February 23, 2025

Chinese New Year in Auckland

We attended the lantern festival celebrating Chinese New Year.

Auckland is a major melting pot.  The city hosts a large Asian population.

The familiarity of such scenes made us feel very much at home, as though we were back in Jinan, China.

These beautiful, colorful displays bring back glorious memories.

Tree lights are among my favorite displays.

In Asia we celebrated during the winter season.  The early darkness accentuated each display.  However, in Auckland we are on Daylight Savings Time and the warm summer air doesn’t feel much like the cold New Year celebrations we know.

This looks much more like a Christmas display.

Ahh!  The familiarity of the Chinese Panda.

We enjoyed each display knowing they would be much more brilliant in the night darkness.  We opted not to stay late enough to witness the glowing lights.  We want to be home before bedtime.

This display is for our grandson, Hans.  Should it be renamed, “Chinasaur”?

We’ve never seen a Chinese sea turtle.

This is the year of the snake. 

We watched some of the performances.  Chinese opera still sounds the same.  I found myself pulling on my ears as I listened to those screeching tones.  Actually, the familiarity felt wonderful.

I will miss my morning walks on the beach.  Imagine watching the sun rise over the ocean every morning.  Yes, I do look like I just climbed out of bed.

Rick looks so distinguished as we wait for the bus to arrive.

February 16, 2025

Otara Saturday Market 

The selection of fresh fruits and veggies makes the whole trip worthwhile.

Crowds! Crowds! Crowds!

This market is HUGE!!  In addition to the produce, there are jewelry vendors, food trucks, clothes, toys, and almost anything else you can imagine.  Notice the “trolley”, serious shoppers prepare to take away the week’s groceries.

Simply take a colander from the center and choose what you want, placing the produce into the colander.

Some vendors offer plastic bags to keep selections sorted.

In addition to the “usual” items, we found delicious cherries.

Notice the vans in the background.  Vendors pull in, set up shop, and work from their vehicles.  Experience helps them with the throngs of people and sellers.

Big white turnips.  I haven’t seen these since Hong Kong.

Close to the exit there are a few smaller displays.  I stopped to purchase green onions.  They’ve been so expensive in New Zealand – too rich for me.  This Chinese woman sold them for $1 a bunch.

Pacific Area Communications Missionaries.  The Tanners and Sister Truman have since returned home. The Shaws now lead the way.  Tania Torea is an employee from Wellington.  We treasure her vast experience.  The Fords are based in Australia.

Same group, but at the end of the table sit the Hustons, serving in Papua New Guinea.  I’m snapping photos and don’t appear in a single picture.

Our marvelous legal secretary, Ruby Hugo, her husband Logan, and three of her four sons (one is serving in Layton, Utah), become citizens of New Zealand.  They come from South Africa.

Four of our precious Primary children.  It’s a circus every week.  We never know what will happen.  We use a lot of activities, songs, and hand games.  Plenty of adults join in.  Some claim to enjoy our class more than the adult classes.  

February 9, 2025

Auckland Anniversary

We enjoyed a day away from the office to celebrate the Auckland Anniversary.

Viaduct Harbor hosted dragon boat races.

Notice the coxswain facing the rowers.  The coxswain uses the drum to coordinate the power and rhythm of the rowers.  I can't help but recalling descriptions from the book, Boys in the Boat.

This heat featured women.  I enjoyed the bright shirts and admired their strength.

We also watched the coed rowers compete.

Boat #2 leads as they enter the finish of the race.

The size of this yacht is difficult to grasp from the picture. 

The Chairmen.

Several Elders joined in assembling chairs for a newly acquired apartment to house a senior couple.  Most of our furnishings look the same as every other apartment.  The church must buy these items in bulk.  Regardless, the apartments are very nice, we live comfortably.

Browns Bay.  This beach quickly became one of our favorites.  The soft sand, blue water, and delicious ice cream just a few feet from the beach added to our decision.

A floating water park was in use the day we walked the beach.  Our grandkids and children would have loved this feature.

New Zealand celery.  Tall, TALL, TALL.  I cut 8 inches from the top to get the stalk into the refrigerator.  It’s quite fibrous and woody but I like to cook it with onions for added flavor.  It’s a nice raw snack also.

Pass-along cards for the Auckland Temple open house. Yes!!!  I love using these.  It’s an honor to be here for this event.  Everyone is curious about “that big building” so anyone gratefully takes the card.  I’ll use this particular discussion opener/attention grabber card until the last day of the open house.  

 

 

February 2, 2025

Sheepworld

The stunning hills of New Zealand display herds of sheep and cattle.  The sight is splendidly beautiful.

Our missionary zone visited Sheepworld, a working farm/ranch now affiliated with a school for troubled youth.  Notice the sheepdog who successfully brought this group to the barn.

The rancher invites all who want to pet this wooly sheep.  He then begins the shearing process.  Apparently, sheering sheep for 8 hours exerts energy equivalent to running two marathons.

He assures us the ewe feels safe and comfortable enough in the above position. 

The sheep doesn’t put up the slightest protest to this process.

The entire shearing process was less than 90 seconds.  It looked smooth and easy.

The rancher offers the chance to touch the less wooly sheep.  Elder Dewey (blue shirt) sorts the wool into what is kept and what is tossed.  His father sheered sheep, so He knows how this process works.  The rancher seemed thrilled for the knowledgeable assistance.

A group of senior missionaries smiles for the camera.  Rick opted not to attend this function.  Ranch life flows through his veins, no need to spend a Saturday seeing what he knows.  Note the large bins of wool near the bleachers.

English Connect class:  most of the students are Asian.  This evening, we enjoy a few treats as we bid farewell to Sister Pam Tanner, the main English teacher for the beginning class.

We try to challenge their skills.  Most need to improve in order to better their working positions.

During a rain storm, Gentleman Rick holds the “brelli” to escort everyone from the restaurant to the van.

We enter the van with only a few drops on our clothes.  Rick is soaked.

Meet my new friend, Fiona.  I met her on an early morning walk.  She wanted a picture to accompany a photo she had with another sister missionary.  I invited her to the temple open house.  She said, “You’re Seventh Day Adventist, right?”  I kept the discussion short in correcting her misunderstanding.