Our LAST trip to the Northlands

Of all the traveling we have done throughout New Zealand, the region we have loved the best in the Northlands.  We serve as Area Family History Advisers for Whangarei an Kaikohe Stakes, so we have had quite a few trips up that way for various trainings.   We've made some good friends and enjoyed the beauty of the area.   This week we had one last trip to make.   On our way up we stopped at Parry Kauri Park in Warkworth, a place we have been to many times.   Usually we just make it a quick pit stop and admire the two giant kauri trees that are very near the carpark to the museum.   This time, however, we took time to walk through the surrounding trail to appreciate the beauty of the place.

Hugging a kauri tree goodbye.  I will miss these mighty sentinels of the forest 

Rather than stay right in Whangarei, this time we opted to rent a homeaway bach a little further up so we could visit the beach at Matapouri on the Tutukaka Coast.  It wasn't very far out of our way and it let us appreciate more New Zealand Northland beauty.

Being in close proximity to the ocean is one of the things we will miss most of all.   We have truly learned to love being near the sea.

Tuesday evening we had dinner with our dear friends,  Bruce and Doreen Savill and Rosemary Waters.  These dear people will always hold a very special place in our hearts.  From our very first visit we just hit it off so we have always made a point to go see them whenever we are in the area.

 Rosemary is from Ireland and Bruce & Doreen are native Kiwis.  We've shared much laughter, some fine meals, music, and a friendship we will never forget.

The following afternoon we met with Brother Murray, the new High Council Adviser over temple work and family history for Whangarei Stake:  He's a great guy and we know he will do a fine job in his new responsibilities.

Then that evening we met with the Stake Presidency and high council in Whangarei one last time.  We talked about the Family History Workshops and discussed ways to engage people in the wards and branches in an ongoing way.  

President Poutu talked with us about the closeness of the Maori people to their ancestors and his desire to find ways to learn more about his histories of the people in the area.

The next day we had hoped to see a bit more of the area for our final farewell to the area, but it was pouring rain.  So we just packed up and hit the road.

On our way back we stopped at the FHC in Whangarei and had a great visit there with Sister Reti and Janice Gardner who staff the place and several others who had come in to work on their own family history.

We showed them how to use partner websites and talked about key skills such as standardizing data and merging duplicates in FamilySearch.  We listened to their concerns and heard about the good things that are happening there.   They were a delightful group.

Finally with that visit done we were ready to hit the road, back to Auckland.  The rain continued to pour all the way home. It felt like the sky was mourning with us as we said our goodbyes. My heart was heavy to leave the place I love so much. I felt humbled and grateful for all the many wonderful experiences we had in there over the past two years.  I was sad to acknowledge that I would most likely never see the place or the people again.  We have had so many blessings on this mission, it is hard to see this time coming to an end.

Another Busy Weekend

We had a lot going on this weekend.  No P-Day for us!

On Saturday we spent the morning with Redoubt Stake helping out with their Family History Day.  They had set up several different workshops.   Larry taught the class on attaching photos and stories.  I taught how to use partner websites like Ancestry.Com to find records not available in FamilySearch.  We also brought a bunch of laptops for the Family History beginners class to use.  The stake leaders had done a lot of pre-planning and put a lot of effort into this as it is leading up to their stake conference.  We were grateful to get to be part of it.

Once we were done with that event we packed everything up and then headed over to Panmure Stake for a Family History event over there.. We were doing this with Art & Heather Schwencke who took us to lunch on the  way.  They are great folks!                                                                                                    At the Panmure event Youth and YSA took part in several different workshops.  Larry helped with the indexing group and I showed people how to retrieve lost usernames and re-set passwords.  The group also went out to a nearby cemetery to photograph headstones.  The energy of the young people was awesome!

When that was done we once again packed up all the stuff - computers, banners and signs, etc and then took all that back to the office.  By the time we got home we were pooped!  We made an easy supper of grilled ham and cheese sandwiches and called it a night.

I did stay up for a while reading lots of background information on the life of Howard W. Hunter for the lesson I would be teaching in Relief Society the next day.

