My, how they grow. . .

It has been a busy week that has flown by.

On Thursday the new missionaries arrived.  The van from the MTC made several trips to the airport to collect them and those that had flown in earlier in the week and been staying with relatives were dropped off.

It is quite a day for the Missionaries.  They go from being just regular young adults to being Missionaries, representatives of the Lord, as they step inside the MTC.  But oh, how they grow once they take that step.  We are surprised every day at their progress.  They stand taller and appear more dignified.  Their confidence grows and their ability to speak English (for those learning it) is just amazing.  The Lord prepares these Missionaries with the help of President and Sister Howes.  They expect so much of them and the young Missionaries simply rise to meet the expectations.

The New Zealand MTC on Sunday - an unusually clear cloudless day

We arrived at the MTC early on Thursday - about 7:00 am.  Things were already in motion there.  The Moroni room, where we hold Sacrament Meeting was set up with tables and chairs and papers ready to register each Missionary.  We need to collect passports, airline tickets and Temple recommends as they arrive.  We give each one a packet and go through it's contents with them; they sign the papers needing signatures,  answer needed questions such as, 'have you been endowed?', 'do you have a temple recommend?',' a patriarchal blessing?', or need to talk to the President about anything.  This is a challenge when they don't speak any English but somehow we manage to get this done.  We measure them for Temple clothing and garments if they haven't been endowed.  They also have their picture taken.

When they have been registered they go to another area in the Moroni room where computers have been set up and they can email their family back home.  Just a short email telling them they arrived safely and will email again in a week.   

Some of the missionaries have no way to contact their family.  One, Elder Mamea from American Samoa, sat on a chair near the computers and when I asked if I could help him with anything he said in broken English, "I am just very sad. I don't know how to do that." He then pointed to the computers.  A couple of the teachers at the MTC helped him learn to use the computer but I don't think there was any way to send an email to his parents who had no access to a computer.  Some send emails to their church buildings or Stake Centers back home in Samoa or Tonga and then the leaders there get the message to the families. 

Sister Howes told me that many of the families on the islands send their sons and daughters off and don't want them to contact them at all for their whole mission.  If the missionary calls on Mother's Day or Christmas the family tells them, "You are a missionary you should not call home!" and then they hang up on them.  They expect them to be tough and serve faithfully.  

Elder Mamea who didn't know how to use the computer

On Sunday I was gathering the missionaries for their interviews. While some were being interviewed the other missionaries were writing letters to President Howes and to their families.   Elder Vaekau left his District room with me and as we walked down the hall he said, "I can't write to my family.  I start to cry and I don't want to cry in front of the other missionaries."  He then told me that his father was an electrician and worked for the church in Tonga.  He had worked with his father for years.  He said his mother decided that every year she would take the children for a vacation off the island.  But he had never gone with them because he had not wanted to leave his father.  "This is the first time I have chosen to leave my father." he said.

I told Sister Howes the story and she quoted one of the brethren (I can't remember which one) who made the statement that, with the missionaries, every step away from their family was a step towards God.  That sounds strange with our doctrine about the importance of family but what he meant was that they step away from family and rather than getting their support and strength from them as they have in the past, they have to rely on the Lord.  As a result that relationship is strengthened. 

Elder Vaekau, (who missed his father) Elder Silva (From Sao Paulo), Elder Mamea, Elder Laughingoa, Sister Lamositele, Sister Wang (from Mainland China), and Sister Digo (from Malaysia)

While new missionaries are arriving and being registered.  Sister Howes sends the others to their District rooms with study assignments.  Later, when they know who their companions will be they go to their rooms and unpack.  Of course they are fed.  If they arrive by 7:30 they have breakfast and most are there for lunch.  All delight in dinner.  Many are very tired from long flights  

Every missionary is interviewed that first day by one of the MTC Presidency.  Imagine how difficult this is when they speak no English.  For the French missionaries who speak no English an interpreter is provided.  But usually they can speak enough to understand a little of what they hear. 

They meet their teachers and have classes that first afternoon.  There is a Welcome Meeting at 2:50 where they are told what to expect at the MTC.  They are told what their schedule will be and many more instructions.  Being on time for things is one of the things expected.  

Of course this class is taught by President and Sister Howes.  They are simply marvelous teachers.  Everyone who comes under their care has great respect for them.  Some are a little frightened of them because they are strict.  But you know how loving they are and that is also felt freely.  They strike a perfect balance in loving the missionaries, showing them tenderness and also expecting them to behave like missionaries.  They are always patting them on the back and complimenting them.  They minister to their needs and are so tender if one is sick or hurt.  They love them.

