Memories with the Marvelous Missionaries

We have learned that Monday is a fun day for all the young missionaries in our Mission. They do their studies until 10 a.m. and then they are able to do things that need to be taken care of. One of their most important things to do is email--they save their money so they can go and do emails. Internet access is free at most libraries but they have to book in a time and are limited to 1 hour. So most opt to go to an internet cafe where they have to pay for time. They also use the computer to do photos and update their ipods with good music and talks from conferences. They are very good with what they need to do. Another things that they do is play sports--favorites here in New Zealand are touch rugby and basketball. They also play soccer and grid-iron. As I have watched rugby I am impressed with the athleticism of the players. Some of the missionaries in our zone played rugby before their missions and they have massive leg muscles and are in great shape. They run each morning before they shower and eat and study. They are dedicated young men. One day they met in Westport to do exchanges and play. We have a field just down the street. After playing for a while they walked to the library. They met the gentleman in the photo below. He told them he was a "War Lord". He obliged them by standing with them in a photo taken by Elder Booth.
In the photo are Elder Mataupu, Elder McLean, Elder Berryman, "War Lord", Elder Tamale, and Elder Fullmer. This is on Palmerston Street in Westport. Elder Archibald and I have seen many men with a lot of hair on their faces. The missionaries stand out because we are clean cut and smiling. On days other than P day they have on their white shirts and ties and dress pants. So I guess we do stand out.
This photo is taken in the Nelson flat. It was on a P day. This time the Blenheim Elders were in Nelson to help out with evening appointments. The Nelson Elders had over-booked themselves because 2 were being transferred the following Thursday. In this photo you can see Elder Booth, a friend from Nelson, Elder Mataupu, Elder Hill, Elder Tamale, a friend from Blenheim, and Elder Kavaefiafi. They had just finished a day of sports and we were there to inspect vehicles and the flat. Wow, when they know we are coming they have their flat in ship shape.
In order for the flat to have hot water for the shower the hot water tank uses propane. Every time we go to Nelson we fill the 4 bottles and hope it lasts until the next time we are there. We are hoping to get a large tank put in at the back of the flat so that it is checked regularly and serviced by a professional who checks the tank and tops it up on a regular basis. In order to get to the back of flat we had to clear a pathway and so had to move the 4X4 and boat and small trailer. The elders wondered how this could be done as we had no keys for the boat and ute. Elder Archibald said, "Testosterone, boys!" They laughed but everything was moved safely. Above you can see Elder Berryman, Elder Hill, Elder Archibald (without the tie), Elder McLean, Elder Mataupu, and Elder Fullmer. Elder Archibald is not much of a rebel but has difficulty wearing the tie when it is not necessary. It chokes him. He does wear it when we are at meetings and appointments. We even have an emergency tie in the car.
Last week we were able to do flat inspections. We went back to the Nelson flat for pictures the next morning as Elder Mataupu and Elder Tamale are being transferred. Merle and Elder Mataupu have developed quite a bond and it was a sad day for all. But we are excited to see their growth. Elder Mataupu is going to Wanganui. Then Elder Archibald and Elder Booth and myself. Elder Tamale is going to the "Hutt" and will be close to his little brother--10 minutes away from each other. He hasn't seen his little brother since he came out November, 2008. Elder Tamale is going to be companions with Elder Pitcher from Cardston. Elder Tamale has been in Nelson since January, just after we got here. Elder Mataupu has been in Nelson since the end of February. They are great missionaries. In our mission we have several sets of brothers. Elder Mataupu's older brother in in Queenstown. I am getting to know the names and how to say them. There are lots of islanders and their names have many vowels. You just have to let it flow without really thinking.
We hadn't told a joke, Elder Archibald was just checking the fabric in their shirts. This is in the Blenheim flat. You can see Elder Hill, Elder Archibald, and Elder Kavaefiafi. Their flat was pretty clean except for the mold. We have to go back and help them take care of that little problem. They were hungry when we got their--had a kitchen full of fresh veggie but didn't know what to do with them so Elder Archibald taught them a little. We also went to the Bin Inn and got ingredients for them to make hot cereal and taught them how to do that. At least they can have a healthy breakfast. We had planned to do a little touring after the flat inspection but the rain clouds were moving in so we came home--I even drove most of the 3 hours home.
This photo is taken at Greymouth. What a nice setting for their chapel! On the sign you can see Elder Tamale, Elder Berryman, Elder Fullmer and Elder McLean. It had turned out to be a beautiful day. When we arrived in Greymouth in the morning it was so cold. A wind blows down the Grey River. They call it "The Barber" as its chill can cut you to the bone. But around noon the wind quit and it was a really fine day. The picture below is of Elder Tamale and Elder Berryman. Elder Tamale started his mission in Greymouth many months ago and he loved it there. He was also able to come up to Westport once a month for a week to help with the work here. He probably won't get back here before he goes home and he was loving this last time where he started his mission. I asked him if he saw more of New Zealand on his mission or when he lived at home in Auckland. He said in Auckland they never go south except to go to the temple. He was glad to be able to serve in New Zealand. His mom lives in Auckland and his father lives in Australia. Island people don't really travel much to see the sights. I think the Elders see more of New Zealand than the people who live right here. Most of them make sure they see what there is to see in each of their areas.
We are so blessed to be able to serve here in this beautiful land. We are having rich experiences.

