On Sunday we were told that President Thatcher would be driving the van to the Temple on Thursday with the missionaries who had not yet received their endowments. Usually President Briggs has this responsibility. It would be our first time driving to Hamilton so we thought it might be wise to take a test run just to see if we could find our way. So Monday morning we made the journey. When we arrived in Temple View and pulled into the Distribution Center and Museum we found everything closed but happened to find Elder King there with his companion. Elder King had left the MTC only a week ago and was excited to tell us that he and his companion had met a woman and challenged her to baptism and she had accepted. Pretty good for his first week in the field.
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| Our tall Elder King in Hamilton |
Once every three weeks there is an Area Presidency Devotional at the MTC. This event fell on Tuesday and the speakers were Doug and Michi Matsumori. He is General Legal Counsel for this area. He has been a mission president in Japan and Sister Matsumori is very loved at the MTC because she volunteers here every intake day. She is just delightful. We loved their talks. Past Mission Presidents know what missionaries should be and teach with practical powerful principles. I will send their talks that I recorded to Megan. She will love them. If any others would like to listen let me know and I'll send them to you as well.
On the Sunday before the Area Devotional we form an MTC choir and practice a song to be sung at the Devotional and at the Temple that week. Sister Briggs is in charge of the choir and she does a beautiful job picking music. This time we sang 'Did You Think To Pray' The missionaries loved singing it. The recording doesn't do it justice but maybe you can get an idea of the MTC Choir. Of course the choir changes every three weeks.
Thursday was Temple Day with the Missionaries. We arrived early to drive the 5 missionaries who were going to the Temple for the first time and their escorts. These missionaries come from places where there is no temple. They are humble and sweet.
Sister Auatabu is from Kiribati (pronounced Kirabus), both of her parents have passed away. Sister James Nila is from Malaysia. She is the only member of her family in the church. While in the Temple the temple matron, Sister Roberts, loving put her arms around these two sisters and told them, "I will be your mother today."
Elder William, Elder Tom and Elder Tangarasi are all from Vanuatu. Elder Tom is Elder Moses' (from the last intake) brother and Elder William is their nephew. These three were the last to arrive at the MTC this intake and came with a plastic grocery sack filled with one extra shirt. Sister Howes told us the clothes they had on were badly worn. They have been given clothing, missionary shoes and scriptures, and now they have been endowed with power from on high. It is an honor to associate with these faithful servants of the Lord who teach us daily of faith, courage, and sacrifice. My, how they glow.
After the temple session we ate a delicious meal fixed by the cooks at the Temple. These are the best meals we have in New Zealand. We look forward to them. The missionaries always sing the song they have practiced that week for the dear woman who prepares the food for them. She always thanks them and then gives them a word or two of council afterwards such as, 'Be good missionaries and come back after your mission to be married in the temple.' After the song this day, 'Did you think to pray', she had tears in her eyes and said, "I am without words. I am thinking of my parents. That was my mother's favorite song and she would sing it to us often." That was all she could say, she was so moved by the missionaries song.
Leaving the temple we drove the short distance to the Distribution Center and the Church History Museum of the Pacific. We love going there. The missionaries never have enough time in this special place.
Once again I stepped in to Rangi Parker's office. I was excited to share with her information on Aunt Rosie's maternal grandfather John Nelson. He served a mission to Samoa and Tonga in his youth and after serving 3 years, and thinking he was going home, received a letter asking him to stay and be the mission president as his president had become very ill. He accepted the call and stayed another 3 1/2 years. Aunt Rosie had sent me the story of Elder John Nelson receiving that call and links to pictures and other information on Family Search. You should have seen Rangi light up when I gave her this. She was so excited about it!
"We were just talking about how we needed more information on Samoa, and here you come in with this wonderful information." she said.
I think Aunt Rosie and I will now be one of the miracle stories she tells.
