Welcome to 2014

This is our catch up week.  Since we have spent time with each of our families visiting on facetime, we have just a smattering of pictures and events to tell you about in the beginning of this new year. 

The 3 wise guys in disguise. These are pictures taken while Sister Feil is busy.  They love pictures and have fun with someone else's camera.  

The missionaries make the mission great!

The kings and queens with crowns, scepter and no ceremony!We call this the New Year Office Royalty.  

Shall I take this home or...?

For the leavers, weighing the luggage is always an interesting and challenging activity. Anything over 50 lbs must come out and be given to other missionaries not going home.  

We viewed the fireworks with 20,000 of our closest friends.

Artificial shade was needed to keep us from getting burned as we followed the line to find a place to view the fireworks on New Year's Eve.  We met some nice people from England and Germany who shared our shade.

Thousands of people spent the day staking out a place to sit with a view of the harbor, and the fireworks display.

Yes we know it is blurry.  We are not that blind yet.

Waterfall fireworks under the harbor bridge.

The ships in the harbor on New Year's Eve.  There were many with lights cruising around.

This is a wonderful group of young missionaries in front of the temple.

The walk through Hyde Park is beautiful.

The missionaries do street contacting here much like they did in Hyde Park in London.  The weather is just a little sunnier in this Hyde Park!

The rest of the cruise group.  We had a great time together.

We were celebrating Elder Smith's birthday with a cruise around the Harbour.  The cruise included a lovely seafood buffet. 

There are several small islands in the Harbour - some of them have small resorts. 

The Opera House and city from a very different angle.  The boats are out in force today.  

Now we're riding under the harbor bridge.  We're usually driving over it.

Old buildings dwarfed by the new, plus new construction in the foreground.  This is the site of yet another casino.  They will preserve the old buildings, so we are curious to see how they work around this problem.

Sailing and boating are popular activities in all the harbors in the Sydney area. This is Darling Harbour, the next harbour over from Sydney.  In case you think we have misspelled, remember that spelling differs from country to country.  :)

Who does he think he is?  Captain of the Love Boat?

Arrrrrrrgh matey!  Avast!  It's Captain Cook with his beautiful, captured prisoner.  Sister Feil found all the historical characters willing to have their picture taken. 

Magnificent architecture in the background with modern traffic.

 These buildings are made from local sandstone.  The pink color with the blue of the sky is magnificent.

An old and very narrow road between tall buildings.

Buildings can mingle with works of art or perhaps the buildings are the works of art.

Fountains abound in Sydney - Sydneysiders love water and provide beautiful venues to enjoy.

There are some very cool old buildings that are fully utilized.

Buildings old and new in downtown Sydney along with the bustling crowds of people on a Saturday.

Street art taken to a new level and size.

One of our well known, best friends who diligently guards our gate.  This little orb weaver welcomes us home.  We've been told he's not poisonous and the web is quite amazing.
We welcome the new year with confidence and faith that great things will happen in New South Wales.  We look forward to being a part of the effort to spread the word of the gospel in 2014.  Happy New Year to all!