Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Shanty Town



One beautiful spring day we decided that we needed to go to the much heard about Shanty Town. Shantytown (10kms south of Greymouth) is widely recognized as one of New Zealands leading culture and heritage attractions. Over 30 historic buildings make up the recreated 19th Century pioneer town, inspired by the West Coast gold rushes of the 1860s. Its peaceful setting amongst regenerating native forest gives visitors the opportunity to step back in time, experience a range of activities and view fascinating relics from days gone by. Shantytown’s surrounds and historical theme provide a stunning backdrop for photography enthusiasts.

Shantytown’s newest feature is a unique bush saw mill experience - telling the story of milling on the Coast in an innovative way using audio visual techniques. Visitors follow a boardwalk through the heart of the mill - which appears to be working, to an interpretation area and hear typical “yarns” between workers in the deserted “smoko” room.

Other highlights include riding the steam train, gold panning, and having an old time portrait taken as a memento of your visit.


We were able to ride the steam train. It was powered by coal. The engineer reversed the train to fill it with water. It was the engineer's last day of work in Shantytown. He was "shifting" to Auckland. We went through the native bush and saw the unique bush saw. In the picture below you can see the bush behind Elder Archibald. Probably the ride on the steam train was the highlight of our time here in Shantytown.

We had fun wandering through the buildings and taking photos . Below you can see Merle in the "little shack out back."


Below you can see me outside of the school room. I have never done this in my career but it was a fun picture. We loved our time in Shantytown. It was a peaceful day and we always love going into historic places.
I had to take a picture of the flower below. It is beautiful and these grow as wildflowers at the sides of the roads on the south island. They are everywhere and simply beautiful. Some people grow them in their flowerbeds but I think they are most spectacular along the roadside.

Below you can see an iron lung. I was interested in this because of an experience Matthew Cowley had in giving a blessing to a 10 year old boy in Salt Lake City. The young boys mother had Matthew Cowley come to give a blessing. The young boy was in a coma. But when Matthew Cowley came back a week later this young boy was walking around. He thanked Elder Cowley for the blessing and asked if he would give his mates a blessing also. Miraculously, the boys were healed. They had polio.


We had a fantastic time on this day. It was fun to relax and play tourist for the day, although we did stop and visit with our people on the way back.



Sunday, December 5, 2010

Tourist Trip from your Computer!




A while ago we decided to go for a drive and see some of our area that we had heard about but not seen. We got in our car early one bright sunny morning and headed south, although Elder Archibald would swear we were headed north. Our final destination south would be Fox Glacier but we would stop periodically to take a break.
Much of the time we would be driving through trees much like above and then we would drive by a picturesque lake like the one in the following picture.
I can't remember the name of this beautiful lake but it was on the coast side of the road. There were places for boating and kayaking. It was breath-taking.
Then we would be driving along and it would be open on one side and the mountains would rise sharply on the other side of the road. It is simply beautiful everywhere we go.
Isn't it just beautiful. But as we were getting closer to our destination the clouds started to move in.
If it is a sunny day you can take a photo of the magnificent Mt. Cook--Aoraki. But of course the clouds had moved in so we just got the bottomw of the mountain. You can drive to the base of the mountain but you have to do so from the other side of the island, although there are scenic flights via helicopter and small plane over the mountain.
Here is Elder Archibald near the base of Fox Glacier. The spectacle of this giant river of ice as it cuts through dramatic glacial valleys is captivating. The Fox Glacier grinds its way down from the Southern Alps at the rate of 1 to 4 m. a day, and while many glaciers worldwide have been retreating, Fox Glacier and its northern neighbour Franz Josef, still flow almost to sea level. They are both part of the South West New Zealnad World Heritage Area. The ancient Fox Glacier is nestled amidst primeval rainforest, an untamed yet accessible wilderness. We found it amazing as we drove up to the glacier--the turquoise water, the forest, the waterfalls, and the steep rock walls.
Just a couple of more pictures of our trip to the glacier.
The township of Fox Glacier. It is quaint. Look at the small mountains.
A long one-way bridge on the way.
Coming back from Fox Glacier we had a great trip. We stopped in Greymouth for a break and then journeyed home. We had passed by the Truman Track countless times and were always going to stop so today we did. It is a short walk through the rainforest to the ocean. Below you can see the symbolic Silver Fern.
Here is Elder Archibald among the native trees. They are massive. After about a 15 minute walk you come out to the ocean or rather the Tasman Sea. It is protected here and in the evenings you can see the Blue Penguin. All day they are at sea fishing.


Well that's the end of the tourist trip but I want to show you some interesting plants near our flat. The colorful plants at the base of the rose plants are kale. They are edible but this gentleman just planted them for color.


