Melbourne Pettys - October

Carmen turned eighteen and I got called as the Ward Mission Leader.

The first week of September was the last week of the school holidays so Austin and Carmen were all over the place. It is not fair to have to go to work when everyone else is staying home. Of course Ellen was working at her postie job and studying and Dylan has been hard at it with his School assignments as well but that doesn’t count.

Vern and I went to the Temple on Thursday which was nice. On Saturday Rose Martinez came over to help cook some Mexican stuff for an YSA activity Ellen organised for that evening. It was very good of her to help Ellen out like that. Dylan, Austin, Carmen and Ellen learnt a Mexican song for the night so we took all the band gear down to the Stake Centre and set it up for them. Austin was on bass, Carmen keyboards, Dylan drums and Ellen lead guitar and vocals. If sounded pretty good, Austin had some ‘moves’ that went down pretty well with the crowd later on I heard.

I was called at the last minute to help out in the Family History Library for a couple of hours and the “member” person. I just studied my Sunday School lesson. That night I was on my own as Vern was working and all the rest were at the Stake Centre.

Since I didn't need to be at the Stake Centre for the sessions we watched the Saturday ones at home during the week. It was nice to lie back and watch it, however Dylan had trouble staying awake.

There was a super hero's fancy dress party for Tank at his place on Friday the eleventh that all the gang went too. Tank painted himself green and went as the Hulk, Dylan was V for Vendetta, Austin as Mr Fantastic, Ellen the invisible women, Rebecca as Cat-women and Carmen as Black Cat, see the photos attached. 

Dylan ran into Daniel Folau up town with his partner and daughter on Saturday the twelfth. Dylan invited them over and we had a nice visit, his daughter is a cute little thing.

A few things happened on the twentieth, Carmen turned eighteen and she had a few of her church friends over after church a quiet tea party (with no tea). The night before Janet, Johnny and Max and Renee came over for dinner, she also went to the One Direction concert with Giorgia during the week as well.

It was also a momentous day for another reason. After several practices the Fairfield Mens choir made its debut singing the intermediate hymn "Come Come Ye Saints" acapella. What made it momentous was I was one of the ten that were in that choir, Austin, Dylan and I were the bass group. I was so nervous I lost sleep last night but it went ok.

And last but not least Dylan was released as the Ward Mission Leader and called back as the Stake Mission Prep class teacher and I was called as the Ward Mission Leader. I had never had that calling before and am looking forward to getting into it.

On Tuesday the twenty-second we all headed down to Melbourne University to attend Carmen's school graduation. It was pouring with rain so I dropped them at the front and then Austin and I drove around looking for a car park. It was the same place that you had your graduation and we were on the very back row. The keynote speaker was a lady who has a singing career and at the end of her lengthy talk she burst into song, opera no less. Well we didn't know where to look, Dylan, Ellen and Rebecca had their heads down and were in tears. Carmen told us later that her friends around her did much the same thing but she looked her in the eye and kept a straight face because she thought she was looking at her, what a champion.

Friday night of the twenty-fifth we drove down to Elwood to the Smith's place for Sam Tempany and Louise Smith's engagement party, we took two cars so we could all go. There were lots of people there, mostly from Caulfield Ward so your name came up a few times since that was 'your' ward as a missionary. It was good to catch up with the Tempanys'. I miss hanging out with him and Elder Dudfield. Carmen and Austin spent the evening talking to Andy. He is looking forward to going on his mission.

Saturday was basketball for Vern like normal, finals. Austin's game went to triple overtime but they lost. He is the tallest in the team and taller than Dylan I think. It is hard to get Dylan to stand next to him to check for some reason. I finished fixing and painting the back gate. It is black and blue now, why those colours mum asked and my reply "because that was the paint I had in the garage".

Today Carmen went with Dylan to the Mission Prep class and then down to the Stake Centre for her first YSA fireside. She also got some flowers to welcome her into Relief Society and a gift from Sister Huth as a farewell from Sunday School. I think she is glad to be moving on.