The finished product. It was delicious. It was served with pumpkin, kumara, and potatoes. Also unseasoned beet greens with dumplings in the beet water.
I love the people of New Zealand. Two days after the Hangi, we were invited to Elder and Sister Parker's for dinner. The Parkers are permanant local missionaries that direct the Family History Center. They ARE the history of Hamilton. Sister Parker is 85 years old and has cancer. She cooked us the most amazing meal and would not let me help her! She did not eat until we were finished to ensure we were full and happy and had enough. Her Maori grandmother taught her that if you take care of the missionaries, the Lord will take care of you. In her younger years, she was part of a singing group and she performed on stage. At the end of the evening, she sat down at the piano and sang us a departing song. It was lovely. She is lovely.
It rains every day. The sun will be shining one minute then the rain comes and its pouring buckets of water. Never leave home without an umbrella. Not sure what to do with my hair. Thinking it might be wig time.
Tuesday was outtakes. That means that it was time for 9 of our missionaries to go home. What a spectrum of emotions. They were so sad to leave, yet so excited to go home to loved ones. Deep bonds of friendship have developed in two years. I have the most touching video but it's 6 min long and I don't have a clue how to down load it. New Zealand culture runs thick in our mission. A zone of Elders did a mission Haka for the out going missionaries and ended with the HONGI (Not to be confused with HANGI) Hongi is when you greet someone by touching foreheads and breathing in a deep breath of the same air. This is one of the highest greeting you could give someone. It means that you are accepted by the local people and have become part of them. It didn't matter if thesse missionaries were from Thailand, Tennesee, or Tonga. They all participated in the Mission Haka.
One sister missionary was being picked up by her parents. She was from Auckland. She waited and waited in the office for them to come. This is what showed up in the parking lot...
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A bus.
About 60 men, women, and children piled off the bus. After they all came into the office, they all marched back out to the bus and brought food in. LOTS OF FOOD! And of course they shared with the office staff. This family missed their daughter, sister, niece, cousin. |
That was Tuesday. Wednesday, the incoming missionaries from Provo and Auckland MTC came. Their plane arrived at 5:30 am and they were to us by 8:30. We were expecting 15 but somehow ended up with 16. We had one unaccounted for missionary that wasn't suppose to arrive until November 14. We kept her of course. We fed them breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Since all the new ones came on Wednesday, Thursday was transfer day. Every 6 weeks, President Erekson will prayerfully place companionships together. We had 105 of our 180 missionaries change companions and areas. And Guess what. We fed them all again. Spiritually and Physically. I don't even know what to compare this to. I don't even know how we got through these 3 days. Elder Clayton was able to change everyone's car, phones, and give them all money to live on for two weeks. Sister Folland took care of the passports, visas, drivers licenses. Elder Folland placed them in apartments and gave them sheets and a new pillow. I got to smile, hug the new sisters, and greet everyone and direct them where they needed to go.
What has stuck with me the most this week, was a statement made by President Erekson as he met with the 16 new incoming missionaries. He told us how he received the call to be a Mission President. The phone rang and it was from President Eyering. He and his wife were asked if they would be willing to leave their home and business for 3 years to serve as a Mission President. At this time, he was not told where they would be serving. He and his wife said yes. Preparation started. About a month later, he received another call from President Eyering. This was a 40 minute call. President Eyering told him that he would be serving in New Zealand. But the part that really stuck to me is President Eyering told him that Father in Heaven knew President Erekson from a very young age and all the experiences that he has had in his life have prepared him for this time. Father knew where and when he would be called to serve. He told the missionaries that they were known of the Lord as well. He knew when and where they would serve when they were very young. Their experiences in this life for the past 18 years have prepared them for there experience here. How can we apply that to our lives? The Lord knows YOU! What are we experiencing now that is difficult? He has prepared you to this point to be able to cope with, solve, and fix whatever comes our way. Is there something we have experienced in the past that we can look back on to help us overcome our difficulty? Ask a loving Heavenly Father to bring to memory past experiences that can assist us in solving our most difficult problems.
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Here is a picture of Mango/Passion Fruit ice cream. It's all about the ice cream here...I thought the crunchie black things were bugs. Turns out they are crunchie seeds! So unique.
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Coming out of our office, this is what we see every day.
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These are the exit signs. Why is the guy running? What don't we know?
Another Ocean picture
In the jungle/forest/heavy wooded area
Word of the Week: Tuhikaramea The name of the street our office is on. (2-E-care-uh-me-uh)
I don't know how to get the video's to play.(I used the video download button.) Next week we travel to the farthest parts of the mission. South Auckland and Gisbourne. Pronounced GIS-BIN. We have 4 zone conferences. We'll be cooking again! Dwight has car inspections. We have only had two car accidents this week. A companionship of Sisters ran over a guy riding a bicycle. Luckily, the biker was not harmed. A companionship of Elders were hit by a guy who ran a red light. Car was totaled, but no one was seriously injured. Dwight has 16 cars needing the panel beaters. ( Collision repair shops). The couple we replaced have gone traveling for two weeks. When they return and move out, we will move into their lovely flat that has a table, couch, lamp, and refrigerator as tall as myself! Such luxeries we shall have. We actually have a dish washer here, but if we put the dishes in it, we don't have enough plates for the next meal. 1st world problems. Love to you all.
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Till we meet again, Elder and Sister Clayton
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