Wonderful Winter Wonderland

We are constantly amazed by the beauty of the winter we are experiencing. The cows are able to eat green grass all through the winter. At least where we are. The last 2 days this week Westport has had the high temperature for all of New Zealand. On this "post" I am going to share some of the beauty that we are experiencing. As is usually the case it is even more beautiful in person. Many people think of New Zealand as one of the south sea islands. It is in the south seas but is not as tropical as many people think it is. Today we were 17+ Celcius. We have had a few frosts but the only snow we have seen is in the mountaintops. Further south there has been heaps of snow. We feel very blessed to be able to serve our mission here in this "Garden of Eden".

This picture was taken a few weeks ago. The pine trees at the bottom of the picture had turned yellow and the last time we were by the needles had fallen off. We'll see if the needles reappear in the spring.
This pretty little bush is almost in full bloom. It is in the bed by our chapel. I have been watching as each week more and more blooms have appeared. The pink blossoms are so delicate. Can you believe this is winter time. Where we live in Westport is as far south from the equator as Glenwood is north of the equator. Wouldn't I love to be able to grow this beautiful bush at home.

They tell me this is a Camilla Tree. They are just starting to bloom here. It is just amazing!
This stand of bamboo is being cut down so that Jim can see his back yard. We were just amazed at how thick the stand grows. We commented to others about this and apparently this is how it grows. They say it is easy to grow--just take a stem and plant it in damp soil. You have to burn the roots out or it will come back even thicker than before.

The picture above is Sue's taro. She lives in Granity and can grow anything that she grew in Samoa. She likes the climate in Granity as she can grow her plants but does not have to put up with the intense heat. Sue has amazing plants in her yard.
There are not a lot of wild, four-legged creatures here. But there are heaps of birds. As many of you know I am not a great fan of birds but there are many beautiful ones here in New Zealand. Above you can see a rare wood pigeon. It is huge and so pretty.
We have seen many beautiful sunsets and here is one we saw this past week. In the distance you can see the Tasman Sea--the shiny bit between the trees. It is so beautiful here as you can see.

Our Adventures at the End of June

A few days after the last post we were able to go to another wonderful Zone Conference. Conference always makes us want to improve.It is wonderful to meet with our Mission President and his wife and the young elders. We learn many things. There are 2 types of people--those who are acted upon and those that act. This time we were told the story of a man who came with the Elsworth Handcart Company. In 1856 he told the people who asked why he would walk to Zion that "I would rather die with my face toward Zion than turn by the wayside." He and his family entered the valley on September 26. His name was John Moyle and he settled in Alpine, Utah. Shortly after they became settled and had a crude home and outbuildings built he was called to work as a stone mason on the Salt Lake City Temple. On Monday he would arise early and walk to the temple site 22 miles away from his home. He did this for 20 years. He would come home on the weekends and do what he needed to do around home. One day their old cow, Old Lindy, kicked him while she was being milked. He had a compound fracture below the knee. They tried to save the leg but could not so they had to amputate. As he was healing he carved a wooden artificial leg and worked so it fit him. He learned to walk with it and after healing for a few months he packed to go back to work. When his wife questioned what he was doing he told her that he hadn't been released and so he was going back to work. In 1885 he limped the 22 miles to the temple. He died in 1889 before he could see the temple dedicated. He was the man who carved "Holiness to the Lord" at the Salt Lake City Temple. He was truly a man who chiseled away his challenges. As we were watching the DVD I wondered if I would even start to walk from Alpine to the Salt Lake City Temple. John Moyle was truly a man who acted and I had a great desire to become more like him.
We also learned from our President that there are levels of studying the scriptures. First you read for the story, then for the doctrine and finally as you read you receive personal revelations. You begin to ponder over what you read and keep a study journal. As you ponder over what you have read your eyes of understanding are opened. I want to reach the final level. At times I am there, when it is something that I have read over and over. As you can tell it was a great Zone Conference.


Above you can see us eating at Zone Conference. You can see Elder Berryman, Sister Jolliffe, Elder Booth, Elder Kavaefiafi, Elder Fullmer, Elder McLean(New from Melbourne, Australia), Elder Tamale, President Jolliffe, Elder Hill (New from Alabama). The Relief Society in Nelson always fix us such great meals and then we are off for our home areas. This time coming home Elder Fullmer was so sick that the elders stayed with us that night and went to Greymouth the next day.

Later in the week we returned to Nelson to help the Elders move out of their Cherry Avenue flat to the one we had found for them in Tahunanui. We went to make sure the flat was clean and to get the property manager to clear it. The elders had done a really superb job of cleaning. Above you can see the trailer load of junk they were taking to the dump. The stuff, for the most part, had been moved from flat to flat and really is never used. They are tying the load down with climbing ropes. You can see Elder Booth, Elder Berryman, Elder Archibald, Elder Mataupu, and Elder Tamale. It cost $29 NZ dollars to get rid of it. Money well spent.

