We made it to Auckland!
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We arrived in Auckland around 6:00 am after a 13 hour flight from Los Angeles.
We spent most of the day traveling between the mission office, the Institute building and taking a tour of the city courtesy of Elder and Sister Downs.
The next morning we met the Mission President and his wife at their home and then we got the keys to our car with the steering wheel on the wrong side....I mean right side!?
It has been quite an experience learning to drive on the left side of the road. The lanes are narrow, the logging trucks go flying by super fast and my sweet companion lets out audible gasps when she looks up and sees trucks coming towards us in the "wrong" lane!
We live a little over an hour north of Auckland in a small village of 1500 people called Wellsford. We encountered a toll road on the way home and tried to avoid it and ended up spending and extra hour in the car driving around only to end up right back where we encountered the toll road?!?
Wellsford is a quaint town and we spent the day trying to familiarize ourselves with the community. We met the young Elders serving in Wellsford....Elders Wilding, Tuala and Rogers.
They were able to fill us in on what is happening in the area.
On Saturday we drove 20 minutes to Mangawhai, which is on the Pacific coast. We visited a community/farmers market and engaged with many of the vendors. We then hiked up from the beach to a cliff trail. There is beauty around every turn.
On Sunday we traveled an hour and 15 minutes north to Stake Conference in Whangarei. We were able to meet a few of the members from Wellsford and also the missionaries and a member from the Dargaville Branch (the 2nd branch we support)
Monday we traveled back to Auckland for a missionary zone conference. We received training and inspiration from President Walker, our mission president.
Tuesday was the highlight of the week. President Russell M. Nelson visited the Auckland missionaries as part of his tour of the South Pacific.
We were privileged to spend the morning at a special devotional with the Prophet and with Elder Gong of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles.
The Prophet took the time out of his busy schedule to shake the hand of every missionary in attendance.
He admonished us to repent every day....to change and become what the Savior wants us to become.
We drove back up to Whangarei in the evening to watch a live broadcast of the Prophet speaking at Spark Arena to 12,000 New Zealanders. He emphasized that we are all children of God and then gave specific training to parents on how and what to teach their children.
It has been an awesome first 6 days in New Zealand. We are so excited for what we have already experienced and are anxious to go forth inviting others to Come unto Christ.
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