Sunday we had our usual meetings in Auckland Ward and then that evening had dinner with the Streeters followed by a Come and See Fireside.

When we got home from that we started making plans for our upcoming trip to Whangarei this next week where we will be training a new High Council Advisor & Family History Center Director and having our final visit with our dear friends there.  So we have had a lot going on.

The days seem to be zipping past us faster and faster as we wind down our final time here in the mission.  (We are now down to  just 43 days till be return to the USA.)   I hope I never forget these people or this amazing place.

This mission experience has shaped my spirit in so many ways.  As eager as I am to see my family and be back in our home ward, leaving this will not be easy.   I have loved this mission more than I can say.

Blessings from the Storms of Life

Tonight we went to the Come and See Fireside held in Otara Stake.  The music and the testimonies born were very powerful.  What I will remember most, however, is reconnecting with Sister Kilgrow.

We met Sister Kilgrow in early November of last year.  She had broken her ankle ice skating on a p-day activity. She was unable to put any pressure on it at all, so there was no way for her to do her usual mission responsibilities.  During her lengthy recovery she spent her days in the mission office helping with various paperwork and in the evenings the senior missionaries took turns having her in their homes to keep her well cared for while her companion was out with others doing proselyting work.  When we had her over to our place we had a nice meal of corned beef and cabbage, then afterward we showed her how to sign on to FamilySearch.  We taught her the basics of building a family tree and how to add photos.  That was the only time we saw her.  Once she got back on her feet she was working in a completely different area than us.

That night, however, had a big impact on Sister Kilgrow.

When she spotted us after the fireside she immediately came up to us to thank us for teaching her how to do family history work.  She shared with us how much joy she felt in finding records for many of her family members, including the great-grandmother she was named for.   She spoke of preparing their names to take to the temple and feeling very blessed to have that opportunity.

Perhaps Ireland Kilgrow would have found someone to teach her about family history sooner or later had we not met.  But the fact remains that the ONLY reason we crossed paths was because of some very painful adversity. She did not want to break her ankle.  It seemed like a terrible, awful thing to have happen that completely stalled her mission experience for a time.   However, because of that injury she has had multiple baptisms take place - proxy work for her ancestors that she has found records for.  Because of that injury she now has a passion for family history work that she says she wants to keep doing for many years to come.

This was a good reminder to me that our loving Heavenly Father can use EVERY experience we have in our lives - even the ugly and painful ones - to bring us blessings and joy.   There are many things that we wish we never had to experience.  But adversity is part of this mortal existence.  We all will have to go through dark, difficult times.   When I am facing heartache, physical pain, or worry over loved ones I hope I can always remember Sister Kilgrow and look forward with trust, knowing that somewhere, somehow out of that terrible experience there will be growth, there will be opportunity, there will be a silver lining.  I want to stay open to finding the blessing in every experience, not just the ones that come wrapped up in pretty packages.

Monday Devotional - Enduring Adversity

Elder Jeff Champlin of Public Affairs department gave the talk in our PAO Devotional this morning.  It was so powerful!   With his permission, I am sharing the full text of his message here:

Elder Jeff Champlin

“The dial on the wheel of sorrow eventually points to each of us”, said Elder Joseph B Wirthlin (Oct2008).

In April conference, Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy asked “When difficult things occur in our lives, what is our response?  Is it confusion or doubt or spiritual withdrawal?  Is it a blow to our faith?  Do we blame God or others for our circumstances?   Or is our first response to remember who we are – that we are children of a loving God?  Is that, then, coupled with the absolute trust that He allows some earthly suffering because He knows it will bless us – like a refiner’s fire – to become like Him?”

Enduring or overcoming severe challenges ultimately comes down to surrendering , or sacrificing, our will and turning to the Saviour who has made the ultimate sacrifice.

Elder Jeffrey R Holland said it simply, “You can have something you want, or you can have something better”.

Choosing the Lord’s will – over our own will - is the essence of the Law of Sacrifice.

Our trials have an eternal purpose.  And they not only bless us, but our hardships endured well, bless others.

