This week was Transfers. Every six weeks, the mission president moves elders and sisters around the areas of the Hamilton mission, including Raglan, Pukekohe, Thames, Taumaranui, Tokoroa, Tauro, Temple View, Morrinsville, Tauranga, Gisborne and Rotorua. It is how the missionaries measure the time they have left, by the number of transfers. It is a time of consternation and excitement, adjusting to new companions, and a chance to start anew with missionary work.
The elders and sisters have their own lingo for missionary life. We are gradually learning some of it, usually by mistake. Since there is a beginning and an end to each mission, young missionaries refer to the Missionary Training Center as "pre-earth life." The "trainer" missionary, called a mother or father, gives birth when he or she acquires a brand-new missionary as a companion. A trainer's trainer is a grandfather or grandmother. The end of the mission is known as dying. (Something I learned when I reassured a missionary that he wasn't going to die in Rotorua.)
"Pinkwashing" means replacing a set of elders with a set of sisters. "Whitewashing" means starting in a new area cold, without replacing another set of missionaries, which means you don't have the knowledge and memory of that area. I'm sure there are other terms I am not yet acquainted with, or ought not to pass along.
Clouds along Highway 5
Cattle on pasture
On Saturday, Airoe, in the white shirt and tie, was baptized. He has been taught by many sisters and elders, and finally became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is a content and pleasant person. His family provided Share Kai with those who attended the baptism.
Forest plantings along Highway 38
Entering Murupara, where we attended church with Sister Nessen and Sister Sorenson. This is Sister Nessen's last Sunday in New Zealand, and she wanted to spend it with the Murupara Branch.
There were about 15 people attending today, although the numbers have been gradually increasing to between 25 and 30 people, mainly because of the efforts of the sister missionaries.
Elder Rooks and I greatly enjoy attending Sunday School wherever we are. The teachers are always well informed and inspiring. This is Sister Christy, who eschews shoes, even though it is cold in the building. Many Maori do not wear shoes, so this is a common sight.
The youngest son of the Myler family, which is returning to the U.S. in July, also eschews shoes at church, following the example of the Maori members. His mother is hoping he will resume wearing shoes when he gets home.
Sis. Nessen, Sis. Rooks, and Sis. Sorenson. I am wearing shoes and socks and sometimes two pairs of socks.
Really nice clouds on our way back to Rotorua
Clouds and a tree
It is cold enough in central North Island for the trees to make an effort at changing color in the chilly Autumn
A nice homestead off the highway
For Sister Nessen's last dinner with us, she wanted Costa Vida Mexican food and my puff pastry with raspberry jam. I was able to find most of the ingredients I needed, including cilantro (coriander here), and tomatillo sauce. I made my own flour tortillas. I can't find corn tortillas here. Sister Nessen was very appreciative.
The elders noticed that they are sitting at the “kiddie table.” This is because the sisters usually get here on time and sit wherever they want.
Sister Nessen flew back to Brigham City on April 9th, where she was greeted with excitement by her family. We will certainly miss her here and hope she has a wonderful afterlife.
We also lost Elder Ruediger, on the right, to Hamilton area transfers, while Elder Karaitiana, our brave and resolute District Leader, is now the only Aussie in our district. He is an "old man" at 25 years, with a commercial pilot's license. They are both excited about Brisbane getting another temple.
Several people were requesting photos of headstones at the Rotorua Cemetery on Billiongraves, so we try to fulfill them. We had to ask one of the cemetery workers to help us locate the headstones, since 12,000 people are buried here.
We never could find one of the graves. It is apparently unmarked. So we took a picture of the grass, with gps coordinates.
This cemetery worker also fulfills headstone photo requests for Find a Grave. He is in a sort of competition with a lady living nearby, who also likes to fulfill requests. The day we took this photo I checked on Find a Grave, (I had checked before and found no photo there) but the lady had uploaded the photo quite recently.
Feijoa sellowiana, native to Brazil, beloved of New Zealand's North Islanders. These look and taste like the guavas my sisters and I stole from neighbors' bushes while growing up in California.
There is a fairly tall tree next door dropping fruit into our yard, so Elder Hubbard kindly collected a number of them for us. Also known as pineapple guava.
Early morning sunrise. It rained two inches in the last day or two, so it's nice to see blue sky
Geothermal steam rising from Kuirau Park to meet the sunrise. The sulfur smell is definitely stronger in cold weather, especially when there are clouds
My begonias, peppermint, and basil are still going strong, even though the petunias wore themselves out with continuous blooming
I have heard pukekos in the yard somewhere but haven't seen them for several weeks. So, another picture from the archives, of Mr. Pukeko making off with a rotten apple.
