The Big Trip to Australia!

So... here we are at the Salt Lake City airport ready to begin our Australian 

adventure.  We are thankful to be among the thousands of wonderful missionaries

leaving from this same place to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Many tears

were shed, but they were happy tears.  We are ready!!

Thank you to all of our children for their incredible sacrifices they have made

to help us get ready for this mission.  This is our daughter Kimberly.  We will 

miss you and pray for you always, as we do for the whole family.

Ahhh!  The roles are reversed!  This is Brandon, one of our sons who we sent

off to serve a mission.  Last time he had the tag on but both times I'm the one

in tears!  Again, happy tears!!

And we're off.  God be with you till we meet again!!  We love you family!!

Just a short 22 hour flight and we'll be there.  We are leaving on June 29, and 

will arrive July 1st in Adelaide.  Happy birthday to our daughter Jaimie

whose birthday is June 30.  We love you.  During a brief stop in Auckland,

New Zealand, we ran in to some Las Vegas friends!  A wonderful

tennis coach and friend, Tim Blinkiron, (with his children) who happens to be from, guess where?

Adelaide!  They were coming to see Tim's family for a few weeks during

summer break.  So fun to see familiar faces.  

Here is President Parker taking that very big first step onto

Adelaide, Australia soil.  Oh boy here we go!!  We feel so very 

blessed to have this experience.  Can't wait to meet our

missionaries.

And we are here!  How blessed we are to be in this beautiful part of the world.  

All smiles as we finally get to meet President and Sister Carter who have

presided over the best mission in the world for the last 3 years.  We love you

President and Sister Carter.  We cannot express enough our gratitude for you

and the love you have extended to us.  We know we "stand on the shoulders

of giants" as we come to serve in this great mission.  You are eternal friends

and we love you forever.

Getting Set Apart as Missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Today was a day we couldn't ever have imagined.  Jeff was set apart as the President of the

best mission on earth- the Australia Adelaide Mission- by Jeffrey R. Holland of the 

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  Lisa was set apart as a missionary of the Church 

of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by Lynn G. Robbins, a member of the Presidency

of the Seventy.  An experience never to forget.  We are blessed to have many family 

members with us. 

The day has arrived!  Entering The MTC in Provo, Utah.  It's a beautiful day and we

feel privileged to be here.

Receiving our missionary name tags.  A very humbling and sobering moment.

We can't believe this is really happening.  Many emotions running through our 

minds, but we are filled with excitement and are honored to be here.  

Standing by the ever popular map of the world where thousands of missionaries 

have taken a similar picture pointing to the place where they will serve the 

Lord and invite others to come unto Christ. 

Three Allred cousins have been called to serve for the next 3 years.  Besides

the Parkers in Australia, Chriss and Jerry Allred are called to preside over the newly 

created Logan, Utah Mission and Allen and Denise Alexander are called to the 

North Carolina, Charlotte Mission.  Incredible experience to share together.  We are so 

grateful for the heritage we've been blessed with.  We love you and are praying

for all of you.

These few days have been an experience of a lifetime.  We have been taught 

and tutored by Apostles of the Lord.  We have felt their love for us, the 

missionaries, and for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Words cannot express 

our gratitude for the privilege of being here.  We will treasure up in our minds

and hearts the things we have been taught and anxiously share them with the

best missionaries ever!

We hold dear the friendships we make through service in the Lord's Kingdom.

Elder Craig and Jan Zwick have made a great impact on our lives.  We express our 

deepest gratitude for their counsel, their example, their friendship, and their love.

Elder Zwick was the one who called President Parker to preside over the 

Redrock Stake in Las Vegas, Nevada in Nov. 2007.

Elder Teh- we love you.  We have such a tender place for you in our hearts.  

Thank you for the time you have spent with us, your kindness, and your love.

We honor and sustain you.  (Elder Teh was the one who released President Parker

as Stake President of the Redrock Stake in Las Vegas, Nevada in Nov. 2014.)

Four couples called to serve in the Pacific Area. Besides the Parkers, The Fifes are called 

to serve in Perth, Australia, The Grangers are called to serve in Vanauatu, and the

Checkettes are going to Sydney, Australia North.  We became fast friends and look 

forward to seeing these couples in Sydney at the end of August. 

Our new friends, The Larsons, from Arizona are called to preside over the Lima, Peru

Central Mission.  Quite a contrast from our vast mission.  Their whole mission area is 

9 miles by 9 miles.  6 million people and a new language!  They will do a fabulous job

and the people of Peru will love them as we do.

