Hello everyone: Seems like a long time since I have written to you all. We keep busy with this and that. We enjoyed conference very much. Saw Sunday's sessions on Monday here in the office and Saturdays the following Sat. in our stake center and then since it was Sunday and the whole stake was watching conference we went back and saw one session again. We so enjoyed the talks. Then, for our Family Home Evening here in the Area Offices we again shared favorite talks. Pres. Baxter and Elder Hilbig returned from conference and gave us their observations of conference for our devotional Tues. morning. It was very interesting to hear the behind the scenes tidbits.
We were very impressed how conference dealt with the financial problems world wide etc. Basically, if we stay obedient and stand firm and do what we should we will be OK. We should learn what we should do, do what we should do and be what we should be. We need to stand close together and lift where we stand. We can't afford to be superficially righteous, our testimonies should run deep. So we need to get busy and figure out what we need to be doing. And DO it. We need to be serious about the gospel.
We are planning a Halloween/triple birthday for 3 of the missionary senior guys. We are having a potluck Halloween theme dinner etc at the area doctor's apartment overlooking the harbour. Hope to stay til it is dark to see the lights. They have such a beautiful view. I sent you some pictures of the cruise we took of the harbour etc. and their apartment building in the background. Picture was taken from Auckland side. If you look closely you can see tall building in the distance. That is where we live. Across the street from the tall one. We went to the temple early in the day and came back as we had tickets for a free cruise. It was fun.
We are planning our next trip which we leave on on Sunday. Have to fly in and out of these islands on weird days to get where we need to be when we need to be there. We are going to New Caledonia which is French speaking. Hopefully, we will have an interpreter, The food is really expensive (like $60.00 US for a meal at the hotel) so we will likely live on bananas, bread and peanut butter while there. Have to eat just at certain places and never drink the water. A bottle of water at the hotel is $12.00 US. Problem is we arrive on Sunday. Should be interesting. We stay there til Wednesday and then fly to Port Vila, Vanuatu (where we were in August) stay the night at our favorite hotel and then catch a plane for Santo island at 7:00 a.m. the next morning. We are staying in Santo over night. We could only find one place to rent a car there--at $124.00 US per day and we only need it for 18 hours or so. I'm sure that they will charge us for two days. The airfare from Port Vila to Santo (171 miles) is about $1500.00 US for the two of us. This is a very expensive little trip. We are trying to establish contact with our director there at the Family History Center. He got married in March and we haven't heard from him or the center since. Heard via the grapevine that he had to go live with his new wife's family (family tradition) etc. Guess, we will find out what is going on.
The email situation is bad in some of these islands. Most of the people get yahoo and then never use it again and yahoo drops them after so many months of non use. So the computers in the centers get old and deteriorate with the humid temperatures etc. With the new system they have to have Internet to print the new 'Family Ordinance Requests" and we have whole branches going on 'temple' trips and needing to know how to get their own family's names printed etc.
New Zealand went 'live' yesterday. Michael (our boss) is down in Hamilton for the roll out. He is going to Tahiti while we are in New Caledonia etc. Our next biggy is a huge genealogical conference here in Auckland in January. The conference organizers have contracted several people (like 4 or 5) to come from the Family History Library in SLC to be key note speakers etc. Don't know what our part will be --probable at least a booth etc to 'man' for Family Search etc.
We are excited that Megan and her friend Stephanie Cook are coming for Xmas. Pres. Baxter's wife stopped in yesterday and told us that they had met Stephanie at a lunch for the general authorities in SLC. Stephanie knows their daughter "Heather" who is coming the same time as she is. So, with our two girls and Heather and then a girl that just got back from her 'American" tour and stayed with Stephanie in Washington D.C. last month they (the four) should have fun together etc. Probable run them up the side of Ringatoetoe (sp) the volcano out in the ocean across from our beach. Should slow them down etc. Anyway we are anxious.
We are planning Thanksgiving also. Seems that we can order a turkey for only $12.00 per kilo or about $6.00 per pound. There will be about 22 of us but we decided to 'do' T. day with all the trimmings. I have just asked the Exec. Sec.(Sr. McLaughlin) wife if she would take it over for me. She is very organized and a good cook and doesn't have that much to do sooooo. Besides she can cook the turkey. We are going to use the kitchen here in the Area office--have games etc and make a day of it on the 29Th--Sat. Not Thursday as the office is open as usual. They don't celebrate our T. day. Funny thing.
Spring is coming!! We are excited. Flowers are blooming, trees are leafing out etc. It is getting prettier and prettier. We put away several of our heaters and only use them occasionally now. Still use the heated pad on the bed for about 5 minutes.
Well, must get back to work. Have a great day and let us know how each of you are doing. We would love to hear from you tooooooooo!
Love, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Andrea and Woody
Friday, October 17, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
August 29th, 2008
Well, to continue: I was interrupted last letter and never got back to it. To put it into a nutshell we greatly enjoyed our time in Vanuatu. It is a very beautiful place that is being discovered by the tourists. They have about 64 cruise boats per year and their influx of new cars has really jumped the past two years. The natives are friendly and the place seems a little bit more progressive to us. Some people tend to disagree but we saw better food markets and places to eat there than in the Samoas. Could be just the place we stayed etc. The roads seemed about the same. We only had about 3 hours to see the place as we were working at the center for the rest of the time. We ate lunch at a place on the beach that is owned by an American that graduated from Torrance High School in California. It was an American menu. We couldn't drink any water while in Vanuatu and have to keep taking our malaria meds for 25 days after we got back. However, we didn't see any mosquitos. (sp). Think that we are ok.
We trained the director and several of the consultants from other branches for 4 days. Marie Joe, the director, will have to train the director from Santo Island when they get one so hopefully that will do and no one has to go back soon. (However, we wouldn't mind).
Our boss and Bro. Howard from Wellington went to Tonga this week for the roll out of New Family Search. (That was why we were in Vanuatu as it is part of the Fiji roll out. Our counterparts that 'do' New Zealand and Fiji went to Fiji. He is Fijiian himself. He is the one that reminds us of Bill Cosby--with accompanying sence of humor.)
We are back into the office and getting caught up. Reports are due in by the 7th of September so we are getting back into our own Family History Research. I think that I have conquered the Leavitt twin problem. Someone had combined them into one person with all the wives going to Edwin and all the children etc. I had to uncombine about 50 plus records and assign everyone where they belonged. Now to send in and get one of the entries for Edwin getting him back to a male and his wife back to a female. Oh, the fun of computers. Hopefully when all is done it will be a perfect record acceptable to the Lord and to our ancesters. In the meantime, hopefully they have great patience and good senses of humor while we play with their information.
I have felt like the twins would be glad that someone is working on getting their lives seperated and then the thought occurred to me that my father would be pleased also. I find that Sharon Greene Larson and Shirley Greene Burnham (Ardith's sisters) have been attempting to get it straight too.
Dad wanted to mention that while we were in Samoa that we ran into a missionary couple from Blackfoot--the Harvey Tanners. His parents and Great Grandparents Wootton were very close friends and neighbors.
We had Family Home Evening dinner out on Monday with about 17 of us attending. We are still coordinating that job. Tried to give it to the new Exec. Sec. but he handed it right back--so we are running them for the time being. We have two new couples with us this week. A Elder and Sister Clark from N.SLC. She (Claudia) used to be in Sharon Larson's ward--probable before she married this Elder Platte Clark. They got her purse with all IDs' and passport stolon when they were sight seeing. It has put abit of a crimp in their plans. They were scheduled to go back to Sydney for a week but had to cancel (no visa). They are the new office couple for Public Affairs. We are going from one couple (the Brown's who go home on the 12th) to 3 couples for PA. The other couple that arrived are the Nallys (Lonnie and Kaye) from Highland. He is the infield mission presidents representative. (all mission presidents with problems have to go through him before problems go to SLC. This is over Australia, Phillipines, Papa New Guinea, New Zealand and all the islands. Huge job-- Very nice people.
Rents on apartments are getting ridiculous. The Clarks ended up getting one for $600.00 per week (view overlooking the beach etc.). They are also buying the Brown's furniture. The Nallys and McLaughlins are renting in a new building which is about $400.00 per week but much smaller than what we have. We went apartment hunting Monday for other couples that are coming and got an eyefull. Guess that we are very happy where we are for location and price. It may be old but the price is right. We are paying $335.00 per week and about $54.00 for the car per month.
Our new Area Presidency is offering a 'Gospel Discussion Hour' every 2nd and 4th Thursday for all of us in the building. We had our first one yesterday with Pres. Callister discussing the Apostasy. He has written several books on the subject. You may have noticed their write up in one of the July Church Newes. The next one will be by Pres. Baxter.
We have a member of the New Zealand Cabinet visiting the office today. They have ask for a meeting with the new Area Presidency. Don't expect they will come down to our end of the floor.
We are expecting to have our office moved--probable down to the former Auckland Mission Office area when they vacate to a building around the corner. That should start about the middle of September.
We are planning on taking another couple to an outdoor market tomorrow and then the following Saturday we will likely go down to Hamilton (2 hours) to the stake temple day. Following Sat. we are scheduled to take the Dr. and wife (Merrrills) to see the gannots and the Tasman. Both times we have been there it was Sunday and we couldn't see much in our Sunday clothes. Shannon and Erik were able to see right into the nests etc.
Since being back we have noticed a huge increase in day light hours (both ends of the day) and it seems to be getting warmer so maybe our long winter is over. Dad got new light bulbs for the apartment so we have lots of better light. (brighter lights). I can almost see to do my hair and makeup.