Our Zone:Elder Archibald, myself, Sister Jolliffe, Elder Philip, Elder Prebble, Elder Berryman, Elder Hopoate, Elder Tamale (younger brother to the other Elder Tamale), Elder McLean, Elder Gale, Elder Hill and President Jolliffe. What a great meal!
Another picture.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

I Know My Savior Lives!



This picture is of one of the Rhododendron (Rhodies) outside our chapel. These plants are in bloom all over the countryside at this time of year and it is absolutely beautiful. The blooms occur just at the end of each bunch of leaves. There are many colors but I believe I like this pink the best. Unfortunately, the wind and rain cause the blossoms to fall off. I took this picture this morning as we entered the chapel to prepare for our Primary Presentation.
Above you can see Levi, Kahn, and Samuel kind of hiding. This was last week after we had practice for the program.
Now you can see Samuel, Becca, and Kahn. The young children really look up to Kahn, and Levi for good examples.
Above you can see Brian Anderson. Elder Archibald is playing with Rahul and Joshua is watching. I couldn't get a picture of all the primary together. They just wouldn't all cooperate at the same time so there you have the six wonderful children.
Today was our presentation. Levi and Kahn have been with us all year and Becca, Samuel, Rahul, and Joshua since August and September. Today they shared with the congregation, what they have learned about the Savior this year in Primary. Because our Primary is so small we have the congregation sing all the songs with us. It really involves everyone. The children did a fabulous job sharing their talents and testimony of the Savior. Kahn and Levi are such great examples and the little children love them. The boys led out and the young ones participated as best as they could. There is a new song this year--"I Know That My Savior Loves Me". It is beautiful and talks about how even though we didn't live at the time of the Savior and sit on His knee we can still feel His love as we learn about Him. Kahn and Levi had a favorite this year and it was "He Sent His Son" . Today in singing time they sang it so beautifully. It would have been lovely if they would have sung it in Church but they were just too shy to do that but in Primary time they sing right out.
This year I have been able to work with the music in Primary and will get them started for next year. Primary is not really out of my comfort zone but much of what else I do is. Through music I have felt my testimony grow more each week.

Fish and Chips



A couple of years ago Merle and I were in London with my family. We looked everywhere for traditional Fish and Chips wrapped in newspaper. Well here in New Zealand you can get the traditional type from the corner Dairy. A Dairy here in New Zealand is a convenience store with milk, soda, a few grocery items, newspapers, phone cards, and lollies. Also "Take Aways", usually fish and chips. We have found our favorite Dairy just down Derby Street about 2 blocks from our flat at Arkwrights Dairy. Merle, at first, thought that there was only milk and ice cream at the dairy because of the name but he has since found out what else is available.
We don't have fish and chips very often but when we do we sure enjoy them. The fish is freshly caught. We never knew that there were so many varieties of fish. Usually it is monk fish,which is so mild, in the fish and chips. We have learned that half a scoop of chips is plenty for the two of us. We got the above fish and chips and took them for a picnic at a surf competition on Labour Weekend at Turanga Bay, near the seal colony. It was a definite treat. Labour Weekend was at the end of October.
Above you can see the view from atop a local mountain. We were up in Denniston, almost a ghost town now, but used to be a thriving coal mining town. When driving down the roads one does not realize that there are paddocks behind the bush but from above you can see forever. Beyond the land is the Tasman Sea which was gray this day because of the overcast skies.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Splendid Spring Spectacles


We have had an splendid spring. Hence the title of this post. First, it is unusual and interesting for us to experience spring in September and October. As you know from an earlier post we went to the temple in Temple View, near Hamilton, New Zealand. Because our white corolla was getting over 90000 Km. we were asked to drive up and switch cars. So our adventure began. We left early one morning so we could make the Picton Ferry. Our first stop was in Porirua, Wellington, New Zealand. We spent a P day with the Jensens touring interesting things in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand.
Merle loves to watch the news and we have seen the capital buildings many times and he wanted to see it in person. News people were gathered to welcome in the HMS Wellington, where the navy were marching from the harbour to the capital. We missed this parade which was good, we don't like crowds.
This building is called the Beehive and it is right next to the parliament building. It is an interesting office structure. As we were looking at the buildings it was kind of cloudy but warm.

We spent the day with this lovely couple--Elder and Sister Jensen, aka Don and Marilyn Jensen from Logan, Utah. They are the mission office couple and they do a great work. Merle and Don really get along great and we always have a wonderful time with them. We toured around the city and enjoyed that; as when we first landed in New Zealand we were a little jet-lagged and didn't really enjoy the city. Wellington is built on hills surrounding the harbour. It is called windy Wellington for a reason. It is even more windy that at home.

After going to a market and touring around the city we went to the Botanical Gardens. It was splendid and we saw many wonderful flowers. I especially enjoyed the thousands of orchids. There was also a beautiful plant called the "Skunk Plant". When it is in bloom it emits an odor that is quite distinct. Enjoy the picture.


