It has been a sweet but quiet week.

Our mission is so lucky to have Sister Janet Ah Mu who will be serving as the new mission health specialist.  She is very knowledgeable and is excited to be here.  She is a New Zealand resident and comes to the mission from Whangarei.  She is going to be a wonderful asset.   She has worked as a nurse and is familiar with New Zealand’s health services.

We have worked together for several days.  She has her phone and email set up and will be ready to take over as soon as she gets her access to the missionary medical website.  She is a quick learner and I have enjoyed her immensely.  

We had lunch break one day at Blindbasket.  Yummy!

It will be transfers this week so there have not been too many calls or health problems.  It always seems to be calm just before transfer day.   Been to urgent care and dental appointments but nothing major.

Everyone in the mission is making my last days brighter with kind words, dinners/lunches, and hugs.  I have had opportunities to see missionaries at the office and when I’m out and about.  I’ve also had lunch with some of them.

Elders Kendall and Waterson

Korean BBQ with Sisters Roebeck, Ah Mu and Heath

Elder and Sister Mayberry took me to Thai food in Auckland.
Sister Lucas joined us for a wonderful evening and delicious pad Thai.

With only one week left as a missionary, I have been reminiscing.  Everyone asks me what my favorite part of the mission has been and my answer is always “the missionaries.”   I have expressed my love for these young people often but their spirit and enthusiasm is contagious. 

I have loved seeing this gorgeous and clean country.  The citizens take pride in keeping the roadsides, cities and their homes clean.  The people/drivers are kind and considerate.  

I have a difficult time picking one or two or even 20 special moments or favorites from my 23 months here in New Zealand.  The whole experience has created cherished memories.  

My cousin, Steven Bailey wrote a poem that I like:

Memories (C)

As one grows older, memories of times
past often come to mind.

Memories of playing in the mud
and just having fun,

Playing Cops and Robbers,
Cowboys and Indians and hide and seek,

The trips we had to visit family on
a Sunday afternoon,

Memories of fresh-mowed hay
on a warm summer day,

The smell of a light rain falling from
clouds in the sky,

Old Western Movies and
Driven-Theaters, 

The fun of making a snowman and
throwing snowballs,

Memories of riding a sled or skiing
on a snow-covered slope,

Camping trips with family and friends,
sitting around a warm camp fire,

Enjoying the day with cousins
at the family reunion.

Fishing for the elusive trout along
a quiet river stream,

Memories of a quiet walk on the beach and
listening to the waves kiss the shore,

And receiving the advice of loving parents
when leaving home.

Planning a trip to faraway places and
traveling there with friends.

These are a few memories that come to mind
as one grows a little older.

Steve Bailey   
2021

I can add memories of my New Zealand Auckland Mission to my memory bank and look back over this time as one of joy and learning.   The Lord has surely blessed me beyond measure!

Besides the missionaries both young and senior, the memories of beach walks will be some of my most fun things to think about.

A dear friend gave me this fridge magnet.  LOVE IT!!!

I don’t have many beach pics this week because we have been going before sunrise so it has been pretty dark most days.

The beauty of a rose, a flower, a bird, the clouds, green hills, trees all create memories.

I look forward to seeing my family and friends to start a new chapter of memories in my book of memories. 

As Easter approaches, I wish to express my appreciation for my Savior -  For his sacrifice, Atonement, and resurrection.   As I was studying today, I read a quote by President McKay that I liked:

“Easter is a sacred day, a day of thanksgiving and divine worship,” President David O. McKay once said. “It is not a day just for rejoicing because of the opening of springtime, not merely an opportunity to display beautiful hats and fine clothing—it is an occasion for the expression of gratitude to God for having sent His Only Begotten Son into the world to be ‘the way, the truth, the life.’”  

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

The before and the after!!

