Scenes From the Road

LONG day on the road. After driving for about 9 hours, we are now down on the South end of the North Island to meet with a few stakes down here.   We saw some interesting sights along the way.

Apparently having BIG things is quite popular here in New Zealand.  On this trip we got to see the giant carrot in Ohakune and the big Gum Boot in Taihape.   (We have previously seen the huge L&P bottle in Paeroa and the giant metal trout in Taupo).

What I did not know is there is an actual "Gum Boot Day" which is celebrated on Saturday, March 12.   Oh the things small rural towns will do to make a name for themselves!

Giant carrot in Ohakune

We also saw LOTS of pasture, sheep and wrapped grass hay bales. 

We were amazed by how much open, empty country there is once you leave Hamilton.

We stopped for a picnic lunch at the site of the "Last Spike" of the New Zealand railroad.   According to New Zealand history, "Construction of the central section of the main trunk line, between Te Awamutu and Marton, had taken 23 years of surveys, land negotiations, political wrangling and back-breaking physical effort by thousands of labourers. The first through train from Wellington to Auckland had actually run two months before the final spike ceremony, when a ‘Parliament Special’ carried MPs and others north to meet the US Navy’s visiting‘Great White Fleet’. This train had crawled over a temporary, unballasted section of track hastily laid between the existing railheads.   Regular services between Auckland and Wellington began soon after the last spike ceremony, and an express service introduced in February 1909 made the journey in 18 hours. From 1924 a new ‘Night Limited’ service cut the trip to 14 hours."    Wow - after learning THAT maybe our 9 hours of drive time today wasn't so long afterall.

Yummy blackberries we found near our lunch spot

Hamilton

Since we are not in Fiji as we had planned for the next few weeks we are making other arrangements to stay as productive as possible.  We've been invited to go down to Wellington District to do some family history training there.  It's quite a long drive down, so we decided to break up the trip by spending a night in Hamilton.  This gave us an opportunity to do a session at the temple to be more fully spiritually prepared for the work we will be doing.  We had a lovely time.  It has been good for us to reflect on the eternal nature of families and connect with the larger purpose behind all that we do as Family History support missionaries.

In the temple I received a very strong prompting to begin again to search for the family of my great grandfather, Arthur Charles Samuel Hutchinson.

  I have so many questions about him.  I do not know where I will find the answers, but I know it's time to begin looking again.  I know without a doubt that the sealing ordinances we do in temples are real and so vitally important.

Cyclone Winston

We were supposed to be in Fiji this week for a training conference for the Area Family History Advisers from Tahiti, Tonga and Fiji.  We have spent weeks preparing for it and making all the arrangements.   However, the conference will have to keep.

Cyclone Winston hit Fiji as a Category 5 Cyclone on February 20, destroying 55,000 homes, killing 44 people and directly impacting a further 350,000. 

Those first days after the storm hit were awful as we waited to hear how our dear friends there came through it.  The power was out and all communication was down for some time, so we simply had no way to know the full extent of the damage at first.  As sad as it is that so many were left homeless and many lost their lives, we are deeply grateful that our loved ones there are safe.

Also, the re-dedication of the Fiji Temple was going on when the storm hit, so there were members gathered in Suva from all the surrounding island nations - Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papau New Guinea, Tuvalu, Cook Islands and other areas.

As with all temple dedications, thousands of youth had prepared an impressive cultural celebration.  People had travelled by boat and plane to present their talents for the apostles that were there for the dedication.  "Originally scheduled to be held in the open-air ANZ Stadium in Suva, the event was moved across the street to the enclosed Vodafone Arena—which event organizers had also reserved months in advance.

However, as weather conditions intensified and the government asked everyone to vacate roads by 5:00 p.m., organizers skipped several numbers and had the 1,300 youth perform their finale".  (Church News)

 People of the islands are not strangers to powerful tropical storms, but this one was the most destructive ever recorded to hit landfall in Fiji.   For months to come there will be much work to be done to clean up and rebuild. 

Of course, Missionaries and other volunteers organized through Mormon Helping Hands will be a big part of that effort.

(Photos from Church News)

Living in the Pacific Area we have had opportunities to see more than ever before the inspired way  the Church welfare system is implemented.  Of course there are many organizations that assist in times of disaster.  Our faith teams with a lot of them.  The Church, however,  is truly unique in their method of organization and delivery, using their existing network of church leaders and home teachers to reach out to even the most remote areas with genuine loving concern by those who know and care for those affected.  They have no political agenda and are truly there to help members and non-members alike in Christlike service.

Seeing this work in action reminds us again and again of the Savior's words:

Pink Sheep

This photo of Sheepworld is courtesy of TripAdvisor


We had a great time in the Northlands with two successful family history trainings.  While we were at that Family Fun Day in Whangarei Stake on Saturday, Toni and Cheryl took the bus trip up to Cape Reinga. They enjoyed their time, despite the bus getting stuck in the sand on 90 mile beach and having to wait nearly an hour for a farmer to come pull them out with a tractor.

Also, it started to rain pretty steady, so they didn't get to see near as much on the way as they would have otherwise.

Still, they both had a great attitude, rolling with whatever happened and finding beauty along the way nonetheless.

On our way back to Auckland today the rain continued, but we still saw plenty of  New Zealand beauty and even spotted the famous pink sheep in  Warkworth.

Tomorrow our guests will return to the USA.  We will miss them.  We have thoroughly enjoyed having Larry's sister and her friend here with us.  We have laughed much, had some good talks, and enjoyed showing them some of our favorite places.  

I remember years ago (about 1983?)  we visited Larry's Uncle Carl & Aunt Phyllis in Pensacola, Florida during their mission.  It was a great visit, but Phyllis said later that when we left she felt more homesick than ever to have to say goodbye.   I can relate.   We LOVE our mission experiences.  Still, having family here with us for these past few days has in some ways reminded us of all we are missing back home.  Still, we will treasure our memories of our time together.  We are so glad they could come.

Denby Ward Family History Night

Since we had plans to drive up to Whangarei for the scheduled Family Fun Day, we asked if any of the wards in the stake would like us to come help them do some family history.  Denby Ward took us up on it.  We love working with our Maori brothers and sisters!   After the work was done the ward provided pizza, hot corn on the cob and watermelon for all who came.  It was fun visiting with everyone and getting to know a little more about them.   We will always have a special love for the people of the northern stakes where we serve as Area Family History Advisors.

Bishop Glassie

Family Fun Day in Whangarei

Whangarei stake recently hosted a Family Fun Day.   It was a terrific event.  People of all ages came out for food, games, swimming, and more.   We were invited to join them to offer Family History as one of the many activities that were offered.   We did not get a whole lot of people, (I suppose the ice cream, bounce house and vollyball were a bit more popular), but those who came genuinely connected.   A few people, including Stake President Poutou, submitted names for temple work.  Others learned new skills.   So all in all a good time was had by all.  Here are a few scenes from the day:

Stake President Anthony Poutu

Sunset at Muriwei Beach

We took Toni & Sheryl to Muriwei Beach to show them the Gannet colony there.  Even though we have been to that spot many times, we still enjoyed this trip, made extra special because we were there in the evening so we got to watch the sunset over the water.

Also, most of the times we have been there in the past have been at high tide.  This time the tide was out so we got to walk into one of the caves that has always been under water when we were there before.  We were looking for the cave that you can walk all the way through, but were on the wrong side of the beach for that.  No matter, every spot we explored was lovely.

We love how the beaches we visit are constantly changing with the tides and seasons.

Really enjoying having Toni & Sheryl here.