Here is the new flat from the outside. The man who owns the boat and 4X4 told Elder Archibald he would take him out fishing in the boat--20 miles out where the big fish are. That should be exciting. Last night we asked the elders how there new flat is and they really like it. They can keep warm and it has an "American" shower--one with lots of water pressure. They like being able to come home on the flat, not up a steep hill. It has more room, especially handy when they have guests come at interview time and Zone Conference.
After we had finished helping them get settled we drove to Blenheim to do a car repair. One of the previous elders had hit a possum and done some damage to the bumper. The bumper kept falling off. They had taken it to the Toyota dealership and they had glued it in place but with how the elders drive it kept coming loose and part would rub on the tire. Because they will have to replace the whole bumper when they get ready to take the car to the auction, Elder Archibald got permission to "farmer fix" the bumper. It works--he screwed the bumper from the outside to some piece inside--looks like the farm. The elders were laughing at how it looks but sure appreciate that it does not drag or come loose anymore. Thank you dear, for all you skills. They sure come in handy. Wish I had a picture of the fix.

I am putting some pictures of the blooms that we are having right now. You need to remember that we are in winter right now. It is like end of December here, as we are opposite of home. I am not sure what they are called but they are so pretty.
This was taken just outside the chapel. I was waiting for "President Archibald" to finish his tasks with his Branch job. Notice the bee--was sure glad it did not sting me. I am noticing other plants starting to bloom and will include pictures when they come out. To me it is so interesting as at home all the flowers are dead in the winter. But days are getting longer now--we've passed the shortest day of the southern hemisphere.

Our weather at the present time is sometimes rainy with snow in the mountains. After a few days of heavy rain it clears and you can see snow on the mountain tops. We have had a few days of frost, but now in a row. In the early morning and evening you can smell the coal that people are burning to keep warm. We have a heat pump that works well and we are able to stay warm. When we turn it off to go out we come home to a cold house. We have an electric blanket that I turn on about 1 hour before we go to bed, which warms the sheets. We turn it off when we jump in bed after a long day. Electric blankets here are very different from home. They go over the top of the mattress and under the mattress pad, sheets and blankets. When I was explaining to the sisters at Relief Society about electric blankets at home they thought it so strange. So far we are keeping warm and when the elders stay in our small flat we have a heater for that room and they stay warm. We don't have beds for them just 2 mattresses they throw on the floor and make up. The other day we got some bookcases to put together so we could arrange all our mission supplies and get that out of the spare room. It works quite well. We have been told that about every other week the elders from Greymouth will be able to come up and help us with finding and teaching so we can grow our branch. We need youth here or before long the branch will die because everyone has passed away. All but 4 active members plus the boys, are older than Elder Archibald.

Last week I stepped out of our flat and saw a rainbow just across the street. I thought it so nice to see a rainbow in the winter. After I took this picture, I have seen many rainbows. That is the nice thing about the rain. It rained for about 7 days in a row. And then we had 5 fine days. I have been told that it can rain from May until October and never see the sunshine. Thankfully, that hasn't happened so far.

Above you can see a picture of one of our dear members who passed away on June 21. Her name is Ani Pirimona. She was 73. She was given 6 months to live 20 years ago. She was quite a goer. In the 60s and 70s she was quite the activist. She had quite the personality and we enjoyed our visits with her. She could convince anyone that they needed something if she also needed it. We were able to go to the Marae to meet with the family the day before her funeral. It was quite like a wake at home. After the person dies, people stay with the body until it is buried. When we went to the house to see the family, her coffin was between mattresses and family (Whanau) stayed with her. The following day her funeral was held. It was a Maori funeral, but not typical from what we have learned. It was quite informal and people stood up and told about their experiences with Ani. Then quite often they would sing a song. Most of the family is inactive but after one person told of her experiences with Ani the crowd sang "I Am A Child Of God." It was so beautiful. After the funeral some young boys from the school went out and did a Maori Haka to say farewell and have a safe trip upward. It was a wonderful experience.

The following day the Nelson Zone Leaders were doing exchanges with the Greymouth Elders. After a great District Meeting we fed the Elders. We cooked our first roast beef dinner since being here in New Zealand. It was great. This day we also had mashed potatoes, gravy, carrots, corn, salad with Ranch Dressing from the mix from the States. For dessert we had ice cream and brownies. You can see Elder Berryman, Elder Archibald, Elder Fullmer, Elder McLean, Elder Tamale. Because of the way exchanges went, the 2 drivers went to Nelson. Elder McLean and Elder Tamale stayed Thursday and did some work in Westport. They visited less actives and taught a lesson. We have some names and addresses that we need to contact this week. They stayed in the spare room. The next morning for companionship study we watched a wonderful DVD on Matthew Cowley. Then we took them back to Greymouth to work there.
Yesterday the elders were exchanging back. Because it was P day, they brought the 4 elders from Nelson and we went down and picked up the Greymouth Elders. They played rugby at the field down the road from us. They enjoyed that, especially the Greymouth Elders because they had new people to hang out with. They were able to walk to the library in the afternoon to do emails. We fed them Taco Salad for lunch and pancakes and eggs for tea. It was a great and productive day. Here you can see Elder Berryman, Elder McLean, Elder Archibald, Elder Tamale, Elder Fullmer, Elder Mautaupu, and Elder Booth. They all left about dark to go to their areas of dwelling. It was a great day for us to associate with them.
I think that this is a darling picture that Merle found by accident. He typed in Ira Hayes on google,. and found the site with great music and beautiful pictures. We never know how powerful prayer can be. We pray for our family and friends where ever you are.

