Easter in the Fall?

There’s something that just doesn’t feel right about that.  I’m used to daffodils, tulips, and blossoming trees.  Instead we have…

Beautiful, but not spring with all its promises of new life.  Fall is not a suitable backdrop for the story of the resurrection, but it will have to do for a couple of years. 

Easter weekend has been interesting in New Zealand.  Good Friday is a national holiday, and by law all businesses are closed with the exception of necessary services.  Necessary services are gas stations, eateries, pharmacies, and video stores.  That’s right, video stores are necessities.  Many businesses are angry at the law and stay open in defiance of it.  They pay the fines and figure they make a little profit.  Our New Zealand friends think it strange that we do not celebrate ‘Good Friday’.  They think we are lacking something in our religious observance.  Stores were open on Saturday, and on Easter Sunday Riccarton Mall was packed.  To me that seems a little backwards, but what do I know?  Monday, today, is also a holiday.  It is Easter Monday (another public holiday) which also happens to fall on ANZAC day this year.  ANZAC stands for Australia and New Zealand Army Corps.  It is similar to our Veterans Day.  I believe that the stores are only open for half a day today.  The university is out this week so things are a little slower for us. 

Last week, we had our day in the sun with the film crew sent from Salt Lake and Auckland.  They were very nice men and seemed to know what they were doing. 

John and I will not be moving to Hollywood after this mission.  We are not great in front of the camera.  John rambles and I stammer.  The producer, Quinn, said that our speech patterns will be easy to edit; at least we have a beginning and an end to our sentences.  I will also be grading Rick, the one who does all of the editing (blue shirt), on how young and thin he makes me look.  I wish them lots of luck.

Friday night David Campbell baptized his girlfriend Sarah Newton.  Sarah has been coming to institute class and has been wanting to be baptized for about a year and a half.  Her father would not let her join the church until she turned 18.  It was a happy night for so many people. 

Sarah is a very nice girl and will be a great addition to the Opawa ward.

We are sharing the institute building for a couple of months with Brother and Sister Malupo. 

Brother Malupo has been a counselor with LDS Social Services.  They were in the process of moving from Hawaii to Arizona when they were asked to come and help New Zealanders recover from the earthquakes.  They are lovely people, and I wish we could be their friends but that will be impossible.  You see, when they first arrived, I went out to meet them in the foyer of the institute building.  I laughed, and smiled, and pranced around in front of them.  When I went back into our office, John pointed out that my skirt and slip were tucked up in my pantyhose and that my rear end was very exposed.  There is nothing else to be done, I must avoid them.

Brother Bell drove us over to Sumner one afternoon this week.  Sumner and Lyttleton are where the bulk of the quakes are happening.  John says that the island is trying to shake off that little wart that you see sticking out near Christchurch.  We were amazed at the changes since we were there last.  The beautiful rock on the beach that we photographed our first week here…

now looks like this…

Some other scenes of destruction…

So many beautiful old churches are in ruins.  So sad.

We still have aftershocks all of the time, but we don’t even notice them anymore unless they are over 4.0.  With winter coming on, we are hoping that there are no more big ones.  People are already living in less than ideal circumstances.  Cold weather would make things even more difficult. 

Speaking of cold…we have discovered why everything shuts down so early around here.  New Zealanders spend their evenings in bed.  Bed is the only warm place, and it is warm because of these…

Electric blankets go on top of the mattress and under the sheet.  We turn ours on two hours before going to bed, and when you get in, it is snuggly and warm.  It is the best feeling.  The worst feeling is leaving that warm bed in the morning to turn the heater on.  I let John do that.  There is no central heating, no way to maintain a steady temperature.  Heaters can heat a room or part of a room rather quickly.  I’m grateful for their placement all over home and the institute building.

So, as all back home head into spring and summer, we are pulling out our winter clothes and figuring out how to stay warm.   

Travel, Weddings, Babies, Farewells, and Stardom

Doesn’t sound like a mission?  Ours covers them all.  We’ll start with the stardom.  I am blogging a day early because tomorrow a filming crew comes from Auckland to follow us around for a day.  The Area Presidency has commissioned a film to encourage more couples to serve missions.  They sent a questionnaire months ago and seemed to like my stories of babysitting via Skype.  They are also curious about our experiences during and after the earthquake.  The camera will be running at FHE and our YSA will put on a show for them.  I must say, I believe that  anyone who sees what we experience will be excited to serve a mission.  Just this week we…

Traveled.  We did the northern loop once again.  We visited with six of our online seminary students, attended an early morning seminary class, went to breakfast with the institute teachers in Nelson, and attempted a meeting with the seminary class in Greymouth (they forgot we were coming and were not out of bed).  It was such a good thing to see the seminary students in person, to see where they live, and to meet their parents.  These visits allow me to assess the abilities and background knowledge these kids bring to each lesson.  I know the online lessons have to be adapted in some situations, and I’m getting a sense for what I must do.  I want each one to finish the year, and that means I have to keep them from getting discouraged.  I know if they can spend some time each day in the scriptures, the Lord will bless them and strengthen them.  For the next few weeks, I’ve decided to create my own, simplified versions, for Shanelle.  I could feel her frustration and sense her lack of basic gospel knowledge.  So, this is why I took all those classes in course development.

