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Lemonade fruit! You should try it. It was first discovered in New Zealand in the 1980s.
It grows in subtropical regions of two countries, notably Queensland in Australia and Northland
in New Zealand and can grow in the United States.
The fruit has a similar appearance to limes, but yellows as it ripens. The fruit is segmented,
and can be eaten readily; its low-acid content gives it a sweet taste similar to the orange,
but with a flavour not unlike a mild lemon.
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It’s been a busy week here in New Zealand! I have been from Papatoetoe in the south to Whangarei in the north and points in between for doctor’s appointments with missionaries and zone conferences. I really enjoy weeks like this because it makes me feel I have a purpose but it does put the miles on the odometer.
Bright and early Wednesday morning as I was preparing to leave for an appointment, the fire alarm went off in my apartment complex. I thought at first it was another test of the system but when a booming voice could be heard saying: “EVACUATE THE BUILDING THROUGH THE NEAREST EXIT” and repeated it over and over, I decided I had better obey.
I joined other tenants outside to watch the arrival of a fire engine and firemen. We waited outside for about 15 minutes until the “all clear” sign was given. Apparently someone on the 3rd floor burned their breakfast but instead of opening windows to the outside and turning on a fan, they opened the door to the hall which set off the alarm. Glad that no one was harmed and none of us lost our homes to fire. I was even able to get to the appointment on time so no harm done. Good to know that the fire alarm system does work in real life!!
We had a zone conference on Thursday and another on Friday.
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| Zone Conference in Ferguson |
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| Zone Conference in Takapuna |
Elders at Takapuna Zone Conference. The haka (/ˈhɑːkə/; plural haka, in both Māori and English)
is a ceremonial dance or challenge in Māori culture. It is a posture dance performed by a group, with
vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment.
Although commonly associated with the traditional battle preparations of male warriors, haka have
long been performed by both men and women and several varieties of the dance fulfil
social functions within Māori culture. Haka are performed to welcome distinguished guests,
or to acknowledge great achievements, occasions or funerals.
I give a presentation on health at each zone conference. Last time I talked about the importance of exercise. This time I felt to talk about how our mental health affects our physical health and vice versa. I chose to talk about gratitude and the way it can help our health. This was my presentation:
Satan went into his garage one day and noticed that everything was a complete mess. He couldn’t find what he was looking for because there were so many rusty tools lying around cluttering up the place.
Satan decided on a solution. He would have a garage sale. He cleaned up his old tools and offered them at a discount price for other devils to purchase. Some tools sold right away—for example: the hammer of hatred, the wrench of fear, and the clamp of addiction.
When he was asked why he was selling off so many of his tools, Satan explained that he had decided to concentrate all of his personal efforts on bringing down the Latter-day Saints. He preferred to use his favorite tool on them. What do you think it was?
It was the wedge of discouragement. Satan boasted about it, saying, “With this one tool I can inflict major damage on the faithful. Discouragement works wonders every time—even when nothing else will. It can bring misery to the most conscientious souls—those who are striving to keep the commandments.”
Then Satan, using his favorite tool, went about whispering lies. To the humble followers of Christ he said: “You are worthless,” “You never do anything right,” “Give up,” “No one cares about you,” “You can never change.”
Sadly, many good people believed him.
There is a lesson to be learned from this fable. The devil specializes in discouraging the faithful and those who are trying to repent.
Satan will focus his energies on you because you are here teaching and serving to bring more people unto Christ. When you feel discouraged and feel that you can’t do the work, it can have an effect on both your mental and physical health. When you are sad and down, you don’t have the energy to take care of yourselves and to be healthy.
There are many ways to overcome discouragement and other mental ails but I want to focus on one important way: Be grateful!
You may think this is a silly way to approach discouragement but psychologists have concluded that being mindfully grateful for our blessings and expressing gratitude has a strong correlation with increasing our personal happiness and well-being.
Dr. Robert Emmons, a professor at the University of California, Davis, and one of the leading scholars in the scientific study of gratitude, said the following: It is possible that psychology has ignored gratitude because it appears, on the surface, to be a very obvious emotion, lacking in interesting complications: we receive a gift—from friends, from family, from God—and then we feel pleasurably grateful. But while the emotion seemed simplistic even to me as I began my research, I soon discovered that gratitude is a deeper, more complex phenomenon that plays a critical role in human happiness. Gratitude is literally one of the few things that can measurably change people’s lives.
There is scientific proof that people who practice gratitude through activities such as keeping a gratitude journal are more loving, forgiving, and optimistic about the future. They exercise more frequently, report fewer illnesses, and generally feel better about their lives.
The scriptures and the words of prophets and apostles, both ancient and modern, teach us a great deal about gratitude and the need to cultivate a grateful heart.
King Benjamin clearly understood this principle of God’s ownership and our indebtedness to Him, as he so beautifully explained in the Book of Mormon: And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.
King Benjamin also said (and I’m paraphrasing) that if we were to muster up all of the thanks and praise we could possibly give, that would still be insufficient, given the multitude of blessings we receive from God.
In short, we are commanded to thank God in all things because it promotes our happiness and well-being. Grateful people are happier people. If that were not the case, God would not command us to express our thanks to Him and to others. He loves us and desires our happiness, and He knows that expressions of gratitude to Him and to those around us will bring positive changes to our lives.
What, then, are some of the ways we can recognize our blessings, increase our thankfulness, and practice gratitude? Briefly, I would to like to suggest five:
1. Try Keeping a Gratitude Journal
2. Add More Thank-Yous to Your Vocabulary
3. Take Time to Write Thank-You Notes and Letters of Appreciation to People Who Have Blessed Your Life
4. Live in the Present Moment and Try to Give Thanks for Small Blessings Encountered Every Day of Your Life
5. Thoughtful Prayer
Prayer awakens our grateful heart. Our personal prayers provide us with sacred time to ponder our blessings and express gratitude to Heavenly Father. As we thank Him daily, our gratitude should be centered on God’s greatest gift to us: the gift of His Beloved Son, who ransomed us through the shedding of His blood.
In summary, I would like to share the words of one of my favorite hymns:
When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings; ev’ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.
So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged; God is over all.
Count your many blessings; angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
Sunday afternoon I drove to Wellsford which is a little over an hour north of Auckland and stayed with my dear friends, Elder and Sister de Lora. I enjoy a delicious dinner with them and an evening of visiting and hearing about the missionary work in their area.
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| Sunset from the top of a hill near Wellsford. |
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| Grapefruit and lemonade fruit fresh from the tree – gifts from Sister de Lora. |
Monday I had a doctor appointment with a missionary at 9:00 in the morning in Whangarei which is about an hour and a half north from Wellsford. I met with a couple of other missionaries in the area to discuss health problems before returning to Auckland. It was a rainy day but I thoroughly enjoyed the drive through green valleys and forested mountains.
I am grateful for the opportunity to be serving here in New Zealand. I am grateful for my family and friends and for the support and encouragement I receive. I am grateful for my Savior and for His atoning sacrifice. I am grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost and the guidance I receive. I have so many blessings that I can’t list them all.
I love my Savior and I love you my family and friends.
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