We teach our little class again Sunday. Dad's turn--then just one more lesson and we get a new group. I have been studying the scriptures on line as I can't do it in the mornings anymore. You guys might try that if you can't get to it other times. They have study guides that really help with them. You might also try getting on to New Family Search soon as it comes to the Utah. I think that the rest of you might already be able to get on. It is https://new.familysearch.org. You have to have your membership number and confirmation date to get onto the system. Remember to keep you new signon and passward in a safe place. This is a seperate signon than the regular FamilySearch. I tell people to put it on the back of their recommends and to remember to transfer the info. when they renew them. If you have questions about how to use the new system just email us or go into the lessons or help sections.
Well, this is way long again. Hopefully all is well with all of you. We are anxiously waiting for news of the new baby boy for Suzanne and Brian. He is due on the 23rd. They have met with the birthparents and all looks good. Keep them in your prayers. Julie and David's new baby is doing well after his surgery for double hernias. Steven and Carlyn went to Hawaii for Steve's birthday but we haven't heard how that went. David and Dani both had flooded basements the same storm. Shannon and Erik are back from New Zealand and Shannon is back into teaching. Nicole and Mel are into sports with the boys--getting back into school also. Megan's boss was made President of Overstock so she is a busy girl. Scott changed jobs again and is back with his old, old, old boss. The last two just keep trading him back and forth with better offers. The newest job is 'project' manager with a bonus on his estimates over and above his salary and a new truck to drive etc. So, talk to each other and email us. Love to hear from all of you. Report!!!
Love, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Andrea and Woody
August 23rd, 2008
Dear kids, family and friends: We are still in Vanuatu. It is a very beautiful island in the Pacific. We are on the same time frame as New Zealand except behind 1 hour and on same day--i.e. a day a head of you by 18 hours. It is Saturday and we are waiting for a wedding to take place (the two people we are training are involved in the wedding so we are taking a break. We have worked everyday that we have been here trying to get Marie Joe trained (she is the director in Port Vila) so that she can train the consultants from the many branches of the church. Five other consultants have attended training so we have a partial core of knowledge here. The problem is that with New Family Search, the temples will quit excepting the old forms of submissions and relie only on New Family Search after 30 days or so. So the patrons have to know how to generate information into New Family Search (nFS). Many of the islanders plan extensive (and very expensive for them) trips to the temples i.e. Fiji which just went live this week. They take a week or more and have to travel great distances to get there so need their submissions on the new system. We were unable to go to Santo Island as when we flew in the machine at the airport was down so we couldn't confirm and pay for the tickets. When we could get to the airline the next day they had already sold our seats and were sold out for the remainder of the time we are here so Santo did not get trained. Talked to a counselor in the Fiji Mission Presidency and he was quite concerned and is now aware of the problems with Santo. (Our director got married and we lost complete contact with him and the center there. Seems that there are some family traditions that took him away to live with his wife's family or some such thing. His father is the district president but the phone and email we had are no longer working etc. and they don't respond to mail. That district is planing on taking 60 plus to the temple in Fiji in January. When they get a director they will likely have to have that director fly here (50 minute flight) and get trained by Marie Joe. Hopefully she knows enough. We are staying at a very beautiful hotel overlooking Michiner's (sp) island and the bay. We watch boats coming and going with each meal. The view from our balcony is wondrous. We have a very comfortable room. Guess that we are really spoiled. Next time, if their is one we will opt for a 1st floor room with limited view as it is about $100.00 less per night. The food at the restaurant (where we dare eat) is very expensive also. However, the missionaries are mostly using this hotel now. We met the mission couple here , the Elliotts from Emmet, Idaho. They own about 320 acres of orchards and have the Plaza Fruit Stand on their property there--if any of you are ever in Emmet. The church auditor and his wife from the Fiji mission are here too. We all had dinner last night at the hotel. We went to Elliotts twice to a restaurant --more later.
Mom etc.
Mom etc.
August 18th, 2008
Hello everyone: We have just had a very enjoyable time with Shannon and Erik. I think that they got to see and do most everything they wanted to do. They will share their trip with many of you too. We had to be in the office most days as we had visitors from SLC, ie Quentin Cook, Elder Jensen (Presidency of 70) and Bishop McMullin and wives so had extra meetings etc. We also had the head trainer for New Family Search and two of her staff Monday - Wed. that we had some meetings with so if we could leave by noon we did. That way Shannon and Erik could get up after we left, go to the beach/visit Takapuna and arrive at the office about the time we could leave. We did the musuem, beaches, view sites, Auckland, favorite restaurants, take-outs, two Sundays worth of church, the Tasman Sea, Gannit colony, spent the night at Rotorua, say the temple and visitor's center and sent them by ferry and then bus to the Bay of Islands for the day where they viewed the treaty grounds and had a tour through the islands by boat. That was in one day. We picked them up from the ferry dock at 9:15 that day and took them to the Merrill's apartment to see the lights from across the bay to Auckland. It was spectactular. You get a better view from looking at Auckland than going up in the Skytower and looking our way. We are sad to be alone again but are busy enough that it is ok. We are hosting Family Home Evening tonight here in the area offices and leave tomorrow for 6 days in Port Villa, Vanuatu. While there we fly to Santo Island for one day. It takes us 3 1/2 hours flight to Vanuatu. Places are not very close here at all. We are staying at the Sebel Vanuatu Hotel which is reported to be quite nice. We chose it as it has air conditioning and is pretty new and sanitary etc. Temperatures look to be about 69-80 for the week that we are there. However, that doesn't account for the humidity etc. We have to start our Malaria meds today and take them for 35 days. I still haven't sent you pictures from our trip to Samoa and American Samoa. I will try and do that today. Our trips are beginning to run into each other. We have to do all the book work between them--thank yous, reports and budgets to keep them all straight. Michael (our boss and stake president too) was supposed to be gone all of last week but his father in law died so he cancelled his trip to Tahiti for the roll out there. The funeral is today. He heads to Tonga for its roll out before we get back so we won't see him for several weeks. Bob Langford was just in to tell us of his new position. Shannon and Erik were not able to meet him (he was in Korea and Japan). (We stayed with them for the first 3 weeks). He is the new Area Human Relations Manager for the Asia/Pacific Area with his base being in SLC. He will visit his four areas once a year. (Tokeo, New Zealand/Australia, Hong Kong and can't remember the other). They have chosen to remain here til the end of the year. Higleys were able to meet his wife, Miriam. They live in Layton. Our sunday school (Marriage and Family Relations) is going ok. We have long absences between sundays sometimes. We will be away next week again. Higleys were able to attend. Our ward was very friendly with them and they met lots of people that we work with from the office too. Our washer died so we have to figure out what to do with it now that we are leaving for a week. It belongs to the church so don't know if they repair or replace it or if we have to buy a new one. Anyway it is a little inconvenient with trying to leave with clean clothes tomorrow. Browns said we can come use there washer tonight. Well, guess that I had better get on with things here like trying to get Picasa to work ok for me. Let us know what is happening at home. Love to get email. We are only a click away!