As we traveled, we were reminded once again of the beauties of this country.  Here are a few sights from our travels…

I’m not sure what kind of birds these are, but they were out in mass in Kaikoura.  We also hobbled our way (with one crutch) up the path to see the baby seals.  It was as wonderful as everyone told us.  These babies are right at your feet, unafraid, and very playful.  They cried, they fought, and they did tricks.  It was so dark that John had a hard time getting good pictures, but if you look closely, you can see the cute little creatures.

We stayed the night in Nelson, got up early, and attended Sister Reneti’s seminary class.  Teenagers are the same where ever you go.  I’ll bet Eric can see one of his students in each face (if they would let you see their faces) from Nelson, New Zealand.

After seminary, we had breakfast with Brother and Sister Wells, the institute teachers.  They were both raised in Nelson and shared some of their knowledge of the city.  The road running along the coast is edged by a rock wall, a sidewalk, and an interesting chain rail.  All were built many years ago by inmates. 

It is autumn in New Zealand.  The leaves have changed colors.  There are a few red trees, several yellow trees, but green is still the predominant color.  The drive up north is truly beautiful.  As you turn southward, you hit the narrow winding roads through the mountains.  In this next picture, the road narrows to a single lane which has been carved from the side of the mountain.

 

We took the drive down the western coast from West Port to Greymouth.  The west coast gets most of the rainfall and so the hills and mountains on that side are very heavily forested.  It has it’s own beauty.

John was fascinated by this tree.

After spending the night in Greymouth, we headed back through Arthur’s Pass.  It was a rainy day, but still spectacularly beautiful.

At the summit, we stopped in the car park.  As soon as we pulled in, the Kia’s came looking for a breakfast of rubber and windshield wipers.   They are not shy.  I didn’t dare roll my window down too far.  He wanted something.

Friday we went to our first Kiwi wedding.  Dallin Caldwell and Rachel Evernden (two of our YSA) were married in the temple in Hamilton, but they had their wedding celebration back here in Christchurch.  When we received the invitation, I had to ask a few questions.  The invitation said from 3:30-11:00.  I wondered if we could go anytime between those hours.  I was informed that you go before 3:30 and stay the whole night.  They have photographs, nibbles (appetizers), a full sit down meal, speeches, a program, and a dance.  It was great fun—lot’s of great people to visit with and a beautiful bride and groom.

Today we went to Ashburton for our meetings.  Vine Touli, one of my piano students, is leaving for the Missouri, Independence mission.  She is a happy, musical, faithful girl.  The whole branch will miss her terribly.

The Stake President was there today to reorganize the Branch Presidency.  This branch has been without a president since Bill Johnston died two or three months ago.  They sustained President Pongia, a sweet, humble islander.  Vine’s dad was put in as a counselor.  They held sacrament meeting and had an hour for Priesthood, Relief Society, and youth classes.  They returned to the chapel for Vine’s setting apart and some “refreshments”.  I think the Stake President was surprised when he entered the chapel for the setting apart and found the chairs moved to the sides of the room, tables set up in the middle, and an absolute feast including this delectable morsel.

John and I both like the knife stuck in his back.  We’re not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy.

Pretty full week, you say.  I saved the best till last.  We got home from our trip just in time for the birth of Samuel Vere Stauffer.  Emily and Eric’s new baby weighed in over nine pounds and is soooooo cute!  We know because we have seen him.  Eric took the laptop into the nursery where we watched the nurse caring for little Sam.  It was almost as good as being there.  I cannot think about the fact that I will not be able to hold him until he’s a year old or I’ll cry.  Instead, I think how blessed I am to serve a mission after the invention of Skype. 

It’s been an exciting but exhausting week.  We’re off to bed to get our beauty sleep.  We need to look our best for our movie debut tomorrow. 