End of Another Transfer--Happy and Sad!

We can tell that each day is getting shorter as it gets dark by 5;30 p.m. It also does not get light until around 7:30 a.m. We have also discovered that it is the north of our flat that gets the sun. We are having a hard time getting our directions straight, that is especially difficult for Elder Archibald. He always used to give directions by north, south, east and west. Sometimes it seems that down at this part of the world the sun rises in the west and sets in the east.
A couple of weeks ago it was time for us to make the rounds and do flat inspections again before the end of this transfer. We picked a nice day to start. We had had some snow falls in the mountains around us and the above picture shows heaps of sheep in a paddock with snow in the mountains behind. This is on the way to Blenheim through St. Arnaud. Rainbow Ski Area is just beyond here. As you can see, the hills are green. Last time when we drove this road the hills were brown like a desert, but we have had rain over the mountains on the east side and it is greening up. It is very beautiful.
In the above picture you can see two of our very fine elders. Elder Hudson left Blenheim this transfer. He was excited to go as he had been in Blenheim since before Christmas. We had grown quite attached to him. He is a great elder. He has gone to the north island as a Zone Leader. His companion is Elder Kavaefiafi, a Tongan from Sydney, Australia. He too is a fine elder who has been out since the January intake. He came out with Elder Palsky, who is Tamara's son.(That information is for all the McMurray relatives following this blog.) We look forward to meeting the new elder in Blenheim. This picture was taken after we had done flat inspection. It was the P day and they were ready to go do emails and some activity. After we had done flat and vehicle inspection in Blenheim we journeyed to Nelson to do the same. Their flat also was great. That evening in Nelson, we were able to meet with a gentleman who had heard our call for help in finding a suitable flat in Nelson for the Elders. He is a member who lives in Temple View, on the North Island. He owns 2 properties in Nelson and one was just perfect for the Elders. Brother Tahere is a returned missionary. He said he knew how elders lived and was glad we did inspections, although he said it does not always look that nice. He said, "They are busy young men with something more important to do that clean." We laughed and said we agreed but there needed to be order sometimes. We were able to get the ball rolling to secure it for the Elders. It will be able to keep them warm during the winter months and it is centrally located so both sets of Elders in the Nelson area will not have far to go to their area. We considered that a great answer to our prayers as we have been hunting for several months for a warm flat in the Nelson area. The elders can start moving this next week.

Later in the week we journeyed to Greymouth for District Meeting and their flat and transportation inspection. We were so impressed by the elders this time round as each of their flats were very well cleaned. Above you can see the beautiful day we had in Greymouth. You can see Elder Archibald, Elder Fullmer, and Elder Sacco. It is always nice to have a sunny day in late autumn/winter.
Trevor Yeatman is one of our friends and investigators. He lives in Granity with his wife Sue. He is standing by his Powertiki. It is a device that they use for fishing. It has a timer and line and you can aim it out into the body of water and it goes out however long you have set the timer for. 35 minutes goes out about 2 kilometers. There are hooks along the line. After a while you bring the line in and you may or may not have fish on the line. I am not positive how it works but the people who have them think they are marvelous. This couple are retired farmers from the Christchurch area. We got in the door through the farmer connection. We have really enjoyed getting to know them and sharing the gospel with them. They have become good friends.

A week ago we had an Apple Festival at the meeting house. Each dish needed to have apple as an ingredient. We had deviled sausages with apples; sausage patties with apples; I made an omlette; salad with apples, avocado, corn, peas, and light dressing; apple cake; apple pan dowdy; and apple cobbler. It was quite good. Two of the ladies had gone to district conference a day early and picked apples to share with the branch. It was a very nice day to share with friends. In the above picture you can see Maraea, Thea with her back to us, Joy Anderson, and Jonny and Beverly VandenBosch.

This transfer was a little sad because we also had to say goodbye to Elder Sacco. He has been in Greymouth for 2 transfers but he got word on Monday that he would be going to the Dunedin area. He had really grown to love the people in Greymouth and liked the ruralness that is in our district. You can see him above in his new suit that he picked up at the Oppy Shop for $4.00. I had madly hemmed the pants so they would be ready to go. You can also see him with Elder Fullmer. As we waited for his flight to come I overheard the elders talking and saying that one thing a mission prepares you for is a divorce--you just get to love the people and the work and your companion and you are sent away. I told them--no it just shows you how you have to adapt and learn to love and work hard. In a marriage you are sealed together and the experiences of a mission teach them how to work with differences and learn to love each other through good times and bad. I also told them to remember how much it hurts to leave those you love and when they are married they must work hard so that the marriage stays good and there is no divorce.

