"Hurrah for Israel"--time for our temple trips is here!

Certainly a favorite time is our trips to the temple every 6 months! It was a blessing that the schedule worked out that these trips would be the last thing we did with our missionaries! This group went on Tuesday and included the Whangarei/Kaikohe, Henderson/Harbour, Mt. Roskill, and Manakau/Papatoetoe Zones!
We travel down in two buses!
The bus ride down to the temple and back is a wonderful time of song and association!
Pokeno's doesn't know what hit them! Quite famous among New Zealand Latter-day Saints is a unique and wonderful place in which prices are low and members have discovered the goodness and flock in droves! Every temple trip includes a stop--or two--if the timing is right--to this blessed ice cream shop!
Couldn't have cuter customers!

Sister Sitthidamrong and Sister Mafi supports. Lick it Sister!
I think she likes it!
A happy Elder Smith!
This is Tongan sharing!
Happy Shop owners!
Happy Tongan Sisters Feao, Funaki, Pasiaka and Mafi---such beauty and happiness all at once!
$$$$$$$$$$ Yeah!!!$$$$$$$$
How many scoops is that Elder Pohahau?
Elder Jenkins preaches by the way while enjoying his ice cream cone!
Elder Walker gets a scoop for every member of his family! I wonder if he wishes he came from a smaller family?
Sister Hohaia takes this opportunity to speak with someone waiting for the gospel!
I believe Elder Aldridge and Elder Walker are wondering why they got so much goodness!
Wednesdays group included the Panmure/Waterview, Tamaki, and Manurewa/Papakura Zones!
Elder Greening begins with "preaching by the way" and sets a great example for the mission!
Shop owners are prepared after yesterdays invasion!
Elder Cook gets the biggest cone available! He has a thin body that could handle a few extra fat cells!
Oops! Elder Cook looses the biggest cone! So much for the extra fat cells!
Elders Tugaga and Matu'u and Sisters Masoe and Fu'e!
Elders Handy and Kimball get twin cones!
Tongan share! I think Elder Rehak flipped the bill for these cones that Elders Hoko, Havea, Rehak, Palaiti and Falepapalangi partook of! Thanks Elder Rehak!!!
Sisters Clark, Marie, Jones and Domumaibugale(the one with the huge cone!)
Elders Tito and Huang let the shop owners know who it was that blessed their shop today!
Thursday's group was all the southern kingdom! They didn't get a chance to go to Pokeno's! This was the Glenview, Hamilton, Templeview, Tauranga, Rotorua and Gisborne Stakes! They have longer drives to look forward to in small mission cars--some up to 8 hours drive! The temple is so worth it!
On Friday, President Porter and I were able to participate in a wonderful event--the sealing of Mark and Salina Burdette and their son Jacob! On our first trip down to Gisborne two and one half years ago, we visited the Burdette's in their home and challenged them to get their family to the temple and sent them a picture of the temple as a reminder of their commitment! Here at the very end of our mission, seeing Mark and Salina sealed was a glorious event to culminate our experience here in New Zealand! How could we ask for more! Thank you to Elder and Sister Gubler and the rest of the Gisborne 3rd ward for their love and support for this precious family!

Elder Steven Snow of the Seventy in New Zealand!

Elder Steven Snow came with Elder David Hoare to make a change in the Panmure Stake President!
President Mark Dean Westerlund was called as the new Panmure Stake President!

Our last Leadership Training!

What a great group of Elders and a few Sisters were there as well! There are such exciting things happening with missionaries that it is very hard to leave! We must keep in mind that we are never released from missionary service--we are always on duty! It is who we are--we are representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ and we are here to gather his elect wherever we might be! It is truly evident to us that --No unhallowed hand can stop this work from progressing--it will go on boldly, nobly--till the Lord says it is done!(paraphrasing of course!)

Zone Leaders are ready to go!

Our Zone Leaders are ready!
They are all on board!
They are ready to go when the new President arrives!
They are all in this together!
They are unified!

Welcome ray of sunshine for the mission!

Our ray of sunshine into the mission begins with Left to right, back row: Elders White, Kitara, Fernandez, President Porter, Elder Mariteragi! Front row: Elder Lam Cheung, Sister Seru, Porter, Elder Chan!
A sunrise view from the deck of the mission home the day after they arrived! They all came to the home for training and saw this breathtaking sunrise with all of its magestic colors!
Elder So'oalo will train Elder Lam Cheung--who is a cousin to a Sister Lam Cheung we had in the mission some time ago!
Elder Wigginton will be training Elder Chan!
Elder Atkin is to train Elder Mariteragi, who is also a cousin to yet another Elder that served in this mission previously! The impact of NZAM lives on!
Elder White is being trained by Elder Jeppesen!
Elder Keyes trained Elder Jeppesen who is now training Elder White! Elder Jeppesen and Elder Keyes are always together whenever they attend meetings in which both are there--it is sure this is a lifelong bond--we hope Elder White will have this great connection as well!
Elder Kaufusi will be training Elder Kitara!
Sister Hafoka is training Sister Seru!
Elder Fernandez will be trained by Elder Bresee!
All of the missionaries pause for a picture at a cold and bustery "One Tree Hill!"
There was a gorgeous sunrise that day which warmed up our hearts a bit!
Sisters Donumaibugale, Vea and Seru all know our first assistant Elder Ramasima! How did you let these young women slip by---eat your heart out Ramasima!!!!
Elders Sua and Papalii pose with a cute sign I had never seen!