Christmas Morning

Christmas morning we were excited to open our packages from home but waited until we were skyping our family to open the ones from them. Thanks to Sue, Gloria and Gay for sending their thoughtful gifts to us. We shall be using and wearing them. See if you can spot them in our photo below. We also received many cards from our family and friends, thank you for thinking of us. These are all the gift we received from home and our friends over here. We feel very loved.

Happy Christmas

I was so looking forward to spending Christmas on the Beach sunbathing but it was cloudy and windy. Never mind we still went to Raglan beach and ate Maltesers in the car. But on our way there we had to go through the land of the giants. Checkout these giant marshmallow!!! 

Christmas Cheer

On Christmas Eve Elder Saunders and I delivered the Christmas packages we had for the missionaries in Tauranga and Rotorua. These Zone Leader had so much fun with Elder Saunders. I'll try to post the video later.

VC Lights

 

On Tuesday Elder Saunders and I helped out at the Christmas lights at the Visitors Centre. We arrived about 7pm and left about 11pm. What a beautify night it was. Both the weather and spiritually. Over 4,400 people came to se the lights and 500 actually went into the visitors centre to participate in the tour. I was given the assignment of counting the people as they entered the VC. Wow that was so special getting to talk to all those people. I had a clicker counter so didn't have to remember any numbers in my head. These beautiful sisters above are actually assigned Visitor Centre Sisters and they have worked every night since 13th the December until 31st December. So quickly book your flights and you should arrive in time for the last night. Sister Thalaman the middle sister on the right hand picture have the most amazing voice. If I can get permission I will put on our blog the lovely song she sang at the Christmas Conference.

The sister below is Sister Morrison who we served with in the London Temple. It was so special to see her. Apparently she had been looking for us the past few day so she was thrilled to find us.

The Nativity

 

The Nativity Cast List

The Angel blowing her trumpet      Lilly

Baby Jesus                                           Bella

Mary                                                          Sophia

Joseph                                                                 Nathan

Wise (Wo)men                                         Nikki, Lesley and Ga

Shepherds                                                         CeeJay and Graham

Special guest appearance as the Donkey                      Zebra the Giraffe

 

 

 

You're have a giraffe (laugh)

 

Not quite sure if the world is ready for this but this is a special post for Sophia who is looking after Grandma's 'Zebra the Giraffe' while she is away. Now grandma has a 'Zebra the Giraffe' with her in New Zealand.

 



Whole Mission Christmas Conference

This conference was amazing. The planning and logistics of it must have been a lot of hard work. There was a least 280 people there mostly missionaries. The venue was Tuhikaramea Camp, which is where Elder and Sister Witts are camp managers. They have worked so hard to get the camp ready to open officially on the 7^th January and I do believe they have the ok to do so. Now back to the conference. We were all split into 6 groups and went to different workstations. Like I said before the planning was a lot of hard work and the Assistant to the President did that marvellously. Elder Saunders and I were in the blue group but Elder Saunders actually stayed and helped out the Witts with setting up the Porto Loos. But me well I was like a  big kid going around with the other big kid missionaries. Check out these photos and see what fun we had.

Floating Elders!

 

Just the start of our team building experiences it was so funny to watch.

 

 Our group worked as a great team in accomplishing this task. I am hiding at the back!

A group of beautiful posing Sisters. I copied this idea from a baptismal picture where they were all standing with their hands on their hips and I thought it look effective.

Temple Christmas Lights

Saturday was the first night of this Family Celebration of the birth of Christ. Elder Saunders and I went as visitors as compared to us helping them out next Wednesday then the following Tuesday. The choir was beautiful I hope I can post some of the music, if not please take my word for it. There are so many lights around the visitors centre and also displays. It is at times like this that I need my family and friends around me to share in the atmosphere. After meeting up with our close friends the Witts we walked to a few houses nearby to see their lights. After we said bye to them we drove the same route and then a little bit further. What a discovery, one whole neighbourhood had not only decorated their houses but had set up stalls outside and were welcoming us all to stop for a lolly or sausage sizzle. One house had popcorn and seats to watch a movie on a large screen outside of their house.