By evening we were all tired.  Many of the missionaries have had long flights and little rest over the last couple of days.  They were ready for sleep.  One Elder from Germany,  Elder Bast was a little worried about having his picture taken earlier in the day.  "I would like to clean up first." he said.  Then explained that he hadn't shaved in three days.  His flight had been 30 hours.  They snapped the picture anyway.  He looked handsome and good to us.

Top row - Elder Taufa, Elder Dickey Bottom row - Elder Fala, Elder Imae, and Elder Bast (his 3rd day at the MTC - all showered, shaved, and rested)

Saturday evening there was a Progress Meeting with the missionaries.  We had been absent less than 2 days and already we could see a change in them.  They were happy and speaking lots more English than we expected.  They gave prayers and talks that night in English.  Always when they stand to give a talk or teach a lesson they begin by sincerely thanking President Howes andSister Howes for the privilege of letting them speak.  They are truly grateful for the opportunity.  I am learning important things from these humble missionaries. 

Our third Sunday at the MTC was spent enjoying the happenings there but worrying about the Devotional we were in charge of in the evening.  We spent much of the week studying, praying and talking to some of you trying to get ideas of what to do at the Devotional.  Our topic was the Book of Mormon.  We learned a lot studying and had some good ideas but basically the Devotional was a flop.  Parts were good but the activity was too difficult for them and they had a hard time understanding what we wanted them to do.  We will have to learn from that one. 

After lunch on Sunday Sister Howes took the group photo and then the District photos.  The missionaries don't have phones but most do have cameras.  They can't have their cameras with them during the day but at this time after the group photos they could go to their rooms, get their cameras and had some time to take photos.  It was a beautiful day - no wind or rain and a nice temperature.  They enjoyed the camera time.

The  Sisters lining up shortest to tallest for the picture

almost ready

Sister Teriirere (from French Polynesia), Sister Shan, (a member less than two years) Sister Oh (from South Korea)

Sister Howes takes a photo - Elder Tupou, Elder Gardner, Elder Barber and Elder Siaw

You meet such nice people on a mission - Sister Hansen is going to Kiribati with her husband  

President Faust taught today at the MTC

 We thought of Sara on Sunday when we saw President Faust quoted on our information screen.  This Television is mounted outside the cafeteria and the information on it is changed daily.  The schedule for the day is there and any instruction that is needed.  There is also gentle music playing on it.

Dad snapped this of me working on the blog this morning

President Thatcher is a little more missionary-like at his desk at the MTC

It is Tuesday August 1st today.  We know it is still Monday at home and that means it is Ken and Kent and Katie's birthday and Aaron and Lorraine's wedding anniversary.  It is also Uncle Bryan's birthday as well as Harry Potter's.  This is a great day in our family and dad and I have gotten to celebrate all of you twice this year.  We hope you had a wonderful day at home or in Boston or wherever you may be.

There was a Devotional at the MTC this morning.  There is usually one of the Area Presidency that comes to speak to the missionaries but today we had one of the Area Authorities - Elder Paul Coward and his wife.  They were wonderful.  Sister Coward served a mission in the Philippines in her youth and talked about the feelings you have at the first of your mission.  Elder Coward spoke of the Culture of Christ and taught the missionaries in a powerful way that they were no more Tongans or Samoans or any other culture but that they were now, and would be the rest of their lives, of the  culture of Christ.  

President Howes started out the meeting by telling Elder Coward about this group of 44 missionaries that come from 23 different countries.  He had them raise their hands when they heard their country named.  They are from: 

New Zealand, 

Australia, 

Fiji, 

Tonga, 

Singapore, 

Samoa, 

Papua New Guinea, 

Germany, 

France, 

French Polynesia, 

New Caledonia, 

France, 

Switzerland, 

United States, 

Vanuatu, 

Hong Kong, 

Tuvalu, 

American Samoa, 

Brazil, 

Malaysia, 

China, 

Kiribati, 

South Korea.

We are quite a melting pot at the New Zealand MTC. There are only 4 who are native English speakers in this group.  The message was appropriate for us here.  Elder Coward quoted D&C 93:39-40  

And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers.  But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth.

