It’s all in the “swing”

One morning this week as I walked the beach, I watched this crew working together to propel their craft through the water.  It interested me so I when I returned home, I Googled “rowing” to learn more about it.

“Rowing, sometimes referred to as Crew in the United States, is a sport whose origins reach back to Ancient Egyptian times. It involves propelling a boat (racing shell) on water using oars. By pushing against the water with oars, rowers generate force to move the boat. The sport can be either recreational for enjoyment or fitness, or competitive, when athletes race against one another in boats. The training and physical strain on the body required to be a successful rower is intense. A very tough mind and body is needed to succeed. There are several different boat classes in which athletes may compete, ranging from an individual shell (called a single scull) to an eight-person shell with a coxswain (called a coxed eight). 

Modern rowing as a competitive sport can be traced to the early 17th century when races (regattas) were held between professional watermen on the River Thames in London, United Kingdom. Often prizes were offered by the London Guilds and Livery Companies. Amateur competition began towards the end of the 18th century with the arrival of "boat clubs" at the British public schools of Eton College, Shrewsbury School, Durham School, and Westminster School. Similarly, clubs were formed at the University of Oxford, with a race held between Brasenose College and Jesus College in 1815. At the University of Cambridge the first recorded races were in 1827. Public rowing clubs were beginning at the same time; in England Leander Club was founded in 1818, in Germany Der Hamburger und Germania Ruder Club was founded in 1836 and in the United States Narragansett Boat Club was founded in 1838 and Detroit Boat Club was founded in 1839. In 1843, the first American college rowing club was formed at Yale University.” 

While watching the men in the boat at the beach that morning, I thought of the talk given during the Women’s session of last October’s general conference by Sister Sharon Eubank titled “By Union of Feeling We Obtain Power with God”

In her remarks, she said:   

“In 1936, an obscure rowing team from the University of Washington traveled to Germany to participate in the Olympic Games. It was the depths of the Great Depression. These were working-class boys whose small mining and lumber towns donated bits of money so they could travel to Berlin. Every aspect of the competition seemed stacked against them, but something happened in the race. In the rowing world, they call it “swing.” Listen to this description based on the book The Boys in the Boat:

There is a thing that sometimes happens that is hard to achieve and hard to define. It’s called “swing.” It happens only when all are rowing in such perfect unison that not a single action is out of sync.

Rowers must rein in their fierce independence and at the same time hold true to their individual capabilities. Races are not won by clones. Good crews are good blends—someone to lead the charge, someone to hold something in reserve, someone to fight the fight, someone to make peace. No rower is more valuable than another, all are assets to the boat, but if they are to row well together, each must adjust to the needs and capabilities of the others—the shorter-armed person reaching a little farther, the longer-armed person pulling in just a bit.

Differences can be turned to advantage instead of disadvantage. Only then will it feel as if the boat is moving on its own. Only then does pain entirely give way to exultation. Good “swing” feels like poetry.

Against towering obstacles, this team found perfect swing and won. The Olympic gold was exhilarating, but the unity each rower experienced that day was a holy moment that stayed with them all their lives.”

As I read through Sister Eubank’s talk, I couldn’t help but think of the lives and people around me.  Last blog I talked about unity, getting rid of our enemies and making those enemies and everyone our friends.

Sister Eubank addresses this beautifully.  I would invite you to read her talk.  There is much to ponder and to learn from her words.

I have enjoyed a busy week.  I made a presentation at our zone conference on Tuesday.  President and Sister Parr asked me to address nutrition, weight gain, and healthy lifestyle.  I taught about the importance of a well-balanced diet including foods from the various food groups, portion control, exercise, and hydration.  

One of my handouts

I went to several doctor and physiotherapy appointments with missionaries this week and while out and about, was able to go to lunch with some missionaries.

Elders Yancey, Leiataua, Wilson

The weather has been wonderful.  It hasn’t been too hot and the breezes and occasional rains have kept me cool.   The beach is as always, awesome!  I am going to miss my sunrises at the beach!!!

I made a terrible mistake this week!   I discovered that the Sushi House just a half a block from me has a wide variety of sushi and it is good.   The mistake is that now I know it is there and good,  I will want to go there too often!!

These pictures popped up in my FaceBook memory page this week.  Three years ago I was in Denver with some of my family members enjoying the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo.   I have gone several years and it has become a tradition for us.  Even my family members were not able to go this year as it was canceled due to COVID, but hopefully, I will be there next year to see some of these beautiful beasts in action.

