Get a Comfortable Chair

This is going to be a long one.  It’s been a very busy two weeks. 

About a month ago, Elder and Sister Neider arrived from Idaho Falls to help with the branch in Ashburton. 

They are a great couple with lots of experience and enthusiasm.  Every Saturday, after piano lessons, we go to dinner and converse about this big adventure that we’re on.  They thought they were coming to an English speaking nation, but they can’t understand anyone yet.  The Kiwis are bad enough, but most of the people in the Ashburton Branch are Islanders, and that throws several other accents into the mix.  How well I remember doing what they’re doing now—forever asking, “What?”  More friends, just one of the many blessings of serving a mission.

We had a very special dinner at the home of one of our YSA’s.  Brodie, who has been a member for about a year, keeps bringing us the most delicious food, all of which has been prepared by her mother.  Donna Ridler tried out for New Zealand Master Chef and made it quite far in the competition.  She will try again and I think she could win.  She makes the best fried rice in this world, and has promised to teach me how to do it before I go home. As I watched her prepare our meal, I kept thinking about how much Rob and Scott would love to watch and learn from her.  The Ridlers lived in Indonesia and she cooks a lot of Malaysian and Moroccan foods.  Here she is cooking garlic sprouts.  I didn’t even know there was such a thing.

I don’t believe I’ve ever had a more flavorful meal.  She served pork belly that she poached for hours in the most delicious liquid (I haven’t a clue what was in it)  which she then reduced for a sauce.  She put the pork in a hot oven for a few minutes to get a crispy crust—the whole thing just melted in your mouth.  For dessert she made a delicious, heavy cake with pockets of custard and topped with berries.  My, my, my, I’m still dreaming about it.   

Guess who showed up in Christchurch this week?

Faces from home--John’s sister, Denise, and her husband, Neal.  It was good to see family.  They were such great company and never complained even though we forced them to go on a working trip with us.  They oohed and aahed at the beauties around them and tried to stay as warm as possible.  They arrived on a Friday morning, we let them rest that afternoon, and then took them to see some of the earthquake damage around Christchurch.

The Catholic Cathedral

Houses along the red cliffs by Sumner. 

Saturday we started the southern loop.  We stopped in Ashburton for piano lessons, stayed the night in Timaru, and all of us were asked to speak in church the next day.  It didn’t even phase Denise and Neal.

We stayed in Oamaru that night and went to see the penguins.  There is a colony of Blue Penguins—the world’s smallest penguin—in Oamaru.  They come in from the sea each night at dusk.  It is fun to watch them ride the waves and be washed up on to the beach 10 or 20 at a time.  They waddle over the sand, climb a ramp, scurry over an open area, and find shelter for the night in boxes scattered on the mountainside.  We were not allowed to take pictures of those penguins, but we did get pictures of the yellow eyed penguins that come in from the sea, one at a time, just a little further up the coast.  If you look very closely, you can see one.  I wish I had a pair of binoculars on this mission. (Brad, bring some when you come.)

Near the penguin colony in Oamaru.

Monday morning, bright and early, we attended seminary in Oamaru.  Longo Kaufana and her two students, Ofa and Raymond did a little role playing as part of the lesson.

It is a joy to visit these classes, even if it means very little sleep.  The students and teachers are always so kind and make us feel so welcome, and they take their seminary work very seriously. 

As we traveled to Invercargil that day, we tried to see the Moeraki Boulders, but the tide was too high and we couldn’t get near them.  We did make it to Nugget Point before a storm came in.  It was just as beautiful as I remembered.

I think this is a perfect picture.  John really knows how to use a camera!

Invercargil, down at the southern tip of the island, was as it should be in the winter, FREEZING.  There was wind, rain, and sleet, but we had a warm motel and a wonderful Tuesday morning with Deanne Wilson and her seminary students Jesse and Rav. Sister Wilson made pancakes and Milo (like hot chocolate), and everyone was happy.

We stopped in Gore for a visit with the Risenmays and then on to Dunedin where we attended institute on Tuesday night.  Wednesday morning it was up early once again for seminary with Joyce Tiong and her students. 

Joyce Tiong, she looks like a student, but she’s the teacher.  She is from Malaysia and has just graduated from Otago University as a pharmacist.  Darling girl!

Wednesday morning turned out to be a better time to see the Moeraki Boulders, so ”Bob’s your uncle” (see previous blog).

We made it home Wednesday evening, just in time to start working on lessons for Thursday.  The university started up again this week.  After a break, it usually takes a while to get our kids back to institute, but this week they came in droves.  I LOVE these kids.

We just found out on Thursday that there will be a stake conference on Sunday, July 24.  Our choir has been asked to sing two numbers—one of our choice, and one that the stake president chose.  We will only be able to have three practices, but I think we can do it.  There will be a new stake president here in Christchurch.  It is all happening very suddenly and we’re all rather surprised.  I think the situation here has been extremely taxing on President McDonald.

We also have a new Mission President.  We have not met him yet, but President Kezerian will be coming to Christchurch Tuesday morning.

So many beautiful places.  So many beautiful people.  Life is good.