December 16, 2019

Merry Christmas from New Zealand! We put tree a up in the office today. (Note the luggage in the background. We have 15 missionaries going home tomorrow and 18 arriving the next day.) This is our BUSY week. Wait, so is next week and the week after and week after that...

We haven't traveled much these past few weeks. (We have had 43 consecutive accident free days and haven't had to go drive any wrecked cars!) I probably just jinxed Elder Clayton. (Update: the day after I wrote this, Dwight got a call and someone had backed into a fence and scraped up their car) 

Pictures of the week:

Everything is in bloom. We had to stop on the way home from church and take this picture of a blooming tree. I'll just say it one more time, the flowers are HUGE in this country and have a silent competion to see who can outbloom who. We still can't figure out the selfie stick. The pained, confused "How in the heck do I get this thing to work"  look on Elder Clayton's face as he was trying to figure out how to hold the stick, push the button and smile all at the same time was just too much for him. He took 8 pictures instead of one and had the same consternated look in all of them. I'm going to be in charge of the selfie stick next time. 

My phone did not catch the true color of these flowers. They were HOT PINK and growing through the fence. I want a fence like this one day.

Yes, Virginia, this is an American Q-tip. Which bends like this as you pick it up, even before it is inserted in ear.  A piece of toilet paper would work just as good. Humidity also makes it so you HAVE to eat an entire bag of chips or box of crackers once they are open. Reason # 2 we are called a 20 K Mission...

 This is a Maori cemetary. It is built on a hill. You would have to be in pretty good shape to get the body to the top of the mountain. I can't imagine how they dig the grave. By hand?

Just wanted you to see that Elder Clayton can still smile.  Have you seen "Share a Coke with An Egg" in the states? Or is that just a New Zealand thing? Maybe because eggs and beets are on everything. Even McDonalds Hamburgers...

This is our lawn. All lawns should have flowers in them. Our whole lawn is a flower garden. Some of the flowers are purple as well. 

Some lady was throwing this away!!!  I grabed it out of her garbage pile. I've got to figure out how I can transport this back to the States. It's a succulent plant. I don't know how it grows here because it is always drowning in water. Aren't succulents suppose to only have water once a month? 

This is Emma. She was visiting from the Phillipines. I LOVED her shirt. "Keep Calm and Read the Book of Mormon. Another Testiment of Jesus Christ." I loved her attitude! I walked out of the office and made a new friend. 

Sooooo, more signs. All I can figure out with this one is that there is no posted speed. That worked in Montana back in the day.

Had my hair cut again. I just have to smile every time I drive up to my hair salon. This time though, I had a new hair dresser. There must have been a language barrier because I ended up with a mullet. Short sides and three inches of long hair flipping out in the back!!  I drove home to try to wrap my head around what to do. First of all, I didn't have that much hair left after the last time. After breathing into a bag to calm my anxiety,  I came up with two options. Have Dwight cut the mullet strips or call Mihi back and have her cut the excess hair. I opted for the call. I'm sure she is still rolling their eyes at this American...Good thing hair grows back.

So this is the final hair cut the second time. Imagine longer hangies in the back. Shudder. At least the flowers are lovely.

 I wonder what this guy does for a living...

 In the neighborhoods, you frequently find these little sharing stations. If you have something you don't need or extra food take it here and share it with someone in need. We can't return the 20 bags of unpopped corn from the Christmas Mission Conference, because the credit card we bought it with was compromised and had to be shut off. Sooooo, I think this is where we will take it. I hope someone will find it before the sun pops it. 

Sunday after noon, I got this text.

Then this picture showed up on my text. This is what was for dinner for one set of our Elders...

The meal consisted of horse meat and pig head. And I wasn't invited...

Well, the Christmas packages are still pouring in for the missionaries. Several this week have come addressed to the Mission Office with NO MISSIONARY NAME. This causes quite a stir, as I don't know which of the 187 it's for. I've become obsessed with figuring out the mystery. When calling the shipper, emailing parents, etc doesn't work, then I get to do my favorite thing! OPEN THE PACKAGE! Hopefullly a name is written on the inside somewhere. I don't even need Christmas this year as I have opened so many gifts that don't belong to me...I think I am going to start a new tradition with the grandkids. When mom and dad go to sleep, open all the presents and look at them and rewrap and tape them...It's exhilariting! I can't believe I haven't discovered this fun thing earlier in my life. 

Lesson for the week: Eternal Truth #1--Truth always prevails. When we do something wrong and try to hide it, it always surfaces and  justice will be served! It's best to always be honest and truthful. Obedience brings happiness. We had an incident recently where a missionary decided to drive to the beach. It was out of his area. It was in the middle of the night. He was under the assumption that no one would ever find out. But alas. New Zealand has camera's called Robo Cops. When you drive past them, they snap a picture of your car and record your speed and the time of day it happened. Well guess what? Elder Clayton received a notice in the mail that Elder Beach Boy was speeding near the beach several miles from his area in the early morning hours.  Guess who is riding bikes and walking now? 

We have a photo exhibit set up for Christmas by our office. This sign was on the wall. The words rang true to my heart:

"Life can be messy and hard, but it can also be happy and hopeful because hope in Christ brings light into life." I wish for you this holiday season, hope, happiness, and light. True happiness comes from putting our trust in the Savior and believing him. As we strive to emulate his life, help others and strive to be better today than we were yesterday, our life becomes more peaceful, joyful, and daily trials are easier to endure. 

One last thing, I have to share. Because the words ring so true. Sister Howell, the Mission President's wife in Bismarck created and drew the above picture. I so love it. She is quite amazing.
Merry Christmas All.

Much Love,
Elder and Sister Clayton