Boiling Ban Lifted

I don’t think I can describe how happy I was when I heard those words on the news.  The water has been tested, declared bacteria free, and deemed suitable for human consumption.  They have added chlorine and will do so for the next few months because the systems are still so fragile.  We will continue to drink bottled water for a while, but we can wash our dishes without boiling two pots of water and turning our flat into a sauna.  We can brush our teeth without grabbing a bottle of water, and we can rinse fresh vegetables and fruit under the tap.  My kitchen will be tidy once again.  We will be able to wash dishes after every meal instead of waiting for a stack to justify the steamy process.  So many reasons to be happy!

I realize that we are a week behind everyone else, but conference was recorded last week and shown in our church buildings this weekend.  It is the first time in my life that I had to put on Sunday clothes and attend General Conference at a ward meeting house.  I was amazed how few people turned out for the Saturday sessions.  There were only about 20 people there and the majority of them were YSA.  We all sat huddled together for warmth.  Someone turned on the fans instead of the heater and we were freezing.  The smart ones brought blankets, winter coats, gloves, and hats.  I just shivered in a light jacket.  After the morning session, we all went outside to get warm and to share a lunch that Brigham and Alyse spread out on the hood of their car.  By the afternoon session, the heating problem had been sorted out.  We shed the outer wear and watched in comfort.  For the Sunday morning session, the chapel was filled.  We sat by many of the young adults and shared a lunch with them during the hour break between sessions.  I was not looking forward to doing conference this way.  I have always loved watching it in my comfortable home.  In the end, I loved it.  I loved sharing the experience with these good kids.  I loved staying awake for every word.  I loved being taught by the Spirit.  I loved finding answers and resolutions to some personal longings and concerns that I have carried for quite some time.  What Elder Holland said was true.  “If we teach by the Spirit and you listen by the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance, sending a personal prophetic epistle just to you.”  I heard the ones that were meant for me.   I am most grateful for the prayers, the fasting, and the studying that each of the speakers invested in their talks.  I am grateful that each started and stopped and started again “until he or she [was] confident that for this conference, at this time, his or hers is the topic the Lord wishes that speaker to present” (Holland).  They were “mortal messengers with angelic messages”.   I wish I was able to maintain the spirit of hope and optimism I feel during conference.  I wish that it would not fade over time.  Thank goodness we get another recharge in six months. 

Saturday night we went to a birthday party for Drewe and Brodie.  The Young Adults are always so great to include us in their parties and celebrations.  They had an international theme with everyone bringing a pot luck dish from different countries.  I made New York cheesecake even though New Zealand does not know about graham crackers, and I had to guess on all the measurements because I am not good at converting grams into ounces, etc.  It must have been all right, because there wasn’t a morsel left.   As I was leaving, I didn’t notice a step and landed on the outside of my left foot.  I don’t think that I broke anything, but I can’t put any weight on it.  I have borrowed some crutches and I will be hobbling around for a few days.  John is the best of companions.  He doesn’t complain when he has to do extra work because I’m lame.  He just works a little faster and treats me even more kindly. 

The work just gets better and better.  Our institute numbers are up where they were before the quake.   It seems we get new ones every week.  Choir is getting bigger.  Ellen Chen, a university student majoring in music, asked if she could conduct and I have been so glad to have her.  The online seminary class has grown to 23 students—way over the recommended number.  We had to add five students from the Avonside ward in Christchurch.  The roads are so bad that they can no longer go to early morning seminary and make it home for school.  Brother Bell and John are still trying to figure out what to do with the 13 Wainoni kids who are having the same problem.  Hopefully the stake will be able to come up with another teacher from this side of town. 

The institute is such a fun place these days.  Kids come from the university to study.  I try to leave them alone, but every once in a while we have to take a break and play a game.  As I write this, I’m sharing the lounge with Abby…

Abby is finishing her masters thesis on “seed dispersal by tantalus monkeys”.  She has done her research in Nigeria and is teaching me to love nature and all the creatures of the earth.  She is failing when it comes to spiders.  I still hate them.

Laura and David…

Laura and David are first year university students.  David returned this year from a mission in Washington.  He has a class or two with Laura and has invited her to the institute building to study.  She is not a member, but has found a quiet, friendly place to study.  They just left for class, and look who showed up… 

Elder Lekias and Elder Segi.  It’s their P-day.  I want the missionaries to meet Laura.

It’s lunch time and I’m hungry.  I think I’ll go home and dirty some dishes so that I can wash them.  FUN!!!