Love, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Andrea and Woody
Love, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Andrea and Woody
August 7th, 2008
Hello everyone: Well, we survived our first trip to the islands. Pretty hard to take. We really enjoyed the experience and the opportunity to serve the saints there. Our pictures look like we loafed and did lots but you would be surprised our little effort it is to shot a few pictures as you go by. We saw lots of both Samoas and enjoyed the people we met and worked with. Only bad experience was when they left my suitcase in American Samoa on our way back to Samoa. Didn't get it til noonish the next day and had to check in with the temple presidency at Apia with no makeup, comb etc. I'm sure I was beautifiul but they probable thought Dad was married to a different woman the next time they saw us. We were able to attend the temple at Apia the one English session Friday before we came back. We were very impressed with that temple. We felt that it was the most beautiful celestial room we have ever seen. The layout of the temple is really neat. Wish they would build more like it. It was built on land that our bosses wife's family had donated to the church so it was special ground to walk on as well. We arrived late in Samoa as they canceled our plane as we were boarding and we had to change to another. We stayed at Aggie Grey's by the airport. It is pretty grand--flowers and porters--grounds beautifull. We had a lovely breakfast in the morning in the fala by the sea and then went back to the airport for our flight to American Samoa. That was interesting with an 18 seater. Not alot of room to breathe etc. We were met by Brother Fonoti (he is the transplator for the legislature there and a maitai ) and his daughter and granddaughter Louise (16 and cute) with orchid leis. We visited three of their centers that day and checked into our housing at the mission home. The mission includes both Samoas so this one is just the one that the mission president uses when he visits American Samoa. Since the new president is from there and has a huge house on the mountain he doesn't use his bedroom at the home so we got to. It felt like being home--king bed with similar covers etc. The mission couple, Brother and Sister Barnes, are from from Farmington but do not belong to Dean's branch of the family. They would like to be adopted. He wants a desk at the bank to greet people. Thinks that they need a tokan Barnes there. He is W. Floyd Barnes and his wife is Jean. Delightful couple. He was down doing bedrest trying to recover from a blood clot that landed him in ICU for 5 days. We attended the 10th Ann. of the Art's Festival for the Islands that was held there. Saw some interesting shows at the sports arena. (R rated--Easter Island men didn't wear much besides their tattoos). It was really loud. First Rock Concert I have been to. We went with Sr. Barnes and the patriarch and wife of the stake. Left before the end as we could feel our hearts beat in time to the bass key. They had delegations in from all over the Pacific. That is why we couldn't get housing. The LDS service center got us a nice car for 2 days and then we used the mission van for the last day. We had a training session with about 20 people for half a day and then the last day we visited a new Stake Center FHC in Pago Pago so got pictures of the inlet there too. In Samoa (western) we stayed in the LDS Compound. We had a lovely 3 bedroom house. It is literally a compound with guards at the gate to let you in and out with high wire fences enclosing you. Both Samoas have dogs that run in packs all over. They don't really belong to anyone so can be kind of scary if you are out walking at night. Natives walk out in the street at night all the time. No sidewalks except on the waterfront. Brother and Sister Betham took good care of us there. He is the former Stake President, Temple President and regional rep. They have a plantation that provides fruits and veggies to all the hotels and restaurants in Samoa. They treated us to sandwiches everyday at the center and took us to lunch twice while we were there. We trained about 20 people per day for 5 days getting them on to New Family Search and understanding the system. It was a little hard as the center we used is the only one in Samoa with internet so not only are they learning the church systems they are learning to type and how to use internet and sometimes don't understand english let alone read it. The sisters liked me and kept giving me candy, crackers, necklace and errings and hugs etc. They liked Dad too but gave me the food. The finance manager for the two Samoa's was our host at the compound. They invited us over for dinner with their famiy the first Saturday--gave us lots of food to get us by and took us for pizza with their family the last Saturday we were there. We did manage to take her out for dinner one night at the Apia Yaght Club one night. They certainly took good care of us. We had a church pool car (Yaris) that we used while there. We were able to attend the English speaking ward and met many of the 10 missionary couples that are there. The weather was great. Not too hot or humid. We enjoyed it. Of course our house was air conditioned (both) and the cars were also. The centers were air conditioned too. We ate out about 3 night on the waterfront and it was just comfortable. Saw about 1 mosquito but did have weird 'blood' worms that crawled in and died and we swept up daily. They hurt if you step on them and the birds won't touch them as they are too acidy. We also had two pet jecko's (babys) that we kept catching and taking outside. Saw a dead centipede in the laundryroom that kind of grossed me out but he was dead with legs up. We traveled over most of the island--saw the early Mormon refuge site. Pres. McKay rode up there on horseback and dedicated the land and said that it was the site of an early temple. It was a beautiful place up in the hills. The Samoan people are very poor and many live off the land. The pictures show many Foli's---round houses on stilts where they gather daily at 6;00 ish for prayers etc. They sleep there etc. Lots of loose pigs, chickens and dogs everywhere. Anyway it was a great experience. We are back in New Zealand--got back Monday afternoon (missed Sunday) and back to work. We have 3 general authorities here all next week. Quinton Cook, Bro. McMullin and Elder Jensen so we have to clean up our areas and look sharp. We have two special meetings next week with them. We got back in time for the introduction of our new Area Presidency and wives on Tues. morning. We have Elder Hilbig and his wife (lst Q. of 70), Elder Callister and wife (2nd Q. of 70) and President Baxter and wife 1st Q. of Seventy. We also have a Brother and Sister Nally coming soon. He is the infield rep. for all the mission presidents here. So our office is getting busy with moving offices etc. So far we are in the same place but that could change. Our boss is headed to Tahiti for its roll out next week. We just made reservations to go to Vanuatu on the 19th. We will stay til the 24th and visit both Port Villa and Santo islands. We have to start taking malaria meds before we leave, have lab tests before and continue on the meds for 28 days after we return. We wanted to go now before it gets hotter there. We have two libraries there and they only fly in and out on certain days of the week. They are in the Fiji temple district and Fiji is going live on the 19th. We are looking forward to Shannon and Erik visiting us starting Sunday. Hopefully the weather will be nice for their visit. It was wild while we were gone. One of our tree/bushes by the front door was broken at the root during one of the storms. We met our new neighbor girl last night. She is Katrina from Siberia. Very nice and pretty. She is attending the university and looking for a job. Her parents will join her later. She wanted to know if we were orthodox. Well, enough for now. We are welll and enjoying our time here. Kind of sad to see some of the old missionaries get ready to go home. Guess that that is the name of the game. Sounds like lots of stuff is happening at home. Hopefully little Nathan is doing ok and ready for his hernia operation tomorrow. Exciting to hear of Suzanne and Brians new baby boy to be. Sorry to hear of the two flooded basements and Nicole's family flu. Nice to see the rest of you enjoy each other in Island Park. Good to hear of Scott's new job. Wish we were there. Keep us in your prayers. We feel them. Drop us a line or three. We love to get email!
Love to you all, Mom and Dad, Andrea and Woody, Grandma and Grandpa Wootton
Love to you all, Mom and Dad, Andrea and Woody, Grandma and Grandpa Wootton
July 19th, 2008
Dear Family and Friends: Thought I had better send this update before things really get wild around here. We attended a fireside with Langfords down south of Auckland. It was huge and we were about the only white faces there. It was very interesting with a musical group from the states singing and bearing their testimonies. 7 brothers that were born here. So crowded--firecode broken I'm sure!) Sunday, Dad spoke in church and did a good job of covering 'Fathers" and their responsibilities. He didn't embarrase us too much. Better than normal. We have been up north in the 'Northlands" all week. We left Monday morning and traveled to Matakohe to see the Kauri Museum. It was interesting but slightly out of our way. Pictues to follow. These Kauri trees are huge and very old. Claim to be 46,000 years covered and still usable. Some of the trunks are about 28' in diameter or so. Anyway huge. Saw the gum diggers etc and lots of vintage stuff. We arrived in Paihia (Bay of Islands) just at dusk and stayed at the same hotel we have previously stayed at. Beautiful views from the dining room for the one dinner and 3 breakfasts we had there. Tuesday the 15th we traveled to Whangarei (pronounced Fongaray) and trained about 9 sisters in the details of New Family Search. They were a great group. The director is waiting for her green card to emmigrate and live close to her daughter in Lehi. The mayor's wife was helpful in trying to get us accomodations in Samoa but it was the wrong Samoa. Seems that there is a huge art's festival in American Samoa and the travel agency didn't let us know that. They got us plane reservations but no accomodations or car. We almost had to plan on sleeping on the beach. (However, long story short--the mission office got us a place to stay at the mission home with the missionary couple a Brother and Sister Barnes and a car!) They fed us a lunch etc. We worked on their equipment and gave them a new printer and hookup. We were there for 7 hours. Long session but they were enthusiastic. We traveled back to Paihia for dinner and wandering around the downtown tourist area. Wednesday the 16th we traveled to Kaikohe (pronounced Kaicohe) and worked with about 9 sisters. They fed us again and we were there for about 5 hours. As we got out early we hurried back to Paihai and changed and went to the Treaty Grounds at Waitangi. This is where all the chiefs came to sign a treaty with the English. Beautiful place on the point. We got to see the grounds, house, etc. (Another beautiful golf course--pictures to follow). We had dinner at the Thai Garden Cafe and I had the best soup I have ever had. It was soooo good. Thursday the 17th we traveled way east and north to Kaitaia (Kitia--long i's) and worked with about 5 people. The director is Grey Jamison and come to find out he grew up at Mahurangi Regional Park (pictures from before. Seems that one of the bays is called Jamison Bay and there is a Jamison road where the family holdings are. He had the 2nd largest cosmetic company in NZ and is retired and helping a daughter in the north but will return to live at the family estate. We thought it was one of the most beautiful places that we had seen. He and his wife Ngaire took us out to dinner at the famous Mangonui Fish House on the pier in Mangonui which is next to the cove where we stayed for the night at Cooper's Beach. This is all on Doubtful Bay where captain Cook explored in the early days. Very beautiful but very wet and gray while we were there. Our room overlooked the beach and we heard the surf all night. More pictures. Friday the 18th we drove back down to Maramaku (dirt roads) for a meeting with consultants and director at 11:00-3:30. The director is Merilene Horsford--head peds nurse in Whangarei. She had had no sleep for 3 days so we tried to hurry so that she could go to bed. This is the chapel out in the middle of a cow pasture with a little graveyard beside it. You go over cattle guards to get onto the church lot and then the church is beautiful with lush blue carpets in all the classrooms even. This is the home of the famous Going brothers (rugby) They were a delightful group and very knowledgeable about nFS. They wanted to know when we could come back. We are just filling in for the couple that has been released and helping Lelo's out with NZ areas that they can't cover. We will go to Invercargill probable in Sept. or October. We drove to Whangarei and went to the Quay area and looked and took more pictures. Had ice cream cones for dinner. (Ice cream here is really rich and sooo good). Then on to home in a driving rain storm that was very scary. We did get behind a huge bus so just followed him for miles and miles. Figured that if he fell down a gully we could stop in time and not follow suit. The roads up north are VERY windy (sp) but very lush landing if you fall off. In the dark with the torrents of rain here it would not be fun. I was very grateful to finally get back to our 'flat' at about 7p.m. We found out today that our young neighbors did sell their flat while we were gone and are moving immediately. A Russian family bought it and are leaving their 20 year old daughter here while they return to Russia to finish their move. The flat was listed for $559,000 for a two bedroom. It probably is a little larger than ours and has been updated with new kitchen cabinets and central heat. We will be sorry so see Jason and Ann leave. They had loaned us two heaters so we will have to buy new ones today to replace them. We are at the office checking on our email and travel arrangements for Samoa. I headed off to the restroom with my 'fob' (it was for the copier not the door!) out of the desk drawer. Couldn't get back into the main area and knocked and knocked for Woody to hear me and of course he ignored the sounds. Finally another employee showed up from downstairs and let me back in. (It's Saturday) I teach my first lesson to our class on Marriage and Family Relations tomorrow up in the Hibicus Ward. That way when we are gone the class can just go to the regular gospel doctrine class. We will be away for the next 2-3 weeks. We are invited to dinner at the 'ranger's house at Wenderholm Regional Park. They are in our ward and very nice. He is the ranger that we ran into at the other regional park a few weeks ago. Monday the Lelo's (he reminds us of Bill Cosby) are meeting us for dinner at Wildfire so we can exchange projectors before our trip to Samoa next week. We will leave on Wed. --get there on Tuesday--stay overnight in Samoa and fly out the next day for American Samoa. Stay there til the 25th and then fly to Samoa where we have a car and housing at the 'church compound' for the duration of our stay. We will be working at the FHC closest to the Temple before, during and after the roll out of New Family Search on the 29th of July. We stay longer to do training and fly out on the 3rd for Auckland which gets here the day after on Monday the 4th so we lose Sunday. The next day we get a devotional with the new Area Presidency which should be interesting. I think that they will all be here by then. We are getting lots of new people with the consolidation with Australia so things could change. We already will probable not be going to Tonga in August. Michael is thinking of sending Brother Howard (from Wellington) there again as he just got back and knows where to go etc because the area director is going to be away during that time. So he is planning on sending us early to Vanuatu, Kiribati, Niue, early. We will talk with him Monday on that. The gospel is true, we love the work and the people we meet and feel so blessed to be seeing as much of New Zealand as we are. This is really a unique experience that few missionaries get. We feel your love and support and prayers in our behalf. Keep them up. Things are going great. Keep us informed as to what is going on at home. We love to keep in touch with each of you. Pictures to follow===probably Monday if I get a minute.
