Happy Father's Day to this wonderful husband of mine. Once a year he deserves the breakfast he loves, eggs, potatoes, and ham. Since we are a day ahead, he will Skype with the kids on our Monday, but their actual Father's Day. He won't be getting his favorite gift from the them - golfballs, but because he's a man who has everything, he's pretty happy hearing from them and a kiss and hugs from me! 
New Zealand is known as "the land of the long white cloud", but I would add that it is the land of rainbows too! Most every day I see rainbows. It is also rare to see the sky without clouds. They roll over the land, blocking the sun and most times dropping showers, then move on across the ocean to Australia, I guess.
The Sister missionaries in our Ward do not have a car and the shoppes are too far to walk, so we spend some time on Mondays taking them for their once-a-week food shop. I use that time to do some shopping myself, but this week we took a little detour with them to this beautiful park called One Tree Hill. We had been there, but they had not, so it was a nice diversion on their P-day! I posted a picture of this amazing fig tree back in April.
Poor Sister Gila (right) had to have two back molars pulled today. Root canals were out of the question because of the price.Have you ever had Milo? It is very popular here and wherever we go, they offer us some hot Milo. It is similar to hot chocolate, but I like it better. It still needs sugar and a few marshmallows on top, but I don't get an upset stomach after, like I do with hot chocolate.
We visited a sister who we love her passion, commitment and faith. She brought out her "treasure" to show us and it was a bundle of over 2000 completed Temple names she'd been working on for the last 6 years, since her husband died! She cried as she talked about her deceased family members, since she was the only one in her family who joined the church (40 years ago). She was a generous hostess, serving us Milo and cookies (biscuits), and insisting we take this Milo tin home with us. 
We have great fun playing Wizard and Farkle with members. We even found a family that has Settlers and we want to go back to play it with them. We were served a nice lunch of sandwiches and fruit by a sweet lady who gave us FISH HEADS last time. We were relieved and enjoyed a spiritual message with her. I've been making treats to take to our FHE nights and made my first batch of Rice Krispy Treats. They weren't too good. Marshmallows are considered candy here and I've only found white and pink colored ones packaged together, so the treats become pink.
I could use the white marshmallows only, but then what would I do with all the pink ones? We'll see how everyone likes them. It's a U.S. only treat. This is hilarious! We visit a really sweet woman in a nursing home. This is a nice place, not like what I've been to at home. We visit her in the main room and there are a few women sitting around "watching" television. There is also a man sleeping in a recliner. No one seems too alert. Frequently the sleeping man wakes up and starts moaning loudly. No one pays attention. Then suddenly after he starts moaning again a woman next to him yells, "Oh why don't you just shut up! I'm sick of hearing you!" He anwers back, "You shut up!" Then she shouts back for him to shut up, and they go back and forth like little kids until someone intervenes. A woman sitting next to Betty is disgusted with the whole thing and says, "They should just be thankful they have a nice place to live with food and good care!" I was just amazed that seemingly comatose people woke up!
It rained and rained on Saturday, so we didn't plan any outings, but I got to spend the day weaving another basket. Of course it isn't finished, but again, Gaelene was so generous to spend her day off helping me do this. Craig was sweet and did a few odd jobs for Gaelene before going home to watch Hugh Nibley lectures on the Internet that he's hooked on.
We were asked to speak in a different Ward (in another Stake) on Sunday for their Missionary Sunday. Craig's message was about how the Lord prepares people to hear the Gospel. One example he gave is from a book we bought about the early Moari church converts and leaders in New Zealand. If you haven't heard this it is amazing because there are at least 3 or more different prophesies given by different Moari Chiefs, in 1830, 1845, and 1860 regarding where they could find a church to follow the true God. The 1830 and 1845 prophesies said the church would come from the east, and the ministers would raise both arms up when they prayed. The 1860 prophesy said this too, and added that the ministers would not be paid in money and they would come two by two. They would live, eat, talk and sleep with the Moari and they would write names for genealogical records. These Chiefs told their people to watch for these ministers and join their church when they came. Thirty years after LDS missionaries first came to NZ, in 1884 some Mormon missionaries arrived at this Moari area and after a service, one Elder said a prayer with both arms raised in the air. This was the sign the people were looking for and large numbers joined the church. There was another prophesy in 1881 saying when the missionaries prayed they would raise their right hands.
Of course we have become very interested in the history of the Church in New Zealand. I am so thankful for my ancestors and the courage they had to join the Church with all the opposition from their families, and leaving everything to settle in Salt Lake City over 100 years ago. I am a product of their faithfulness in raising their children in the Church, and so are my children. We have been so richly blessed! Thank you for all your faith and prayers on our behalf and for all the missionaries all over the world! The stone is rolling forward!
Love you all,
Elder and Sister Martin
Gaelene made me these roses made from flax. I want to make some of these too!
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