A great new group of missionaries!

What a wonderful group of Elders and Sister have joined the New Zealand Auckland Mission! They developed a spirit of unity and love amongst themselves in just a few days that we had them for training! We're excited about their influence on the mission!
Elder Rehak is being trained by Elder Fakahau!
Elder Sorensen will train Elder Falepapalangi!
Elder Devey is being trained by Elder Atkin!
Elder Eckery will be training Elder Sorensen!
Sister Sitthidamrong will be trained by Sister Shumway!
Elder Beckstead is being trained by Elder Tham!
Elder Kitchen will be training Elder Afa!
Elder Penaia is being trained by Elder Whaaga!
Elder Baraniko will train Elder Mose!
Elder Losalu is being trained by Elder Gonda!
Happy Tongan Sisters at transfer meeting!

We feel the loss!

Once again---the most difficult part of this call is the routine departure of our missionaries and our friends!
Elders Adams, Christensen, Hayes, Mahoney, Stevenson-Haumono, Tulia and Sister Tupuola will certainly be missed!
Keep on following Dan Jones example and "convert the whole town", Elders and Sisters!
Elder Tau and Sister Perona had to leave a few days early due to visa issues! We love them all dearly! For once in her life, Sister Perona is the tallest in the picture!

Basketball with President!

Every so often on preparation day Elders will challenge President to a basketball game!
President's turn around jump shot is hard to beat, even for Elder DuMont!
Hey, he can jump with the best of them---that helps with the old ego!
You may notice that these are all shots in which the President looks really good---hey, I am no dummy!
I sent all the other ones where the Elders schooled the President to their emails! That way everyone is happy!
I believe President thinks he is getting prepared for the day that he can take on Elder Zylstra again---he, you've got to give a man his dreams!
In the mission field, even U of U and BYU get along! Unity! It's all about unity!
The basketball challenge is over and all are happy! Elders Aldridge, Brown, DuMont, Hussain, Kauhenga and Molisi--did you notice that I even alphabetized the Elders names? Now that is compulsive or politically correct---you choose!

Elder Hibbard---we are ready for you!

To Elder Keith Hibbard and every other missionary who has been called to the New Zealand Auckland Mission! We are ready and excited to receive you! Here are a few things we ask of you in the 4 months before you come:
1) Read the Book of Mormon –yes, 4 months is plenty of time!
2) Pray about it and get a burning testimony of it!
3) Study Preach My Gospel- going through all the scripture references!
4) Re-memorize your scripture mastery scriptures!
5) Go out with the full-time missionaries in your area as many times as you can!
6) Work hard and save money, if not for your mission, then for your return!
Then, thank your family for raising a great young man, kiss your girlfriend goodbye (that means a peck, Elder) and say goodbye to your fears!
When you get here---be prepared to work harder than you have ever worked before; be prepared to exercise your faith as a principle of action and power; be ready to be exactly obedient to the mission rules and your leaders; and be prepared to follow the Spirit always!
Be prepared to be amazed-----at what God can do with a teenage boy----the result----MIRACLES!!!
We love you, even before you have arrived---we love you for your willingness to serve, we love you for your worthiness to serve and we know we will have a wonderful experience together!
Aroha nui, President and Sister Porter

More Specialized Training!

We had the good pleasure of meeting with the Manurewa/Papakura Zone for Specialized Training regarding faith and obedience! Oh, how we love these missionaries!

Random Auckland City photos!

The weather here in New Zealand has been cloudy and rainy!
All the missionaries are ready for the warmer weather that is ahead!

Favorite----Zone Conference at the Temple!

The weather was rainy so we took pictures inside around the Christus! Kaikohe, Whangarei, Henderson, Harbour, Mt. Roskill, Manukau and Papatoetoe Zones!
Another set of cousins in the New Zealand Auckland Mission---Elder Fafai and Elder Papalii, one raised in Samoa, the other in America. They have seen each other 3 times in their lives, once in Samoa and twice of the mission!
Panmure, Waterview, Tamaki, Manurewa, and Papakura Zones!
We noticed something interesting as we were standing for a picture in front of the temple!
Missionaries are in God's Hands! We see that evidence each and every day of this mission!
Tuesday and Wednesday we had to pack a lunch!
Not quite as nice as the meals provided by our Missionary Mums but it will have to do!
Missionaries are quite flexible, as long as it is filling!
These were the lucky Zones that got the Missionary Mum's meal; these are Glenview, Hamilton, Templeview, Tauranga, Rotorua and Gisborne Zones!

New! Specialized Training!

Another new direction from the missionary department is to have "specialized training" with our missionaries. This training can be small or large groups or with a single companionship---it can be just a few hours or a few days. Tauranga Zone was the first one scheduled and there are many more of these to occur every month. It is great to be able to meet with the missionaries in smaller groups and get to know the missionaries a bit better. This particular zone has been setting the standard for our mission---each companionship has baptized every month for the past several months! These wonderful missionaries are Elders Magelby, Allred, Gonda, Battsagaan, Haight, Cannon; Sisters Kapalu and Jones!

New Leadership Training Meeting!

As directed by the missionary department as of July 2010; we are to hold Leadership Training meetings every other month. Initially we are to teach the "Simplified Curriculum" which includes marvelous lessons to help missionaries become better and more powerful teachers of the doctrine of Christ! The participants in this meeting include: assistants, zone leaders, district leaders and trainers--which is why you see sisters at the meeting! A wonderful spirit was in attendance as we taught these inspired lessons under the direction of the brethren!

Whangarei Zone Leader Council!

We took an opportunity to learn from nature about leadership characteristics that are needed within a mission!
All were gathered at the carpark of the Kauri forest in Whangarei!
A brief walk over the suspension bridge brought us to the massive Kauri trees!
We compared the characteristics of the Kauri trees to the leadership characteristics of Captain Moroni!
Walking amongst the Kauri forest!
President stops for a bit to help the missionaries understand that these two years of their lives are like the rings of their tree, they can never be relived, make them count!
Just a close up of the rings of a trees life!
Elder Drake teaches us regarding keeping ourselves safe and above the evils and tempations of the world---and looking after the missionaries under our stewardship to help them see the clear way to safety!
There is always one who wants to get a closer look---sometimes that look can be deadly, spiritually as well as physically!
Elder Cline instructs us that staying in tune with the Spirit is of greatest worth, amidst the many noises of the world!
The peaceful pond lends itself well to this teaching, as it is in the middle of two forceful and noisy streams!
Elder Davidson teaches us about unity and focusing on our common cause as we could see...
This new stream coming into the larger stream, representing the new missionaries that join us each transfer! They bring with them energy and enthusiasm for the work that can build and help increase that unity!
Walking along the stream to the falls!
The great Whangarei Falls!
President taught us to be like Captain Moroni ,"who did labor exceedingly," in which it was said about him that "if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever:" (Alma 48:17)
Whangarei Falls!
Amazing stream from the falls!
We had a testimony under the tarp and thank heaven we had them because it rained throughout the testimony meeting!
A gust of wind picked up our tarp and sent it sailing. The weather turned and it was beautiful to break our fast and have a wonderful lunch!
Each was able to have a bit of a solo experience on the way back to the cars!