However the opposite is  also true.  Trials not endured well can have long-lasting negative impacts on others, most notably family.

According to President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “If you are injured but forgive, patiently and willingly endure the difficult sorrows and trial of life, or make difficult, seemingly unfair sacrifices, blessings flow, even unto the saving of families and the blessing of future generations.”

In 1923 staggering economic hardships meant the Turner family would need to give up their farm and move to the town of Corrine, in northern Utah.  Ida Turner searched the regional advertising section of the Salt Lake Tribune.  There, in the newspaper, misplaced among the list of “houses for rent,” was an ad that read: “Wanted, a home for a boy.”

Ida was deeply moved by the cryptic classified advertisement.  It reopened a deep wound in her heart.  Sorrows she had tried to suppress washed over her anew.

Her husband, Horace, resisted her.  After all, they barely had enough to feed and clothe themselves, their son and three daughters.

Ida wouldn’t, couldn’t let it go.

When her husband relented, she mailed a response to the advertisement.  There was no further correspondence.  Yet within weeks, the boy, Jack, age 9, accompanied by his father holding a small bag of Jack’s meager belongings, arrived at the farmhouse unannounced.

Jack’s father explained he was in the military and was frequently transferred from one army post to another.  This time they were sent from Florida to Fort Douglas, east of Salt Lake City.  Jack’s father said that where ever they had lived – which so far included 4 eastern states – they found a place for Jack, because Jack was disobedient to his mother, who had two younger children to raise.

That day was the beginning of what Jack described as the happiest days a boy could ever have.  He was loved, and for the first time felt like part of a family.

Over a year later, Jack’s father returned to Corrine, again unannounced.  He had come to take Jack.  He was discharged from the army and was moving his family back to Florida.

Jack and his foster family were devastated.  This news was especially painful for him and Ida.  She felt the hole in her heart open wider than ever as she watched Jack looking back at here out of the car’s rear window as his father drove away.

Weeks turned to months and months to nearly two years.  Jack moved from one foster home to another throughout Florida and Georgia as his father sought permanent employment.  Along the way, Jack wrote simple letters to Ida about being unhappy, lonely, burdened with excessive chores in the homes of strangers, and wondered why he couldn’t stay with his own family.  If given the chance, he wrote, “I will be a good boy”.

In one letter he mustered the courage to ask Ida to write his father and ask if he could return to Utah and live with her again.  Months later Jack, almost age 12, found himself on a train under the care of the Red Cross, returning to Utah.  He never saw his father again.

After his arrival at the Turner home, Ida told Jack about a little boy whose mother had died at his birth.  His father remarried and his new wife did not like the little boy, so he couldn’t live with his family.  She told Jack he was that boy.

Then was when Jack learned the angry woman he thought was his mother was not his real mother.  Ida also told Jack that she had a child who had died, how it had broken her heart, and caused her sorrow the depth of which only a mother could feel.  She told Jack her little girl, Alice, would have been his same age.

It is not much of a stretch to say that Jack and Ida lived happily ever after.  Jack was anxious to join the church of the Turner family: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He served as a missionary for 2 ½ years, fought in World War II for 4 years, and then returned to Utah, fell in love and married in the Logan Temple.

Together, he and his bride had 10 children.  I am their fifth child.

Our family, now 202 in number, has benefited down to the third generation, because of the choices made, the sorrows endured, the patience shown, and the faithful lives lived by a lost boy and a grieving mother who made him her own.

All of us have people like Jack and Ida in our lives, past and present.  Perhaps even someone we work with here.

Many have overcome, or are striving to overcome, unbelievably difficult things, some far grater than Jack and Ida endured – things for which their loved ones and us are, and will be, the blessed beneficiaries.

May we honour and be forever grateful for those whose sacrifices and sorrows – endured well – bless us and those we love.

And may we realize that our choices, made while under the pressures of life, impact not only ourselves, but those near us who need us to be faithful, especially our families – now and for generations to come.