In Gratitude for the Holy Ghost

Today began very early for John and I.  We set our alarm for 4:00 a.m. so that we could hear my brother Paul speak in the Sunday session of General Conference.  I had a hard time sleeping, a nervous stomach, you’d have thought I was the one facing that huge congregation.  I thought about tripping and falling down the stairs.  I thought about stuttering and stammering.  I thought about getting emotional and unable to see the words.  I thought about beads of sweat (very vivid on high definition TV) trickling down into eyes that would then be unable to read the teleprompter.   I thought about stage-fright and being unable to speak at all.  Finally, the hour of truth came, and all of my worries were for nothing.  Paul was perfect.  I was so proud of him.  I think I have a little of the “Aunt Renee syndrome”—hero worship.  I know that every word he uttered was inspired and blessed the lives of so many.  We will listen to all the sessions of conference next week.  I know it will be a spiritual feast.  I know these men are inspired in their messages, and the Holy Ghost bears witness and teaches me as I listen.  I was thankful for the powerful spirit I felt early this morning, and I have been grateful for the companionship of the Holy Ghost today and so often on this mission.

We could not listen to the whole session because I had to teach an early morning seminary class at 6:30.  Sister Clendon called late last night, said that she had injured her ankle, and would not be able to teach her class in the morning.  So, with very little time for preparation, I went into a classroom of about 16 students to teach from the Doctrine and Covenants.  I had briefly glanced at the material to be covered, read the scripture block, and prayed that the Spirit would be present.  It never ceases to amaze me in situations like this, how the Holy Ghost can bring things to remembrance.  My 60-year-old brain can barely remember what day it is, but when I am expected to help in the spiritual training of the Lord’s choice youth, the Holy Ghost can help me recall things I studied or read or experienced years ago.  I acknowledge him, love him, and thank him.

Last night, the young adults held a “break the fast” at the institute building.  We were so pleased to see so many of our young adults, but even more excited that they brought investigators with them.  There were three young women and one young man who came to see what the YSA were all about.  Stephanie conducted the evening which began with a song, a prayer, and a spiritual thought.  Everyone brought a ‘plate’ to share and they played games afterward.  I’m grateful for good youth who want to share what they have with others, and I pray that those who visited could feel of the spirit that was there and recognize the goodness of it.

Break-the-fast.  Everyone contributed.  I made ‘funeral potatoes, a special request from Jeremy who had not had any since his mission in the states.

Those who hung around to clean up.  Front Row Sitting: Stephen, Stephanie, Matt, Patty, and Rigel.  Second Row Kneeling: Elder Stauffer, Drew, Karla, and Alyce.  Third Row Standing:  Trevor, Tui, Jordan, and Maverik. 

I have a testimony that the Spirit can give us gifts or abilities that can help us be more than we can be and accomplish more than we could on our own.  Each week, as I try to manage the growing groups of piano students, I wonder how I will manage.  Each week the Spirit helps me discover ways of making the best of a situation.  How does one teach five young women at one time with only one keyboard?  I don’t know, but the Spirit does.

They’re all making progress.

The online seminary class is learning about the gifts of the spirit this week.  I read this quote from Elder Stephen L. Richards given in conference in April of 1950 (old, but still true), speaking of the gift of discerning of spirits:  “The highest type of discernment is that which perceives in others and uncovers for them their better natures, the good inherent within them.  It’s the gift every missionary needs…He must be able to discern the hidden spark that may be lighted for truth.”  

I have begun praying in earnest for the gift of discerning of spirits.  I hope we can help these young adults see the goodness that God has allowed us to see in them.  Last Monday night at FHE, we celebrated Jordan’s 19th birthday.  I love this quiet and shy young man.  I watch him soaking up what is said, too afraid to contribute.  I answer his questions that he asks when everyone else has gone.  Thursday night at institute, I took him aside and asked if he had ever considered going on a mission.  He was rather surprised and shook his head.  I told him I thought he would be a fine missionary.  When I saw him in church on Sunday, he told me that he had been thinking about what I’d asked him, and on Sunday night I noticed him staring at the missionary bulletin board for a long time.  I want Jordan to see what I see, what God sees.  I’m grateful for the glimpse the Holy Ghost gives me into the hearts and souls of these young people.  I love them.

We have not been given the gift of tongues.  When we try and mimic the kiwi accent, everyone laughs hysterically.  The youth have given John and I a challenge—to learn our favorite scriptures in Maori.  It’s a good thing we have 13 months left.  Even a few verses will take us a long time.

Also, the Spirit forgot to tell us of the time change on Sunday.  We were an hour early for our meetings and completely confused at the empty parking lot.  It was a beautiful day, though, and we had a very nice walk around the Cashmere neighborhood. 

We testify of the Holy Ghost and the gifts he gives.  They are evidence that this is the Lord’s work.  We can feel him with us.  He fills this work with vibrancy and energy.  We give thanks to him.