He counseled the missionaries to learn the pattern of the Culture of Christ on their missions and then follow it when they go home and not revert to what they had been before.  We should all be willing to leave behind those things we have learned in our past that are inconsistent with the teachings of Christ and adopt His ways as our own.  This should be our quest.  

News Flash - Sister Thatcher drove today!!! Can you believe it?  We thought I might attempt it because we were taking a new way to the MTC and most of the way we drove on 'Murphy's Road'.  I felt confident that such a well named route would keep us safe and I was right!

I did it and President Thatcher was only slightly nervous!

We love all of you.  We are grateful for your good lives and the way you care for each other.  We hope Alex, Tiff and Will have had a wonderful trip in Europe.  We are grateful for Megan watching Emma and June and then Paul and Jen having them the last few days.  We are grateful for all those helping with Aaron and Lorraine's children while they are in Boston.  Melissa said that she had 14 children on her bench in church on Sunday.  It reminded her of her childhood.  We hope Joe is safe in California and that his older children have a safe trip there later this week.  We hope Benson and Easton are feeling better.  We wish we could be to baby Thomas' blessing on Sunday but can't think of a way to get there and back. We hope Megan is enjoying her lightning trip to California, and that Kaitlin and Maddie have a great time at camp. We hope Silvie's caterpillars are doing well and that all those playing tennis are champions.  We hope Mark, James and Stephen's trip to Yellowstone was safe with no falling rocks. We are grateful that Paul's Stake trek was so successful.  We love to hear of Laura and Ken's backyard playground and doughnut parties, and hope that Bishop Hadfield has a wonderful birthday.  We appreciate Kent and Murphy keeping the business flourishing and handling everything on that end for us.  We loved face-timing with Gideon and his parents and watching him unload the dishwasher.  We love every chance we get to talk with Anna and hope that all is well in her life.  We just love you all.  

Mom and Dad

Grandma and Grandpa,

Elder and Sister Thatcher 

Elders and Sisters leave the MTC

All the Elders and Sisters that we have learned to love over the last two weeks have gone.  They left in groups for the airport or loaded into mission vans if they were going to serve in Auckland.  When we saw them last they were excited, nervous and some a little sad at leaving the MTC.  By far the most prevalent emotion was excitement.  They were finally going into the mission field.  They could hardly wait.

We went to the MTC this afternoon and found it mostly empty.  President and Sister Howes were there of course and two senior couples had arrived for their stay. Elder and Sister Gurr are on their way to Samoa, and Elder and Sister Hansen are going to the Marshall Island Mission and will be stationed in Kiribati (That is pronounced Kiribus). There were also 4 elders from the next intake that had arrived early; Elder Lethezer from New Caldonia, (who has been a member of the church for less than two years), Elder Mamea from American Samoa, Elder Moses from Vanuatu, and Elder Malrory also from Vanuatu.  (If you grandchildren look all these places up on a map or globe you will get a pretty good geography lesson on the Pacific area).

President Howes took the whole group of us out to eat at a Denny's near by since the cook at the MTC wasn't there today thinking there would be no missionaries to feed.  It was an interesting meal.  Elder Malrory ordered Savoy Chicken.  When his plate came there was quite a lot of food on it and he barely ate a bit of it.  President Howes told us that it was probably more food than he had seen on one plate in his whole life.  He told us of another missionary from Kiribati who ate fish for dinner because his father fished.  They caught small fish.  If they caught one fish the whole family ate it for dinner.  If they caught two fish in a day they ate one and sold the other.  The Elders seemed to enjoy the meal very much.

Dinner at Denny's - the place doesn't sound exotic but the company was

The Bishop in our assigned ward, the Clover Park Ward, had planned a special missionary activity for last Saturday.  The ward invited non-members from anywhere to come to the church and be introduced to the Mormons.  He had invited the missionaries from several wards to be there so that they could meet the non-members and teach them if they happened to live in their area.  Bishop Utai is from Samoa where he served as Stake President or in a Stake Presidency for 22 years.  He is a fine man and his activity was just great.

There was a non member mother there with her 5 children and two others.  They were taught about families and the restoration of the church.  The Young Women's 1st Counselor and the Young Men's president both spoke. They even had dad say a few words and then the Bishop spoke.  These wonderful Polynesian people are so kind and welcoming.  The non-member woman seemed very interested.  She said she knew nothing about god but perhaps it was time for her to learn.