Trusting, as Elder Wirthlin has said, “that the Lord compensates the faithful for every loss…and every tear today will eventually be returned a hundred fold with tears of rejoicing gratitude.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Taylor as a Missionary to Louisiana

Jack during happy days in Corinne, Utah

Ida Turner, the woman who gave Jack a home

REFERENCES for Quotes:
Halstrom, Donald. April 2016.  “I Am a Child of God”.
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/i-am-a-child-of-god?lang=eng

Wirthlin, Joseph. October 2008.  “Come What May and Love It.”
 https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/come-what-may-and-love-it?lang=eng

Uchtdorf, Dieter. April 2016.  “In Praise of Those Who Save”
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/in-praise-of-those-who-save?lang=eng

Other great talks on same topic:
Halstrom, Donald. April 2010.  “Turn to the Lord”
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/turn-to-the-lord?lang=eng

Uchtdorf, Dieter. April 2012. “The Merciful Obtain Mercy”.
 https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-merciful-obtain-mercy?lang=eng

Ucthdorf, Dieter. April 2007.  “”The Point of Safe Return”.
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/04/point-of-safe-return?lang=eng

Auckland Family History Expo

 Today was the Auckland Family History expo held at the Fickling Convention Center in Three Kings.  It was a great success.  There were LOTS of people in attendance and everyone seemed to enjoy the event.  There was a great selection of vendors, speakers, clubs, etc all coming together to discuss various aspects of family history.   I gave a presentation on an overview of FamilySearch with Larry manning the computer to run the slides.  We had some good questions and many people said they enjoyed it and learned a lot.


Afterward we went upstairs to the computer area in the library to run a hands-on workshop to show people different skills for using the program.  We gave one-on-one help to several folks, some completely new to the program and a few with more experience who had questions.

Next we staffed a table in the main exhibition hall. It was loud and a bit chaotic with all the many people coming and going and seemingly everyone talking at once.  Still, we made some good connections with folks who came to our table with questions.  We showed several people how to build and edit trees and how to attach photos.  We answered lots of questions and generally did our best to represent FamilySearch.

We were on the go from 8AM till 4:30 PM. Doing this sort of conference is a big contrast from when we teach church members how to identify names for temple ordinances. It requires a completely different level of energy. By the time we left at the end of the day my voice was hoarse from talking and we were both simply worn out.  Nevertheless, we felt grateful for the opportunity to be part of this key community event.

Then tonight when we got home we went over to the Henderson's apartment for a celebration of Jim's 70th birthday.  It was so much fun!  The Streeters and the Lovelesses were also there, so we were surrounded by good friends.  We shared a yummy pizza and salad dinner with ice cream and homemade cookies after.  Then we played a rousing game of Rummy-O.   There was much laughter as we shared funny stories of our various experiences.  It was a wonderful way to end the day.

As we walked down the hall back to our apartment at the end of the evening I could not help but recognize that it would be times like this I would very much miss when our mission ends.  We work with such terrific people in the Pacific Area Office.  We have been richly blessed by the friendships we have gathered here.

Just 51 days left till we are on a plane back to America.  We are beginning to get excited about returning home and seeing our family again after our long absence.  Still, I want to hold on to every bit of this mission experience for as long as I can.

Over 2000 Burritos in 45 minutes

Larry and I got to help out again at Feed the Need.  This time Sister Graham went with us.  We worked with a team of youth to prepare over 2,000 burritos in just 45 minutes so they could all be packed up and delivered to the schools on time.   Our hands were FLYING!   It's a great experience to be able to give service, whether it is one-on-one to an individual or with an organization like this.  More sweet memories to add to our collection of all the many blessings we've had in this mission.

Humility and Obedience in Tonga

It was my turn to share the spiritual thought in Monday morning devotional today. I decided to share an experience we had in Tonga this past February.  It was an example of a lesson I never want to forget.

We met with  Stake President  Ian Tu'ihalangingie  in the Nuku'alofa North stake to discuss with him the family history work that was going on there. 

 We shared with him the Priesthood Key Indicator (PKI) report that shows how many members are submitting family names for temple ordinances and the percent of four generation family names there are in FamilySearch for the members for each ward throughout the Stake.   Unfortunately, at the time of our meeting, the numbers were not good.