One fun thing, as we pulled into the parking lot at the MTC safely home and the missionaries were exiting the van Sister Sua started chanting, 'Thatchers are True!, Thatchers are True!'. It took a second but then we realized they were reciting Mark and Emily's family Motto. The volume increased with the smiles on their faces as they chanted and we joined in.
We went for a walk Thursday evening and checked on our 'Boo Radley tree'. No takers yet, but we added a few coins to the take and will check back.
On Friday morning we got a call from Sister Howes asking if we would like to go with them to visit the Jewish wood carver from Bethlehem. We had heard of him. All the senior couples love to visit his shop and buy nativity sets that he carves. We jumped at the chance and enjoyed a morning of wonder watching this dear man and his wife create art from blocks of wood.
We watched him carve a kiwi bird, which he gave to me afterwards.
His wife fed duckings while we watched and made us fresh squeezed orange juice.
They treated us like honored guests.
Their names are Jiries and Marcela Giacaman.
Jiries loves the Mormon missionaries and caters to them, for instance, he carves nativity sets and for the angel in the set he carves the Angel Moroni.
I now have the Nativity for my collection from our mission to add to all of your mission Nativities.
Friday night we attended a Stake Relief Society activity that our dear friend Sister Briggs had been asked to teach a class at. The activity was on 'Redeeming the Dead'. Sister Briggs is an expert in Family History. This was at their stake and we only went to support our friend. But we were treated like dignitaries. As we sat in the back of the chapel we heard our names called by the Stake President from the podium asking us to come and sit on the stand where we rightly belonged. These island people treat the missionaries like angels from heaven. It is always humbling. Sister Briggs did a great job.
Saturday was just a wonderful Missionary Adventure day.
We had an appointment with the Singh family - our dear Hindu family at 11:00. Elder Thatcher had prayed and studied to know what we should teach them and thought it should be the 'Plan of Salvation'. I have thought how much I wish I had asked Lorraine to make us visuals to teach the plan with. Those would have been beautiful and helpful. We did get some from a sister missionary that we have used and it helps with children to be able to show them visually the plan.
Roy, the father was only there for a while and then had to leave because of a new job but we taught the mother Shelley and Ronak, (7 or 9) the son. They were so interested and listened attentively as we taught. I asked Ronak what he thought about what we had taught them about being children of God and that we lived with Him before we were born on earth. He answered, "I think it is true!" We left them with the pamphlet and asked Ronak if he would teach his father about the Plan of Salvation.
We asked Shelley if she had been reading the Book of Mormon. 'A little,' she said, 'Ronak has the book every night. He takes it to bed with him to read. He reads a little every night.' We could have jumped and done one of those dats (is that what they are called?
Next we headed to the hospital. One of the families we teach - the Edmonds family, Keala and Doug, have 4 daughters; Teqwin (14), Gearaeah (9) Tiare (2) and Waimarie (10 months). The two youngest have spent time in the hospital this week. We heard that Waimarie had pneumonia and was in the hospital so we went to see her. Elder Thatcher was able to give her a blessing.
Next we had an appointment with Antonina and Moses and girls. Moses, who also has a new job was gone but Antonina's older son Jermaine (15) was there and we loved him immediately. We watched a children's video on the Sacrament so the girls would know what to expect when they went to church. They remembered from going before about the sacrament and seemed very excited to go to church.
Elder and Sister Freeman, who just completed their mission and are now home in Farmington, left us some of their teaching supplies including games to play with the children. We played 'The Bee Game' a game about the Be's that president Hinckley taught. The children love playing it with us and so do the parents.
Because I had done most of the teaching with Ronak and Shelley, Elder Thatcher taught the 'Plan of Salvation' to Antonina and Jermaine. Even though Antonina has been a member of the church she seemed to learn as much as Jermaine. It was a beautiful lesson. While he taught I colored with the little girls. You get to use all kinds of talents as a missionary.
Our mission adventures for the day were still not over . . .