To end my blog on a beautiful note, I bring you a bouquet.

 May your coming week be full of love, peace and harmony.

I love my Savior.  I love you my family and friends.

It is all about family!

 

This week I received a special gift from my sister, Peggy.   She writes poetry.  She compiled a book of pictures about our family with pages for each family member and poems she had written specifically for that person.   I have loved looking at it and reading the poetry.  It has brought back memories of people I love and who have been and still are, making me who I am and who I will become.

The first page in the book.

I was born of “goodly parents” who taught me the Gospel by word and example.  I am the eldest of the three of us with 5-6 years between each child.  As children and teenagers, we weren’t as close as we now are as adults.  I was out of the home and away at college before my siblings were old enough to have similar interests and to really relate and interact with me.  We have more in common as we age and they have become my best friends.  I love and value our relationships.

Now my immediate family, my husband, children and grandchildren are added to the mix.  I love and appreciate the friendships and support I have from them.

This is one of the last family pictures taken including my husband, Kay.
Now there are 5 additional grandchildren in our family.

The most recent family picture taken just before I left for New Zealand. 

This week in the Come Follow Me lesson, I studied Moroni’s visits to Joseph Smith and part of the message delivered to the young prophet was from Malachi.  In Joseph Smith---History Chapter 1:38-39

“38 And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

39 He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.”

As I read these chapters, I thought of the Family History class that Kay taught and the joy we had in researching and doing genealogy.  With this in mind, I went to Family Search where I got lost in looking at my family tree.  

My father was a genealogist.  We didn’t have computers but he hired a professional genealogist who traced several lines back to Adam.  My brother, John, reminded me that it was 7 lines.  Each of us inherited a book of our ancestors that is a good 8 or more inches thick.  I tried to follow lines in that book and I got totally lost and discouraged.

Thank goodness for computers and Family Search.  Just for fun, I decided to follow a few of my lines back as far as I could.  I found one of the lines and followed it to Adam.  It took me quite a while to do it.  Then I wanted to record the process so I wrote each name in order from myself to Adam.  I sent it to my children.  Rex told me that he had followed lines before to Adam and that he followed the line I sent and was able to accomplish the goal.

I feel like I’m repeating myself (and I am) but the beach here is so amazing.  Every day it is different.  The sand will be smooth, flat and clear one day, covered with kelp and sea by products the next, and offers little mountains and valleys the day after that.    

I don’t understand how this happens?????

Ridges of shells on this day

Like the sand, the sky is also a masterpiece of change.

Sister Lucas and I have made so many new friends as we’ve walked the beach.  It is great!
This is our new friend, Sameela.  She has a beautiful smile.

I have had occasion to be out and about on a few days this week and to meet and enjoy some wonderful missionaries.

Sisters Fonokalafi and Afu

Elders Taleni, Obley, Galea’I, and Felise

Wednesday was sister study group.  Several of the senior sister missionaries in the Pacific Area Office meet in a zoom conference where we discuss a general conference talk.  

This week we studied “Sustainable Societies” by Elder D. Todd Christofferson.  One of the things that stood out to me is this paragraph:

“There is much we can do as neighbors and fellow citizens to contribute to the sustainability and success of the societies we live in, and surely our most fundamental and enduring service will be to teach and live by the truths inherent in God’s great plan of redemption.

If enough of us and enough of our neighbors strive to make our decisions and guide our lives by the truth of God, the moral virtues needed in every society will abound.”

It seems that many are out to destroy their enemies.  So much strife and contention abounds today.  It can be overwhelming.  I often think that there is nothing that I can do about it but I have contemplated the idea and I have decided that I can do my part by loving everyone.  It doesn’t matter what political party they belong to.  It doesn’t matter what color their skin is.  It doesn’t matter where they live or what they believe.  

I will destroy my enemies!    Yes!  I just said I will destroy my enemies.  

I heard a quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln.  In 1944 “The Hartford Courant” of Connecticut printed a letter to the editor containing the Lincoln version of the anecdote: 

After our Civil War was over and Lincoln was trying to help the South get back upon its feet, a woman reproached him for his attitude, “They are our enemies,” she said. “They ought to be destroyed.” “Madame,” replied the President, “how can I better destroy my enemies than by making them my friends?”