I said to the beautician:  I need a haircut and I would like it short.  I got it short.  Thing is that it grows so fast I will be “long” and “shaggy” within a few days.  It is strange to look in the mirror though and see it short when I’ve grown accustomed to longer hair. 

In the words of Garrison Keillor:  “It has been a quiet week here in” Takapuna.  I’ve had an ER visit, urgent care visits, dental and doctor appointments, and I sat for 45 minutes in a lab today waiting for a missionary to have some blood drawn.  I was entertained by the TV ads, jokes, and words of encouragement that flashed across the screen.  Thought I would (bore you) share with you.

The weather has been great.  It is cooling off and I can feel and see fall approaching. 

The flowers are less abundant although still can be seen around.

All of the students here wear uniforms to school from elementary to high school.  Here high school is called college.

Sister Lucas and I have taken advantage of the proximity of the Sushi House & Donburi a couple of times this week.  Really good and fresh sushi.

The people who own the restaurant are such friendly and warm people.  They always greet everyone with a hello and a warm welcome.  There is a great spirit there.

We have had to walk early a few mornings and didn’t see the sunrise but it is still enjoyable.

People going out in their boats/canoes

A couple of days, the sunrise was spectacular.

One evening we took a walk to the area office to get something that Sister Lucas needed.  The sunset was as amazing as the sunrise!

I found out this week that there will be a nurse coming to replace me when I finish in 2 weeks on the 6^th of April.  She will be a service missionary and she is from Whangarei.  She and her husband will come tomorrow for a week to get some orientation.  They will be staying here in Shoalhaven where my flat is located so it will be handy and convenient.   I have been going through my papers and work to get things organized and ready to train and pass off to someone else.

I try to do something every day to get my flat ready to turn over as well.  I’m cleaning and emptying as much as possible. 

It has been an exciting week for the Kiwi’s.  New Zealand won the America’s Cup.  

Elder Edwards shared some pictures he took from a high rise apartment on Takapuna Beach where he watched the race with a group of senior missionaries.

I received my itinerary and my flight home.  I fly out on 22 April and arrive in SLC on 22 April.  My family has an appointment scheduled for me to get my COVID vaccination 23 April.  I’m going to be extra cautious and not be around a lot of people until I have the vaccinations on board.  I look forward to seeing all of you but will probably not be out much until I am fully vaccinated.  Then watch out!!  I’m coming for a hug.

I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have had to serve this mission.   The spirit of the mission field is indescribable.  I love the missionaries.  I love the work.  I love immersing myself in the scriptures and words of the prophets.  I love the people in the area and how welcoming and appreciative they are.  I love meeting new people and having the opportunity to talk about the Church and what I do.  There is seldom a day that goes by that someone doesn’t ask about my name tag and what I am doing here.  I am blessed.

Although I will miss New Zealand and the work, missionaries, and mission, I look forward to my family, home and friends as well. 

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

I climbed a volcano on Saturday.

 I climbed a volcano on Saturday.

The senior missionaries had an outing on Saturday.  We took a ferry over to Rangitoto and climbed to the top.  Well, everyone but I climbed to the top.  I get nauseated if I get over-heated.  Well it was a nice day, but combined steep trails, sun, lack of calories, and heat, caused me to have to stop and cool off not far from the top.  I am told I was really close but I didn’t get cooled off enough to finish the trip before we needed to head back down to catch the return ferry.

Ferry ride to Rangitoto.

We went to Auckland by ferry and then had to change to another ferry for the ride to the island.

Here is some information from Wikipedia about Rangitoto.  (It is the island that you see in almost every beach picture I post.)

Rangitoto Island is a volcanic island in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland, New Zealand. The 5.5 km (3.4 mi) wide island is a symmetrical shield volcano cone, reaching a height of 260 m (850 ft).  Rangitoto is the youngest and largest of the approximately 50 volcanoes of the Auckland volcanic field, having formed in an eruption about 600 years ago, and covering an area of 2,311 ha (5,710 acres).  It is separated from the mainland of Auckland's North Shore by the Rangitoto Channel. 