This is the front of the Temple

This is the entrance to Temple drive

 A house nearby

   Another house nearby

 The Mission President's house 

Missionary Experiences

 I guess as we are on a mission I should share our missionary experiences with you. Saturday 6^th December in the evening we were determined to spend some time walking along the beach at Gisborne. So after picking up a few sea shell (“not another shell, you cannot take them home you know” ”Yes Elder Saunders I know”) Anyway after pick up another shell for my collection we were stopped by a man!!!!!! He asked who we were and said that we were special and stood out from other people. Thinking that we were going to get a load of abuse he just chatted to us for about an hour and was very complementary. He said he would come to church with us the following day. Which he did, wow! There is a bigger story there but I really do not want to go into that as I would sound very hmm how should I put it, judgmental, even if it was a funny story. Now I’ve got you all thinking, well maybe sometime I will share it with you but for now it’s a mystery. Ha ha ha.

This past Saturday (13^th) we were up very early and out shopping for more missionary supplies before we went into town to skype with Chelle.  By the way A BIG CONGRATUALIONS to CHELLE who is now a university graduate, well done Chelle. We didn’t even have breakfast so by about 12.30 we were hungry and still needed to by our grocery shopping. So Elder Saunders said he would take me to Carl’s Jr my favourite real ice cream Oreo milk shake place, which I am sure I have mentioned before and will mention again. But for some reason I said no, let’s just pop into Burger King. No said Elder S, no BK said I. So I won as we were just standing right outside BK. Just as I had placed my order a stranger said hello to us and said he would like to buy us lunch. WOW! He explained that he had not been to church in a while and was very sad about it. His job takes him away from home a lot, he is a furniture removal man. So along with his fellow worker, who was also a less active member we had a lovely chatty lunch together.

East Coast Sunshine

 

More pictures to make you jealous. Last weekend we went down to Gisborne again. One of the missionaries flats is overlooking the beautiful bay at Tokomaru. It’s there that I recorded the Tui bird but didn’t have a good enough picture to post Apparently the Tui bird is a brilliant mimic so a bit like the ‘MockingJay’. But I did take this photo of a Kingfisher sitting on a telephone wire.

Christmas Misson Conference Preparations

O boy! what a week it has been getting prepared for this amazing get together. All of the missionaries in the Hamilton Mission are meeting at Camp Tuhikaramea next Tuesday 16^th December. For those of you from Reading Stake that is where Elder and Sister Witts are serving as camp managers. I think my week of organisation has been hard but Elder and Sister Witts are working overtime to get the camp ready for opening. I’m sure us coming then is adding extra stress to their lives. But for those of you who know the Witts they are amazing and can perform miracles. I’m sure I will be adding lots of photos of that day. So why have I been so busy. In the office we had to put together a booklet for each missionary, basically a year book of all the missionaries serving in our mission this Christmas. Sister Marsden who is the other sister missionary in the office (along with her husband) sorted out all the photos. Some of them were done before but they all needed adjusting for one reason or other. She printed them out and I helped bind the books together, only 280. I also created a Christmas card for all the missionaries from the Mission Office Couples just four of us. And I’m quite pleased with myself to be honest. Just a sneak preview for you but don’t show any missionaries from the Hamilton mission.
This is a photo I took at the Temple  Visitors Centre this week.

As we share the message of

‘He is the Gift’ with those around us this season we pray that you will find the

Joy of the gospel in your lives.