The Young Women's leader talks about families

Following the meeting we were all invited into the Primary room where there would be food.  Actually they called it 'a feed'.  And a feed it was!  A long table was loaded with all kinds of delicious foods.  There was pizza, and chicken, and more chicken and other kinds of chicken, and pork,  and baked banana's and all kinds of vegetables and fruits and rice and desserts.  These wonderful Samoan saints know how to feed a group.

Entry at the MTC Early Sunday Morning 

 Let me tell you about our second Sunday at the MTC.  President Thatcher and I had our first assignments.  President Thatcher taught the leadership council meeting and He and I both spoke in  Sacrament Meeting.  We were quite worried about it and I don't think President Thatcher slept a wink Saturday night.  I woke up about 4:00 am to finish my talk.  Dad did a good job in his lesson and the talks went fine.  We enjoyed the rest of the day after that.

Sundays are long days at the MTC.  We arrive before 7:00  am and leave about 9:30 pm.  Throughout the day we enjoy our association with these missionaries.  We just love them.  They want to soak up everything they can while at the MTC.  President and Sister Howes are great teachers and know what good missionaries should be.  They love and correct them and are constantly teaching them.  In weeks these young adults become dignified, capable, faith filled servants of the Lord.

We hear many of them speak each Sunday.  Four speak in Sacrament Meeting.  Several speak in Leadership Council, 5 more speak at the devotional Sunday evening and many of them share thoughts and testimony in other classes during the day.

And they sing.  There are 4 or 5 musical numbers in each meeting and they are my favorite.  They usually perform in Districts so you can hear them practicing their musical numbers as you walk down the hall.  How I wish you could hear them.

These missionaries leave Tuesday and Wednesday.  We will miss them.  It is something how you can come to love these great young people in 2 short weeks.  We give hugs at every meal as they enter the  cafeteria.  They are all so warm and have such beautiful smiles.  They do glow and they will be fine missionaries.

Elder Damuni from Kent's ward in Providence - a fine Elder 

We left the MTC too early on Sunday.   We were exhausted and left about 9:30 but Sister Briggs told us that after we left the Lehi District (our favorite singers) invited them back to their district room where they sang a farewell song to them and expressed their love and gratitude.  It makes me sick that we missed it.  

Following President and Sister Briggs into Auckland 

Monday was a treat.  In the evening we drove into Auckland.  We followed President Briggs all the way hoping not to get lost and driving in traffic much like LA.  Grandpa did fine but we were both pretty tense the whole way.  We left our car there for the young missionaries and rode back with President and Sister Briggs.  (We now have a new nice little blue car that had been used by the couple whose flat we now occupy) 

Our little blue Toyota Corolla 

We met as senior couples in the Pacific Area for a special family home evening in Auckland.   Rangi Parker, the Maori woman who has collected so much church history of the Pacific (the woman who told the Matthew Cowley story earlier in the blog), and her husband came to talk to us.  It was an amazing evening.  Their stories of faith and miracles among the early missionaries to the islands are marvelous.  She has been collecting this history for over 30 years and her collection was so great that the Church recently opened the Matthew Cowley Church History of the Pacific Center.  It is by the temple in Hamilton and is the first of its kind anywhere outside of Salt Lake City.  Its existence is due to this woman who has dedicated her life to preserving the stories of sacrifice of the early missionaries. 

Sister Rangi Parker

Kia Ngawari was Elder Cowley's favorite phrase-taken from Alma 7:23-24 -  It means be kind, be gentle, be loving, be humble be teachable.

No one wanted to leave when the evening was over

Auckland at night from a car window

I recorded the talks but think they are too long to put on the blog.  I will type up some of the stories.  The hearing of them would make a wonderful home evening for any of you.  

We spent the evening at the MTC on Tuesday.  More than half of the missionaries were gone but with the rest of them we met to be instructed for the last time by President and Sister Howes.  They could ask any questions they wanted to ask, doctrinal or practical.  The answers were spirit filled.  The MTC does remind me of the School of the Prophets.

The remaining Elders pretending to be studying because they knew I was taking a picture

 And tomorrow all the new missionaries arrive.  It will be a busy day and an exciting one.  We know all ready that we will love these new missionaries.  We will literally watch them grow from young raw missionaries into dignified, powerful ambassadors of the Lord in 3 or 6 weeks.  Miracles happen at the MTC and President Thatcher and I get a front row seat to watch it all take place.  

