A Fresh Start

Yesterday was the first day of seminary here in Christchurch.  The new teachers were in their classrooms and the students came with their early in the year eagerness.  We have two classes going in the institute building and one in each of the chapels.  It looks like enrollment will be up this year.  It helps that people are finally feeling a little more settled. 

Online seminary started yesterday as well.  My class from last year has been split into three classes and new students have been added to each of these.  Deanne Wilson is teaching the kids from the southern part of this island.  She has students from Waimate down to Invercargill.  A new teacher, Valerie Bignell, has been called to teach the students from the north island, and Brother Bell has decided to take on the kids in Christchurch and Blenheim.  I hope it’s not too much for him.  His class has 12 students already and will require a lot of time.  Yesterday we worked all morning trying to figure out some technical problems.  When John, Brother Bell and I add all our technical IQ together, we come out significantly short of one, less than average, 30 year old. Our years have taught us a little patience though, and so we will just keep working at it.

We had the Sisters over for dinner last night.  Sister Posala and Sister Tailasa are so excited about the changes to Riccarton ward.  They have never been so busy and they have 6 baptisms coming up this month.  The difference they attribute to our new bishop who spends hours visiting in homes, and the army of ward missionaries that have been called. There is an excitement about fellowshipping and missionary work that was not here before.  Even the Samoans that lost their Samoan speaking ward are loving the changes.

There is a quote from Herman Melville’s ‘Moby Dick’ that I like. (Believe me it was hard to find anything in that long and dreary book that I liked.  As I slogged through, I discovered a slight interest in whales and an abhorrence for the old whaling industry, that is all.)  “Seat thyself sultanically among the moons of Saturn, and take high abstracted man alone; and he seems a wonder, a grandeur, and a woe.  But from the same point, take mankind in mass, and for the most part, they seem a mob of unnecessary duplicates, both contemporary and hereditary.”

Mankind, viewed in mass, is nothing spectacular, but as I come to know individuals I am struck with wonder.  There is so much of goodness, strength, resilience, fun and beauty.  Individuals are what make this mission and life itself rich and worthwhile.  Would that I could bundle them all up and bring them home with me.  Here are just a few…

These young men have all moved down from Auckland to work for demolition companies in Christchurch.  They are all trying to earn money for missions and have added much to the YSA and institute programs. 

Shawn Chrichton, Tina Tuipulotu, (unknown), and Lusi Sua.

Dindi Chan, Sara (foreign exchange student from Germany), and Ellen Chan.

Elder Fifita proudly displays his gold tooth.  To have gold teeth in Tonga is highly fashionable.  Many people file down perfectly good teeth in order to sport a sparkling gold one.  Men, women, doesn’t matter.  One Elder said that when his grandfather died, all the grandsons got a gold tooth to honor him.  I think I’m part Tongan…

I hope my ancestors are proud.

And last, but not least, President and Sister Kezerian.

Sister Brazzeal from the mission office called yesterday.  She wanted to arrange travel for our return home.  She asked if we wanted to take some time after our release date and travel around New Zealand.  Guess what we told her?  We have seen Wellington and Auckland.  We have traveled extensively over the south island.  We have seen many of God’s spectacular creations here in the Pacific, but we are anxious to see His creations we love most—beautiful faces of family.  And so, we will leave here on May 1st, gain back the day we lost when we came, and arrive home on May 1st.