Saturday, January 9, 2015. All the missionaries that are leaving next week. This was our Temple day with them. Left to right: Elder Beard, Elder Anton, Sister Craig, Sister Parker, Pres Parker, Elder Morganti, Elder Aguilar, Elder Purev-Ochir, Elder Pitama, Sister Larkin, Elder Larkin

What a great group of leaders.  This group is really the first group that we have gotten to know well and we will miss them terribly, but we know they are now going onto new adventures in following the Lord. 

Urimbirra Zoo in Victor Harbor

Melanie finally got to pet a koala!!  This has been on my bucket list since I was a little girl. Well, I really want to hold a koala so we'll need to find a zoo that will let us do that. But I was so happy to touch one.

Dad's turn.  This one sat on top looking at everyone.  She was the queen bee of koalas that day.

Look - two koalas!

Feeding the kangaroos.  It was a little eerie at first when they came jumping towards me and then they would eat with their teeth scrapping the food out of my hand, and then they would hold my hand with their paws so that I wouldn't move.  I wasn't moving!  Surely didn't want to loose any skin or fingers!

Dad was much calmer than I and really enjoyed feeding the kangaroos.

And a peacock 

And freshwater crocodiles with very sharp teeth. Yes, we were standing that close to them.  A zoo keeper came over to clear the drain or something like that but there was a large croc that laid on top of it and so she didn't cross the fence. I thought it was crazy to even think of it.  There were at least 7 crocs in the pin. 

The Zone met up with us when they heard we were in Victor Harbor.  What a wonderful group of missionaries! Left to right:  Elder Anton, us, Elder Keller, Elder Jarrett, Sister Vaitaiki, Sister Coultrup, Sister Reyes, Elder Hayes, Elder Skadins, Elder Beard

Better picture, we got Elder Anton in it this time.

Tuesday, Dec 29, 2015 Beautiful Victor Harbor. We went for the day to Victor Harbor. It was a well needed break after the very busy, hectic Christmas of cooking, stockings, gifts, and wanting to make sure that the missionaries had a wonderful Christmas away from home.

Dad overlooking the beach. We really wanted to get some chairs and just sit at the beach.  It was such a beautiful day.

Mom too

Sitting on the horse drawn carriage ride to Granite Island.  

Overlooking at Granite Island. The water was so blue.  This is a very small island that you can just walk around the entire little island.  They say there are pinguins here but we didn't see any.  But while we were on the carriage ride over we saw a sand shark in the water. 

This is part of the walk way around the island. There is a natural reef around the entire Victor harbor. 

We stopped and got a chocolate shake for dad and a strawberry shake for me. I think that is our very first shakes since we've been in Adelaide - 4 months.  

MLC meeting, day after Christmas which is called Boxing Day. It was a relief to have pizzas and fruit for lunch, which involved no cooking! Elder & Sister Larkin, Elder & Sister Hall (Mt Gambier) Sister St. John

Baptism of Gregory December 27, 2015. Left to right: Elder B. Johnson, Gregory, Elder Baker, Elder Johnson. These are some of our best missionaries. They bring a new investigator to church every week. We love them!

Gregory just purchased this motorcycle and was so excited to have transportation, and a snazzy one at that!  He asked dad to teach him how to ride.  

Dad couldn't help himself.  We tried to take this picture in a hurry, because all the missionaries were just walking out from church and dad didn't want to set the example of riding a motorcycle, well even sitting on one just in case.  But they all came out saw him on it before he could get off.  Funny!

Christmas Day back home in Las Vegas with Jane & Kyle & Lilly & Jake. AND Bryce & Jenny & Ava & Jackson. We miss not having everyone's pictures! But we know you had a wonderful and busy Christmas and we love you!

Christmas breakfast. So glad you got together for our traditional Christmas breakfast