Love, Andrea and Woody, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa.
Love, Andrea and Woody, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa.
June 16th, 2008
Dear family and friends: 16 June 2008 Thought that I had better tell you what is in the pictures that I sent you earlier today. The bird ones were kind of fun. The gulls hovered in the air and then darted in to catch bread in midair. Felt like we were feeding the dogs. Fun. The peacocks ate out of our hands and the black birds only have one leg. (Actually one was standing on one leg and we felt sorry for it and all of a sudden all were standing on one leg). Really funny. Tons of interesting birds. Looks like I didn't send one of the Pokeko birds. They eat on the side of the freeway. Pick up their food in one of their feet and eat. The harbour area with boats kind of reminds us of S. California. Really beautiful area as they all are. The Orewa Beach scenes are of wind surfers. They surf in the surf. Looks like tons more fun than water skiing etc. Yesterday, Sunday we had a baptism an hour after church so we got pictures of the wind surfers. The other pictures were from the day before. The Shakespeare Park is fun. In addition to the birds lots of sheep. In a month or so will have lots of little lambs so we will have to go back. After the baptism we were invited to dinner at Hatu's farm. He is from Niue and is the Area Welfare Manager. He and his wife have this farm with about 25 cows, 25 sheep and lots of loose chickens. The ewe's are due to have little lambs in a few weeks. They had killed the fatted calf (no really it was a lamb ) and that is what we had for dinner with all the trimmings. It was wonderful. Elder and Sister Brown went with us as they decided to visit our ward that day. It was way----out in the country. Felt like we drove forever to get there. We left at 9:00 a.m. and got home about 6:30 p.m. but had a full and wonderful day. I lost my roll recipe so made horrible rolls to take. That is why I am looking for my real recipe. Anyone have it please forward it to me soon. I am using my old one for Family Home Evening here. Browns, former mission pres. in Boise and director of Kirktand Visitor's Center are showing a power point on Kirtland. We are providing rolls and they are bringing jam and butter. We are coordinating FHE until the new exec. sec. gets here from Australia. Tomorrow I have the blessing of giving the spiritual thought/talk for devotional for the area office. No pressure at all. Glad when that one is over. Woody gets to conduct. We got another coupon for our favorite restaurant so are going with the Duval's from the mission office (Larimie). Coupon was for 50% off so have to take advantage of that right? Dad washed and dried his hearing aid so we are getting it evaluated. Only spent $150.00 so far on getting it back to ok. We are scheduled to go to Samoa on about the 23rd of July. We go to American Samoa for two days and then eight days or so to western Samoa. We will be there for the roll out of New Family Search. Before that we go to northern north island (90 mile beach and Bay of Islands areas). We will be able to see lots and also train and help in about 4 FHC's up there. We are going on the 7th-12 of July. Dad speaks in our ward on the 13th and we are invited to the bishop's house after for dinner. We ran home during lunch to roll out the rolls and have to leave soon to go cook them to get them back here warm. Baking here is quite an adventure. Flour, yeast is just a little different to say nothing of the measurements and difference bewteen C and F degrees. Then my oven is something else again. We shall see. Talked to Nicole today and sounds like she is doing well. Got to talk to Zoe too. Hope all is great with each of you. Let us know what is happening.
Love, Andrea and Woody, Grandma and Grandpa, Mom and Dad.
Love, Andrea and Woody, Grandma and Grandpa, Mom and Dad.
June 6th, 2008
Hi Everyone; I have tried to do different thing with our photo/s from this past trip. Hopefully you can view them better by just clicking the slide show and see some of the things that we saw during our trip south. I just noticed that when I sent a copy to myself it went into the 'bulk' folder so if you didn't get it look there for our pictures. I have tried to go back and see what my last news was to you all. I guess that it has been a couple of weeks. Our big news is that David and Julie have a new baby boy. He was born about 7 weeks early but things are looking ok for Julie and the baby. They haven't named him yet to our knowledge. All the kids have gone to G and G Johnsons for the week so Julie can recover in quiet for a while. The baby will be in the hospital for one to five weeks depending on his real due date etc. David may have some different info. but that is what we heard so far. That fives them 6 kids and us 16 grandkids. 6 granddaughters and 10 grandsons. Suzanne and Brian have been approved to adopt so are now waiting to see what happens next. Dani and Steve are slowly working on the adoption process also. Who knows we could have a few more babies before we get back. We were able to go to Victoria Square in Auckland to just see what they had. Didn't get any pictures but did pick up some necklaces for the little girls and two blouses to wear in the islands. It is located almost under the freeway and next to Victoria Park in Auckland right by the 'Ski tower" Like the space needle--even has rotating restaurant at the top. We were able to negotiate our way in and back out with no problems. The off ramps and on ramps are not by each other so you need to know where they are. Can't just go back the way that you came. We had Family Home Evening dinner at "Wildfire" again due to Rousche's last hurrah before they left for home. He was the temple pres. in D.C., mission president in Brussels (sp) and exec sec. to the Area President. We will miss them. There were 18 of us for dinner but it was so good again. It is a Brazilian type restaurant with all the wonderful meats but with great veggies to go with it. The mushrooms etc. are to die for. I have even come to like calamari the way they cook it. However, we are ready to wait a few months before we go again. (I did find another coupon that needs to be used this month though!). I guess the big event was going on our first trip. This was a dry run for the other trips. Learned to take a few more casual clothes, warm clothes etc. We flew out last Friday. We parked the car at a park and ride which was run by come Indian's that don't speak much English. The van to take us to the airport was really high to get in but did manage it. Our fllight was about 1 1/2 hours down. Christchurch is a lot more driver friendly. We found the streets wider and flater than in Auckland. The map was easy to read and we had no problems finding our way around town. We checked into our motel which was near the college where the conference was and met the VanBallegooies (try that one on) to set up our booth. We found out that there was a kickoff main speaker so we hurried off with another exhibitor for a quick meal at the mall. The speaker was a Jim Warren from the Family HIstory Center in SLC. He and his wife were flown in and spoke and taught all four days. We ran into them later at the grocery store and found out that they were not members of the LDS Church. They did do a good job of what I heard. Our room was in a very cold classroom at the end of the exhibitor rooms. We were able to visit with many interesting and influential people in the Genealogy rhelms here in New Zealand. They people are very serious about it We were warmly received as they all are avid users of Family Search, our libraries and were anxious to see what is new with Family Search. We were able to introduce the indexing and digitizing that the church is doing. For those of you who don't know the church is indexing all the microfilms/microfisch that the LDS church has. It is many millions of records. These are going onto a site that you can get on your computer at home. They are also digitizing all the genealogy books etc. at the Family History Library in SLC, BYU-Provo, Hawaii, Idaho, Business College, Allan County Library in Penn., Clayton Gen. Lib in Houston. These are all the histories etc. You can word search for your ancestors on this site. It was fun to see their eyes open up with delight when they reallized the significance of these additions to their world. We were able to take some time on Sat. afternoon and check out a Cabela's outlet in downtown Christchurch. Woody has discoverered that he can order sale items from Cabela's in the states and pay about $15.00 shipping so he tried on a pair of tennis shoes to see the fit and will order them from home. He can get them for abour $60.00 total with shipping vs. $100-200.00 here. Seems that the guy who owns the store is from South Jordan. We then took a drive through downtown and out the otherside to Sumner to see the water front. The beach was nothing inviting but it is winter here. Few people and dogs. We went to dinner with the VanBallegooies at their favorite (a chuck-a-rama) and it was ok. We got senior discounts for only $22.50 each. It was ok but nothing wonderful. On Sunday we opened the booth and were relieved by the VanBall--, and went to the stake center for Sacrament meeting. People friendly. Beautiful building site as you can see from the pictures. We finished at about 5:00 and hurried to the VanBall.... for soup and quiche before Woody put on a fireside at the stake building on what is on Family Search and also the BYU site. The laptop didn't work quite right but it was good nevertheless. Had about 30 peoplel show up for that. (Guess that was good as the previous Wednesday Elder Oaks was there so the people here have had a few extra meetings lately. Monday was our last day of the conference and were able to leave about two and see some of Cantabury Square, the gift shops and art centers. They do not have any velvet native paintings like Barnes have and have not had them for about 30 years. We took some pictures and ate at the mall again. Not bad food (better than in the states for mall food). We headed out Tuesday morning for Akaroa. We loved the drive over (very twisty but beautiful scenes --Woody thought that the road at times reminded him of the road to Hana if you know what what is like). We loved this little French area--had fish and chips, bought fudge, a warm scarf and headed back as we had to make it to Hanmar Springs which we did barely before dark. That was where we had reservations for the night. Hotel was nice, expensive, but really not much better than the cheap one we had earlier. Both of us slept better at these places than at our home here. Probable due to the King size vis. the Queen one here (with coils under for heat). We had a weird dinner (steak for $10.00) but no service and no steak knives--had to ask so that we could cut the meat. We tried to go over the Lewis Pass to see the snow area but then decided to head back over to the beach areas which we did. Got some sand for Dwight but the beaches were not very inviting. We went back into Christchurch and bought passes on the tram and rode around the square. These passes let you ride, get on and off for two days. That is the way to go if any of you do Christchurch in the future. We saw the Cathedral which is very impressive. They built it to remind them of England and that whole area is England. Now we don't have to go right? We returned the car (Nissan which rattled the whole trip) and caught our flight back. No securityi to speak of. You puinch your name into a machine that prints your seats and gives you lluggage tags. Turn in your luggage and go through a light security. They never did ask for ID's. Woody had a bottle of water in his carry on and no one cared. Our office is piled high with computers again that we are getting ready to ship out to NZ this time. We have 11 of them plus monitors and a few printers. We can almost see over. Our boss came in a few minutes ago and said "my, you are really working" I told him no that Woody was just busy moving them from one stack to another." We enjoy our boss and the people here. Well, we have no plans for the weekend yet. Probable just get back to normal after our trip. We love to get emails from each of you. Feel free to reply to this and look at the picasa site. I may put some of our earlier pictures on it as you can view them at bigger sizes. Let me know if your are interested in some of the earlier pictures. Also want to hear from each of you with an update on what is happening in your lives. We love to get news of home.