After spending some time in the gardens the sun was beginning to come out and so we went to the tallest point in Wellington, Mount Victoria. It was a windy trip up but the view was spectacular.
As you can see the wind is blowing but you can see a bit of the harbour behind us and the small dot over Merle's shoulder is the ferry.

Here is a symbolic Maori carving. It has been made of cast something so people would not deface it or carve into it. This is looking out towards the hills. We had a magnificent view from atop this mountain. Afterwards we wound our way down the hill and around and decided to go to the beach to eat our lunch. We came to a bay where there were at least 50 wind surfers. Some even had kites behind them and would be lifted up when the wind was just right. It was a beautiful sight but photos didn't capture it as it was.
That evening Sister Jensen and I went to a baptism. We told the 4 elders there that we were doing splits. Elders Archibald and Jensen stayed at the flat and Sister Jensen and I went to the baptism. It was most interesting. The mom and dad were getting married. Then the dad got baptized, confirmed, ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood and made a Priest. Then he baptized his wife. It was very touching. They made the focus of the evening their baptisms. After, the father sang a beautiful song that he had written. They are planning next year to go to the temple to be sealed as a family. They have 4 beautiful children. It was a great evening and nice to spend it with another couple.
We left good time the next morning to drive to Hamilton. It was about 8 hours of driving. As you know Merle does not stop a lot on the trip. I was driving most of the way as his feet were driving him crazy. We took this picture above because we are amazed at how they do not back slope by the roads and there are very few slips. Merle says at home if they just cut straight down through the hill, the hill would cave in on the road; but here clay, gravel, rock, etc. it just does not cave in easily even with all the rain they get.


By early evening we had arrived in Hamilton, in the above picture, on the banks of the Waikato. Hamilton is the largest inland city in New Zealand, with a population of about 200,000. As New Zealand's fastest growing and largest inland city, it sits on the banks of New Zealand's longest river, the Waikato River. Hamilton is the heart of New Zealand's largest export region. It is strong in agriculture, particularly dairy and thoroughbred horse breeding. Hamilton hosts the largest agricultural event in the southern hemisphere. The area is surrounded with beautiful rolling hills.
It was just coming into spring and above is one of the many spring flower beds we saw. I just love how green it all is.
In an earlier post I talked about our wonderful temple trip. I also mentioned Rangi Parker. We had an amazing experience with Rangi Parker and her family. She is a talented lady. When we first arrived in Temple View we asked at the Visitor's Centre how we could get in touch with her. The gave us her card and told us how to get to her place. We went right over and she was not home. We kept trying and finally one evening she came home. She had gone to Aussie to edit a book she was working on. The phones were too distracting at home so she left. She did come back for the Auckland MTC dedication and the Prophets visit. She was now home. We were invited to view her massive collection of missionary history and church history in New Zealand. When I walked into the rooms I was overcome with emotion. I could just feel something that touched my heart. Rangi has a passion for the history of the church in this small country. She has archived much of it. When she visits in the states she is often given photos that the missionaries took while they were serving here. I was glad to be able to share a little of what I had with her. Each time we went to visit her she was so gracious. She also shared her singing talent with us. She gave us a CD of her singing. One evening I put the music on the computer and she sang Merle to sleep. Too bad I am not smart enough to set up a listening gadget so you could hear some of the soothing sounds. She sings a lot in Maori- and does some of her own harmonizing and her daughters do some also. I wished that I understood the language. The above picture shows us with Rangi Parker, Vic Parker and a grandson.

When we left Hamiton we decided to take a few days coming home and see some of the North Island. Many people told us to go to Rotorua. So we did. The drive was amazing and Rotorua is a beautiful small city. We went to the Pohutu Cultural Theatre where we enjoyed a traditional program presented by descendants of the Te Arawa Tribe. We both enjoyed the music and activities and learned more about the culture. We also enjoyed traditional Maori delicacies, steam pit hangi, and delicious seafood buffet.

The next day we had many choices of things to do and see. We could have gone to the buried village but because we had seen Pompeii and Herculaneum we didn't go there. The only difference was this was a Maori Village. We could have gone to the Redwood forest but we had been to the Redwood forest in California. We had been told that Oarkei Korako was amazing so we drove to there. It is a geo-thermal area south of Rotorua, on the way to Taupo. We crossed the Waikato River on a ferry then walked around the area. This area has some of the largest silica terraces in the world. It is a lot like Yellowstone only more compact. Also, there are not the wild animals that Yellowstone has. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the "tramping". You can see the steam coming out of the hillside.

