Saturday, July 31, 2010

new friends, down-under style!

We have had the most awesome experience in young womens this spring. I have struck up a friendship with an Australian YW leader named Lisa King. Lisa told another Aussie YW leader, Shannon McKinley, about our correspondence and since Shannon had plans to visit America anyway, Shannon and her husband Richard made time to stop by for a quick visit. It was wonderful! We so enjoyed getting to know the McKinley's and feel they are treasured friends already. Halle has become penpals with their daughter Shakira and Shannon and I continue to write. The McKinley's as well as Lisa King live on Tasmania which is south of Australia (or Tassie, as they call it). Our young women and their young women exchange letters every couple months and it has been a real treat! I hope we all get a chance to visit in person again someday!
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We invited our bishop and his parents, The Langelands,
over for dinner during the visit since the Langelands had just
been called to be mission presidents in Australia.
Our kids adored all the attention and fawning from Shannon and Richard! And we even got fun Aussie surprises: Shannon gave me an Australian Flag apron which I LOVE and for our family and the young women they brought ANZAC biscuits (cookies) and lollies (sweets) from Australia. My favorites were by far the Jaffas!

1 comment:

The Kings said...

oh I LOVE jaffas too!!! :) SOOOO cool to see photos of Shannon with you guys!!!

"The democracy will cease to exist when you TAKE AWAY from those who are willing to work AND GIVE to those who would not."



Thomas Jefferson