Love, Andrea and Woody, Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa Wootton
May 23rd, 2008
Well, a lot has transpired since last week. We have helped with a New Zealand Area Advisors conference here in the area office. Our counterparts who do NZ proper organized it with our boss and we helped with set up and Dad did one presentation. We did it in the conference on the 2nd floor the first day. We were invited to dinner with the group that night. They chose a restaruant that has a bar attached. The Lelo's liked the food there so that is where we went. Acutually the food was good but I almost felt like I needed to hide the badge. We went early before it got busy. The second day we met the group at the Hamilton Temple for a session. We ended up taking the couple from Christchurch back to Auckland with us. We always stop in Pokono for wondrful icecream cones. That night I had persuaded the group to change from a really awful restaurant to our favorite (Wildfire). They were all suitable impressed. Our boss told me that if for no other reason than introducing them to this restaurant that was enough for our being here in NZ. I managed to get 25% off on the bill so that was better yet. They all were impressed. Our third day of the conference the elevator was down for maintenance so we changed the conference to the first floor. We had lunches brought in daily and morning and afternoon 'tea'. (Which is really just snacks). We met some interesting people and made good friends. The new exec. Sec. and his wife are visiting the office today trying to find housing for them when they come in August. They seem very nice and will fit in well. Brother and Sister McGloughlin from Farmington. We are headed to Christchurch next Friday for a conference at a Catholic Boy's College. The New Zealand Genealogy assn. is sponcering it. We will have a table/booth advertizing Family Search. It goes Sat., Sun and Mon. We will attend our Sac. mtg. sometime, somewhere there. Tues. and Wed. we are taking time to see Christchurch and the area. We have reservations at Hanmer Springs which is quite a tourist place in the mountains with lots of hot springs. We are not planing on getting in. Just looking. We fly back on Wed. night. Looks like we will go to Invercargilll in early July for a few days. Look on the map. It is pretty close to the Antartic Circle. We will be there for about 3 days to train and help there. The Area Advisors there are in Christchurch and so don't make it down much. We will fly down ofcourse but it is winter so I am glad that I brought my winter coat. We are scheduled to go to Samoa for the roll out in late July and Tonga in last August. We are also going to be going to the north of our north island to Maromaku, Whangarei and Kaikohe for a few days to train. Don;'t know when that will be but it will fit in someplace. So it looks like abit of travel for us. Higley's probable need to plan on coming over at xmas as well as Megan and Scott. That is an expensive time to travel but it is summer here and would be really nice--and everything slows down then for us. Well, it is past time to leave the office for the weekend. We haven't planned anything for it. Scott's birthday tomorrow. Happy Birthday Scott!
Love, Mom and Dad
Love, Mom and Dad
May 17th, 2008
Hello everyone: Guess that it is about time that we update what we have been up to. We are having a quiet Saturday and decided to walk over to the office and get on the computer. We have done our wash for the week, gone grocery shopping, changed the bed, put away the groceries and have stake conference tonight to go to. Our co-missionaries are the main speakers tonight. Brother and Sister David Brown serve as Public Affairs for the Asia Pacific Area. They are the ones that were behind the Tonga publicity that you have been seeing between conference sessions and in the church news. They meet with dignataries all the time and do a great job. We have morning prayer with them each work day and I get a hug and Tongan greeting from her daily. They live in Sandy in Diane Linfords ward. They go home in September. Our exec. Sec. is going home on the 2nd of June. He is doing the sealing for a grandson in Dallas so is leaving before the new changes take place. We will have an interem exec. for three weeks before the new one arrives from his current duties in Australia. One of the current counselors in Australia will be the new one here to our President Baxter (PRes. Hilbbig sp?) and we will have a new counselor who is currently a mission president in Canada. (Elder Collister). His family will have two weeks between callings. The DTA (:director of temperoral affairs for the whole Pacific Area) had a big televised meeting with all employees yesterday. We were not invited. Bishop Edgley of the presiding presidency was also here. We did manage to meet him in the hallway. Guess that the combining of the two areas has much more impact in Australia than there. We currently have 20 jobs to fill plus extra people coming over. Just heard that they are sending one or two more Family History couples from there to here. Guess it will impact us. Our lives are speeding up abit. We are incharge of the Family Home Evening group on Monday. We meet in the conference just in our office. Woody will do a demo. of sites available for Family History (BYU etc.) and what you can do with them. I am trying to figure out what to feed them. We usualliy have a light snack (dessert) at the beginning. I am tryng to round up the ingredients to make Mississippi Mud. Walnuts are non existant here. Did find two little packages (all that the store had) of about 3 oz. each for about $2.50 per. Then I tried to find marshmellows. Finally found a little package that might partialliy cover the top for $3.00. (No such thing as marshmellow creme or cool whip here. No dryer sheets, alcohol for cleaning, dill pickles, mexican green sauce, chopped green chili's for mexican, etc. There cookies are called 'biskits', elevators are 'lifts'. (ours was out for 2days last week. Only 66 steps up and then down twice or more times a day.) We are on the top floor of a four story building. I was not the only one complaining!) Anyway, that is Monday night. Then Tues, Wed and Thur. we are having all the area advisors from NZ come in for a conference here. It will start about 9 a.m. each day and end after getting them all entertained and to bed at night. On Wed. we are going down to the temple (two hour trip down, temple and lunch and two hour trip back and then dinner at Michael's house. (He is our Stake President and immediate boss). We are mainly observing and backup at this conference. We will do a demo. for one session. It is preliminary to a similar conference we will conduct later when we have all the area advisors from the islands fly in. Probable in July or so. On the 30th of May we are flying down to Christchurch. It is over $1100.00 just for airfare. Didn't realize that it was that far. They are having minus zero weather ==glad that I brought my winter coat and thermos. We are doing a vendors booth for Family Search at the NZ Genealogy Conference. That conference will run Sat., Sun (we will take time out to go to Sac. Mtg) and Monday. We will stay overnight Monday at our hotel and then take some time for ourselves. We have booked a room at Hanmer Springs for Tues. It is about 1 1/2 hours out of Christchurch. We hope to see as much of that area as we can during our trip to the south island. However, it will be cold. Our boss is talking of us going to Samoa and Tonga when the temples there go live with New Family Search. He wants us there a few days before the 'live' week and a few days after so it looks like we may be in both places for two weeks each. Possible first trip the end week of July and the second end week of August if the schedule holds (it hasn't in the past). However, our exec. sec. strongly advised us not to be away from the office during the first week of the new Presidency taking charge. Sounds like there will be some major changes that could affect us. Guess we will just play it by ear. We are currently heavily advertising for a couple to come to Wellington on a digitizing mission for 18-24 months. Maybe one of the new couples will be doing that. Oh yes, then Michael wants to get us up to the north part of the north island as trainers and support to the FHC's there. The area advisor up there has just been released and it will be handled by this office in the future. The Lelo's the couple that does all of NZ and Figi and the Cook islands can't handle it all so we will be helping. Sounds like Michael thinks it would give us hand's on and also a chance to see more of the north island. So we will start to travel soon. We go from below zero to tropical on this mission and get to see lots of the area. Our new combination will include all of Australia, New Guinea and everything that they covered. The main boss is retiring and we haven't heard yet who is taking over or if the two sub bosses will take it over on a co basis. Good chance that it will go to our boss though.No, we (:us)will not be covering or traveling to Australia. We had two couples over last night for games. We met at the fish 'take out' place and all got fish and chips and pineapple fritters. Walked back to our place and ate (I had my tomato-cucumber saled to go with). We played Nertz and then Mormon Bridge with our Nerta cards. I tried a new recipe with grilled pineapple (lime, fresh grated ginger, brown sugar). It went over very well. (there is a restaurant here that roasts pineapple and we are all trying to figure out how they do it.) It is getting colder here in our 'flat'. I bought a thermometer to see how cold I really am. It was 54 degrees this morning in the kitchen. Our little heaters warm it up but we do have throws etc. to keep us warm. I am burning insense to try and get the smell better at home. We ae very close to the beach on one side and the lake on the other so it is damp and smells like it. TV is pretty lame here. We get a few shows from the states. Mostly last seasons or last years issues of some series. Lots of pretty lame realitiy shows here We have been renting movies from the library for $2.00 each so are seeing some really old shows. Saw Anne of Green Gables the other night and really enoyed it. Also the Count of Monte Cristo. (Guess that I had never seen it clear through). We had Kip Sperry from BYU appear at our office door this week. He was here with a group (church historian etc.) They are visiting the whole area--Samoa and Tonga included and all the temples they can attend. He was head of the dept at BYU (a big wig). He of course didn't recognize us. He was only in the library on a weekly basis and used our handouts at his seminars--oh well. His son Daniel worked as a student there too--now in Med school in NY. Bryan knows him. Anyway we do see bunches of interesting people. Well, we need to get back to the flat and have dinner so we can get to conference to get a good seat. Dad and I are battling colds right now. He had his for a week before giving it to me. Our Area Doctor and his wife just popped in from the airport They have been in New Caledonia for the past few days. Nicole, the ladies in the office know your Elder Forsyth sp? We will keep our eyes open for him. Acutually one of the elders in our ward here is from Highland, Utah. How did the pictures turn out from last week end? We took a walk Sunday afternoon just as it was getting dark. Hopefully they weren't too dark. Drop us a reply so we know you are there. Love, to hear from each and everyone of you.