Next we dashed to our ward church house where there was to be a baptism for two children in the ward. We found Kennedy Taufa (8) and Lamanite Ulugia (10) all dressed in white waiting to be baptized. Lamanite had been baptized in Samoa but his records had been lost, so he was being baptized again.
After the baptism, our wonderful bishop, Bishop Uta'i, who was a Stake President in Samoa for 20 years, asked Elder Thatcher if he would confirm Lamanite. It was quite an honor for Elder Thatcher. I tell you, they treat us like angels from heaven. Lamanite's mother and father were very grateful. Our next goal is to prepare Paselio Ulugia, Lamanite's father, to be ready to ordain him to the Priesthood in two years.
We thought that the name Lamanite was a funny name to give a boy, but now we think of Samuel the Lamanite and those faithful Lamanites who never fell away and we think it a perfect name.
We then dashed to the MTC for our weekly Presidency Meeting. It was delayed a few minutes as President Briggs and President Thatcher were asked by some of the missionaries if they would let them practice their new teaching skill of helping someone recognize the Spirit on them.
We always love to return to the MTC. It is like a place to go to be refilled with desire, and testimony. We are continually taught how to be missionaries and charged with the desire to serve. I bet President Thatcher tells me every day that OURS is the PERFECT Mission.
Sundays as we have said are just wonderful days here. We love to associate with the missionaries. We get to hear them give talks, many using their newly developing English, and sing with gusto the songs of the Restoration. We thought of our Jonny as we sang 'Praise to the Man' with the missionaries. Jonny sings with enough spirit and manly strength to sing with these Pacific Island missionaries.
Thursday was Temple Day with the Missionaries. We arrived early to drive the 5 missionaries who were going to the Temple for the first time and their escorts. These missionaries come from places where there is no temple. They are humble and sweet.
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| Sister Auatabu with Sister Datt (escort), Sister James Nila with Sister Sua (escort), Elder William, Elder Tangarasi, and Elder Tom on the next row with their escorts Elder Mafi, Elder Fa'aoa, and Elder Agavale at the back |
Elder William, Elder Tom and Elder Tangarasi are all from Vanuatu. Elder Tom is Elder Moses' (from the last intake) brother and Elder William is their nephew. These three were the last to arrive at the MTC this intake and came with a plastic grocery sack filled with one extra shirt. Sister Howes told us the clothes they had on were badly worn. They have been given clothing, missionary shoes and scriptures, and now they have been endowed with power from on high. It is an honor to associate with these faithful servants of the Lord who teach us daily of faith, courage, and sacrifice. My, how they glow.
After the temple session we ate a delicious meal fixed by the cooks at the Temple. These are the best meals we have in New Zealand. We look forward to them. The missionaries always sing the song they have practiced that week for the dear woman who prepares the food for them. She always thanks them and then gives them a word or two of council afterwards such as, 'Be good missionaries and come back after your mission to be married in the temple.' After the song this day, 'Did you think to pray', she had tears in her eyes and said, "I am without words. I am thinking of my parents. That was my mother's favorite song and she would sing it to us often." That was all she could say, she was so moved by the missionaries song.
Leaving the temple we drove the short distance to the Distribution Center and the Church History Museum of the Pacific. We love going there. The missionaries never have enough time in this special place.
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| posing in a hut in the museum - Elder Fa'aoa, Elder Finau, Sister Lealaiauloto, top- Sister Tangulu, Elder Movete, Elder Mokoi, Sister Taufanga |
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| My sweet friend Rangi Parker - always at work at her computer |
Once again I stepped in to Rangi Parker's office. I was excited to share with her information on Aunt Rosie's maternal grandfather John Nelson. He served a mission to Samoa and Tonga in his youth and after serving 3 years, and thinking he was going home, received a letter asking him to stay and be the mission president as his president had become very ill. He accepted the call and stayed another 3 1/2 years. Aunt Rosie had sent me the story of Elder John Nelson receiving that call and links to pictures and other information on Family Search. You should have seen Rangi light up when I gave her this. She was so excited about it!
