A Mission Christmas

 

The Reason for the Season 

 

The statue of the Christus can be found at the New Zealand Temple Visitors Center. We were able to attend two different sessions at the temple with 2 ITEP senior missionary couples, Elder and Sister Johnson, who were in Auckland training for their assignment in Tonga with the five middle schools, and Elder and Sister Thorne, who had just completed their mission to Kiribati working with the teachers at Moroni High School. 

Elder and Sister Thorne
at the Temple of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
in Hamilton, New Zealand

 

 Elder and Sister Fellowes arrive from Australia for training as ITEP missionaries working with TVET teachers (Technical and Vocational Education and Traning) at Liahona High School in Tonga

 

 

 

 

Elder and Sister Johnson arrving from Salt Lake. As ITEP Coordinators, one of our main responsibilities is to work with these missionary couples who have been called as ITEP missionaries to work in the schools with the teachers. When they arrive in Auckland for training it is our first opportunity to meet and get to know them. They are great educators and missionaries!

We are standing in front of Lake Rotorua, in the central part of the North Island. There are many more pictures of our visit below, but first a brief review of the other events that were a part of our first Christmas season as missionaries.

 Employees of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Pacific Area Office donned their "Mormon Helping Hands" shirts early in December and spent an afternoon involved in 2 service projects in Auckland. Some of us assembled hygiene kits (1,000 kits) and some of the employees did a clean-up of Takapuna. These volunteers were loading the car of one of the organizations receiving the hygiene kits. After the service project concluded there were some yummy refreshments waiting for us with a centerpiece of the Christ child in the manger.

 

 

President Hamula (center) is the Area President of the Pacific and is the person immediately responsible for all church activities in all countries in the South Pacific. As a General Authority he frequently is traveling to ensure the safety and well-being of all church members in the Pacific Area. We have enjoyed the opportunity to hear him speak and teach us. It was especially uplifting to hear him speak of the Savior in a devotional the week before Christmas. We are pictured here with Elder and Sister Thorne who were in Auckland on their way home to the Utah at the completion of their mission.

 

President Watson is a first counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency and has much the same schedule as President Hamula. A very busy man who still makes time to drop by and say "hello" and "thanks" to those of us working in the Pacific Area Office. He just returned from a trip to Samoa to witness the devastation from Cyclone Evan and provide encouragement and support to the members there.

Elder Anderson, the medical doctor for the Pacific Area and a senior missionary, welcomes Elder Thorne to his table at the Christmas luncheon.

Elder Jacobsen and I have the great opportunity to work with Bruce Yerman (left), Director of Church Schools,

and Jarod Hester (second from left), Asst. Director of Administrative Services.

 

Two views from the Skye Tower in Auckland.

We had lunch at the restaurant there with the Thornes.

 Elder Jacobsen enjoying the luncheon buffet at the Skye Tower.

 

 

 

A view of the Christus from outside the Visitor's Center. You can see the Temple in the reflection and also our reflection.

 

Elder Thorne wasn't too sure he was going to be able to finish the "whole thing". But, after 18 months with no hamburgers on Kiribati, he was game to try!



 

 

Before catching their flight home to Utah we had a little time to take the Thornes to the western side of New Zealand to see the black sand beaches of the Tasman Sea.

 

 

The Saturday before Christmas we packed a little travel bag and headed 3 hours south to Rotorua, a city located in the central part of the North Island of New Zealand. It is a geothermal area and has hot pots and mud pots galore (think Yellowstone Park). We could even see steam coming out of the vents on the side of the streets. There was a strong sulphur smell in the city but it was a beautiful, fun place to visit. There are countless places to hike, explore, and find outdoor wonders. We first visited Wai-O-Tapu to see some of the thermal wonders. There really isn't a national park system here, so while some hikes and sights are free, some are privatized and an entry fee is charged.

 

Notice the warning is in degrees Centigrade.I get the picture though....it is HOT!

The following pictures are from our walk around Wai-O-Tapu.

 

 

Looking out on Lake Rotorua from our motel.

 

 

The Kaituna River with it's class 5 rapids has a walking track that winds around it. We didn't see anyone shoot this rapid but the brochures show pictures of a raft coming through these very rapids.

 

 

The Trout Pool is an area on the Kaituna River where there are four terraces of water flowing downriver. It is a place where trout like to hang out and is open to fishing. It was pretty and secluded. Although we looked for fish we didn't spot any.

Hamurana Springs is a natural freshwater spring close to Lake Rotorua. The water is incredibly clear and we did spot fish here. This was once a fortified Maori village.The following pictures are of the 1.2 mile walk we took to the springs through a redwood forest and back. It was serene

 

The water is so clear in this picture it doesn't look like there is water at all. You can see the springs in the picture below and can see the water in that picture.

 

 

The Tamaki Maori Village gave us a glimpse of Maori life and the Maori culture. We enjoyed a tour of the village, a cultural show and a delicious hangi feast (dinner).

This is how the food is cooked in the Maori way.

 

At Wai-O-Tapo they actually schedule the same time each day to make the Lady Knox Geyser go off. The ranger puts some soap (environmentally safe they tell us) in the geyser which disturbs the top layer of water and causes the eruption to occur. Without the assistance of man the geyser would only go off once every 24 to 48 hours and that is not good for business, especially when it is the only geyser at Wai-O-Tapu!

 

 

 

We drove by this Maori Village each time we returned to our motel. The Marae is the Maori meeting house where the Maori of this tribe gather for important events and ceremonies. Just across the street from this Marae was their cemetery, which is high on a hill. Those with the highest rank in the tribe are placed highest on the hill.

Maori Cemetery

This impressive structure is in the downtown area of Rotorua and is a museum. In front of the museum you can see Lawn Bowling fields where the Rotorua Lawn Bowling Club keeps them perfectly manicured.

 

 

The following pictures are the sights we saw as we took a walk around the city of Rotorua out to Sulphur Point, around the edge of Lake Rotorua, and past more thermal hot pots that flow

                                                          into Lake Rotorua.

This beautiful "flame tree" is a common sight around the

Pacific. You can see the red blossoms this time of year.

The path took us around the lake and past a reserve where

we could see swans, ducks, and seagulls on the water.

 

The walk ended at the Government Gardens with this sculpture. The butterfly shape at the top rotates in the wind..

  

 

 

 

Christmas Eve

 



We took a gondola to the top of the mountain and ate a delicious buffet dinner overlooking Lake Rotorua. What better way to keep your mind off missing your family on Christmas than good food and being with the love of your life! :)

 

 

Though we did miss being with our family this Christmas we were richly blessed to know and feel of our Savior's love throughout those special days of the Christmas season. We love being here in New Zealand and serving this mission. It has brought us an even more sure knowledge that Jesus Christ is the truth and the way. We celebrate His birth and we are grateful for all of our many blessings. May God bless each and every one of you in the new year.

Love and prayers until our next post!