New Years Eve  in downtown Auckland

The mission office monitored, recorded and then delivered incoming Christmas packages to the missionaries at zone conferences throughout December. It was determined that approximately 50 missionaries, mostly from the surrounding Islands in the Pacific did not receive a package from their homes for Christmas.  The senior missionaries donated personal hygiene items, socks, candy and other Christmas items to make gift bags for the missionaries who did not receive Christmas packages from home. The gift bags were then given to the zone leaders to deliver to the Elders and Sisters before Christmas. As senior missionaries, we wanted to be sure that all of our young missionaries were taken care of for Christmas. Lisa and I received a visit on Christmas day from Elder and Sister Wright. They had a package from the US that had not made it to Elder Evans in Dargaville.  So...after the Wrights left, we jumped in our car and made the 3 hour round trip to Dargaville to ensure the package made it to Elder Evans for Christmas. 

Boxing Day, the day after Christmas,  we took our bikes to Ātiu Creek regional park, which is located about 15 miles from us. We rode and hiked through the hills, trees and sheep!  Ātiu Creek Farm was gifted to the Auckland Regional Council by Jackie and Pierre Chatelanat who wanted to ensure that all New Zealanders could enjoy access to the Kaipara Harbour, and that the cultural and heritage values of the area would be protected.

 The Holiday traffic has been horrendous!

Luckily we have a gravel road behind us that we can use to get to the far side of town without having to use the motorway. With school out for the summer, and the holidays upon us,  no one stays at home! It seems like everyone from Auckland heads north through Wellsford for the summer. And the locals tend to disappear!?!

Christmas day and New Years day "The Puzzle nerd", Ed, completed  two 1000 piece puzzles.

New Years Eve we attended one of our district council meetings in Whangarei, and then stopped at the Quarry Gardens for a visit.

The Whangarei Quarry Garden is a community garden project created by volunteers in the western hills of Whangarei City. The once dilapidated quarry site has become a subtropical oasis for all to enjoy. There were only a handful of people there, so it was very peaceful and tranquil.

We stopped by the supermarket on New Years Eve and found where all of the locals were hiding!

It has been a wonderful year studying the New Testament at home and at Church.

We also completed reading the Book of Mormon this week. We were invited by our Mission President 4 months ago, to read and underline all of the different names of Jesus Christ that are found in the Book of Mormon. There are over 100 titles for Jesus Christ and close to 4,000 references to the Savior in the Book of Mormon! Truly, this book is another Testament of Jesus Christ!

President Russell M. Nelson: “My dear brothers and sisters,

I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day,

you will make better decisions—every day.

I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open,

and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own

life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon,

you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of

pornography and other mind-numbing addictions”

“The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?”

We headed back out to Ātiu Creek regional park to do some more hiking and camp overnight. 

We returned home from church on Sunday to find an eerie yellowish sky, that was caused by smoke which had blown across the Tasman from the Australian bush fires. 

I love the 2020 theme for the youth and children :

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them” (1 Nephi 3:7).

As we look forward to 2020 may we each remember that we are all children of our Heavenly Father and that he loves each and every one of us.  May we follow the admonition in Matthew 22:37-39 and strive to follow the teachings of the Savior.

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

And then some great advice from Elder Uchtdorf:

"May I invite you to rise to the great potential within you. But don’t reach beyond your capacity. Don’t set goals beyond your capacity to achieve. Don’t feel guilty or dwell on thoughts of failure. Don’t compare yourself with others. Do the best you can, and the Lord will provide the rest. Have faith and confidence in Him, and you will see miracles happen in your life and the lives of your loved ones." —Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf