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 

 

 

Sunday Lunch

 

 

We cannot go without our traditional Sunday roast dinner, today it was followed by freshly picked oranges from our neighbours orange tree. Yummy!!

Big Pinapples!

Another thing they grow here is giant pineapples! We were sizing this one up to take home with us!

Raglan

 
 
 

Today we decided to visit Raglan Branch which is about 30 minutes west of our home. It was a very picturesque journey but the road was very windy. Even though we liked the welcoming members I think the journey will put us off visiting there every week. The Pacific Area was holding a special fast weekend. As a church we fast every first Sunday of the month. Generally we go without food for 2 or 3 meals and the money that we would have spent on food we donate to our church for the poor and needy. We also pray more often during this time and usually have a specific purpose that we pray about. This Sunday we were asked to all pray for a united cause. The reason I am telling you this is because we started our fast rather late on the Saturday so we were not in a rush to get home for our yummy Sunday roast dinner. Instead we took a leisurely drive around the coastline before stopping and looking over the cliff and watching the gliders flying over the ocean. Another place we must return to, Wainui Reserve.

 

Temple today

On Saturday we went for our first visit inside the New Zealand Temple. Although it looks similar to the London Temple on the outside, inside is very different and we needed help to get to where we wanted to go to. We met two couples while we were there who work in the Auckland Mission office doing exactly the same jobs as Elder Saunders and I do. It was very interesting to compare our job responsibilities and how we do them slightly differently. We all went out to lunch together at Wendy’s. Today I had Jacket potato chilli and cheese, very nice. Elder Saunders had a double burger, no lettuce, no tomato, no cheese, no sauce, no anything just a plain burger in a bun. I wonder if they can get it right this time?   Then we did a little shopping at a place called New World. As we go around the different supermarkets we find they all sell certain things cheaper than other supermarkets. One of Elder Saunders responsibilities is to buy items to kit the missionaries’ homes. So we were thrilled (!!!!) to find they sell mops $4 dollars cheaper at New World than anywhere else we have seen, so he bought the whole store out, 4. I guess it’s getting very sad when you can get excited about buying mops!