Love, Mom and Dad, Woody and Andrea.
Love, Mom and Dad, Woody and Andrea.
April 23rd, 2008
Hi everyone. Tomorrow is Anzac Day (their Vet's Day) so everyone is on holiday. We will likely go see something. Saturday sounds like a new storm coming in. We may go with Langfords to the temple then and do whatever after. She has 5 cousins in town for the big reunion at the church college and is meeting them at the visitor's center 9 a.m. sat. and invited us to go with them. We shall see. Did find out that our new Area President is Pres. Baxter--already here. New exec. sec. is the one from Australia and arrives end of June. Ours is going home to doia grandson's sealing. They are leaving on the 2nd of June. We will miss them. Tanner's were here for the night Tuesday. We were in the wrong lane at the wrong time and ended up downtown Auckland on the way to the airport to pick them up. There are no on ramps where the exits are. We wandered through the maze and finally arrived at the airport 2 1/2 hours later. It was raining, dark and driving on narrow side street on the wrong way was awful. Everyone here just laughed and said that they had done the same thing when they first got here. However, we did have a delightful visit, dinner (had rack of lamb and it was wonderful it was our 41st ann.) and evening with Tanners. They have had a wonderful time here and in Samoa. We took them back to the airport for their flight to Sydney at 9:00 the next morning. They seemed to think that our house was great and the bed was great too so sounds like we are acceptable for company to come. So come on! Hope that all of you are doing better.
Take care, we are praying for you all. Love, Mom
Take care, we are praying for you all. Love, Mom
April 16th
Hi everyone: I will attempt to create a new email and add two pictures. I wrote before and then experimented trying to send too many pictures and it kicked me out. So you get a short messge instead of a book---you can be thankful. We are fine. Still adjusting to our new lives. We find the house very well equiped with everything that we might need. We are filling in with a few items. Bought a new heavy fry pan, oriental throw rugs for the entry and bathroom, new throw rug for the itchen, new door mat for the porch, new toaster to replace an antique one, new tongs for cooking, a pyrex for the microwave, summer fan on clearance for next summer here and a small coil heater. We will probbaly get a dehumidifier. Saw one at the grocery store for $150.00. Will take up to 10 liters of water out a day. Some days here with rain are very wet, in and out. My hair shriveled up great. Things just feel wet. We do't have any mildew but maybe the previous tenants did a good job of mildew extraction. Notice that our neihbors have a real problem on the outside of their blinds. We have stayed close to home the past two weekends due to conference and weather. We hit the mall in k"Albany which was good and found a new outlet mall near our home that was interesting but expensive except did find some cheaper cosmetics. One of the missionarys gave me her extra eyebrow pencil so now Ihave eyebrows to go with my new hair. Dild I mention that my dye job back fired and I am now blackheaded. All the natives here really like it and others say that they think its good too. I figure there are lots of very nice people here. I will have it done in a few weeks to see if we can lighten it without it breaking off. Lloyds, Barnes friends came by the office yesterday and the day before. It was good to see them. They know so many people here. They had a difficult time even leaving our floor. We invited them to stay with us==they almost did but went down south again to friends. They will likely stay with us prior to their departure. They both looked good. Chuck a little tired but doing ok. It rained the day they came here like I have not seen--probable never. The skies were so dark all day seemed like twilight and torrents of rain. Didn't seem to faze Lloyds. Guess that they are used to it. I am sending some pictues to you. If anyone can tell me a simple way to send more than two at a time let me know how. I am still learning new things. Our job here in the office is gettting more and more comfortable. We take reports and put together graphs for the area presidency monthly. Woody has to reconcile all of the expenses from the office through the accounting department. We order and ship computers etc. to the centers as they need them. Have to be formatted etc. before they leave here. So we get stacked up occasionally. Have six ready to go soon to Samoa. I am getting ready to update all the hours of operation for our 54 centers on the church web site. Just got administrative powers. Now I am dangerous. We are also taking our extra time to work on New Family Search on our own records. I hope to get all of mine fixed before the rest of the world gets to them. There are dso many duplicates etc. We have to really know the program so we can train and teach the islanders so this is a good way for us to learn. We are helping our counterparts with a conference they are doing for all of their area advisors in New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Figi. We will see how and what they do things and get ready to do one later for our area advisors in the islands. Our boss is also over the call centers here in NZ but has a wonderful lady as the coordinator for that. They are having a conference at the church college in May for all the people doing phones and e=mail answering here in this area. We won't have anything to do with that. After the big buildup we finally got an announcement that the new area to be called 'The Pacific" area is to be headquartered here. We had a three way vidio conference with SLC (Bishop Burton??, Quentin Cook and others , The Area Presidency in Sydney and ours here. We were in the meeting room downstairs. It was done very formally. Basically everyone was told to not panic and keep on doing what they are doing. They have had a hiring freeze here and in Australia so hope to have not many layoffs. Employees are nervous of course. The Auckland mission may have to relocate out of down stairs to make room for more area people to come here. They will name the new Area President later. Our president is planning on leaving about the end of July. It likely will have very impact on us other that seeing new people in the halls. Prices are wild here but probable in Sydney also. Food is bad. Don't know how the residents feed their families or clothe them for that matter. We did find an outlet for shoes that was not too bad. I am going to include pictures of me on Red Beach (Pacific Ocean) which is not far from where we go to church. This is one of Dad's favorite beaches. We were looking for shells on Easter weekend. The other picture is of Raglan Beach which overlooks the Tasman Sea. That is the 'ditch' between NZ and Australia. Taken from the bloff above. The sand is black and the surf can be dangerous here. Lots of surfers in wet suits. Would love to hear from each of you. Keep us posted on what is happening. I do have Skype turned on most of the time that I am at work. We are 6 hours behind difference the day ahead of you from Utah, 5 from Washington and Arizona, 7 hours from Kansas and Illinois. I also have symm time which lets me know what time and day it is for all our different islands and you guys. It is very helpful. Love you, Mom and Dad, Andrea and Woody, Grandma and Grandpa Wootton
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Pictures from New Zealand
Here are some pictures from Mom & Dad in New Zealand. Enjoy!!!
Here are some pictures of Auckland looking from Northhead/Devenport (by us--can see the Centinal tall weird building across from Area Office and smaller squat hexagonal across from where we live) and the museum and mauri entertainment show we saw this weekend.
Last picture is from our trip to Raglan beach by the Tazman Sea a few weeks ago. Thought the kids would like to see some NZ sheep 
These jade pieces are called 'green stone' here. Apparently only here in New Zealand. We picked up a few pieces at the lapidary show a few weeks ago. Can be very expensive. We got a good deal.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
April 8th Update
Hi everyone: 8 April 2008(your 7th)
We are back at work after a very good conference weekend. We were able to get conference here in our conference room that is just down the all from our office. It is brought in on a huge screen. We watched it with our mission president, his wife and daughter, 3 different sets of elders, our exec. sec. to the area president, wife and a few other missionarys, and church employees. To see the Sat. and Sun. morning sessions we would have to been here at 4:00 a.m. Since we didn't want to do that we saw Sat. and Sun. afternoon sessions live at 8:00 a.m. on Sun and Mon. mornings and delayed morning sessions at noon ish both days. Dad saw priesthood live at noon on Sunday. We greatly enjoyed them. Looks like the church is in good hands with the new presidency and authorities. We missed Gary Stevenson's name in the list of new 70's. Shannon and Erik and family must be very excited for them. One of Dean and LaNore's (and mine) from Long Beach days sons was also on the list of new 70's. He is James Hamula. His dad was my mother's boss at Penney's and very well thought of. His dad and mom came to our reception when we got married. Small world sometimes.
We are still awaiting word on the consolidation of our area with Australia. Should be announced maybe tomorrow. Alot of the church employees here are really on edge. It means their jobs or not or a possible relocation to Australia. We don't have that problem. Our job security is very good.
