Letting Their Voices Be Heard

"Together, members and missionaries invite all to learn of God, of Jesus Christ, and of His gospel. Each inquiring individual should seek earnestly and pray fervently for the assurance that these things are true. The truth will be manifest by the power of the Holy Ghost."

-Elder Russell M. Nelson-

 Captain Cook named Castlepoint in 1770. He noticed the similarities of Castle Rock to the battlements of a castle. The light can be seen from 22 miles away and was a reference point for Wellington Harbor.

 Hastings District - Back: Sister Mulipola, Elder Tonga, Elder Vagai, Elder Parker, Elder Godinet, Elder Taufa, Elder Passey, Elder Cook and Elder Johnson. Front: Elder Purcell and Elder Langi.

Flaxmere District - Back: Elder Williams, Elder Foremaster, Elder Keil, Elder Child, Elder Berryhill, Elder Raihauti, and Elder Medley. Front: Sister Niutupu'ivaha and Sister Haacke.

 Another beautiful Christian Church in Havelock North in the Hastings Area.

 The countryside surrounding Hastings.

 President and Sister Anthony Morley (Mission Presidency) Bro and Sister Wi Ormsby (Stake High Counselor over Missionary Work), President Charles Ruwhiu (Hastings Stake President), Elder and Sister Christensen, President and Sister Kezerian, and President and Sister Wayne Tekira (Flaxmere Stake President).

 Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders arriving for Mission Leadership Council.

 Elder Bender soon finishing his mission. New to MLC Elder Pelo (Hawke's Bay Zone Leader), Elder Vimahi (Welligton ZL), Sister Sudweeks (Southland Zone Sister Training Leader), Sister Unsicker (Palmerson North Zone STL) and Sister Milne (Hawke's Bay Zone STL)

Back - Sister Unsicker, Sister Toutai (Chrishchurch Zone STL), Sister Morris (Nelson Zone STL), Sister Milne, Sister Nielsen (Hutt Zone STL), Front - Sister Sudweeks, Sister Boehmer (Wellington Zone, STL)

 Time for car inspections - Everyone be ready! Remember if the gas tank is on 1/2 it is empty.

 Titahi Bay District - Back: Elder Tilini, Elder Vimahi, Elder Nordlin, Elder Brown, Elder Raston, Elder Mahina, and Elder Malarde. Front: Sister Russell and Sister Pangata'a. (Our District Leader Elder Keller must have been in his interview).

President and Sister Kezerian with Elder Glenn L. Rudd and his son President Charles Rudd who is the President of the Hamilton New Zealand Mission. Elder Glenn L. Rudd served as a missionary in New Zealand and then returned later as an advisor to the labor missionary force who build the New Zealand Temple and the Church College of New Zealand. He also served here as mission president, a temple president and was the Pacific Area President for the Church.

Accompanying him were also were his daughter Susan Taylor and her husband Michael who are serving as missionaries in Taranaki, Son, Lee Rudd, who served a mission here and son David and his wife Aime.

 Bikes also need to be ready for inspection! (Just outside the institute building in Christchurch.)

Thank you to those of you who have shared pictures. We would love more! With information as to what they are of.  

 The Queenstown District displayed such haste after district meeting we couldn't catch them all for a picture!

Inviting the Spirit before Mission Leadership Council.

Sister Tukuafu and Sister Hough hefting their bikes. Our sisters are fit!

The shoreline in Napier. What a privilege we have to serve in this beautiful land, with these wonderful people.

Those involved with the helping hands effort in Christchurch. Elder Barnes, Elder Cuningham, Elder Hilton, Elder 'Otuhouma, Elder Yates and Elder Palmer.

 

Elder Zollinger, Elder Bawden, Elder Yarrington and Elder Gacad along with all the missionaries in Christchurch were part of the 200 volunteers and the Christchurch City Council who worked together to clean up Christchurch.

I wish you could see this better but this is President Kezerian and his trainer on his first day in the mission field at age 19.

Kia Kaha Ki Te Rango Pai (Be strong in the gospel of Jesus Christ)

"And ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit, preaching my gospel, two by two,in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump, declaring my word like unto angels of God. And ye shall go forth baptizing with water, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

-D&C 42:6-7-

Elder Kaka (Assistant to the President with Elder Tu'ihalangingie also Assistant to the President taking the picture) Elder Toleafoa (Auckland, New Zealand), Elder Bawden (Mesa, Arizona, USA), President and Sister Kezerian, Sister Key (Auckland, New Zealand), Sister Pole (Auckland, New Zealand), Sister Pangata'a (Auckland, New Zealand), Sister Fifita (Auckland, New Zealand), Sister Brown (Hamilton, New Zealand). We welcome our newest intake of awesome missionaries!

Sister Hann, Sister Nielsen, Sister Key, Sister Pole, Sister Brown, Sister Fifita, Sister Harris, Sister Boehmer, and Sister Pangata'a. Going out for their first time to go street contacting. Well, the new sisters first time.

 The backyard of the mission home.

 Elder Tu'ihalangingie, Elder Kaka, Elder Toleafoa, and Elder Bawden.

Singing a few hymns before the end of there first day in the mission. It's almost 9:00 p.m. and there is still light outside - We wish this could last but we will enjoy summer while it's here!