Best wishes from the Mission Office 

Elder Sister Marsden 

Elder and Sister Saunders

 

The card is not set out like this but it is the only way I can seem to post it

We Still Here

I can’t believe that it has been two weeks since I’ve posted anything. Shame on me because that means that I have not written anything in my personal journal as well. Obviously I don’t put all the personal things that happen to us on our blog but it is my main record for recording what we are doing on our mission. So what have we been up to the past two weeks? The first week I was very busy in the office trying to get all the baptisms recorded onto the church system which will then give the new members their membership record number. At the beginning of the week I had 21 outstanding records which I had not received so I had to make lots of phone calls to the missionaries to ask where the records were. After lots and lots more phone calls and getting all the information I needed I was just left with 4 on Monday. More phone calls, sigh, but finally all information was entered and all the baptisms were entered and accepted for the month of November. Hurrah! It may seem like little things please little people, but actually I consider baptisms an amazing part of my mission. I also love receiving the photos of the new members just before or just after their baptisms. I put together the monthly mission newsletter and I include all the photos that are sent to me. Thankfully I do not have to put in my own message just organize other peoples messages.

Hoe Hoe Hoe

Hoe Hoe Hoe No No No!

Is this Plymouth Hoe, no! But it is New Plymouth sea front. Also it was New Plymouth’s Christmas carnival some very good floats. Loved the concluding float.

Exercise Time

Elder Mitchell doing his daily exercises cheered on by Sister Baird. It is such fun to be with these missionaries, during the spiritual times and well as the not so spiritual.

 

Climg Every Mountain

 

On our way back from Mania to New Plymouth we decided to go as far as we could up the mountain, driving that is. We made it half way up before the height got to me and we had to come back down again. Next time Elder Saunders is going to go up on his own. I can deal with that.

What goes up must come down!

What goes up must come down!

This is a fun video of our Big Adventure on the way to New Plymouth this weekend. I must add we went there to move two sisters from one place to another. We will also be checking the cleanliness of the other missionary flats in the area, that’s one of Elder Saunders responsibilities. He doesn’t have to do the regular flat inspections but he does do spot checks to make sure they are keeping the accommodation clean and tidy.

Lemonade Lemon

Lemonade Lemon

At the beginning of this week I went into the office and found a lemon on my desk.
“Who left that dirty ugly lemon there”?  I said. So I threw it into the bin. A few days later one of the men who works for the building department who has an office at the back of the mission office asked me if I got my lemon?  My face said it all. He said “You threw it in the bin didn’t you and you wondered who had left that ugly lemon there”?
“yep” and I felt so embarrassed about the conversation we had had the previous week. We were talking about lemons, as you do.
I told him that “We have a lovely lemon tree in our neighbour’s garden and we can have as many as we like."
Then this man said “Have you tried a lemonade lemon?”
 “Never heard of them.” said I.
“I’ll bring one in for you.” he said.
Well he kept his word and my bin that is emptied every day, ate my lemon! I should add so did some lemon thief as he left two that first time.
So when this lemon appeared on my desk I treasured it and placed it with pride on my counter top.

The reason I have not named this man is because I am having a terrible time remembering all the names of the people I meet. So much so that when I phoned up Les this week and asked him to collect something for me I did not realize that this was the man I spoke to most mornings but couldn’t remember his name!!!!! So now I will always remember him because he is Les the lemon man!

By the way the ugly lemon was delicious or luscious. So this is a picture of Les’s luscious lemon with a note underneath to remind me that it is mine.

Transfer no. 1

Transfers are amazing. We were told to expect it to be hard work but I did not realise how amazing it would be. Elder Saunders had a lot of running around with the mini bus and trailer to do. On Wednesday he first had to take the new missionaries to the Mission Presidents house then later he had to take them from there to the hotel. On Thursday morning he picked them up from the hotel with their luggage and took them to the Presidents house and dropped their luggage at the church. A few hours later he collected them again and took them to the church. Phew, in between that he collected some items the missionaries needed, such as saucepans, hoovers, ironing boards, iron. I should explain transfers are when missionaries companionships are changed, it happens every six weeks, but they are not all changed at every transfer. Also at transfers we have new missionaries starting their missions. I was involved in the paperwork and also getting missionary letters, parcels and missionary supplies boxed and taken to the chapel. I also have to write letters to the missionaries who have been given leadership responsibilities. Then after transfers I have to update all missionaries’ new addresses and writing letters to the missionaries parents about their son or daughters new responsibilities.

So why was it so amazing? When the missionaries first arrived at the mission office we greeted them and then gave them a short presentation on our responsibilities. Elder Saunders talked about housing using a power point presentation. The funniest thing was looking at the faces of the new missionaries when he talked about what might bug them!!!! He literally showed pictures of dust mites, fleas, bed bugs and cockroaches. But he also showed them how to get rid of them. The three office senior couples then met with the new missionaries, the Assistants to the president, and the mission president and his wife (President and Sister Rudd). We had a most delicious meal, although I must add we office people were nearly an hour late because of all the preparations we had to do!!! We then had a testimony meeting and finished by singing the mission song. I must record it sometime and post it on the blog, it’s fun.

Today, Thursday we had an early start, I’ve explained what Elder Saunders did, but I went to the office about 7.30 and did some more paperwork before the assistants helped me load my car up with stuff which I took to the chapel. Then it was all ready for each Zone (that’s what they call each area the missionaries live in) Leaders to collect and give out to their missionaries.

When the new missionaries arrived at the chapel we were all waiting to start our meeting. I was sitting at the back feeling all relaxed when President Rudd asked me to come to the stand. WHAT! My face certainly was a picture but when I saw some of the missionaries turn around and laugh I put on a serious face, well sort off. Thankfully he quickly followed by asking Elder Saunders to come to the stand as well as another missionary couple who are going home in just over a week. We were asked to give a short talk to introduce ourselves. I must share with you some of what I said. I told them how long we had been members of the Church and that “we have 5 children and 18 grandchildren. All of whom we love and miss so very much. But I also now have almost 250 adoptive children whom I am growing to know and love more each day.” Wow!   Next it was the meeting where each new missionary was introduced to everybody with their companion who would train them. Sister and President Rudd spoke and it was so special. From the stand I looked out at all the missionaries who filled the chapel about 160 of them, my heart just raced as I thought of each of them leaving their loved ones behind, like us, to share the most important message of our lives, that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us and has a plan for each of us to return back home to him.

We then had lunch and chatted until all the missionaries left to go home. So special to meet and greet so many wonderful dedicated young men and women and being instrumental in helping them to stay physically, emotionally and spiritually healthy and happy.

The Story behind this picture, well. Elder Saunders wanted to dry his hands and could not find a towel so the Elders told him that they used the 'heated dry your hands rail', so he believed them!!!!!

Dog tired after an exhausting day. This is a genuine photo and not a recreation.

Mangapapa

Today we went to Mangapapa Ward. You pronounce it without saying the g, so Manapapa. I will get you all speaking Kiwi by the time we get home. It was a lovely Sacrament meeting where a Young lady who is leaving to go on her mission to the Philippines on Tuesday spoke. She said things that I could certainly relate to about challenges she has gone through in the last few months. Next her parents spoke and it was so moving. We were also greeted by other young missionaries that we have been visiting these past few days while also dealing with the ‘trying couple’s’ saga. It’s exciting to think that Elder Saunders and I will be dealing and helping these special young people for the next seventeen months. Now I must explain about the ‘trying couple’ again. They are trying their very best to live the gospel and help all those around them and feel blessed to have spent the last few days in their company.

