According to my Google search, one website informed me that in the Southern Hemisphere, Spring officially begins on Wednesday, 23 September, so it is not surprising that it has been quite windy and rainy this week. I found this information on an interesting website about the seasons in New Zealand:
Winter: June - August
The winter months bring snow to mountain peaks around the country, and clear, crisp days. In the North Island, you might encounter more rain, while the South Island is colder but drier.
Temperatures range from 1.5 - 15.5 degrees celsius (35 - 60F). The further south you go, the colder you will get - temperatures are significantly lower in Queenstown than in Auckland.
If you would like to read about each season and find other interesting information about New Zealand, you may find it here: SEASONS IN NEW ZEALAND
Also this week, the tide has been high at the beach so we have had some wet walks both from above and from below. We try to pick a path that will keep our feet dry but a couple of days, I have managed to come away with wet feet and one day wet to mid-calf. Those sneaky waves roll in when there is no place to escape. Do not misunderstand. I am in NO way complaining. It is rather fun.
I have rarely seen the surf at Takapuna Beach such that it would support surf boarding.
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| Drying my shoes in front of a fan |
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| A few weeks ago, I posted a picture of another of these mysterious objects I found on the beach. This one is smaller than the one I previously found but this time I put my foot in the picture for perspective of size. I have tried to research what this may be. I downloaded an app that helps identify “fish”. I uploaded the picture of this object and it was identified as an orange sheath tunicate. What do you think? |
When I Googled to find this link: Botrylloides violaceus, I looked only at images of orange sheath tunicate and saw similar looking creatures. I believe that is what I saw on the beach.
I am so blessed to have the beach so close to my flat. I really will miss these beach walks when I’m back in the desert.
Still in lockdown at level 3 here in Auckland, I am having fewer calls and texts so my days are quieter. The missionaries in Northland are only on alert Level 2 so they are out and about a little more. I have arranged some doctor appointments and insurance payments for them, but of course, I have not attended with them. Had a deep cut on a finger requiring sutures this week as well.
I had a fun experience this week that I want to share to show you what great people I work with here. One morning I received several text messages and a video thanking me for being here and for helping. It brightened my morning and it was really delightful. The first text was a pleasant surprise. By the time the other messages came in, I was still pleasantly surprised but came to the conclusion that the senders of the messages were all in the same district. My assumption was that the district leaders must have led a discussion about gratitude and had invited the missionaries to send out positive messages of gratitude to people. I am so blessed to have been on the receiving end. It does make one happy and grateful as well.
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| Rory, my granddaughter calls me “Grammy Lammy Ding Dong” because I talk to her through the Ring monitor/camera on the front door. Some sisters were with me one day when Rory pushed the door bell and I talked to her. The sisters thought it so cute that they began to call me “Grandma Lamma Ding Dong.” Word spread and now many of my mission “granddaughters” call me by my new moniker. |
Along with the tasks of scheduling appointments for Northland missionaries, I have found plenty to keep me busy. I did laundry and vacuumed and dusted. Three or four evenings, our “bubble” has gathered at Sister Lucas’s flat to play games such as Yahtzee, Skipbo, and Five Crowns. It is fun! Lots of laughter and fun stories.
Wednesday evening I made Italian chicken soup and invited another senior couple living in my complex to come for dinner. It was an enjoyable evening getting to know them better. We found that we have a mutual acquaintance in a senior couple I served with in NYC. Small world!
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| Elder Dean and Sister Vangie Walker |
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| When I went to purchase some ingredients for the soup, the store had no “normal” garlic. The only garlic I could get was this solo garlic. I had seen the little basket of garlic before but passed it by because it is more expensive but I needed it for the recipe so I splurged. It was a good find! It is milder than the normal garlic I use and much easier to prepare but I doubt that I will buy it again as I seldom need or use a whole basket at a time. I only used five solo pieces and I have a bunch left. I don’t want to waste it so I will find a way to use it. There are supposedly great health benefits to eating raw garlic on an empty stomach every day but I’m afraid if I did that, I would suffer a loss of friends and associates. However, it would guarantee an automatic physical distancing for COVID. It is interesting to learn about this new vegetable if you want to read more about it. Solo garlic |
Sunday our “bubble” gathered in my flat for Sacrament and Gospel discussion. Few homes here have central air conditioning or heat. People use electric heaters and fans. I prefer cooler (cold) temperatures so when people visit my flat, I try to keep them warm with blankets. I found this electric throw that I have just in case the chill catches up with me as I don’t like to use the heaters. My friends like the warmth that the fleecy blanket provides.
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| The throw is just the right size for three to sit under it on the sofa. I sit on my office chair across the way. I had to set the timer to take this picture. Barely made it to the sofa in time. |
Sister Lucas led our Gospel discussion this week. She chose to talk about pride. So as I’ve studied the Come Follow Me lessons, I chose to learn more about pride. Along with the scriptures, I read and listened to several conference talks and BYU devotional speeches. Each message I read helped me to understand how pride affects every aspect of my life.