"We were just talking about how we needed more information on Samoa, and here you come in with this wonderful information." she said.
I think Aunt Rosie and I will now be one of the miracle stories she tells.
One fun thing, as we pulled into the parking lot at the MTC safely home and the missionaries were exiting the van Sister Sua started chanting, 'Thatchers are True!, Thatchers are True!'. It took a second but then we realized they were reciting Mark and Emily's family Motto. The volume increased with the smiles on their faces as they chanted and we joined in.
We went for a walk Thursday evening and checked on our 'Boo Radley tree'. No takers yet, but we added a few coins to the take and will check back.
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| Waiting to be discovered. . . just like our ancestors are waiting to be found and taken to our hearts and the temple |
On Friday morning we got a call from Sister Howes asking if we would like to go with them to visit the Jewish wood carver from Bethlehem. We had heard of him. All the senior couples love to visit his shop and buy nativity sets that he carves. We jumped at the chance and enjoyed a morning of wonder watching this dear man and his wife create art from blocks of wood.
We watched him carve a kiwi bird, which he gave to me afterwards.
His wife fed duckings while we watched and made us fresh squeezed orange juice.
They treated us like honored guests.
Their names are Jiries and Marcela Giacaman.
Jiries loves the Mormon missionaries and caters to them, for instance, he carves nativity sets and for the angel in the set he carves the Angel Moroni.
I now have the Nativity for my collection from our mission to add to all of your mission Nativities.
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| Jiries Giacaman working on a Kiwi |
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| Have you spotted Angel Moroni? Don't you think these little spoons will be a magical addition to the fairy house |
Friday night we attended a Stake Relief Society activity that our dear friend Sister Briggs had been asked to teach a class at. The activity was on 'Redeeming the Dead'. Sister Briggs is an expert in Family History. This was at their stake and we only went to support our friend. But we were treated like dignitaries. As we sat in the back of the chapel we heard our names called by the Stake President from the podium asking us to come and sit on the stand where we rightly belonged. These island people treat the missionaries like angels from heaven. It is always humbling. Sister Briggs did a great job.
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| Sister Briggs and her Stake Relief Society President |
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| The display of family history from the sisters. Notice the sister sitting by her display of her family. Can you see how she is dressed? This is because, like Aunt Janice told us, it is very cold in the churches here during the winter. |
Saturday was just a wonderful Missionary Adventure day.
We had an appointment with the Singh family - our dear Hindu family at 11:00. Elder Thatcher had prayed and studied to know what we should teach them and thought it should be the 'Plan of Salvation'. I have thought how much I wish I had asked Lorraine to make us visuals to teach the plan with. Those would have been beautiful and helpful. We did get some from a sister missionary that we have used and it helps with children to be able to show them visually the plan.
Roy, the father was only there for a while and then had to leave because of a new job but we taught the mother Shelley and Ronak, (7 or 9) the son. They were so interested and listened attentively as we taught. I asked Ronak what he thought about what we had taught them about being children of God and that we lived with Him before we were born on earth. He answered, "I think it is true!" We left them with the pamphlet and asked Ronak if he would teach his father about the Plan of Salvation.
We asked Shelley if she had been reading the Book of Mormon. 'A little,' she said, 'Ronak has the book every night. He takes it to bed with him to read. He reads a little every night.' We could have jumped and done one of those dats (is that what they are called?
Next we headed to the hospital. One of the families we teach - the Edmonds family, Keala and Doug, have 4 daughters; Teqwin (14), Gearaeah (9) Tiare (2) and Waimarie (10 months). The two youngest have spent time in the hospital this week. We heard that Waimarie had pneumonia and was in the hospital so we went to see her. Elder Thatcher was able to give her a blessing.