Saturday Dad and I explored a new shopping area for us. It is in Albany which is 11km north of us. We discovered some good shopping buys. Got two pair of shoes to wear at the office, a fan (for summer) and a new toaster. We did some light grocery shopping also. I tried to color my hair. What a disaster. I tried to rectify it on Sunday between sessions to no avail. People are tellling me that they like it and that I fit in with the natives. Need I say more. Dad just laughs at me. Problem is I am afraid to do much more to it or it will fall out or some such things. So I am a new me. Did get the name and number of a beautitician that is about a block away so that should help for my next cut.
We were able to go to a new restaurant last night with our FHE group. It was so good. Finally found wonderful food. However, it was expensive at $35.00 each. That seems to be the going rate for good food here. We did have lunch at the mall for $10.00 for both of us that was very good.
We have had a little rain and clouds lately. Gray skies. Reminds us of Seattle. Still very moist etc. We did spray down the house Saturday morning before we left for the day. The mission office gave us some spray that is supposed to work for mosquitos, mites, cockroaches, etc for 4 to 6 months. However, since finding the cockroach haven't seen a sign of anymore. Maybe he was just a free spirit. I got good locking containers to put most of our food in anyway. Our refrigerator is about 12 square feet. So doen't hold very much. The dryer is little and the washer little too. Let's face it everything here is mini size. Chip packages, bottles of jam, everything is little.
I said earlier that I found out why the two previous couples thought that hanging clothes out on the line was such joy. It was because the dryer didn't dry anything over three pieces of cloth. Dad found out the problem. Whoever had installed it had put the door on wrong. That and the fact that it had been run into by the car made it so it leaked air. Now it seems to do the job. (We will see what the elecricity bill is.) I might still be using the lines.
Our boss is away this week on a vacation just with his wife. He rented a cottage down the coast and called and said it is delightful. Maybe we will do the same later in the year.
Our doctor missionary couple are in the islands for a week or so. The public affairs couple just got back today. They were on the Tonga feature the church did between sessions. They were incharge of the cultural festivities etc. for the reopening. Our offices have been kind of quiet this week. As we work with the islands that is the case most of the time. The translation department is next door to us, welfare down the hall, membership too and then the area presidency offices.
Haven't seen Chuck and Alta Lloyd yet. Talked to Barnes and they said they are still here in the islands. He was here on a mission, then taught at the church college, returned as Mission president, than Pres. of the MTC. He has a lot of people to see. He and Barnes and Larsons were all good friends from Long Beach days and still are. All three have been mission presidents etc and keep in close touch. Our secretary Suzi Malota was in his mission as a missionary is anxious to see them. Hope they stop in. Understand that their office was here on our floor when they lived here. If he stayed in the mission home that they have now it is really beautiful. Overlooks Lake Polota where all the black swans are. The lake is right by us too.
Today we are getting the monthy reports in from the islands Tonga and Samoa both had computer problems so had to call in their reports. The only way we can be sure we are talking about the same location is if they give us their ID#s. We are still adjusting to the languages here. Everyone has an accent. We hear English,Scottish, Kiwi, Tongan, Samoan, Tatitian etc. Can't say I can tell you which is which yet. I am getting so I can understand better at the first try.
We received 8 computers and 8 monitors that are stacked in our office and our bosses (while he is away) for Woody to format and get ready to ship to Tonga and Samoa. When they breakdown it is cheaper and faster to have a new one in storage to replace them with so that the center can keep going than wait for a repair or replacement. With the heat and the humidity the inners often swell which causes problems. The smaller components are better to be replaced new rather than send them to be repaired as shipping is so expensive.
We are having to help the island people get onto the New Family Search too. Seems that they have to register as consultants and then after 72 hours can register for nFS. It doen't alway work right and they are calling for help. We are also supposed to be very proficient in nFS so need to get on it soon. The couple that are incharge of all service missionaries in NZ and confidential discipline for the area are down the hall and asking for help with their English and Scottish genealogy. We do have a computer in our office that is an official "FHC computer which makes us an official office. Area Presidency wifes come in occasionally to work on their families here and for help.
Well, guess I had better get back to work. Keep up the updates. We like to hear from you all regularly. Sounds like life is good and full for you all. Megan got her Notory today. Congrats. Suzanne and Bryan are having their interview and house inspection for adoption tomorrow. Lots going on aye???
Love to you all. Miss you all. Be good!! Sell the Van!!!!
We are back at work after a very good conference weekend. We were able to get conference here in our conference room that is just down the all from our office. It is brought in on a huge screen. We watched it with our mission president, his wife and daughter, 3 different sets of elders, our exec. sec. to the area president, wife and a few other missionarys, and church employees. To see the Sat. and Sun. morning sessions we would have to been here at 4:00 a.m. Since we didn't want to do that we saw Sat. and Sun. afternoon sessions live at 8:00 a.m. on Sun and Mon. mornings and delayed morning sessions at noon ish both days. Dad saw priesthood live at noon on Sunday. We greatly enjoyed them. Looks like the church is in good hands with the new presidency and authorities. We missed Gary Stevenson's name in the list of new 70's. Shannon and Erik and family must be very excited for them. One of Dean and LaNore's (and mine) from Long Beach days sons was also on the list of new 70's. He is James Hamula. His dad was my mother's boss at Penney's and very well thought of. His dad and mom came to our reception when we got married. Small world sometimes.
We are still awaiting word on the consolidation of our area with Australia. Should be announced maybe tomorrow. Alot of the church employees here are really on edge. It means their jobs or not or a possible relocation to Australia. We don't have that problem. Our job security is very good.
Saturday Dad and I explored a new shopping area for us. It is in Albany which is 11km north of us. We discovered some good shopping buys. Got two pair of shoes to wear at the office, a fan (for summer) and a new toaster. We did some light grocery shopping also. I tried to color my hair. What a disaster. I tried to rectify it on Sunday between sessions to no avail. People are tellling me that they like it and that I fit in with the natives. Need I say more. Dad just laughs at me. Problem is I am afraid to do much more to it or it will fall out or some such things. So I am a new me. Did get the name and number of a beautitician that is about a block away so that should help for my next cut.
We were able to go to a new restaurant last night with our FHE group. It was so good. Finally found wonderful food. However, it was expensive at $35.00 each. That seems to be the going rate for good food here. We did have lunch at the mall for $10.00 for both of us that was very good.
We have had a little rain and clouds lately. Gray skies. Reminds us of Seattle. Still very moist etc. We did spray down the house Saturday morning before we left for the day. The mission office gave us some spray that is supposed to work for mosquitos, mites, cockroaches, etc for 4 to 6 months. However, since finding the cockroach haven't seen a sign of anymore. Maybe he was just a free spirit. I got good locking containers to put most of our food in anyway. Our refrigerator is about 12 square feet. So doen't hold very much. The dryer is little and the washer little too. Let's face it everything here is mini size. Chip packages, bottles of jam, everything is little.
I said earlier that I found out why the two previous couples thought that hanging clothes out on the line was such joy. It was because the dryer didn't dry anything over three pieces of cloth. Dad found out the problem. Whoever had installed it had put the door on wrong. That and the fact that it had been run into by the car made it so it leaked air. Now it seems to do the job. (We will see what the elecricity bill is.) I might still be using the lines.
Our boss is away this week on a vacation just with his wife. He rented a cottage down the coast and called and said it is delightful. Maybe we will do the same later in the year.
Our doctor missionary couple are in the islands for a week or so. The public affairs couple just got back today. They were on the Tonga feature the church did between sessions. They were incharge of the cultural festivities etc. for the reopening. Our offices have been kind of quiet this week. As we work with the islands that is the case most of the time. The translation department is next door to us, welfare down the hall, membership too and then the area presidency offices.
Haven't seen Chuck and Alta Lloyd yet. Talked to Barnes and they said they are still here in the islands. He was here on a mission, then taught at the church college, returned as Mission president, than Pres. of the MTC. He has a lot of people to see. He and Barnes and Larsons were all good friends from Long Beach days and still are. All three have been mission presidents etc and keep in close touch. Our secretary Suzi Malota was in his mission as a missionary is anxious to see them. Hope they stop in. Understand that their office was here on our floor when they lived here. If he stayed in the mission home that they have now it is really beautiful. Overlooks Lake Polota where all the black swans are. The lake is right by us too.
Today we are getting the monthy reports in from the islands Tonga and Samoa both had computer problems so had to call in their reports. The only way we can be sure we are talking about the same location is if they give us their ID#s. We are still adjusting to the languages here. Everyone has an accent. We hear English,Scottish, Kiwi, Tongan, Samoan, Tatitian etc. Can't say I can tell you which is which yet. I am getting so I can understand better at the first try.
We received 8 computers and 8 monitors that are stacked in our office and our bosses (while he is away) for Woody to format and get ready to ship to Tonga and Samoa. When they breakdown it is cheaper and faster to have a new one in storage to replace them with so that the center can keep going than wait for a repair or replacement. With the heat and the humidity the inners often swell which causes problems. The smaller components are better to be replaced new rather than send them to be repaired as shipping is so expensive.
We are having to help the island people get onto the New Family Search too. Seems that they have to register as consultants and then after 72 hours can register for nFS. It doen't alway work right and they are calling for help. We are also supposed to be very proficient in nFS so need to get on it soon. The couple that are incharge of all service missionaries in NZ and confidential discipline for the area are down the hall and asking for help with their English and Scottish genealogy. We do have a computer in our office that is an official "FHC computer which makes us an official office. Area Presidency wifes come in occasionally to work on their families here and for help.