When President Tu'ihalangingie saw the extremely low percent of members from his stake who were engaging in family history work he could have responded in many different ways.   Some might have made excuses or gotten defensive.  Some might have tried to place blame on others.  But not this good man of faith.   We could see by the look on his face that he was saddened to learn the specifics of how little work was being done.  But then, as we watched him, that sadness in his face turned to a look of resolve.  He looked straight at us and said "Elder and Sister Bennett, I take responsibility for this.  I can see that in our stake we have not done our part.  We have not made this a priority.  We will change.  We will do what we are asked to do."

Then, when our personal meeting was over, the second meeting included the full Stake Council.   Larry and I gave a presentation that we had prepared and then turned it over to President Tu'ihalangingie  for closing remarks.   This good man bore powerful testimony about the importance of family history work and began to teach his stake leaders about the Kumi, Ave, Akoi principles (Find, Take Teach) that we had shared with him earlier.

He shared with the group that their stake currently had only 1 percent submitting family names.  He did this with so much love and concern,  not by way of reprimand, but with a deep sense of urgency, counseling them they must hasten the work. He shared the quote by President Monson about the importance of return and report to accelerate improvement. He instructed them further, saying that as a stake they would hold themselves and each other accountable by carefully reviewing the reports each month to ensure that the necessary steps were in place to fully engage the stake in family history work.

I have thought about this experience a great deal since then.   I've reflected on my own patterns of how I react if given feedback about my performance in any area that suggests I'm falling short.  Am I willing to humbly accept responsibility and then resolve to make the needed changes or do I spend time trying to excuse myself with reasons why I had missed the mark I was expected to attain?

In a May 2002 General Conference address,  Elder Robert E. Steuer of the Seventy taught that  "By being teachable, we activate the full force and blessings of the Atonement in our lives".  He said:  "True disciples of the Master are teachable. In just a few words, Abraham gives us much insight into why he was so greatly blessed. He lived a life “desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God.” 1 “Desiring to receive instructions” is more than a willingness to listen. When our desire to receive instruction is a greater force than our comfort in remaining as we are, we become teachable.

I saw in President  Tu'ihalangingie a wonderful example of a man who was teachable.  He also was willing to follow through on whatever the Lord wanted him to do to change, without complaint.

I was reminded of the Book of Mormon Scripture that is so often quoted (Nephi 3:7) which says  "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know the Lord giveth no commandment unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commanded them". That is a powerful and important scripture, but too often we overlook the one that comes immediately BEFORE.  Lehi tells his son, Nephi: "Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast not murmured."

Too often I have done what I need to do, but only AFTER I did some murmuring.  Even when I didn't outwardly voice excuses, the script in my head has all too often included defensive justifications when I have needed correction.

The final piece to that story is this:  Just this week we had one of the members of the church statistical department come to our office asking for some clarification.  He was preparing a report to church leaders for an upcoming coordinating council meeting.  He could not understand the numbers he was seeing for how many members were submitting family names for temple work in Tonga.  All through 2014 and 2015 the numbers had been fairly consistent, never rising above 2%. Then, right about February and March there had been an abrupt change.  The percentage of people submitting names for temple ordinances had doubled, then tripled, and was now almost four times what it had been.  It did not seem possible that there would be such a sudden, sustained spike in the numbers. He ran the analysis formulas again and again, sure there must be some mistake.  No matter how many times he re-examined the percentages, he kept getting the same result. He asked us if we could explain why that might happen.


YES, we most certainly could.  When Priesthood leaders humbly accept what is asked of them and then exercise their keys in faith, their members will follow.  I hope I always remember the faith and dedication of these good people and that I may follow their example - not just in Family History efforts, but in whatever the Lord may ask me to do.


I have been humbled and instructed by my experience with President Tu'ihalangingie.  I want to be more like this.  When I am given feedback about a way that I need to change, to grow, to learn, to repent - I want to be able to take responsibility and move forward with faith WITHOUT murmuring.

Stake Leaders in Nuku'alfo North Stake