We had about 6 hours before the new missionary came in so we went to Lake Kaniere. It was not far from Hokitika. We took a leisurely drive around the lake. It was a misty day and we saw heaps of rainbows. Along the drive we came to this beautiful waterfall. It is called Dorothy Falls. This picture is taken from the bridge. Then we walked along the short footpath to the base of the falls. The pool underneath was golden in color. Then we continued our drive around the lake and then into the open grassland. It was spectacular. Because it was a cloudy day we were not able to see the Southern Alps. They are covered with snow now and on a fine day they are supposed to be magnificent. I am sure one day will be fine to see them.
Yesterday we were getting water at the Church because Westport water is not good to drink. As I was bringing some water out to the trunk I saw a couple taking a picture of the Chapel. So of course I visited with them It turns out that they are a couple returning from a mission in Perth, Australia. As a young elder, 47 years ago he was in New Zealand on a mission. He was able to open up Westport. He had served in Nelson a lot and in New Plymouth. They were doing a 2 week tour of New Zealand on their way home by the 23rd or 24th of June. We visited with them. He had played basketball with the mission team in the 60s and the mission team had defeated Team New Zealand as they prepared for the Olympics. They had only 6 missionaries that toured the area. They had interesting stories and we had a great visit with them. They were leaving to eat and we invited them over for a meal. They were able to use our internet and make some connections and then were on their way. They were Elder and Sister Miller from Sandy, Utah. It was sure nice to visit with another missionary couple.
Today we had 19 people in our congregation. It was sure nice to see the chapel getting fuller. We will keep working and doing out best. We want our family and friends to know how much we love and appreciate them and all they do for us. We love you.

District Conference in Nelson

We have had a busy time lately. Last Friday the young elders stayed at our flat so that we could take them up to district conference on the weekend. We took them to help us do missionary work. We went out to a couple in Granity. She is a member who has not been active for many years and her husband is not a member but they have been very receptive to our visits. We had the elders teach them the first lesson, The Restoration. It was well received. We left a Book of Mormon with the husband as she has her father's in Samoan. We had a great visit. When we got home, we got new material and went over to Bob's place. He wants to learn right from the start. We taught him the first 2 lessons. He was really receptive, as was his son. We had a successful evening of teaching. Bob has had lots of experiences, we just need him to get on the right track and endure to the end. We came home and had a bowl of hot soup and buns. We had an early night as we were getting up good time to leave for Nelson on Saturday morning.
When we got to Nelson, the Relief Society sisters had prepared a light lunch for those who had traveled a fair distance. Blenheim had traveled an hour and a half, we had traveled two and a half hours and Greymouth had traveled three and a half or four hours. The lunch was lovely--hot soup and Maori bread and a savory roll. The missionaries visited and fellow-shipped the young and the priesthood leadership from the district had a meeting. Everyone loves the young missionaries. After the men had their meeting there was a great Relief Society Meeting on Visiting Teaching, which is a lot like missionary work. Then at 4:00 p.m. there was a general meeting for all the members. Our district filled only the chapel. The first speaker was a Tongan. He spoke only in Tongan, which many understood but we did not. But you could feel the spirit of his talk. He was dressed in traditional Tongan. He is working in Nelson at the present time. It was a great meeting. After the meeting there was tea for all the district members. It was a feast, as we have witnessed at all the gatherings we have been at. Robyn had organized it and it was very good. Then we went home with Sarah Venable. Her husband had gone with the youth for an activity. They were going go-carting. I spoke with some of the Greymouth youth the next day and they had a fabulous time.
Above, you can see Ashley Venable, Sarah Venable, and Joshua Venable. They were our hosts for the evening. What a lovely family! They live in a modern home with insulation, double glazed windows and central heating. We had a great visit and enjoyed getting to know this charming family. Ashley is 11 and Joshua is 8. Ashley is so excited to be going into Young Women's in August. That means that when our district goes to the temple in September she can do baptisms. They are going to drive up as a family. We are probably going to fly as it is a 2 or 3 day trip, depending on the hours you drive. That includes a 3 hour ferry ride.
Ashley and Joshua are very bright and polite children. It was a delight to get to know them. The husband, Rob, is the Branch President, in Nelson. He had early meetings. When we were visiting, he asked if we knew Darren Cahoon from Cardston. They had been missionary companions years ago and to my delight I had contacts where I could get the email of Darren and reconnect the two of them.
On Sunday all of New Zealand had conference via satellite from Salt Lake City. Above you can see some of the Tongan men dressed in their traditional dress for Sunday meetings. Elder David S. Baxter conducted the meeting and spoke first. He spoke about the need for unity among the saints. He said we need to be tolerant of diversity. We need our hearts knit together in love. He spoke of 4 qualification:

1. We need to remember whose church this is. It is the Lord's church and we need to come into conformity with the Lord's will.
2. We need to strive to be one. He talked about the Saviors heartfelt desire for all of His disciples to be one.
3. We need to avoid cultural traps. We should be equally yoked, avoid pride, and become like Him. Ask ourselves "What would Jesus have me do and DO IT!
4. We need to be defined by discipleship.

