June 30, 2024

Kiribati:  Part I

Flag of Fiji

In mid-June we headed to Kiribati, via Fiji, for real estate business and several other assignments.  Both island nations are spectacularly beautiful.

A church in Dadi, Fiji.  All church sites are simple, well cared for, and lovely additions to any city.

Most churches design a courtyard amid the classrooms and chapel.  The baptismal font rests here.

Imagine a baptismal service here with loved ones gathered throughout the courtyard.

Rick stands beneath a church sign in a secluded area of Fiji.  I enjoyed the green peaks and rolling hills of Fiji.  Splendid!

Some church properties include bananas, coconuts, and flowers.

We also viewed a location within a strip mall.  The church has been paying rent but the building needs renovations to house a church.  The landlords are a young couple, both doctors, working in the same building.  They feel great hope in having a church there, as they believe God-loving people will shine a positive light on their medical practice.  

Flag of Kiribati

We met two senior couples from Kiribati in the Fiji airport.  They spent two weeks in the New Zealand MTC and loved every minute there.  Now, they can’t wait to return home and start missionary service in their own country.  

Fiji Airlines.

Tender Mercy:  We arrived at noon for our return trip to New Zealand.  The flight was cancelled.  We booked two seats on the 7:30pm flight.  They offered food vouchers for our day in the airport.  We later purchased a hot sandwich and a bowl of fruit to share.  The girl serving us suggested we order more.  I quizzically responded that we didn’t have enough in voucher money.  She assured me we did and offered hot chocolate as she knew we didn't drink coffee.  I accepted a small cup and added the costs in my head.  We were over our allotment.  We picked up our order and there was an extra sandwich.  I pointed out the error and this girl responded, “It’s all OK.  I’m LDS too.”  After a frustrating and confining day, I felt so uplifted by her kind deed.  Paying it forward will be our best show of gratitude.

Kiribati from the air.  The water color seems unreal. 

The greeting committee seemed confused.  We were part of the real estate team, but the badges made them believe a new senior couple was arriving.

A common home site.  The thatched roof and covered sides offer ventilation for sleeping at night. 

At first, we thought shops were drying laundry.  No, they sell clothing and simply hang it for all to see.

Little stores line the street.  We saw mostly women and children managing these shops.

Morning is a busy time on the one road running through the slender island.

Children wear school uniforms.  Many varieties and colors present a beautiful scene as the students scurry off to school, most are barefoot, others don flip flops.

Trucks stop now and then to pick up a few more workers.  This must be some sort of carpool system.

I enjoyed watching the truckloads heading in both directions of town.

Motorbikes are another popular ride.  One morning I saw a man with two sons on a small motorbike.  All three were carrying large coolers.  I can’t imagine how they held those while traveling.  I suspect they fish for a living.

All church properties are simple, clean, and well kept.  The Church has a very good reputation.  One man would like to sell his property to the church because he knows it will be well maintained.

Missionary quarters rest at the end of the church property.  More of these buildings will now appear in many Pacific Island nations.

Kathy, Vernice and Mark from the real estate team.  Peter is a local member, a counselor in the mission presidency and actively involved in procuring property.  Rick rounds out the group.

This lovely sister walks the Moroni High School campus cleaning the yard areas.  She was baptized in the 70’s.  Now she awaits the new temple.

Makeshift shops line the single street.

Elsie stands in the center of her tiny office.  The church retains her local legal services.  Rick appreciates her timely response to everything.  She is an excellent attorney.  This office barely held all of us.  It’s a small room in a building of multi-use businesses.  She’s tried to cover the walls with colorful fabric.

Tabiberi, another local legal counselor, rushed from court to meet us in his office.  I feel special appreciation for his services.  He provided the country law section of the Religious Freedom Brochure for this island nation.  His contribution needed very few edits and helped to expedite the process.  The Kiribati brochure is now ready to be printed. 

I couldn’t view these colors often enough.  Turquoise water against a cloudy blue sky looks almost artificial.

Dr. Chisolm, from Monroe, Utah, adds the finishing touches to this dental clinic on the MHS campus.  He’s spent 25 years traveling through the pacific, using his dental skills to help the less fortunate.  At age 83 he claims he only needs his chair, tools, and a generator and he can practice dentistry under a coconut tree.  His granddaughter, a school teacher, will spend the summer assisting him. 

More from Kiribati in next week’s post.