Couples called to serve from the great state of Nevada.  We will be friends forever.

These are the New Mission Presidents and wives pictures that will hang in the MTC

for the next 3 years.  And this is us!  We have had an unforgettable experience

here.  It has changed us.  We will go forward with great faith after being filled

each day with the doctrine of Christ that we know will change the world.  

More Dear Friends

Friends forever: President Parker's partner at Retina Consultants of Nevada,

Dr. Rodney Hollifield, and his dear wife Charlene Day.  Thank you for your 

friendship, the good times, and your support.  We love you.

These 3 people are headed to serve in the Australia, Adelaide mission!!  

Wayne and Melanie Larkin and Rick (and his wife JoLyn) Farrer will be joining

us soon!!  We are so very blessed.  These devoted disciples of Christ will bless

the missionaries and the people of Adelaide.  We couldn't have done this without

you and you know it!!  Thank you.  We love you!  See you soon down

under!!

We are family!  I've got all my sisters with me!  Like sisters in the Gospel 

all over the world, we share a unique bond serving and helping one another

raise righteous families and stand for truth and righteousness.  I love my sisters!

Open House, Speaking in Church, Family Dinner

Our dear friends Mark and Cary Hutchison hosted an open house for us at their lovely home.  It was a wonderful, emotional evening with friends and family.  We love you Hutchison family.  You have blessed our lives over the years.

This is our wonderful friend, Lorraine.  She is responsible for putting together this great evening.  The incredible food, the Australian decor, and did I say the fabulous food?  Lorraine, we love and appreciate all you have done to bless our lives over the years.  You are one of the most selfless people we know. 

This is more of the crew who helped this evening. Kelsey, Holly, Steve, Pearse, and the rest of you- thank you.

Delicious food!

Fun decorations!

Great friends!  The Jones Family- starring Deborah!

The Ringers!  Friends forever!

The Atamian Family- our dear friends and neighbors!

Bishop and Ruth Phillips- our almost neighbors!

Our family showing support with the "Catch the Wave" Mission t-shirts!!

No tears because families are forever!!

Getting family and friends together is the best!

Shooting some b-ball and loving being together.

All the way from Boston to share this time with us.  We miss you Emily,  McKenna, Charlotte, and Halle.  In three years.... you're coming to the party. :)

Getting in every last minute with the grandkids.  Thank you to all who traveled from far and near to share this special evening with us.  We love you.

After speaking in Church: the Allred relatives.  Love you all so much.  Thank you

for being with us.

Happy Fathers Day!  Grateful for wonderful men in our lives.  Grateful for past, present, and future missionaries.

Love you, mom and dad.  (Ellis and Carolyn Allred, Lisa's parents)

A huge thank you to the Waid family who fed all of our family on Fathers Day!  We love you so much.  What a fabulous dinner- and treats for the road to boot! You have done so much for us.  Thank you Bishop Waid for the exciting ride to the airport and all that that included.  We will miss you all!  Hoping to see a Sister Waid on our "arrivers list" in Adelaide!

Thank you to the Horn Family!  How can we thank you enough for always being there to support us and help in any way.  We love being grandparents with you and sharing our 3 precious granddaughters.  So proud of the missionaries in the Horn family.  We love you!

Last Goodbyes!

Saying goodbye to 2 of our 3 precious granddaughters in Boston: McKenna, Charlotte, and Halle (who is sleeping).  Grandma and grandpa love you so much.  Thank you for all of the hugs!

A wonderful day together making memories that need to last 3 years. :) 

5 month old Halle!  Oh so precious.  Playtime with Grandpa!

Doesn't get any better than this.  Getting in every hug we can.  Love you, Halle!

Congratulations to Alex and Brandon!  Graduation in Boston and on to L.A.  Could be our last trip to Boston?  At least for a while.

Last family dinner at Geisha!  Many great memories here.

Wonderful last trip to the Las Vegas Temple for the next 3 years!

Saying goodbye to Preston and Brinley!  Getting as many hugs as possible.  Best grandkids in the whole world.  They are excited we are going on a mission!

Jalen and Preston brought Grandma one of her favorite things before she goes- tomatoes out of their garden.  Love you J and P!!

Grandpa and Brinley- buddies forever.  Don't forget Brinley, you get the first date with grandma and grandpa when we get back!!!  You know where!!

Grandma Lisa and Brighton Mak Keller.  Another one of our future missionaries!  I'm trying to hold it together while saying goodbye to this little guy.  Love you Brighton!!