New Flat - Suitcases stowed away

loading our car with suitcases 

We have been living out of our suitcases since we arrived in New Zealand.  Today we moved into our Flat.

The kitchen area

The bathroom - noticed the shower has no door - we love their designs

One of two bedrooms

The living room - this is where we study

It is really very nice.  I think even Chip and Joanna Gaines would approve.  It seems that the church takes good care of the Senior Missionary Couples.  We have been in three different flats where couples live and each is very nice, clean, modern and well equipped.


It felt so good to take all our clothes and other items out of our suitcases and find places for them.  It should save time getting dressed each day as I have spent lots of time trying to find things that I knew were packed somewhere in one of three different suitcases.

We are all moved in as of this afternoon and ready for visitors. There is a spare bedroom just waiting for you.

It seems we moved at a good time this morning.  No sooner did we get the suitcases out of the car and into the flat then the skies opened and it rained as it never rains at home.  We were thankful to be safe and secure in our little place.

The downpour - you could definitely wash you hair in this!

Yesterday  was once again Temple day with the MTC Missionaries.  We love Thursdays when we all go to the temple together.

There is a meeting before we leave where President Howes teaches something about the temple.  They are great  meetings.  Yesterday he spoke about 'Holiness to the Lord', a phrase that has been on every temple since ancient times.  He took us to the scriptures where it talked about Aaron the High Priest and what he wore in the temple. Sounds very much like what we wear today. There was a robe that he wore, (a little fancier than we are used to), a mitre or cap, and an embroidered girdle.

vs 30 And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.  And shall put it on a blue lace and on the forefront of the mitre it shall be.  

President Howes taught us when we go to the Temple the Lord makes us Holy by taking on himself our sins.  He taught this much more clearly than I am stating it but we all went to the temple grateful to be in that Holy place.

We all load on the bus and take the beautiful hour and a half drive to Hamilton and the Temple.  I was able to take some pictures from the window of the bus this week.  The windows weren't so foggy.  Here is some of the beautiful countryside we pass through on our way.

 quaint, charming cemeteries on the hillsides

The skies are alway majestic with the long white clouds

Beautiful Rivers that we cross

But nothing is as beautiful as the land around the temple.  I wonder if the New Zealand Temple has the largest lawn of them all to mow.

The Temple grounds are the best manicured grounds we have seen in New Zealand

Beautiful flower beds and all the land you can see is owned by the Church

The neatness and order lends to a beautiful feeling of peace

Such happy flowers

President Briggs and President Thatcher Temple Bound

The temple fixes a wonderful meal for all of us after the session.  Sister Briggs always leads the missionaries in a song they sing for the cooks.  This week they sang 'Armies of Helaman'.  Our 56 missionaries sounded like an army and a strong one full of courage and faith at that.

The head cook is a cute older lady who talked to them for a moment after the song telling the missionaries that she hoped they would live up to the words they had sung.  She told them her parents had taught her to respect the missionaries and she always had.  She was happy to feed them every week and then told them to have good missions and then all come back to the temple to be sealed one day.

We took a few pictures in front of the Temple.  The wind was blowing but the rain waited for us to finish.

Our Beautiful Sisters

Our Faithfull Elders 

The Briggs were with the missionaries - we need to get all three couples

Elder and Sister Thatcher 

The missionaries then went to the Visitors Center where they watched a video.  We understand it is a great one and hasn't been released yet other places.  We didn't watch because there are only 40 seats in the theatre.


The missionary couple at the Visitor Center looked very familiar.  I realized it was Morris Poole and his wife from Cache Valley.  We had a nice visit.  He told us he remembered driving my sister Janice back and forth to BYU in their college years.  It is a small world in the church.

One of the lovely displays at the Visitor Center.  The sheep are so fitting for New Zealand

The ride back was peaceful.  Many slept while some sang in the beautiful almost haunting voices of the Polynesian people.  I love listening to the missionaries sing.  They sing with all their hearts.  I can close my eyes and believe that I am on a beach in Samoa or Tonga listening to them.  It is beautiful.  The hymns have never seemed more soothing to me.

Back at the MTC we ate dinner with the missionaries and then were off for our Motel room for one last night.  The motel has been very nice.  We have slept well and it has been close to the MTC for us but we are so happy at the thought of being able to unpack and feel like we have a home here.

Hope all is well with all of you.  We love you all.  You are in every prayer.

