New Zealand Silver Fern

Maori legend is that the Silver Fern once lived in the ocean and was asked to come ashore to help the Maori hunters find their way at night.  They would bend the fern fronds up revealing the silver underside which would reflect the moonlight to light their path at night.  Supposedly these ferns are rare, but we happened upon this frond as we traveled the path in the redwood forest in Rotorua, NZ.  Much of the forest reminded me of Jurassic Park. Rotorua is famous for its hot sulphur pots and geysers and volcanic lakes.  

Some of the trees are huge, others have been planted more recently due to logging.

Redwoods and fern tree

Jurassic Park for sure

Green sulfur water brook

Tamaki Maori Tribe Village

While we were in Rotorua, we visited the Tamaki Tribe village where they reenact the life of the Maori Tamaki Tribe.  They picked us up in a bus and took us to the village.  While on the bus, they choose a "chief" and gave us very strict instructions about protocol.  We were not to laugh or even smile as the Maori members imitated animals and insects with their facial expressions.  The "chief" leads us into each section and presents us to the Maori's there.  You see different aspects of their life from cooking their food in pits, to poi ball dances.  It was facinating.  John was chosen as chief and that made for some fun at his expense.  He had to do a "hongi", a traditional Maori greeting where you press noses.  This is not to be confused with a "hangi", which is the meal they cooked for us in a pit over steaming hot rocks.

Meet Our Mormons!

The Olson Family
L to R: Kayla, Angela, Zion, Cruz, Dallas, Israel and Vanz

This is the Olson Family.  Dallas works in the Area Office in the Welfare Department, but he is also the 2nd Counselor in our West Harbor Ward Bishopric.  Afflicted with a genetic disorder at birth, some would call him a dwarf, but as far as we are concerned this man is HUGE!  It is hard to deny his very large spirit, inside his small body.  One of his daughters is also afflicted with the same disorder.  We have come to LOVE this family.  The children give us hugs freely (which helps when we miss the physical contact of our grandchildren) and Dallas and Angela, his wife, have been very kind to us since we arrived.  Their lifestyle is very meager, by most standards, yet they share freely what they do have with others.  Their faces reveal the happiness they have in the gospel.  Dallas weeps freely when he bears his testimony and when he uses his priesthood.  It is hard to not marvel at the strength of his spirit.

We Love Our Missionaries

Zone Conference

Elders like to eat!

Sisters are all smiles.

Some seem sooooo young! Check out the guy at the far end with the
earphones on.  He came to help serve the food.

Sister Camiletti broke her foot running from a dog.
 I had a part time companion for a little while,
 when the office couples were traveling.
She is all healed and out serving as a
Sister Training Leader!

Saturday Mornings are a time to go to local  street markets

A diversity of humanity at the Otaro market

Amazing fruits and vegetables available

Check out Mormon Newsroom to see what else is going on in the Pacific!

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org.nz