Riccarton District: Elder Pelo, Elder Gacad, Elder Zollinger, Elder Nelson, Front: Sister Alcock, Sister Toutai, and Sister and Elder Harding (Who are soon leaving for Invercargil) Elder Yarrington must have been in an interview-sorry we missed you!

 Sister Harding, Sister Alcock, Sister Kezerian and Sister Toutai.

 The view on our way back from interviews and proselyting with the missionaries in Westport!

 We meet up with one of our wonderful Returned Missionaries, Sister Tito Kenny 

 Our great missionaries returning home with honor. Elder Hehepoto (Australia), Sister Kirifi (Australia), Elder Norford (Aus)tralia, Elder Kavea (Australia) and Elder Siale (Auckland)

 Sister Eames and Sister Ingles fixed a wonderful farewell lunch for our missionaries.

 Last transfer in the Wellington New Zealand mission. 

More New Zealand Missionaries. Who wants to be transfered to the Horse District? (You get to wear hats!)

 More beautiful chapels of our friends of other faiths.

Beautiful New Zealand!

Elder Kaka consented to sing our new mission song for us so we can all practice and be able to sing it well. At the end we will all sing "How great thou art, How great thou art!" in English. You may have occasion to sing  "How Great Thou Art" in Maori in some of your wards.

Missionary Work in the Wellington New Zealand Mission is much different now than in the early proselyting days of the missionaries back in the late 1800's. We teach a great variety of people from around the world now. Samoan, Tongan, Asian, African, Fijian, Maori, Pakeha, people from all the isles of the sea and from European countries. In the early days many missionaries lived and worked among the Maori people and learned to speak the language fluently. Many inspiring stories of the love of the people and faith promoting experiences have been recorded. One story from the journal of Asa York Tiffany, illustrates the importance of relying upon the Lord and recognizing where our talents and abilities come from and avoiding pride.

After Elder Tiffany had been in the mission field for a little more than a year, word had spread that he spoke the Maori language like a Maori. The Government people had been wanting to do some allotment of lands, of some of the Tribes who hadn't received their allotments,, but they needed a good interpreter to explain things to the people. They had heard of Elder Tiffany's mastery of the language, so they asked him to go with them and act as interpreter for them.

He got permission from the President of the Mission to go. This was a great honor to be chosen for such a task. he and his companion went to the place designated for the meeting. he felt impressed on the way they should kneel and ask the Lord for his spirit and guidance but it was raining and it was a little late, for it had taken them a longer time than they had expected and he said to himself, "I'll be all right, haven't I been speaking this language for a year?" So they hurried on to the meeting. When it came time for him to interpret for these men, the spirit of the Lord left him and he stuttered and stammered and could say nothing intelligible. He finally told the Government people he didn't feel well, but if they would set another date for a meeting he was sure he could do better. It was the most horrible feeling he ever had in his life. The Elders left the meeting very humiliated, and as they came to a clump of brush where they were out of sight they dropped to their knees and begged the Lord's forgiveness for their terrible pride. 

The Government people were rather disgusted, for there was considerable talk of this Elder's ability to speak the Maori Language. When the next meeting was called, Elder Tiffany asked the Lord very humbly for the spirit and for the Lord to be with him at this time. The meeting was a big success and the Government people congratulated Elder Tiffany on his thorough knowledge of the language.

In this great "work of salvation", we must ever rely on the Lord and give him thanks for everything we are and every talent we have been given.

Merry Christmas To All!

"True happiness comes only by making others happy - the practical application of the Savior's doctrine of losing one's life to gain it. In short, the Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit, that makes our hearts glow in brotherly love and friendship and prompts us to kind deeds of service. 

It is the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ, obedience to which will bring 'peace on earth,' because it means - good will toward all men."

-President David O. McKay-

 Southland Zone Conference

 Sister Sudweeks, Sister Fetu'u, Sister Tukuafu, Sister Matwaychuk, Sister Unsicker and Sister Crankshaw at the Gore Chapel.

 Elder Leonard, Elder Crawford, Elder Richardson, Elder Evans, Elder Crosland, Elder Woodland and Elder Kerr.

Christchurch Zone Conference.

 Just before choir practice with Sister Faana and Sister Glen.

 Our newest couple - Elder and Sister Harding. We cannot do without our Senior Couples.

 Arriving all on his own but, very welcome we have Elder Gacad from the Philippines.

 Nelson Zone minus just four Elders.

 Elder Danner, Elder McKenna, Elder Hamilton, Elder Savage (I think), Elder Hunsaker, Elder Seabury, Elder McClellan and Elder Collins.

 Sister Haacke, Sister Morris, Sister Wooodbury, Sister Rose, Sister White and President Kezerian.

Checking out the flat in Motueka!

The Motueka Unit meets in the community center.

 Our small Zone Conference with Elder Vimahi, Elder Adams, Elder Anderson and Elder Halladay.

 Elder Hamilton and Elder McClellan got their pictures in the paper! They're representing us well.

 All the missionaries are studying in PMG, the white handbook and the scriptures everyday and using the Book of Mormon in every lesson. 

 A common site in New Zealand at Christmas time is to see the red flowers from the Pohutukawa Trees. 

Pohutukawa trees line many of the city streets through out the country.

Also in bloom right now are the beautiful bird of paradise plants.

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