Sister Sylvia Allred spoke next. She spoke of the importance of families. We need to love and care for each other. We need to have a desire to obey with exactness. Elder Richard G. Scott spoke next and it was powerful. He wanted the residents of New Zealand to reflect on what they do to be blessed to live in this beautiful land. He taught that in order to reach a goal never before attained we must do extraordinary effort to accomplish it. He also taught that Satan has no power to force a determined righteous individual as the Lord will protect him. We need to exercise faith in the Savior and do not fear. He also taught that if we have traditions that bring us closer to Jesus Christ we should treasure them; if the tradition distracts from Jesus Christ we need to put it aside. President Boyd K. Packer, who was presiding at the meeting spoke last. He talked about the need to follow impressions of the Holy Ghost. In conclusion he conferred a blessing on the members in New Zealand. He blessed the children that they would be guarded and watched over by angels. He left a blessing on all the homes of New Zealand that if we live the gospel angels will be there to protect us. It was a powerful meeting. Only way it could have been better would be if those people were physically there.

After conference, there was another lovely luncheon. This time it was provided by the members of the Nelson branch. It was like pot luck. Here they call it bring a plate. When I first heard that I thought that you were to bring a plate to eat, but now I know you have to have something on the plate. Above you can see some of the people after the meal. They hang around as if they don't want to return home as it will be a while before we see each other again.
These boys are mainly from Greymouth. They love their pictures taken. I started with one and soon had a group. It was a great occasion.
On Monday we looked for flats for the Nelson Elders. Their flat as no heat, except the small electric heater, and a very poor shower. It only does cool water. If you turn it to hot it just drips out. Above you can see them having a picnic on the living room floor. From left to right you can see Elder Booth, Elder Mataupu, Elder Fullmer, Elder Berryman, Elder Sacco, and Elder Tamale. They are eating mussels, boiled chicken, boiled lamb, fried steak, fish, and chips. They also had apples supplied by the members. We shared some of their food also.
This flat also has limited lighting. We discovered the next day that one breaker was shot and replaced the breaker and the whole flat now had light after we replaced 10 light bulbs.
The next morning the elders had interviews and we stayed at the flat to meet the property manager. She was impressed with how nice the elders kept their flat; but appalled at the conditions they were living in. As we were replacing light bulbs the one in the toilet blew the main breaker so the flat had almost no power. We were able to get that fixed after visiting with the property manager.

1. 

It was a drizzly day as we returned home to Westport. The mist in the air is kind of pretty as you can see from the above picture. We had beautiful sunny weather on Wednesday. We made lots of visits that day. I love sunny days. On Thursday is rained and blew all day. We aren't getting flooded here on the West Coast like it is on the east coast but the wind is cold. The residents told us that there would probably be snow on the mountains that we can see from our flat. And sure enough, when the clouds cleared there was snow on the tops of the mountains. I guess winter is coming whether I like it or not. We just have to wear lots of layers and stay warm and enjoy the journey.

Nature--It's Power and It's Beauty and Other Things!

Last Thursday, in the wee hours of the morning we were awakened with a loud bang. We leaped out of bed to see what was going on. A loud and ferocious wind had started. It had been blowing when we went to bed, but not like this. We looked out the window in the dark to make sure the car had not hit the fence. We were afraid that the roof of our flat was about to blow off. Then the fire alarm rang, and we found out later that someone's roof had blown off. There were sparks like lightening from trees hitting electric lines. I was afraid. Finally the wind calmed a bit and we were able to get back to sleep. Then at 8 a.m. or so another wind hit and more alarms rang. We found out later that spring tides had washed away some of a local park where campers and motor homes were. A woman was down at the tip watching the waves and saw this huge "King Wave" and she knew there would be trouble and she called "111". The waves came in and washed a good size motor home on its side and the next wave righted it again. The fire chief was there and saw the wave coming and thought "I'll hide behind this motor home for safety." The wave washed him into the flax bunches. It just shows you the power of Mother Nature. This was just spring tides. What would be a Tsunami be like? I am not sure why they call them spring tides as it is definitely Autumn here. On our trip to Greymouth this day the sea was wild and in some places the splashes from the waves were hitting the roads. Heaps of damage was done from the wind and the waves. One driveway out at Carter's Beach lost 20 Blue Gum trees and the paddocks had trees uprooted. Trampolines were on roof tops. It was just incredible.