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| Little Waimarie - doesn't she melt your heart? |
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| The hospital hallway - made me appreciate PCMC |
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| President Thatcher trying to figure out how to pay his parking -you had to pay to park at the hospital and I guess we took too long finding our car after paying and had to go back in and pay some more - $8 to park for 30 minutes |
Next we had an appointment with Antonina and Moses and girls. Moses, who also has a new job was gone but Antonina's older son Jermaine (15) was there and we loved him immediately. We watched a children's video on the Sacrament so the girls would know what to expect when they went to church. They remembered from going before about the sacrament and seemed very excited to go to church.
Elder and Sister Freeman, who just completed their mission and are now home in Farmington, left us some of their teaching supplies including games to play with the children. We played 'The Bee Game' a game about the Be's that president Hinckley taught. The children love playing it with us and so do the parents.
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| Elder Thatcher playing the Bee Game with Samantha, Kesha, and Naomi |
Because I had done most of the teaching with Ronak and Shelley, Elder Thatcher taught the 'Plan of Salvation' to Antonina and Jermaine. Even though Antonina has been a member of the church she seemed to learn as much as Jermaine. It was a beautiful lesson. While he taught I colored with the little girls. You get to use all kinds of talents as a missionary.
Our mission adventures for the day were still not over . . .
Next we dashed to our ward church house where there was to be a baptism for two children in the ward. We found Kennedy Taufa (8) and Lamanite Ulugia (10) all dressed in white waiting to be baptized. Lamanite had been baptized in Samoa but his records had been lost, so he was being baptized again.
After the baptism, our wonderful bishop, Bishop Uta'i, who was a Stake President in Samoa for 20 years, asked Elder Thatcher if he would confirm Lamanite. It was quite an honor for Elder Thatcher. I tell you, they treat us like angels from heaven. Lamanite's mother and father were very grateful. Our next goal is to prepare Paselio Ulugia, Lamanite's father, to be ready to ordain him to the Priesthood in two years.
We thought that the name Lamanite was a funny name to give a boy, but now we think of Samuel the Lamanite and those faithful Lamanites who never fell away and we think it a perfect name.
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| Bishop Uta'i, Lamantine Ulugia, and Elder Thatcher |
We then dashed to the MTC for our weekly Presidency Meeting. It was delayed a few minutes as President Briggs and President Thatcher were asked by some of the missionaries if they would let them practice their new teaching skill of helping someone recognize the Spirit on them.
 |
| President Briggs being taught by Elder Umaga, President Thatcher being taught by Elders Luamanuvae and Lucignano |
We always love to return to the MTC. It is like a place to go to be refilled with desire, and testimony. We are continually taught how to be missionaries and charged with the desire to serve. I bet President Thatcher tells me every day that OURS is the PERFECT Mission.
Sundays as we have said are just wonderful days here. We love to associate with the missionaries. We get to hear them give talks, many using their newly developing English, and sing with gusto the songs of the Restoration. We thought of our Jonny as we sang 'Praise to the Man' with the missionaries. Jonny sings with enough spirit and manly strength to sing with these Pacific Island missionaries.
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| Assembling for the Zone Picture again. Our attempt last week didn't work out
We gave talks in Sacrament Meeting on the Restoration. President Thatcher read his favorite story about Gerturde Sprecht, the German Theology Professor who joined the church. The missionaries loved it and Sister Howes is sending them all a copy via email.
Dad is a very good missionary. He rises early many mornings - and you can guess how early that is, and studies and prays. It is in those early morning hours that he is given ideas and thoughts that we try to implement in our work. We love being companions. We love serving the Lord, we love the message we carry, we love all of you.
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Haha! I love the idea for the 'Boo Radley Tree!' That is such a fun book. I can't wait for you guys to come back home. It's not the same without you.
ReplyDeleteJames (The Nerd) :)
James, Do you have any ideas for things I could leave in the tree? What are some of the things Boo left? do you remember? Our world is not the same without you either James. We miss and love you.
DeleteGrandma