When I first heard someone talk about this thought of destroying our enemies by making them our friends, it was also attributed to several other people.  I Googled the phrase and found interesting information on this site.

It doesn’t matter to me who had the original thought, but certainly our Savior taught this principle.  If everyone got rid of their enemies by making them friends, the world would be a better place.  I commit to doing my part.

I pray that you will have a safe, healthy, and happy week.

I love my Savior.  I love you my friends and family.

I love being with the missionaries!

It was transfer day on Tuesday and orientation of new missionaries on Wednesday.  We received 6 new missionaries this time.  It is fun to talk to them and to see the enthusiasm that they arrive with in the field.   I interview each new arrival to assess if there are any medical issues of which I need to be aware such as allergies, diet restrictions, etc.  Then as a group, I and the other senior missionaries working in the office, introduce ourselves and describe our responsibilities and what they can expect from us.  It is always a great experience.

I accompanied missionaries to a few appointments this week and had the usual phone and text contacts.  The missionaries are always so respectful and grateful for any and all help.  Makes my life blessed!!

I ran into some missionaries at the office and managed to arrange to have lunch with them on two different days.

Sisters Abaya and McQueen

Sisters Vea (going home to Tonga this week), Lucas, Fenunuti and Martinez

With the holidays and busy times, I have seen Elder and Sister Mayberry only in passing.  Sister Mayberry invited me and Sister Lucas to dinner on Thursday evening.  We ate at Talay Thai.    I usually have tom kah soup but I broke the habit and had pad thai this time.

Sister and Elder Mayberry and Sister Lucas

As always, I have enjoyed my daily beach walks and sunrises.  Wednesday it rained hard but we walked anyway.  It is too warm to wear a rain coat or plastic rain gear so I opted to “play” in the rain.  I got soaked to the skin but it was worth it.

Thursday morning

Saturday morning

The sky and clouds look like they are on fire!

My mission release will be in approximately 84 days.  I wanted to read and study the entire Book of Mormon again before my mission ends so I have been using the weekly Come Follow Me lessons except that I am reading each lesson of the study guide on a daily basis rather than weekly.  I have also been following the weekly Come Follow Me for this year’s study in the Doctrine & Covenants so it takes me 2 – 3 hours each day to go through the reading in the Book of Mormon, the D & C and the Come Follow Me outlines for each book,

I may not be able to do that every day but I am going to finish the Book of Mormon before I return home using this plan.  One day this week I studied Mosiah 27 and read again the story of Alma (the younger) and the four sons of Mosiah.  They had been going about in their wicked ways leading away the people and attempting to destroy the church.  An angel appeared to Alma and the sons of Mosiah in response to the prayers of Alma (the senior/father) and members of the church. 

Alma was commanded to stop his wicked and hurtful ways and to repent of his wrong doings.   Alma was so astonished at the angel’s appearance and words that he became weak, couldn’t move and couldn’t speak.  

Again Alma senior, the priests and the people fasted and prayed.

“23 And it came to pass after they had fasted and prayed for the space of two days and two nights, the limbs of Alma received their strength, and he stood up and began to speak unto them, bidding them to be of good comfort:

24 For, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit.

25 And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;

26 And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.”

On the day I read this chapter, I also watched the corresponding Book of Mormon Central episode.  Tyler Griffin, one of the moderators/teachers opened the video with this nursery rhyme:

“Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the kings horses and all the kings men

Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again.”

Tyler explained that all of us have great falls from time to time. Some, like Humpty, never recover.  

Then Tyler shared a version of the rhyme which he attributed to Vaughn J Featherstone:

“Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the kings horses and all the kings men

Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again.

But the King could.

And the King would.

And the King did.”

We all have opposition in life.  Life is hard.  We find ourselves broken and in “pieces” at times.   Many may try to help us put the pieces back together.  Some of us try to do it alone.  We can get help from our church leaders, our ministering sisters or elders, our family, friends.  We can’t do it alone.  Many may try to help us but no one can put us back together perfectly except our Lord and Savior, our King, Jesus Christ.

Only through our repentance and our Savior and His infinite Atonement can we fully recover from a great fall.  I love studying the Book of Mormon.  I can find help, direction, love and words of mercy through reading and studying that book.  I invite you to join me in this effort.  You will find great rewards, comfort and peace.