 

June 23, 2024

Family Celebrations

Betsy, so much more than a sister, celebrates a birthday in July.  Jeff and Mike ignore June birthdays.  Jeff, now 75, resides in Alaska.  Mike passed two years ago and we miss him deeply.

Precious Melanie celebrates a BIG birthday this week.  We feel blessed to call her our “daughter”.  Thomas is a lucky man.

Konrad and Thomas – This one’s for you!

One Tree Hill.  Our zone hiked to the top on a cloudy Saturday.

As Autumn lingers, we utilize every day possible for outside activities.

The view of Auckland from this vantage point is breathtaking.  For 360 degrees we view every approach to the city and all the rising hills.

The Sky Dome rests in the same park.  Matariki – the new year stars – begin to appear before the national new year celebration at the end of June.  I finally understand the significance of the stars on New Zealand’s flag.

Comfortable chairs and lights out could signify napping time.  The entire show was restful.

One mission van experienced a flat tire.  It was part of the activity.  No one seems surprised it’s on the left side of the vehicle.  We all drive over left curbs.  It’s all part of learning to adjust to the other side of the road.  Thankfully, the Senior Elder in charge of the mission fleet was there to oversee the repair.  Rick found and pulled the spare from under the floorboards.   Five elders joined in to make the repair fast and easy.  

Warm pizza awaited our return to the area office.

We enjoy these outings with the senior missionaries.  Half serve with young missionaries and half in the area office.  Joining forces once a month provides a much-needed diversion and interaction with fabulous people.

Everyone knows how to pause (pose) for a photo.  

 

 

 

June 16, 2024

The Office of General Counsel

Konrad’s beautiful family celebrates Clara’s first birthday and Kaci’s fourth this month.  Konrad and Chalese celebrated 10 years of marriage in May and Han’s 7^th birthday in July.  We miss these landmark events but relish the chance to talk each week. 

Always studious, Rick works at his desk.

The sign guided us to our own office on day one as we climbed to the third floor of the area office building.

Rick easily navigates three screens.  He works for hours at a time without a break.  The Communications missionaries work in portals outside our office.  One sister comments if she ever sees Rick, “Look, he emerges and actually lives.”  We serve with so many delightful people. 

 

I also enjoy the three screens.  Monitoring all this seemed chaotic at first, now I enjoy easy access to several topics at once.

My desk truly “elevates” me.  By midafternoon I’m tired of sitting.  Pushing the magic button raises my perspective and allows for a new position and stretching opportunities.

Gina Truman, a good friend to Jennifer Stevenson, serves in the legal office, teaches institute, helps with the young missionaries, serves on the communications team, and works with the YSA ward.  Rick feels she's much too young to be considered a senior missionary.  I enjoy talking with someone from “home”.  She does EVERYTHING.  We love her!

Ruby is certainly our office “jewel”.  We call on her for all things related to tech, travel, schedules, life in Auckland, and much more.  She runs the entire show.

BYU interns.  Ezra works with the communications team.  His tech skills alone prove his worth.  Jenna just finished year one of Law School.  She returns home Friday.  Wow, those five weeks disappeared quickly.  We value the youthful spirit they bring to the 3^rd floor.

Kelley and Vic Saunders complete their mission in July.  He’s a radio guy with a booming voice.  Their “open office” allows his lively speech to carry throughout the floor.  I must close our office door when we have meetings online to block his penetrating, deep voice.  He makes me laugh so hard I cry.  His Scottish accent starts the day right.  He imitates voices of all the prophets.  It seems a bit irreverent, but I enjoy laughing with Vic.  We’ll miss them terribly.  Our floor will become so quiet.

The Pacific Area couldn’t survive without Pam and Ben Tanner on the communications team.  They don’t say much, they just work hard and make all of us look good.

I didn’t include pictures of Elder and Sister MacLennan or Paul Rytting.  The legal office enjoys multiple gatherings, so I’ve posted their photos in the past.  I hope to post more in the future.

Devonport – beautiful, quaint homes line the street facing the harbor.

The ferry wharf is here.  We enjoy walking through this delightful town which is a 15-minute drive from our apartment in Takapuna.

Most of the homes resemble a step back in time.  The business district has small shops, restaurants, and several second-hand stores. 

Rick stands on the Devonport walkway with Auckland in the background.

I’m posting a little earlier this week.  We leave for Kiribati in the morning.  That experience will appear in the future.