This week has brought us some good experiences. We have been preparing for a busy week beginning Tuesday, the 20th of August. This will be our second transfer of missionaries since being here in New Zealand. Transfer week consists of some missionaries finishing their missions and returning home, new missionaries arriving, and missionaries being given new assignments and new companions. The missionaries going home leave on the 20th of August, the new missionaries arrive the day after, and the transfers take place on the 22nd. There are four missionaries returning home, fifteen arriving, and the transfer involves close to fifty changes this time around. Elder Folland and I went to the office on Saturday to get some of the work done that was needed, and Elder Folland returned Sunday morning to finish up some things.
On Wednesday this past week, we drove to Tauranga to switch out a vehicle with a senior couple. Then we drove their vehicle to Whakatane (wh pronounced like F), to switch with the ZL (zone leaders). After this matter of business, we took time to take a short hike down to a beautiful beach area called Otarawairere, and eat our lunch. We enjoyed beautiful views of the ocean, the landscape, and the White Island in the distance. The White island is an active volcano. Billows of white continuously emit from the top of the volcano. We took a short walk, climbing over the rocks along the beach area, and met up with two men who were Search and Rescue. They were looking for a missing young man. This young man has severe mental health issues, suicidal tendencies, and problems with substance abuse. He still hasn't been found. Soon after, we me a man with whom we engaged in conversation. He has been recuperating from a torn tendon in his thumb which required surgery. He and his wife own a kiwi farm, which they've recently put up for sale. He told us that most kiwi fruit grown in New Zealand is exported. What we find in the grocery story is "rubbish". I had just commented to Doug that the kiwi we've eaten here in NZ is the best I've ever eaten :-). So I guess we've been eating "rubbish"! We soon met up with Bruce's wife Allison and after a nice conversation, they gave us their phone numbers and invited us to come tour their farm sometime. We've met so many wonderful people (Kiwi's) here! It's interesting---there are kiwi birds, kiwi fruit, and Kiwi's (term used to describe New Zealanders)!
We had a nice experience Saturday with a young lady who was our cashier at the grocery store. We were at a place called The Base (a nice mall/shopping area). We needed to get a few things, including some supplies for zone conference lunches. We then drove across to the grocery store. After gathering our items, we got in the check out line. First thing, the young lady (cashier) asked us about our name badges. She said she has seen quite a few people come in with the same badges. What do they mean, she asked us? We explained that we were missionaries from the Church. We gave her a card to download a free app of The Book of Mormon and challenged her to read it. She was very sincere and said she would read it. We encouraged her to request missionaries on line to visit her. We will talk with the missionaries in her area to see if they can connect with her.
We had the sister missionaries over for dinner last night. They spoke with us about some people they were working with and how we could help. Doug made a delicious roast chicken and veggie meal for us and I made Swig cookies. Most of the cookies we'll take into the offfice this morning to celebrate Elder Riddle's birthday. He is one of the assistants to the mission president. He and his companion Elder Rich work very hard!
In our Sunday School lesson yesterday, one of the things we discussed was the purpose of trials that we all pass through here in our earthly sojourn. Why couldn't we stay in the presence of our Heavenly Father and just live without passing through the sorrows of earth life? In the Church, we believe it is part of "The Plan of Happiness" to pass through experiences that help us to stretch, overcome, and grow and develop the characteristics and qualities that our Father in Heaven possesses. It is through some of the hardest experiences in my own life that I have learned and progressed and changed to become something MORE--more of who I desire to be.
Romans 8: 24,25,28
"For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose."
We send our love and our desires for the joy and peace that come after much tribulation.
Love,
Elder and Sister Folland
On Wednesday this past week, we drove to Tauranga to switch out a vehicle with a senior couple. Then we drove their vehicle to Whakatane (wh pronounced like F), to switch with the ZL (zone leaders). After this matter of business, we took time to take a short hike down to a beautiful beach area called Otarawairere, and eat our lunch. We enjoyed beautiful views of the ocean, the landscape, and the White Island in the distance. The White island is an active volcano. Billows of white continuously emit from the top of the volcano. We took a short walk, climbing over the rocks along the beach area, and met up with two men who were Search and Rescue. They were looking for a missing young man. This young man has severe mental health issues, suicidal tendencies, and problems with substance abuse. He still hasn't been found. Soon after, we me a man with whom we engaged in conversation. He has been recuperating from a torn tendon in his thumb which required surgery. He and his wife own a kiwi farm, which they've recently put up for sale. He told us that most kiwi fruit grown in New Zealand is exported. What we find in the grocery story is "rubbish". I had just commented to Doug that the kiwi we've eaten here in NZ is the best I've ever eaten :-). So I guess we've been eating "rubbish"! We soon met up with Bruce's wife Allison and after a nice conversation, they gave us their phone numbers and invited us to come tour their farm sometime. We've met so many wonderful people (Kiwi's) here! It's interesting---there are kiwi birds, kiwi fruit, and Kiwi's (term used to describe New Zealanders)!
We had a nice experience Saturday with a young lady who was our cashier at the grocery store. We were at a place called The Base (a nice mall/shopping area). We needed to get a few things, including some supplies for zone conference lunches. We then drove across to the grocery store. After gathering our items, we got in the check out line. First thing, the young lady (cashier) asked us about our name badges. She said she has seen quite a few people come in with the same badges. What do they mean, she asked us? We explained that we were missionaries from the Church. We gave her a card to download a free app of The Book of Mormon and challenged her to read it. She was very sincere and said she would read it. We encouraged her to request missionaries on line to visit her. We will talk with the missionaries in her area to see if they can connect with her.
We had the sister missionaries over for dinner last night. They spoke with us about some people they were working with and how we could help. Doug made a delicious roast chicken and veggie meal for us and I made Swig cookies. Most of the cookies we'll take into the offfice this morning to celebrate Elder Riddle's birthday. He is one of the assistants to the mission president. He and his companion Elder Rich work very hard!
In our Sunday School lesson yesterday, one of the things we discussed was the purpose of trials that we all pass through here in our earthly sojourn. Why couldn't we stay in the presence of our Heavenly Father and just live without passing through the sorrows of earth life? In the Church, we believe it is part of "The Plan of Happiness" to pass through experiences that help us to stretch, overcome, and grow and develop the characteristics and qualities that our Father in Heaven possesses. It is through some of the hardest experiences in my own life that I have learned and progressed and changed to become something MORE--more of who I desire to be.
Romans 8: 24,25,28
"For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose."
We send our love and our desires for the joy and peace that come after much tribulation.
Love,
Elder and Sister Folland
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