The Prophet does a drive by!

President Thomas S. Monson, (you can just see him waving from the front seat, on the right side of the bus) President Henry B. Eyring and his wife, and Bishop Burton and his wife came to New Zealand to look at the issues surrounding the church college in the Hamilton area. I don't think they were even here for an entire day! No public gatherings were held, just a few private meetings with needful members, but we will take them however we can get them. It was just nice knowing that they were on the same soil. We do love our Prophet dear!

Happy to have the accident months over!

First Sister Sessions fell down the stairs outside her flat and broke her ankle--bad! She was in the hospital for 7 days before she came to the top of the list for her operation---in which she got a plate and 7-10 screws in order to put her ankle back together again!
Elder Subramanian, on the left was biking along one day and heard a pop in his knee and the rest is history---inflamation and discoloring, filling with fluid that needed to be drained. He was in for over a week with IV antibiotics!
Which brings us to Elder Wigginton's toe---don't faint mom---he just tripped on a stair going to a lesson and in the middle of the lesson felt some pain, looked down and it was twice its usual size. He had fractured the big toe which required a plate and screws to hold it into position while it healed properly! He is so embarrassed over all this fuss for just a big toe, that the story of how it occured is growing to include running into a burning building to rescue a whimpering child! Aren't we glad that didn't really happen---we are very happy about the REAL story! They all are doing well and healing nicely! We hope that this is the end of the hospital stories!

June Zone Conferences--Obedience and Sacrifice was the order of the day!

Here is the Whangarei/Kaikohe Zones up in the north country!
This is their idea of a crazy photo---I thought you might get a kick out of it!
Elders Larsen, Hayes, Tau and Mahoney trying to wait patiently for the lunch que to reduce!
Elders Manu, Tau, Palaiti, Mafua, Watson and Smith---all in the que!
I can see Elders Eckery, Ng, Christensen, Gonda, Spence, Cameron, Saunders and Snow from left to right!
Doing what missionaries do very well! EAT!!!!
Here is the Hamilton, Rotorua, Gisborne, Tauranga Zones with a heap of the Area Office Couples attending where they can get in Zone Conference and a trip to the Temple in one day!
Not everyone was ready for this photo in the Waterview/Panmure, Tamaki, Manurewa/Papakura Zones---but this was the more clear of the photos we got!

Elder Walch has a birthday in heaven!

Elder Walch, looking rather angelic on his birthday, turns 29 again as he is surrounded by incoming missionaries!

Welcoming New Missionaries!

We are happy to welcome in 14 great Elders and Sisters into the New Zealand Auckland Mission! When they arrive we take them up to One Tree Hill, which is a park atop a volcanic cone that gives a 360 degree overlook to Auckland City and all the surrounding area. On 19th May 2010, when they arrived we were greeted by a sight that we had never seen before. One of the missionaries said, "It feels like we are in the Celestial Kingdom!" Another said, "Now we know what God sees when He looks down upon us!" You decide which was right, the following were pictures taken on that day!










Just wanted you to have a taste of the "slice of heaven" your son or daughter has been sent to!

New Missionaries and their trainers!

Sister Mahas is being trained by Sister Simeon!
Sister Elisaia will be training Sister Auva'a!
Elder Bake is not being trained by Elder Saunders, but trainer, Elder Papalii wasn't at transfers!
Elder Petero is being trained by Elder Cooper!
Elder Atkin is training Elder Seuga!
Elder Walk is actually being trained by Elder Babcock, but he wasn't at transfers, so Elder Chandler is a fellow missionary that is happy he is here!
Elder Ioasa will train Elder Moe!
Elder Bresee is training Elder Spicer!
Sister Hohaia will be trained by Sister Williams!
Elder So'oalo will train Elder Nuusila!
Elder Brown is being trained by Elder Edlefson!
Elder Timoteo is training Elder Filimaua!

Elder Berge will train Elder Abegg!
Sister Fotu is training Sister Alatini!

Our loved departing missionaries!

Our wonderful group of departing missionaries--Sisters Spiller, Tu'inukuafe, and Tafolo and Elders Stevenson, Leaupepe, King, Otuafi, Checketts, Komene, and Lawton! We will miss them all!
The setting sun on the day they left the country!