the house my computer made a beep.   I checked it and found that Natalie got onto g-mail messenger and was giving me instructions on how to fix the blog.   So a few more minutes went by before we could leave the house.

We walked to the store and walked around it to see what all they had.    The bananas there were still $8 for a kg and only about 4 inches long.   1 kg = 2lbs. So that is $4 a lb for USA measurements.
The day was sunny and perfect to be walking out with a suit and sweater on.   Flowers of all sorts were in bloom.   Trees with large flowers that I can only think of tulips to compare them too.
We walked along enjoying the sunshine and the flowers.   Some trees are just starting to bud their leaves out and others are fully leafed.   Some are full of flowers and others look dead.    It is still considered winter here but is a beautiful winter.
We walked 3/4 the way around our block and got back to Bletchington St and decided to walk down it farther away from our house.

A BIG Polynesian looking man with a hooded sweat shirt jacket on and a small boy on a scooter came towards us.    The man looked at us and came right up to us.    He asked "you missionaries?"

Ron said hi to him and told him yes.    He said he was a member of the church but did not have transportation to get to church.    Ron told him that we could pick him up.  He said "that is good"   He said he had a family of 7 and they would all need a ride.   Ron told him that we would give them all a ride.   That gave me goose bumps.   

 If Natalie hadn't gotten on the messenger right when she had then we most likely would have missed him.   He was on his way to pick up his daughter from pre-school.   He gave us his name, address and phone number and we gave him ours.    He said he would call on Saturday.    His name was W........... T..........   He is from Tonga.  

So that is how the Lord works in Mysterious Ways.

If his whole family comes that will almost double the Ward.    He said he had been a member for quite some time but just no way to get to church.   Now we do need that mini van that dad wanted to buy so badly.     We will have to pick up his family in 3 shifts unless we can get someone else to come and help pick some of them up.    Oh, how I hope they can all come.

We walked home on cloud nine.    We looked him up in the Ward list.    His name was not on it.   He is, I suppose, one of those lost members that could not be found.    The Lord knew he needed us to be walking there at that time.     We have been praying that he would not change his mind.  

Saturday Sept 10th  morning cam and he did call and said yes he wanted a ride to church.   He did not know how many of his family would be going though.   I told him we would be there at 9 am. 

Sunday Sept 11  we went to pick him up hoping we would have to take at least 3 trips to get his family there.    He and a step-son K......... were the only ones to go with us today.   

Elder and Sister Mangelson from the Mission Home (the sister that I helped with photoshop) came to speak today.    They gave such special talks that I hoped it would really touch W......... and his son.   

W........ said that his wife and his step children are non-members and that K....... had never ever gone to church before.   He said he hope to have them get baptised.    He acted so comfortable there at the church.     He showed K....... (11 yrs) the baptistry font and told him that he hopes he will get baptised.    Then to top off this special day, another man from Tonga and his family was there just visiting.  He talked to W....... in their native language.    Becasue of those extra people today the Ward was almost doubled.     Branch President James had been out of town last Sunday and commented that he is gone for 1 week and the Ward doubles.    I counted 36 people today.    

Every 2nd Sunday the Branch has a potluck luncheon for the members after church.   W......  helped set up and take food into the gym and acted like he had been there forever.    He did mention that he had grown up in the church but just hadn't gone for awhile.     He says he wants to get his whole family there next week.   K....... also acted comfortable and helped out.   His wife is expecting twins in a few months.  

Sister D........  talked to us about the fact that we will need car seats or booster seats for those 7 yrs and younger.    W........ has at least 3 children to fit in that catagory.    A 2 year old that will need  a car seat.    Humm, if he has no car than he probably does not have the seats.    I don't know what we will do but we will figure it out.   Sister D......... said that the Branch does have 2 seats for just that reason.   We will have to borrow them for next week.   

K........ went to primary class just fine.    Sister James asked us to come to Primary sharing time and talk about being a missionary.   When we went in K...... had left.   W....... was also no where to be found.   We were afraid they had decided to walk home, which was not very close.    It was also raining.   Finally they came out of the Bishops office.   W......... was with the clerk getting  his records transferred to the Orange branch.     He acts willing and raring to go.    They loved the meal and the association with the Branch members.   

We took them home and W......... said he was going to get his whole family there next week.    Ron had told the Cowra Branch President that we would be there next Sunday.    I asked Ron if we could postpone for I felt that we needed to be here to follow up with W.......... next Sunday.   He said that would probably be good.