(Almost) Happy New Year!
It is hard to believe it is nearly the end of 2019 and the start of a new decade. Christmas was very different for us this year. Not only did many of our traditions end with the sale of our house, but we had Christmas in the summer, with warm, sunny days and short nights. Many people here go to the beach for a barbecue on Christmas instead of roasting chesnuts on an open fire, or going on a sleigh ride. We missed being with our family, although we did have a nice video chat with all of them on our day after Christmas(Boxing Day), but their Christmas day. One tradition we were able to keep going was making Christmas candy, which we shared with many of our friends and associates in the mission and ward. Almond Roca, peanut brittle, coconut-cashew crunch and mini carmel pecan rolls were cooked up.
We celebrated Christmas eve with some friends in our ward, the Cassidy's and their family. It was a big group with lots of kids and lots of good food. We even had turkey, which is a rarity here. The adults had a table indoors to eat and talk, and the kids went outside to eat. That seemed so harsh to send then out in the December cold, execept it was a comfortable 75 degrees out. After dinner, we played a fun gift game which is tradition for them.
We celebrated Christmas eve with some friends in our ward, the Cassidy's and their family. It was a big group with lots of kids and lots of good food. We even had turkey, which is a rarity here. The adults had a table indoors to eat and talk, and the kids went outside to eat. That seemed so harsh to send then out in the December cold, execept it was a comfortable 75 degrees out. After dinner, we played a fun gift game which is tradition for them.
On Christmas day, we joined our neighbors, the McDonalds for a yummy breakfast of ham and cheese croissants and waffles with berry syrup, whipped cream and fruit. In the afternoon, Sister Folland came down with a stomach upset, so she went to bed. I went to the mission office and opened up to allow one of our missionaries from Papau New Guinea to call home on the mission phone system. She had not been able to communicate with her parents since she arrived in the mission 3 months ago since they don't have email or computer access. She was so happy afterward.
On Boxing Day we drove to Rotorua to help clean up a flood in one of our missionary flats. The washer had flooded over night leaving a large area of soaked carpet. We had to pull the carpet and pad up and get fans blowing on the area. On the way home we stopped at Waihi Beach on the Eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula. By the time we arrived, most of the crowds had gone home so it was very peaceful. We ate fish and chips on the beach for supper.
Today at church we heard a cool story. It was told by the mother of a young lady who is leaving on her mission to Dominican Republic in a few weeks. Her father, Bill Stone was the first in their family to be baptized, when he was a young man. He later served a successful mission, married and had several children and grandchilden who have subsequently served missions. As a result somewhere in the vacinity of 1000 people over the years have joined the Church as a result of Bill being baptized. A few years ago, one of Bill's daughters traveled to the US and while there sought out the missionary who baptized him. She found him alone living in a trailer park and he had not been involved in the Church for many years. She told the brother that he had baptized her father and as a result, 1000 people had joined. He began to weep and said he had only had one baptism his whole mission and as a result had always felt his mission was a failure. He was overwhelmed with the thought that his one baptism eventually has affected over 1000 people. He has since come back to church. It is an example that we never know the influence of our good works and ripple effect it can have. It is a reminder that each little kind act we perform can have a real effect on the world for good.
We learned today that one of our best missionaries and one we have worked with closely in the office is going home early because of a severe bout of depression that he just can't shake. It makes us sad and reminds us of our own Marissa's mission experience. We know it is for his best interest to get more intense care at home to help him get through it. He is only about 6 weeks to his scheduled completion date but we will miss him and pray the Lord's blessings in his recovery.
It is a great blessing to be serving a mission. We pinch ourselves each morning to be sure we are not dreaming serving in beautiful New Zealand.
Love to you all!!!
Elder and Sister Folland
Orokawa beach is a secluded beach about 30 min hike from Waihi
Today at church we heard a cool story. It was told by the mother of a young lady who is leaving on her mission to Dominican Republic in a few weeks. Her father, Bill Stone was the first in their family to be baptized, when he was a young man. He later served a successful mission, married and had several children and grandchilden who have subsequently served missions. As a result somewhere in the vacinity of 1000 people over the years have joined the Church as a result of Bill being baptized. A few years ago, one of Bill's daughters traveled to the US and while there sought out the missionary who baptized him. She found him alone living in a trailer park and he had not been involved in the Church for many years. She told the brother that he had baptized her father and as a result, 1000 people had joined. He began to weep and said he had only had one baptism his whole mission and as a result had always felt his mission was a failure. He was overwhelmed with the thought that his one baptism eventually has affected over 1000 people. He has since come back to church. It is an example that we never know the influence of our good works and ripple effect it can have. It is a reminder that each little kind act we perform can have a real effect on the world for good.
We learned today that one of our best missionaries and one we have worked with closely in the office is going home early because of a severe bout of depression that he just can't shake. It makes us sad and reminds us of our own Marissa's mission experience. We know it is for his best interest to get more intense care at home to help him get through it. He is only about 6 weeks to his scheduled completion date but we will miss him and pray the Lord's blessings in his recovery.
It is a great blessing to be serving a mission. We pinch ourselves each morning to be sure we are not dreaming serving in beautiful New Zealand.
Love to you all!!!
Elder and Sister Folland
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