Saturday, 15 Oct 2016

Well today started out kind of slow, but started to speed up after I got out of bed.  I met the piano tuner at the ward building at 7:30 and let him into the chapel so he could tune the piano.  Then went back to the flat to help Margaret finish a picnic lunch before meeting the Lems at 8:30.  We then headed to Town Hall train station and caught the train to Epping where Elder Black picked us up and took us to the Mission Admin centre in Carlingford.  At 10 am we headed out in  several cars to Morisset, Australia - home of "wild" kangaroos that live off of the food brought by tourists (like us).  The Kangaroos are wild, but they are definitely used to humans and can be petted, as well as fed.  It took about 2 hours to get to Morisset.  We spent about an hour with the roos and then went over to a nearby beach to have lunch.

Margaret with kangaroos

I think this one has a good picture of a Joey in the pouch

more kangaroos jumping around

A good looking Aussie Bloke, in his Aussie hat (but not an Akubra hat)

this is the size of kangaroo that I can handle

Now you see him,

and now you do not.  The Joey jumped into the pouch head first. Then they will double over so that the feet and head are sticking out

Senior Couple Missionaries having a picnic after seeing the kangaroos. The beach is on an inlet about 1 km from the kangaroos.  We looked for alligators, but we did not see any - this is the wrong area for them.

Bush fire off of the motorway that we were on as we headed back to the mission home from the kangaroo place

Another shot of the bush fire - lots of smoke, but we did not see the fire

After lunch we climbed into the Mission President's car and rode back to Carlingford with him and his wife and the Lems.  When we got to the mission home, we changed clothes - to white shirt & tie and headed over to the Greenwich ward building for the baptisms of 2 new converts - Adam and Bruce.  There were probably about 40 people at the baptism for these 2 young men.  Both of them are from China and are studying here in Sydney.  I had the privilege of presiding at the baptismal program today and was able to greet each of them into the Church and our ward.

The baptism of Adam and Bruce (2 in the middle in white) with the elders that taught them and the 2 members who will baptise them.

After the baptisms, we caught the train back to Town Hall and then headed back to the flat.  We met the Lems at 7:30 pm and walked to the north end of Hyde Park to see the Night Zoo - a parade celebrating the 100 years of the Taronga Zoo.

Platypus

A frog.  probably some super deadly breed

Sea Turtle

Not a mouse, but some kind of rodent of which I cannot remember the name

A mean looking bird

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Platypus (again)

Indian Elephant.  note the flower print on the elephant

Sumatra tiger

Not sure what it is, but I would not mess with it.

After the parade, Margaret and I found a Kabab/pizza place and picked up a couple of pieces of pizza and headed for home.  The pizza tasted like middle eastern Donor kabab, so next time I will just get the donor kabab.

Then off to bed so we can be ready for Church in the morning.