Shopping and a Ward Assignment

We are getting around pretty well with our little GPS unit.  That means we can go shopping on our own.  We have gone to an outdoor shopping mall (kind of) called Botany Town Center where we purchased our GPS unit at a store named Noel Lemmings, and a few pieces of fruit in a high end grocery store there.

Elder Thatcher holding a Custard Apple (Cherimoya) and Dragon Fruit

Does anyone think the custard apple dad is holding looks familiar?

Most of the groceries we have purchased have been at a store called Pay N Pack.  The prices are a little more reasonable there and they have most things we need like oatmeal, potatoes, eggs, milk, almond milk, fruit, shampoo, hairspray, thread etc.

There is a store at Botany Town Center called the Warehouse (I think) where we bought a curling iron and hairdryer and a smaller purse for me to carry around.

We have also gone to a store called Stationary Warehouse that is like a Staples Store only the prices are very high.  A cheap spiral cardboard loose leaf is over  $10.00
Dad bought just regular pens for $6.98.

kind of pricey but tempting - check out the price on American Cherries

While we were shopping Monday evening we got a phone call from President and Sister Briggs inviting us to their flat for Fish and Chips.  We found our way there and had a lovely meal and evening with them.

Fish and Chips with Elder and Sister Briggs

They told us their love story, which was unique and fun.  They met at BYU when Elder Briggs was home before leaving for Korea in the service.  He lived in Farmington right by the little stone chapel where the first Primary was held.  They had only met a couple of times and never been on a date when he shipped out. The last time they saw each other was at her apartment at BYU when her roommates had invited Elder Briggs (Ivan) and a friend for ice cream.  As he left he shook her hand and said they would see each other again.  It must have been an electric handshake.  Their whole courtship was writing  letters. That's how they got to know each other and fell in love.  He wrote to her dad to ask for her hand in marriage.  He received the letter on Valentines day and drove to her apartment to tell her.  When she was visiting his family in Farmington, Ivan's father gave her the engagement ring.   She flew to San Francisco with his sister to meet him when he came home on leave.  He said how awkward it was because they had only shaken hands and now were engaged.  How should he greet her? They had never kissed.  He said he gave her a hug she was happy with that.

Theirs has been a life of service to the Church.  He has served as Bishop three times and has traveled all over the world for the church.  They are devoted saints and we love them.

They also told us the story of their little three year old son Stanton who drowned in a neighbors pool, was worked on for 3 hours and pronounced dead and then they gave him a blessing and he revived.  They took care of him for 10 years before he died.  It was a sweet story.  They told us a link where we could read his story.  If you go to LDS.org and type in 'When Stanton Needed Help' you can read his story.  They explained that many of the people who served Stanton became active in the church and have gone on to be Bishops and Stake Presidents. It was the men in the ward who stayed all night with Stanton.  The women served in other ways.

President Walker's right hand man Elder Stahle called yesterday with our ward assignment.  We have been assigned to work in the Clover Park Ward.  We will meet today with the missionaries assigned to that ward to visit about what we can do to serve there.  President and Sister Howes had us come to the MTC last night to talk over that assignment and to instruct us, as they do all the senior MLS missionaries on ways to be effective in the calling.  They had wonderful ideas for us.  We will be able to go right to work.  We have a disadvantage in working with a ward in that we will never be there on Sunday.  That is our busiest day at the MTC.  We will find ways to work around this problem and will be working with less actives in the ward.

Sister Howes took a picture of us for her records and then we finally took a picture of President and Sister Howes and ourselves.  She wanted to send it to her children and we did as well.  President and Sister Briggs weren't there but we will get a picture of the whole presidency soon.

President and Sister Thatcher at the MTC

President and Sister Howes and President and Sister Thatcher 

Who would have ever thought all those years ago when we met the Howes that we would be serving together in New Zealand.  Quite a wonderful thing.

We love you all.
Mom and Dad

Sunday at the New Zealand MTC

This is the current intake of Sisters and Elders here at the MTC. They are a great group of missionaries.  Elder Thatcher and I are not in this photo because it was taken 2 days before we arrived.




Elder Thatcher and I woke early again.  By three o'clock am we are wide awake.  This time in stead of trying to go back to sleep we read the rest of the White Missionary Handbook WMH.  We continued to underline all the "Always" in blue and circle all the "Nevers" in red.

We were showered dressed and ready to leave by 6:30 in order to get to the MTC by 7:00.  We gave ourselves some extra time incase we got lost again.  Happy to report we made the trip with not a wrong turn.  It was an easy journey because there were so few cars on the roads.

