The Work and the Glory?

June--The Middle of Winter

It’s winter here in Dunedin: 30 degrees and rainy for a couple of days.  But we’ll take this winter over any in Idaho—any day. Today it's been 60 degrees with a warm breeze at times, stronger wind at others, blowing throughout the day. Look what grows in the winter.

Along our Walk on Forbury Road

When we heard of 102 degrees in Middleton, we had to ask ourselves if that’s where we really want to settle down after our mission. Not sure, but there’s a lot of time between now and then to “sort it out.”

In the Quiet Heart

To begin this blog we thought it might be interesting to share an experience that witnessed to us that God is aware of his children, and that we must be open to his nudges and promptings in order for him to reconnect with them through us. For, as Alma teaches: “the Lord works through means to bring about his great and eternal purposes” (Alma 37:7). We are often his “means.”

At the close of the 1^st Ward meetings, the Elders asked if I would take them home.

I got back to the Dunedin 2^nd Ward’s meeting during the sacrament service. I waited in the foyer to take the sacrament, before joining JannaLee on the back row in the chapel. While I was waiting for the water, a man came into the church. He was well dressed. I glanced at him, nodded, then went back to thinking about the Savior. While pondering, I had an impression that after the administration of the sacrament, I should introduce myself to the man and invite him to sit with JannaLee and me. I determined to do so, then went back to my thoughts. After the water had been administered (I noticed the man refused taking it), a woman with her three children showed up. (I found out later that the woman’s name is Ana.) She began chatting with the man, so that when the Ethan opened the chapel door to invite us in, I felt I would be intruding upon his and Ana’s conversation if I were to introduce myself.

As I got up to go inside, the impression to introduce myself came again. So this time I turned and walked over and stuck my hand out to the man, telling him my name and asking his. His name is Martin Hoskings. I asked him if he’d like to sit with JannaLee and me. He said he’d like that very much. In the middle of the meeting the Priesthood brethren went to the front and sang “Ye Elders of Israel.” On his way up, Joel Gaastra (the newly sustained Elder’s Quorum President) invited me to join the group. Without hesitating, I turned to Martin and invited him to join me. We walked to the stand and sang the hymn together with the rest. After taking our seats, Martin whispered to me that I have a good voice.

The meeting was good. The focus was upon the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood and the blessings we enjoy through the restoration of priesthood keys in our day. After the meeting, Martin volunteered that it has been a long time since he’s been to church, but that he felt it was time to return. He appreciated so much my invitation. He had been an executive secretary to President Smith a long time ago, but had fallen away from the church. He had been thinking of the negative example he was setting for his 12 and 9 year-old sons. This had moved him to want to become active again. But he had come to church concerned about what people would think of him. He wasn’t sure how to “come back,” he said. When I reached out to him, he felt at ease. “It will be alright,” he said.

This experience has reaffirmed to us that we really do not know what is going on in the lives of the people with whom we associate. But God does.

The Orokunui Eco Sanctuary

Could the Tui song be any lovlier, any more magical—more beautiful and pure?

This is one of the thoughts I had as I walked with June and the others in our group on our tour in Orokonui Eco Sanctuary today. The sanctuary spans about 740 acres. 

It's dedicated to preserving the native wildlife of New Zealand--skinks, other lizards, and especially the Kiwi and other birds. There are no predators allowed. A fence has been erected, buried into the ground so the killers can't dig under, and curled back on itself at the top so they can't crawl over. There are two gateways that one must go through in order to go in and come out. It's quite a place.

Tahu Mackenzie was our tour guide. She’s a rare gem: a precious spirit, not just a forest fairy, but the spirit of the sanctuary itself. 

Any guesses as to which one is Tahu?

Tahu dresses in a quirky, flamboyant manner, complementing her unusual personality made up of boyish explosions and girlish gestures, her speech a combination of Kiwi and Maori that erupt into rough expressions, toning down to delicate encouragements, which modulate into an almost prayer-like chant. She loves all the “beautiful people.” She is keen on what she conveys as the miracle of nature. She loves to spot poo on the trail. June says Tahu is obsessed with poo. But what she loves to do is point out whose poo we’re looking at, and what makes it different from the other creatures’ poo.

Here Tahu is explaining how the "Farting Bush" uses its odor to keep from being eaten by bugs.

 When she’s not pointing out the poo, Tahu is showing us the plant life, and pointing out the birds that inhabit the sanctuary. Or she is asking the children to pick out their favorite of magical tree, and to play games with her, turning each other into animals, then walking slowly to touch them before they can turn someone else into an animal. 

I would love to know her personal story. At one point, Tahu and I were paired off. She spoke with me about the Kiwi birds and the Taku: a flightless bird as big as a turkey. 

As she did, she lost her quirky personality for a time, and spoke with me adult-to-adult. Even so, she didn’t lose her purity and sweetness that are truly enchanting.

The Taku: Tahu's favorite bird.

The Southland Zone

Not much to say about this photo, except to point out that it was taken when the Southland Zone had its Zone Training about a month ago. Recognize anyone?

Getting Ready for the Mid-Winter Festival

JannaLee, the girls, and I made lanterns for the Mid-Winter Festival coming up in another week. It’s Dunedin’s way of celebrating the Winter Solstice. Ryan came with the girls last year. Bea asked us if we would take the girls this year. Olive whispered to me that Ryan had said it was the worst experience of his life—well, one of them. Even so, we ventured forth. 

As we worked and laughed together, creating the framework for the lanterns was quite fun. Olive and I worked together; June and JannaLee worked together. 

But when it came to putting on the papier-mâché, the work became tedious at best. 

It was an exercise in patience: a Buddhist exercise in self-control and becoming. 

For Ryan it was excruciating last year. For us this year? Not so hard, although it took us about 3 and half hours to complete our lanterns from start to finish.

The Queen’s Birthday

Last Monday Dunedin closed down except for some restaurants and stores that sacrificed staying open, allowing us the “bleesing” of paying 15% gratuity for the privilege of eating with them. We visited the Knox Church. Inside there is an impressive spiral staircase. 

Outside were some impressive missionaries. 

Elder Edward told us to say "Church" when taking the picture. JannaLee obeyed.

We ate at Capers. I bought a grey lightweight wool cardigan sweater. In the evening all of us ate at the Lone Star. I had the Johnny Cash; JannaLee the Honkey Tonk Chicken. Both are to die for.

Kia Ora

That’s all this time around. We love being missionaries. We love learning our duty through the Lord's tender and patient direction. We look forward to attending a special conference with Elder Pearson, our Area President, Sister McConkie and Sister Reeves, from the General Young Women and Relief Society Presidencies of the Church. We pray for you all morning and night—and even throughout the day. God bless us all to live true to him and his Son through keeping our covenants always.

Until next time,

Elder and Sister Ward