The above picture is of Lake Taupo. Lake Taupo is the largest lake in Australasia and roughly the size of Singapore. It is known for its trout fishing. The area has 3 active volcanoes Mount Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro. They ski and snowboard on Mount Ruapehu. This is a very touristy area,and oh so beautiful.
We have heard of the desert road and often wondered how on earth there could be a desert in New Zealand. In the stormy times the desert road is often closed because it gets treacherous. We were driving along on this beautiful road when all of a sudden the green was left behind and you come to something that is sandy and reminds one of Wyoming with the sand and dried growth. It lasts for about 50 km. and the army uses the area for training. You can see the snow-covered volcanic mountain in the background. There were 3 volcanoes around here. What a difference from what we were used to seeing. As we crossed the desert and looked at the mountains there were long white clouds hanging over the mountains. The Maori word for New Zealand is Aotearoa meaning the land of the long white cloud.
We spent the next night in Palmerston North. We were so tired we just had to stop. The next morning we drove on to Porirua and went to Church with the Jensens. They belong to a ward on the Pah where everyone is related. The bishop is just a young man. We met Elder Metikingi's nana and auntie. We also met many other people who are related to many of our friends in the Nelson District. We couldn't get a ferry ride until Tuesday so spent Monday in Porirua. We became the helpers for the Jensen's. I hung out the laundry and let it enjoy the wind and bring it in before the dew fell. We enjoyed lunch with the Jensens and made tea for them when they arrived home in the evening. We could tell it meant a lot. They were almost in tears. We prepared for the next day when we would catch the early ferry to return to the south island. Below you can see the Kaitaki which is the largest Interislander Ferry. Kaitaki means challenger. It was a smooth sailing and this time the windows were clean and we could take pictures.

We were the first car on the ferry as we were when we crossed from South to North. It is interesting that you can see the South Island from the North Island. It was a smooth sail and we visited with many of the passengers.

Here you can see the Marlborough Sounds and if you look closely you can see Picton in the distance. On our trip we saw Mussel Farms and Salmon Farms. At the edges of some of these islands are cottages. Their mail is delivered by boat. Although there are roads most of the residents travel by small boat. It is very beautiful coming through the sounds. We spent a nice afternoon in Picton. We had lunch and enjoyed an ice cream. I even found a maple walnut for Merle. We called Phillip MacDonald, as he had invited us to stay with them. We spent a fun afternoon and evening with Chris and Phillip. Grandma had taught his father on Wairau Pah. That is where the MacDonalds live. We were shown where the school was and things have not changed a lot, except there are grapes where sheep used to graze. The sea is not far away. The school was close to the Wairau River. Across the river is a group of trees where the old hotel used to be. Spring Creek is nearby where Grandpa spent a lot of time proselyting. It was really cool to walk where they once walked.



The bushes are where the school used to stand. The river is just behind me. The beach is just less than a mile downstream. I loved being here.


Here are Chris and Phillip MacDonald, our hosts for the night. We really enjoyed our stay with them in there lovely home. The land around is land that his father owned many years ago. Phillip has worked hard to make it profitable. We hope to be around in their autumn to watch the grape harvest.
This is Lake Rotiti, just off the road at St. Arnaud. We have driven the road many times and never stopped here until now. It was windy. Imagine how pretty the lake will be on a calm day. This lake is part of the Nelson Lakes National Park. I have a picture of Grandma with relatives at this lake.

Here is Elder Hill on the Ab Circle Pro. It is an ab machine which we borrowed for a week. It really gives you a workout. He has borrowed it from a member until he is transferred out of Blenheim. Elder Hill is a real pro at this. He is a little fellow but his abs must be great because he can really move on this machine.


Elder Kavaefiafi, a Tongan elder from Australia, is really great on these pushup things. He doesn't like the Ab Circle Machine. He is really strong. He got transferred this transfer and we will miss him. We took these pictures at flat inspection time.


We journeyed on to Nelson for flat inspection there the next day. This flat was the cleanest it has ever been. It was just amazing. Elder Berryman and Elder Prebble are the Zone Leaders and there will be two more elders moving in here this transfer. We also were able to get LPG gas for their water heater. Then we took the long way home.

On this trip we came home by way of Motueka. This is one picture we took as we were journeying back to Westport. It was nice to see some more beautiful country.


We have seen enormous stumps around New Zealand. Here is one clever use of a huge stump. We saw this and backed up and took the picture.

On October 14th we saw this steam engine coming into Greymouth. The steam is made from diesel instead of coal as in the olden days but it was a fun sight. We were taking Elder Fullmer to the plane as he was going home with honor.

Elder Fullmer and Elder McLean as Elder Fullmer prepares to go home. We sure will miss him but hopefully we will see him in the future.

While we were waiting for the new elder we "hung out" in Hokitika. In the Gold Shop Merle was able to hold this gold nugget. That was cool.


Also, at the entrance to the shops, many owners had placed these clever mats. It was fascinating.
We have a great beginning to spring and we hope it continues. This coming weekend is Labour Weekend and the people here say it is the beginning of summer. Although the Solstice does not come until December.