I know it is winter here but really the weather is beautiful.  Looking outside it is sunny and bright.  It is colder than it looks and the wind is usually blowing and it has rained quite a bit but this morning as we walked to the car I thought it could be a chilly spring evening in Cache Valley.

We were at the MTC in time to prepare the Moroni room  for early meetings and Sacrament meeting.
All of the rooms here are named after Book of Mormon people.  The Moroni room is the room where Sacrament Meeting is held.  Also they hold any large group meetings there.

preparing the Moroni Room for Sunday Meetings

Each District is named after a Book of Mormon Prophet and has a District Room with that name where they do their studying and are taught.

Nephi district - English
Jacob District - English
Joseph District - English
Mormon district - English
Enos District - English
Lehi District - Samoan
Mosiah District - Tongan
Helaman District -Couple
Alma District - ESL

Sunday's schedule - a busy day

You can see that Sunday's are full days.  It was wonderful to watch President and Sister Howes and President and Sister Briggs as they ran the day and kept the missionaries happy and busy.  Breakfast lunch and dinner are favorite times.  There is a man hired to cater all the meals.  He has a great accent and is lots of fun.  The food is different but delicious and there is plenty of it.  The Presidency stands at the doors of the lunchroom to greet all the missionaries as they enter.  The Sisters give hugs to the  sister missionaries and the Elders give hugs to the men in the Presidency.

Greeting the missionaries at the door is a chance to practice all the names that are so hard for Elder Thatcher and I.  They love hearing us try and giggle often at our attempts.  Let's see how you would do with these-

Sister Venetsanakos

Elder Talataina

Elder Biranibwebwe  (when he says his name it sounds short)

Sister Moek (pronounced muck)

Elder Tafengatoto

Sister Ausage

You can try saying these names but if you pronounced them incorrectly we wouldn't be able to correct you anyway.  We are just not sure how to say them yet.

Missionaries waiting for their Sunday Interviews with the MTC Presidency

The Presidency conduct interviews with the missionaries for much of the afternoon. Elder Thatcher said this was a sweet experience and helped him get to know the missionaries better. 

All of the meetings were great but the Devotional in the evening was especially sweet.   President Howes showed the video of the talk recently given to New Mission Presidents at the Provo MTC by Elder Holland.  It is entitled "The Divine Companionship" and has been called the greatest missionary talk ever given.

It truly is a powerful talk which makes you feel the privilege of being a missionary and the tremendous blessing of being in a companionship with the Holy Ghost who is the true teacher and converter in missionary work. 

After the video Sister Howes had an activity for the missionaries.  Tables were brought out and groups of missionaries formed.  They were given a folder with the 7 ways the Holy Ghost aids in missionary work that were discussed in the talk on sheets of paper and other papers with scriptures to look up and place in the category they belonged in.  The missionaries worked on this enthusiastically for a while before dinner.

Activity in the scriptures - the Divine Companionship

Finding scriptures on the Holy Ghosts role in Missionary Work

Upon returning from dinner another activity began.  This time Sister Howes handed them a prompt sheet  with ideas on ways the Holy Ghost had influenced their lives.  They had five minutes to read through the sheet and think of 3 stories from their lives to tell to the group.  They went around the group telling two minute stories and were instructed to listen with love as the stories were told.  They went around the group three times so each had a chance to tell their three stories.  The presidency walked around the room listening in on some of the stories.  Sister Howes described it as a river of the spirit that flowed through the room and that was a good description.  The stories were varied, some simple and others very touching but each was a genuine personal story about feeling the spirit in their own lives.  There was a closeness felt to each other and great love felt for all.  Everyone was reminded that they had spiritual experiences that profoundly affected them.  It was an activity to help them recognize the spirit.

The final Devotional was a talk given by Elder Bednar on the Character of Christ.  The missionaries listened with focus and appreciation to this great talk.  It had been a full day, a rich Sabbath, a true spiritual feast.  After the devotional the room was quickly straightened, snacks of chewy bars and fruit were picked up on their way out of the room and the missionaries were off to their rooms at the close of a great day.

Elder Thatcher and I headed home as well.  It was our first Sunday at the MTC.  We only have 51 more to go.  We are thankful to share such special spiritually rich days with young servants of the Lord and seasoned servants of God as well.   We are greatly blessed.