One of the conference talks I read was given in April 1989 by President Ezra Taft Benson. He opens his remarks talking about the Book of Mormon. He says:
“This sacred volume was written for us—for our day. Its scriptures are to be likened unto ourselves. (See 1 Ne. 19:23.)
The Doctrine and Covenants tells us that the Book of Mormon is the “record of a fallen people.” (D&C 20:9.) Why did they fall? This is one of the major messages of the Book of Mormon. Mormon gives the answer in the closing chapters of the book in these words: “Behold, the pride of this nation, or the people of the Nephites, hath proven their destruction.” (Moro. 8:27.) And then, lest we miss that momentous Book of Mormon message from that fallen people, the Lord warns us in the Doctrine and Covenants, “Beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old.” (D&C 38:39.)
I earnestly seek an interest in your faith and prayers as I strive to bring forth light on this Book of Mormon message—the sin of pride. This message has been weighing heavily on my soul for some time. I know the Lord wants this message delivered now.”
In defining pride, President Benson goes on to say:
“Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart, or core, is still missing.
The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.”
In BYU devotional message titled Putting Off the Natural Man and Becoming Saints given by Carl B. Cook of the Seventy in October 2017, I read:
“Another enticement of the adversary that can keep us from submitting fully to the will of our Father in Heaven is pride. President Ezra Taft Benson described pride as “the great stumbling block” (“Beware of Pride,” Ensign, May 1989).
One sign of pride is pushing back or turning away from God or from others who invite us to do God’s will. Invitations may come from parents, friends, teachers, Church leaders, the scriptures, and sometimes the Spirit. They may be invitations to stop doing things we shouldn’t be doing, or they may be invitations to do something that God would have us do.
A resistant and prideful condition is described well in the Book of Mormon:
Behold, they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide. [Helaman 12:6]
In other words, pride says, “Don’t tell me what to do. Don’t try to control my life.”
When we rebel or turn our backs toward God, we are actually turning our backs on true joy and happiness. Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) said, “Only by aligning our wills with God’s is full happiness to be found” (“Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father,” Ensign, November 1995). Elder Maxwell also taught that we may mistakenly think that by letting our will be swallowed up in the will of God we lose our individuality. But the Savior is asking us only to lose our old self in order to find our new self. It is not a question of losing our identity but of finding our “true identity” (“Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father”).”
This next paragraph really says it very plainly:
“Pride, that sinister, grievous, subtle, disrupting, insidious, menacing, and rotten attribute of the natural man, constantly pulls us to focus on ourselves, our looks, our talents, our desires, our goals, our passions—on me, me, me. We look inward rather than outward toward others or up to God. Pride focuses on what I want instead of on what others want or on what God wants.
The antidote for pride is humility. It is humbling ourselves and putting God’s will above our own, seeking what He wants instead of what we want and aligning our will with His. One challenging aspect of replacing pride with humility is recognizing pride for what it is. As President Benson described, we often sin in ignorance (see “Beware of Pride”).
I find that when I lose the Spirit or feel distant from God or from others, pride is often at the root of the problem. I have found it helpful to ask myself, “Is it my pride that is causing this conflict?” When there is tension in a relationship, I ask, “Is it pride?” When I am not getting along with my leader, “Is it pride?” When I am not getting along with those whom I am called to lead, “Is it pride?” When I shrink from correction, “Is it pride?” I find that inevitably when I ask myself the question “Is it pride?” the Spirit whispers, “Yes, it is!”
I am grateful for the Lord’s mercy and kindness in helping us overcome our weaknesses. It is not easy to ask the question “Is it pride?” or to accept the answer. But recognizing pride seems to be the first step toward overcoming it. We can then identify what we need to work on, humble ourselves, plead for forgiveness, let our pride go, and align our will with God’s.”
I could go on in but instead, I would encourage you to read both of the talks I have quoted. I know that I have work to do in my life and I pray that I will have the strength to accept the things that I need to change and the ability to know how to be more humble and to reach toward the Savior in all I do.
Putting Off the Natural Man and Becoming Saints
I love serving this mission. The blessings are numerous. I appreciate the love and support I receive from my family and friends and from the missionaries here in this mission. I pray that you will have a safe and healthy week ahead.
I love my Savior. I love my family and friends.
This week I didn’t get any pics of flowers or plants but as I walked along the foot path on my way to the grocery store, I saw this “cool” car parked at a garage. Made me think of my sons and grandsons who stop to look at cars, so I snapped a pic to send to them to let them know that I was thinking of them.
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| As I passed by a doorstep in my complex, I noticed the decorations. If you zoom in on the top, close up picture, you can see the intricate design and also a tiny pair of sandals or feet under the petal at the top of the design. I’m not certain that I have it correct, but I looked up holidays that would have been celebrated at this time and found this: Awal Muharram (also called Maal Hijrah) celebrates the beginning of the Islamic New Year. Muharram, derived from the word haram, which means forbidden, is a month considered most sacred of all besides the month of Ramadan. During this time, Muslims are forbidden to fight; hence, a time of mourning and peace. |
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