July 14, 2014

Crazy how time flies!  We have been here two months, but it seems like yesterday.  We celebrated the 4th of July (on Saturday, our 5th) with the other Senior Missionaries by having a pot luck lunch together.  We laughed until we were almost sick and had a great time.  Suffice it to say, they all think or know John is a clown!  Isn't this a great looking group of "oldies"?

We are definitely experiencing winter in New Zealand.  We have had heavy rain for the last two weeks straight, with gale force winds.  I now know what it looks like when it is raining horizontally!  The wind really kicked up the waves in our usually serene little inlet bay.  I am including pictures of the surf breaking over the sea wall and  waves clear up to the road and shoreline.  This spot is only about a 10-minute walk from our office.  We caught the pictures last week on our way home.

Up and over the sea wall....

....about 30 yards into the parking lot!

Waves up to the road 

...and up to the barriar. 

Old meeting structure

John has been busy working on real estate issues for The Church on outlying islands.  Saints in the Solomon Islands have been meeting in a less than adequate shelter and they are trying to move to another place. The Church leases their building there. The lease prohibits the “cooking, chewing or spitting of betel nuts” by other tenants, during our church services, an odd addition to a lease.  Betel nuts are a stimulant that stains your teeth and mouth red.  They are also a carcinogen.  

Who needs air conditioning?

The pictures below show both places.  For those of us in the States who have complained about heat and AC in our buildings, we could take a lesson from them and be grateful for our luxury.   

New meeting structure, called "Pink House", no address :-)  

Behind the "Pink House"

The Temple View project in Hamilton will continue to be part of John’s work for the duration of our stay here.  Temple View is progressing.  For anyone interested, you can follow the updates at: http://www.templeviewproject.org/ , or see pictures at Church College New Zealand on Facebook. The Saints here have “Temple Week”, not just “Temple Night”.  They love the Hamilton Temple and keep it pretty busy.

I am using my degree and writing for Mormon Newsroom in New Zealand.  Newsroom is used by the media outlets to get information on The Church and our activities.  The public affairs missionaries here keep newsroom up to date and interesting.  I am excited to have the opportunity to be involved.  I am currently working on two stories.  One has a family history slant and the other is about our Bishop in the West Harbor Ward, who is a well-known professional artist.  My stories may not be posted for a bit, but if anyone is interested, check out Newsroom at www.mormonnewsroom.org.nz 

A huge turnout of kids, parents and leaders at Song Fest

Saturday we attended a Song Fest for the young men and young women in our Stake.  I would compare it to a scaled down Road Show of days gone by.  Each group of YM/YW sang a number acapella from a Disney oriented show and another number being a spiritual song.  The building was packed with youth and their families and leaders.  It was fun and exciting to watch what they had prepared.  It is surprising to see so many youth; especially the boys participate in singing.  And they don’t hold back.  I think this would be a fun activity to try in the States.

Song from Lion King, can you tell :-)

We Will Bring the World His Truth! 

West Harbor Ward....Our Ward

Sunday, we spoke in Sacrament meeting and after were asked to be Family History Consultants in our Ward.  This is an area we love and look forward to working with the other consultants to help the Ward members find names to take to the temple during Ward Temple Week.  In Sunday School, we attend the Gospel Essential’s class for investigators.  The Assistant Ward Mission Leader (from Fiji, but of Indian descent) again amazed us with his comments on the Priesthood.  He told of experiences he has had exercising the Priesthood where miracles were obvious.  He has a simple faith that is real and powerful.  We learn so much from our association with the wonderful, faithful island people we are surrounded by.  His comments reminded John of a talk he had heard by Mathew Cowley who served in the Pacific.  We found it online.  It is well worth listening to and a great reminder of the blessings we enjoy because of the Priesthood and simple faith. http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=135

  

We are so grateful to be here in New Zealand!  We love the people!

HAPPY DAY to ALL.