Sea Views

 

Elder and Sister Belliston

 

also the view from our room

Food Glourious Food

Well as I mentioned in my last post we were hungry!!!!! With all the events of the day going on we hadn’t eaten all day and only had a quick snack of fruit for breakfast so the four of us when in search of somewhere to eat. We stopped at Carl’s Jr. We will start with me as I was the first to order. Hmmm never been here before so what do I choose? A healthy salad of course, do I want to make it a combo? Well yes I am hungry!!!! What drink? Now choose??? The ice cream Oreo milk shake is screaming at me!!!!!! With cream? Well yes, I’ve only ordered a salad! Now what sort of fries do I want? There’s a choice? I go for the ones that are big and chunky, crisscross fries. Next Elder Saunders Double burger with no lettuce, no tomato, no cheese, no sauce, no, no no, no. Now will they get it right not many places do? Ordinary fries for him and a fizzy drink. The Belliston’s order a healthy salad and water!!! Did I feel like a pig?? The salad was enormous enough for me to save some for tomorrow. The crisscross fries were delicious and I shared them with Elder Saunders who at first said there was onion in them! I had to get the waitress to tell him what they were made of before he would believe me that they were just potato. But I didn’t share my Oreo milk shake drink with anyone. It was so nice that the next day, Saturday, we all went out in the evening for an ice cream, probably to celebrate that nothing horrid had happened that day and guess where we went…………………… Carl’s Jr for an ice cream milk shake. Delicious.

Missionary couple saga part 2

We travelled 5 hours down to Gisborne with furniture and supplies for the missionaries and the new missionary couple. Do you remember last Saturday’s saga of no electric and gas, then yes electric and gas, then dirty horrid flat, so no flat? When we arrived about 3 o’clock on Thursday the couple wanted to show us an apartment they had found. So now let give them a name. They do not want to be known as the ‘trouble couple’ (although I think that sounds cute) and from Sister Bellistons own mouth “The trying couple” and yes they are very trying!!!!! I will not say anything negative about this couple as they are so lovely and have been through an awful lot in the first 10 days of their mission. So back to the house viewing. We arrange with the agents to visit it that afternoon. It was a nice modern apartment above a shop and near to everything. So we decided to rent it. The next morning we went shopping for furniture and eventually found a sofa in one shop and a dining room set in another. We drove to the missionaries flat to pick up the blue trailer that we brought down with us but left it outside their flat as it was more convenient to do so. We went to one shop to pick up the sofa, drove it back to the missionaries flat to store it in their garage. Back to another shop for dining room set. Now we had a lot trouble getting the money to buy this as the card machine in the shop wasn’t working. But eventually we got the cash so off we trot to pick up the furniture and dropped it back at the missionaries’ garage. By this time we were hungry as we hadn’t purchased any food so we went shopping. Just as we were getting out of our car about 3.30ish we had a call from the ‘trying couple’ to say that they had just had a call from the agents to say the apartment was no longer on the market. WHAT!!!! We finished our shopping and met up with the ‘trying couple’ at the motel. It was so sad but before we did anything else we said a prayer. It was now about 4.30 and the shops close about 5. So we were going to go on the internet to look for another estate agent but I got the yellow pages out and picked out two. One Harcourt is one we deal with in Hamilton so I suggested going there. To cut another long story short they went into the shop and were told that they didn’t have any places apart from one that was not quite ready for viewing. PLEASE may we view it anyway? So off we went and it has so much potential the inside was almost finished. The ‘trying couple’ we very interested so we said yes and hopefully it will be `ready for them to move into next week!!! Wow we were back at the motel by 5. All sorted. So please keep the ’trying couple’ in your prayers this week so that they can finally have a place to call home for the next 18 months. Saga 3 will have a happy ending I am sure.

 

Work, work, work!

Photo evidence of us working!!

 

 

Panto and Cook!

Gisborne does Panto, O yes it does................

 

 

Captain Cook statue on the harbour in Gisborne

Some just asked me who the statue is!!! Captain James Cook who circumnavigated the world and founded New Zealand. Hope that answers your question.

 

 

Way to Gisborne

 

 

This is on our way to Gisborne

 

White Island in the distance looks like it has a cloud over it, in fact it is steam from the volcano.

We have to have our beach photo in there somewhere.

 

The beach again!