Rangitoto is Māori for 'Bloody Sky', with the name coming from the full phrase Ngā Rangi-i-totongia-a Tama-te-kapua ("The days of the bleeding of Tama-te-kapua"). Tama-te-kapua was the captain of the Arawa waka (canoe) and was badly wounded on the island, after having lost a battle with the Tainui iwi (tribe) at Islington Bay.

Because there are virtually no streams on the island, plants rely on rainfall for moisture. It has the largest forest of pohutukawa trees in the world, as well as many northern rata trees. In total, more than 200 species of trees and flowers thrive on the island, including several species of orchid, as well as more than 40 types of fern. The vegetation pattern was influenced by the more recent eruptions creating lava flow crevices where pohutukawa trees (Metrosideros ssp) grow. 

If you would like to read the entire article, it is most interesting:  

It was a beautiful adventure.  We could look down into the caldera which is dense forest.  I didn’t take a picture because it was difficult to get perspective.  You will just have to come see for yourself.

Here are some pictures in no specific order.  Many of these were taken and shared by Elder Edwards.

Elder Edwards took this picture of a tui he saw.

Also loved this pic of a New Zealand fantail he saw.  I missed both of them.
I saw the fantail fly away but missed the fan show.

Rangitoto from the opposite side I see from Takapuna Beach every morning

Pictures taken from the ferry as we returned to port in Auckland

Saturday was also a race day for the America’s Cup.  As we were returning from the island, the channel was full of boats going out to watch the race.  

I was standing on shore when I got off the ferry.  Took this video of the boats on the way to the race.

Here is some information about the America’s Cup if you would like to read about it. 

This is what a bad hat hair day looks like after being sweaty and in the wind.

The week began on an emotional note, as the area missionaries held a family home evening to honor Elder and Sister Lewis who are leaving on Thursday this week and they also included me even though I don’t end my mission until 06 April.

Elder Poll had asked us to send him pictures of our mission, family, or whatever we wanted and he made a short slide show/video of our lives as a tribute.  Each of us then shared our thoughts and experiences and bore testimony.  Of course I shed a few tears, especially when we sang “God Be With You ‘Til We Meet Again” for the closing hymn.

I enjoyed my daily beach walks this week.  It is dark when we go most mornings because the sun is not rising until later after 7:00.  Sister Lucas has early appointments with missionaries most days so we need to still go so we can be back by 7:15.  It really isn’t bad though.

One morning we saw this gorgeous display.  If you zoom in on the picture, you see the crescent moon like a cup waiting for the three planets to fall into it.  The planets may be difficult to see in the picture but we were told the planets were Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter.

People with dogs put lights on the collars of their dogs so they can find them in the dark.

We have had a stomach virus going through the mission the past week or so.  A lot of nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain.  Had a missionary call with severe stomach pain on Saturday evening.  We went to urgent care and they sent us to the hospital.  Not a ruptured appendix but still had keyhole surgery and an appendectomy.  Not a fun thing for a missionary.  Or anyone else for that matter.

The days are flying by.  I received my itinerary for my return flight home today.  I will arrive on April 22nd.  I am going to tour South Island after my mission ends.  I may have mentioned this before.  I’m getting old and repeating one’s self is a sure sign of aging.  LOL

Many people are asking me how I feel about all of this coming change.  I look forward to being with family and friends at home and back in my homeland but sad to leave the “New Zealand family” I have found here.  I have loved every second of my time in this wonderful land filled with friendly people.  Drivers are courteous and kind.  The people here take pride in their country.  It is so clean and beautiful.  

I guess you can tell, I’m being torn.  I can’t wait to see my family and home but torn to stay with the work and spirit of the mission and country where I’m serving.   Being a missionary brings much joy.

I love my Savior.  I love you my family and friends.  I’ll be seeing you soon.