On Saturday morning we went out of Westport a bit and came to a former Scout Lodge. Since there are no scouts in the area at the present time it has been donated to a group called "Island Creek" Association. They maintain the property and let it out for camper groups and do catering campstyle for various groups. The leader of the group is Frank O'Connell. He is the husband to one of our less active sisters. The first time we went to visit them he said "My wife belongs to your true church and I belong to the other true church." He is quite a character and we have visited lots with him He loves LDS DVDs. He has seen more than me. His favorite ones are "The Best Two Years" and "The Other Side of Heaven". He has a complete set of "The Work and The Glory" and has read the set several times. But we can't get him to read "The Book of Mormon". Now to why we were out at "Island Creek Camp Lodge". The group was splitting felled trees for firewood to sell to the community. We had quite a group here for a service. The weather was just lovely. You can see the pile of rounds they were splitting. They said that they did 5 cords of wood in about 3 hours. Elder Archibald worked outside with the log splitter and I worked in the lodge preparing lunch for the group with another branch member, Thea Williams. We did soup, sandwiches and savories. I made a type of sandwich that is quite popular here in New Zealand. They call it cream cheese and onions. You have grated cheese and to that you add a bit of boiling water to kind of melt the cheese. Stir it and add more water until it is just right. Then add a bit of chopped onion. Then you put this mixture on bread and they just gobble it right down. I have never made so many sandwiches in my life. 4 loaves of sandwich bread and 4 dozen buns. We also did egg, and ham, and luncheon(looked like bologna) and tomato and then some with all the mixtures on one sandwich. After the group had worked for about 2 and 1/2 hours it was time for a break and lunch and then it was back to work. It was nice to be of service in the community.
While we were still in our working clothes we journeyed out to Iain's place. He is an inactive member who has a small farm as well as working at Solid Energy on the hill. He lives in a bus with no power or running water. He seems quite happy. He has pigs, chooks, 1 sheep, 20 or so Beefies (beef cattle), and 2 dogs. Above you can see one of his beautiful roosters. We had a great visit and as we were leaving we asked if he would be at meetings on Sunday. He said, "That depends on whether I am invited." We extended an invitation and told him that he was always invited. The next day he was there much to his mother's delight. In fact she was surprised because when he came to town for his morning shower she said he was grouchy. It was so nice to have him there. We love him.
Above, you can see Elder Kaufusi packed and ready to go home. He left Hokitika on Monday morning. We drove him to the airport. President Kinikini came over to their flat to say goodbye, but he will see him again as he goes back to Tonga quite a bit and the villages are not far apart. They aren't really villages, rather small cities. We had been teasing him that we were keeping him here in New Zealand for a while longer so he could help us out. He had mixed emotions this day. He was so excited to see his family but he loved the members he worked with on his mission, especially in Greymouth. His bag was a bit heavy and he did some repacking at the airport. They are only allowed one bag that can be 20 kg. to fly to Tonga. His was 25 kg. He didn't seem worried because he has cousins that work at the airport in Auckland that they would get it on for him. He only had clothes in that huge bag. But there were lots of levis for his cousins in Tonga. I guess they are really expensive there. We never heard back so we are assuming he made it home okay. We told him to think of us during his eternal summer while we were going into winter. He assured us it was going to get colder as we are only in Autumn yet. So far we are warm with the heat pump and our one blanket. We discovered an electric mattress cover that works to take the chill off of the sheets when it is really cold. We will let you know "how cold does it get."
In the above picture you can see Elder Sacco, Elder Fullmer, and Elder Kaufusi. This is at the airport just before Elder Kaufusi was leaving. It turns out that we are distantly related to Elder Fullmer.
Here we are with Elder Kaufusi. We hope to be able to see him in Tonga on our way home. Depends on whether we can work out travel. We will probably never get back to this end of the world. As Elder Kaufusi boarded the plane the pilot shook his had and said "Well done." It was touching to me. We don't have a picture of it but we do have it on video.
After the airplane had gone we went into Hokitika for lunch and then took the Elders out to Hokitika Gorge. Neither had ever seen it and was pretty even on a cloudy day. We walked down the trail, across the swing bridge, and around the trail some more to get to the prettiest part. Here Elder Sacco is inspecting the water. Elder Fullmer did also, and they each got some great shots of them and the water. It was a great day for them and us. As we were driving out we could see snow in the tops of the Southern Alps. Winter is coming. But it is still so beautiful.
On Tuesday we went north, we think. We tried to see many less active on our day. At the end of the road was Oparara Basin. We did about a 1 km. hike into this large limestone arch. It is the hugest one in New Zealand. It is 200 m. in length, 49 m. in width, and 37 m. in height. It had bush growing all around. Merle hiked a bit more along the trail and it came out into daylight on the other side. The water flowing through was a rich brown color. There was gold in the river at one time and probably still is.
We hiked through this amazing rainforest to get to the arch. At times you had to cross foot bridges. You could see and hear babbling brooks. The rocks were covered with moss and there were fungi growing all around. According to a natural history photographer, autumn is the time for fungi and the West Coast has an abundant supply growing in the forests. We saw them and they were beautiful in color. We will have to pay more attention when we hike in the bush. I am not sure how much more hiking we will do as Merle's hip has been bothering him since this day. After we had seen this beautiful basin we were once again on the road and finally we found someone home. We had a great visit with her. This lady lives all alone, through a trail and on a mountain side. She says she is never alone though. She has only a radio and books and a phone. Her stove is broken right now and we worry about her keeping warm but she says "No problem." Coming back we tried to do a few more visits but no one was home.