I hope that you have a great week ahead.

I love my Savior.  I love you my family and friends.

I watched the sun rise on 2021.

Waiting for the sun to rise

I got to Takapuna Beach early on New Year’s Day expecting to find a mostly vacant beach as I usually find before sunrise.  To my surprise, the beach was fairly crowded with people.  Normally, Sister Lucas and I go to the beach before sunrise in order to have the sun on our backs as we depart rather than in our eyes.  However, we delayed our return to our homes to welcome in the New Year with the other visitors to the beach.  It was fun to watch and feel the anticipation of the people at seeing the beginning of a new year with the rising of the sun.

First light

A few of the people on the beach

Moonlight

A few people climbed up on the rocks to get the first view of the sun

The sound of the waves is loud so you can’t hear the clapping and cheering as the sun rose

 

I went home and Googled traditions or “superstitions” if you will, about this event.  One website I visited gave me this information:

“In Japan, the beginning of the New Year is marked by several traditions named with the word hatsu, which means “first” in Japanese. Thus, we have hatsumode, which is the first visit to a shrine, hatsuyume, the first dream of the year, and hatsuhinode, the first sunrise of the year.
Hatsuhinode comes from a Shinto tradition that says that Toshigami, the kami of the New Year, must be greeted at the first sunrise, and they will bring good luck, well-being and health.”

On a trip to New Orleans with my husband, we learned as we ate red beans and rice, that the dish was traditionally served on New Year’s Day.  After that, I usually served red bean and rice at our family meal on the 1st day of January.  This is what I learned on a website about this custom:

“Many cultures and countries have particular "lucky" foods, and the Southern United States is no exception. Greens, pork, and cornbread, as well as black-eyed peas, cowpeas, or beans, are some of the typical symbolic foods served on New Year's Day.

Peas and beans symbolize coins or wealth. Choose traditional black-eyed peas, lentils, or beans to make a dish seasoned with pork, ham, or sausage.”

If you would like to read about this tradition and find some recipes for traditional foods eaten in the Southern part of the USA, you may find it here.

To be doubly lucky, along with watching the sun rise, I had beans for my dinner.  White beans with chicken and green chilies in green sauce.

The official first day of summer was on the 21st of December so I am now seeing “summer” produce in the market.  I had my first ear of corn this week and I look forward to many more corn on the cob meals.

It has been a typical but quiet week.  Transfers are next week so I have had fewer calls and fewer sick missionaries.  However,  I always look for opportunities to dine with missionaries.  

I had sushi with Sisters Fonokalafi and To’a.

I saw Elder Riwai-Couch and was able to get a picture with him before his mission ends next week.

On New Years’ Eve morning, my visit to the beach was rewarded with beauty beyond words.

 

I am happy that there have been fewer sick calls this week but it makes for longer days.  I have been able to devote more time to studying the scriptures.  I am looking forward to studying the Doctrine & Covenants and Church history this year.  

I have been blessed with the opportunity to visit many of the Church history sites in the United States.  When I began my mission in 2015 in New York City, I took my car with me.  My brother and sister drove cross country with me  We stopped at many of the Church sites along the way such as The Mormon Trail Center and the Mormon Cemetery in Omaha where our great grandfather, Charles Alfonzo Terry, and his first wife buried an infant son, Brigham, 1 month old.   We visited Winter Quarters, Nauvoo with a session in the Nauvoo Temple, Carthage Jail, Kirtland, and the Priesthood Restoration site in Pennsylvania.  

At the conclusion of my mission in 2017, my sister and brother again joined me on the ride home visiting the Hill Cumorah, The Sacred Grove and the Smith family farm and homes, Palmyra Temple, Adam-Ondi-Ahman and Liberty Jail. 

The Sacred Grove

It was raining the day we visited the grove

The Smith log home

My husband and I love road trips so we had traveled cross country and stopped at many of these sites plus others in Vermont and Missouri in the years prior to his passing, so I have had the blessing of visiting some of these places numerous times.  The Spirit is always strong when standing on sacred ground.  My testimony of the truthfulness of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ has been strengthened and has grown.

I know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and that by studying it, I can draw closer to my Savior.    

I am blessed to have been raised by parents who taught me by example and word.  I have made covenants at baptism and in the temple and know that the Lord will keep His covenants with me if I do my part.

I love my Savior and I love  you my family and friends.