I was looking forward to a nice leisurely P-day. Doing a little bit of cleaning and tidying up, maybe some shopping, that didn’t last very long. Elder Saunders decided that we would go to Waihi and put up and sort out the smoke alarm in one of the missionaries flats. It took us over 1 ½ hours to get there but we went through the most beautiful gorge. Although the road was a little windy we could drive slow enough to have a good look around. When we finished at the Elders flat we were only 5 miles from the coast so we just had to drive there! The Waihi beach was very long and mostly deserted and very pretty. We do like to be beside the sea side. I think I could make a song out of that!

The day didn’t stop there. Just to give you a taste of what Elder Saunders job involves. On our way to Waihi we had a phone call telling us that the flat that the new couple where due to move into today had no gas or electric. From Hamilton to Gisborne is about 5 hours and this couple were on their way there today. So we first popped into the office to pick up any information we needed and made a few phone calls to sort out switching on the gas and electric. It cost $300 to have it switch on outside of hours so he had no choice but to arrange that. We had many phones calls as we were traveling to Waihi trying to sort out who would be at the apartment waiting for the Estate agent or service people. Eventually it was all sorted. Phew, relief, all sorted, NOT. When the couple arrived they said the place was disgusting, dirty and would not stay there. Help! The estate agent went around there to meet them and they tried to find another place but no luck at such short notice. So they are staying in a hotel for a few nights. Meanwhile Elder Saunders has to cancel the tenancy on the apartment. Also cancel the gas and electric all of which will cost charge a penalty for cancelling within a month. Now Elder Saunders has to arrange for a new flat and if it’s unfurnished, he has to buy the furniture. That will certainly be a learning experience for him. One lesson he did learn was to double check all the apartments himself. This apartment was arrange by the previous housing manager. Did I say I wanted a quiet leisurely Saturday?

 

Ice cream poster

Zone training

This Wednesday we didn’t go into the office first thing but travelled to Manurewa (pronounced Man-u-re-wa not Manure wa as Elder Saunders does all the time!!!). These past 3 weeks our Mission President has been travelling all over the Hamilton Mission area visiting each Zone (Stake or Area) and interviewing the missionaries and also giving them training. Our offices couples were asked if we wanted to go anytime this week and we chose Wednesday. It was 1 ½ hours away plus we visited a few missionaries on the way to give them supplies that they needed and deliver any post. We thoroughly enjoyed the training and visiting with all the missionaries from the Man-u-re-wa Zone. A few of the Sisters I have been chatting to over the past few weeks so it was nice to see them in person. Half way through the training we were all asked to stand up and stretch our legs and also help ourselves to some of the sweets that were in a big bag that was passed around. At the same time Elder Saunders and I were asked to introduce ourselves. Hmm, I started to talk and no-one was listening to me so I continued talking even quieter. I then asked the Elders and Sisters that were listening to me to put their hands up and I would give them a special chocolate treat the next time I saw them. Well about 6 out of 30 people put their hands up and that included the Zone Leaders who introduced me. Ha ha. That certainly got their attention as they were wondering why others were putting up their hands so I raised my voice a little and explained. They all then listened attentively to our remarks. Now I have got to remember to give the treats to those few who originally listened. On our way back to the office we stopped at Pokeno to buy one of their very cheap ice creams, just check out the prices on their poster. If you convert the $’s into £’s then you roughly have to divide the $’s  by 2. Plus one scoop is very big. Now the only reason we stopped there was because we were bringing a new missionary couple back to Hamilton with us and it’s a tradition to buy one on your way past! Honest! Well if it’s not then we are going to start the tradition. I will post the photo of the poster as soon as I can find it!!!!

 

Quiz 1

 

Hope you can hear this video it's very quiet.

It's quiz time!! I'd like you to guess what and where the music is coming from. Either comment on this blog or email me you answers. ucanreachmenow@hotmail.com.. I've got a prise for the winner.

Good luck