Wednesday the elders were doing exchanges and so the District Meeting was here in Westport. After the meeting we fed them because they have long trips back to where their area is. In the picture you can see Elder Tamale, Elder Fullmer, Myself, Elder Archibald, Elder Sacco, and Elder Berryman. Elder Tamale is Tongan from Auckland, Elder Fullmer and Elder Sacco are both from Utah and Elder Berryman is Maori from at the present time Mesa, Arizona, but he has spent lots of his life here in New Zealand and is related to the McDonals. As you can see, it was a beautiful day this day also.
Here you can see Elder Tamale, Elder Fullmer, Elder Sacco, and Elder Berryman. Elder Tamale and Elder Berryman are the Zone Leaders for our Nelson Zone. I dispense ginger capsules frequently as many of the Elders get car sick on our winding roads. Ginger works really well and does not make you drowsy. We had a great District Meeting. You should hear the singing. It sends chills down your spine. We are healthy and happy and busy. We are always either doing missionary work or branch work. We look forward to this weekend going to District Conference in Nelson, about 2 1/2 hours away.

Mother's Day In New Zealand

Today was Mother's Day in New Zealand. It was a beautiful sunny day, the likes we have not seen for quite a few day. As it was the second Sunday of the month, I was the speaker. As many of you know, this is a difficult day for me but I made it through. Today I spoke of the prophet's mothers from Joseph Smith to our current prophet, Thomas S. Monson. I had enjoyed doing the research and I think that the congregation, although small, appreciated the knowledge and the importance of mothers in all our lives. The priesthood surprised us after meeting with a meal that they had mostly prepared themselves. In the above picture you can see Bonnie, Thea, Reg, Levi, myself, Lyn and Joy. It was greatly appreciated.
In the above photo you can see Matah and her new baby brother Toutouwai. His name means Black Robin in Maori. These are the two darling children of a couple we met on the street. They used to live in Christchurch but moved to Westport in January. They know and love Elder Hudson, who at the present time is in Blenheim. When he goes home next year they want to send him money to come back to see them. I was blessed to hold the little guy for all the while we were visiting with the family. I have missed holding babies. The next day after visiting with this family I became so sick for 4 days. I had the flu and a bad cold. It really knocked me for a loop.
I would like to share the story of the Black Robin. It is an amazing story of survival.

Long ago, hundreds of Black robins (toutouwai) lived on the Chatham Islands. They sang in the forest and ate grubs, weta and worms on the forest floor. Then people came. They burnt the forest to make farmland.

Cats caught the robins and rats ate their eggs and chicks. Soon all the robins on the main Chatham Island were gone. Just a few survived on Little Mangere Island.

Little Mangere Island is tiny. Its cliffs are 200 metres tall, keeping it safe from rats, cats and people. But it was so small and wind-swept that the forest was dying. The robins’ tiny wings were not strong enough for them to fly away to find another home.

This is the story of how the back robin made a comeback!

Now there are about 200 Black robins singing in the forests of Mangere and South East Islands.

* The main population of black robins now lives on South East Island, which has more homes and food for the birds because it is much larger and has more forest area than Mangere Island.

* The total of 200 black robins was from both islands. It's not possible to get an exact count because many of the younger birds do not have coloured leg bands.

* There are no rats, cats or possums on Mangere or South east Island.

* All the black robins alive are descended from just one pair, Old Blue and Old Yellow. Old Blue lived to be 14 years old. She was the female.

What a marvellous story of conservation and survival! The fostering programme used to save the black robin was so successful that it has been copied to save endangered birds around the world – how lucky New Zealand is to have such wonderful conservation officers and volunteers!

I had wondered why anyone would name their child Toutouwai but after reading about the Black Robins I know why. I thought you would enjoy the story too.

Every day when I look out our window I see these birds. I am reminded of the Windex commercial at home where the crows are talking and the guy hits the window. I can just hear these birds mocking us.
We were in Nelson this week for Zone Conference. The above picture is of Elder Booth, a new elder, and Elder Mataupu leaving their flat for an appointment. Every time they leave their flat they get a work out. It is so steep leaving the Cherry Avenue flat. The flat is up in the hills of Nelson. When we call the elders in the evening we can hear them puffing as they ride their bikes home.in the dark and cold.
Above you can see a praying mantis. I am fascinated with the bugs that are all over New Zealand. I am learning to take better pictures of what I see and I wish I could share all the pictures with you. Elder Hudson helped me with this picture.
Here is our new Nelson Zone. Front row, myself, Elder Archibald, President Jolliffe, Sister Jolliffe. Back row: Elder Tamale, Elder Fullmer, Elder Kaufusi, Elder Booth(in the back), Elder Sacco, Elder Berryman, Elder Hudson, Elder Mataupu, and Elder Kavaefiafi. We have an awesome Zone and had a wonderful conference. We were taught about the importance of Integrity in everything we say and do. It is not always easy to be full of integrity. Elder Worthlin said that he knew of no higher praise than any many could receive than that he had integrity. It is the light that shines from a disciplined conscience.
We have had a slow couple of weeks as far as working with inactive and non-member people as I have not been well but we have been busy when we were healthy. Yesterday we travelled to Greymouth for tea with the Kinikini's. Sister Kinikini's mother was returning home today to Tonga. Her visa was running out. She lives in the same village as Elder Kaufusi who returns home with honor on May 18th. We will truly miss him. He has been here ever since we got here and we have really gotten to know and love him. We truly love what we are doing, although days like today we do miss our family but we are blessed here in New Zealand.