Well, guess I had better get back to work. Keep up the updates. We like to hear from you all regularly. Sounds like life is good and full for you all. Megan got her Notory today. Congrats. Suzanne and Bryan are having their interview and house inspection for adoption tomorrow. Lots going on aye???
Love to you all. Miss you all. Be good!! Sell the Van!!!!
Friday, March 28, 2008
March 27th, 2008
Hi everyone: A quick update while Dad attempts to put the family picture up on his bulletin board. He said he couldn't get back there but he just did with a huge map sooooo he can figure out how to put all you guys up.
We are just finishing up another week of office work. We are going shopping tonight for groceries, a lamp or two, scissors and then tomorrow early we are picking up Landfords for a stake temple trip. It takes about 2 hours to get there. After the session we are going to Raglan Beach which is on the Tazman Sea. Should be fun. The beaches here are really beautiful. We are trying to get sand samples for Dwight but don't know if we can get them back into NZ from the islands when we go.
Sunday Dad is teaching a class at the Hibicus Ward priesthood. We are invited with the executive sec. to the area president to dinner at our bosses house in Hibicus (He is also our stake president. Nice people. So our weekend sounds busy.
We have FHE dinner this Monday here at the office. We are having swiss steak etc. We have to bring salad for 14 with dressings.
Dad is now putting the picture up on my bulletin board. (Probably like it better there anyway. Have to take down some spiritual quotes to do it but you guys are well worth it.
We went to Takapuna Beach the other night after work just for a walk. Guy was wind surfing. Looked like something Scott would love to do. Everyone walks on the beaches here in the evenings. The Area Presidency all live right there on the beach. Really rough. They pay about $1000.00 more a month than we do so its ok.
Well, have to run. Love to you all. We miss you!
Mom and Dad, Andrea and Woody
We are just finishing up another week of office work. We are going shopping tonight for groceries, a lamp or two, scissors and then tomorrow early we are picking up Landfords for a stake temple trip. It takes about 2 hours to get there. After the session we are going to Raglan Beach which is on the Tazman Sea. Should be fun. The beaches here are really beautiful. We are trying to get sand samples for Dwight but don't know if we can get them back into NZ from the islands when we go.
Sunday Dad is teaching a class at the Hibicus Ward priesthood. We are invited with the executive sec. to the area president to dinner at our bosses house in Hibicus (He is also our stake president. Nice people. So our weekend sounds busy.
We have FHE dinner this Monday here at the office. We are having swiss steak etc. We have to bring salad for 14 with dressings.
Dad is now putting the picture up on my bulletin board. (Probably like it better there anyway. Have to take down some spiritual quotes to do it but you guys are well worth it.
We went to Takapuna Beach the other night after work just for a walk. Guy was wind surfing. Looked like something Scott would love to do. Everyone walks on the beaches here in the evenings. The Area Presidency all live right there on the beach. Really rough. They pay about $1000.00 more a month than we do so its ok.
Well, have to run. Love to you all. We miss you!
Mom and Dad, Andrea and Woody
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
March 17th, 2008
We have just had our family home evening with our group which consists of the executive secretary to Pres.Condie (Elder Roushay) not that spelling the what it sounds like from Bountiful, our area doctor who we just met today Merrills from Tustin, Calif. Elder and Sister Mackey from SLC, Elder and Sr. Duvall from Laramie, (who know Fishers) Elder and Sr.Turpin who we are replacing from Bountiful, Meriam Langford who we llive with now and another sister from England who we know as Jeanette. The head guy for Australia and NZ over human resources, Bro. and Sr. Gurney. We went to dinner last week and had snacks and visited tonight.
Turpins spoke in our ward yesterday and I was ask to speak on the 20th of April so guess we will be attending that ward which is 30 minutes up north. Guess they llike to spread the missionaries out abit. Lots of the area employees attend that ward. We are invited to dinner with Turpins for the next weeks prior to their departure. The head project guy (Brent Summerhays has been here for the past week or so He leaves with our boss tomorrow for Tahiti.
I am gradually learning my duties. Main thing is to know what islands we deal with, how to spell them and better yet how to pronounce them and then put the people we deal with in the correct categories. Kiribati is pronounced as Kerribus, Vanauta is Vanahwatoo, Tahiti is ok as is Samoa and Western Samoa, New Caledonia is ok, Marjuro is ok, Tonga is ok and there is one other area that we have that I can't remember. I have to keep the records of who does what in each country--like directors and consultants for each library. We are trying to get the mailings out to NZ and the Cook Islands for New Family Search startup to help our counter parts. They go online before our three temple districts do. I finallly got my own sign on for the LDS system as did Dad. Will send you guys our phone numbers when we get back to the office tomorrow. Our mailing address for now is the church office building where you need to send packages, letters etc. It is 11 Huron, Takapuna 0622, Auckland, New Zealand. Mail is safer going there. Our house address will be 2-25 Huron, Takapuna 0622, Auckland, New Zealand.
Dad is beginning to drive. It can be scary but we are adjusting fast. Lots of round abouts that go the other way around so you are always looking right instead of left. The NZlanders are complaining because people walk on the right instead of the left. Oh well.
Got to go---its late.
Love you guys, Mom and Dad
email us. We want to hear from the grandkids too. They can type??? Love and hugs.
Turpins spoke in our ward yesterday and I was ask to speak on the 20th of April so guess we will be attending that ward which is 30 minutes up north. Guess they llike to spread the missionaries out abit. Lots of the area employees attend that ward. We are invited to dinner with Turpins for the next weeks prior to their departure. The head project guy (Brent Summerhays has been here for the past week or so He leaves with our boss tomorrow for Tahiti.
I am gradually learning my duties. Main thing is to know what islands we deal with, how to spell them and better yet how to pronounce them and then put the people we deal with in the correct categories. Kiribati is pronounced as Kerribus, Vanauta is Vanahwatoo, Tahiti is ok as is Samoa and Western Samoa, New Caledonia is ok, Marjuro is ok, Tonga is ok and there is one other area that we have that I can't remember. I have to keep the records of who does what in each country--like directors and consultants for each library. We are trying to get the mailings out to NZ and the Cook Islands for New Family Search startup to help our counter parts. They go online before our three temple districts do. I finallly got my own sign on for the LDS system as did Dad. Will send you guys our phone numbers when we get back to the office tomorrow. Our mailing address for now is the church office building where you need to send packages, letters etc. It is 11 Huron, Takapuna 0622, Auckland, New Zealand. Mail is safer going there. Our house address will be 2-25 Huron, Takapuna 0622, Auckland, New Zealand.
Dad is beginning to drive. It can be scary but we are adjusting fast. Lots of round abouts that go the other way around so you are always looking right instead of left. The NZlanders are complaining because people walk on the right instead of the left. Oh well.
Got to go---its late.
Love you guys, Mom and Dad
email us. We want to hear from the grandkids too. They can type??? Love and hugs.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
1st Letter from Mom Friday, March 7th
Well we survived our first work week we think. We are still going through orientation etc. We met the first day with Pres. Condie. He has been here for 5 years so things could change for him at the next conference. We are staying with Bob and Miriam Langford from Layton. He is an 'ex-pat' whifch means he is working for the church and being paid from the US. They have 10 months to go on their assignement of 15 months. However, everything is subject to change. The Pacific Area is being combined with Australia and New Guina and that is expected after conference. We will know then if the area offices are here or in Australia. Lots of concern as to which way it goes. It probable won't affect us but could. There are 3 couples that do the same thing as us in Australia. Sounds like with the new roll out of New Family Search we could go to Samoa to help and then later to Niua, Vanatue and Kara--. Dont' know how to spell them let alone pronounce them.
We have been treated wonderfully. Even got a cake with candle's for my birthday in our house to be. The place we are staying in now is really beautiful. Large patio overlooks the gardens and pool. They gave us the mastersuite which is wonderful. Bob is leaving on Tues. and will be gone for a month so Miriam wanted company. Bob worked for Health Rider when Gary Steven's company took it over. He is great. They took us to Mission Beach last night. We went to a Mexican restaurant. It was almost OK.
We still don't have a car to drive (It is scary to drive in this traffic on the wrong side of the road. It is even scary to be a pedistrian. Dad and I took a rather long walk to the beach, mall and back. I made him bring be home for awhile to recover. Think I got heat stroke and a huge sunburn. Since I have to accompany him everywhere we are waiting for me to recover before venturing out to the grocery store which is about a block away but have to cross three interesting intersections to get there. Pedestrians do not have any rights here so you have to really watch out---especially when they come from the wrong way.
Well, Dad is watching Bollywood. Can't understand a word so guess I will go rescue him.
Don't know when I will be able to use this computer again. Hope all is well there. It is really beautiful here. The flight was VERY long, This is a LONG way from home but we are excited to be here.
Love, Mom and Dad
We have been treated wonderfully. Even got a cake with candle's for my birthday in our house to be. The place we are staying in now is really beautiful. Large patio overlooks the gardens and pool. They gave us the mastersuite which is wonderful. Bob is leaving on Tues. and will be gone for a month so Miriam wanted company. Bob worked for Health Rider when Gary Steven's company took it over. He is great. They took us to Mission Beach last night. We went to a Mexican restaurant. It was almost OK.
We still don't have a car to drive (It is scary to drive in this traffic on the wrong side of the road. It is even scary to be a pedistrian. Dad and I took a rather long walk to the beach, mall and back. I made him bring be home for awhile to recover. Think I got heat stroke and a huge sunburn. Since I have to accompany him everywhere we are waiting for me to recover before venturing out to the grocery store which is about a block away but have to cross three interesting intersections to get there. Pedestrians do not have any rights here so you have to really watch out---especially when they come from the wrong way.
Well, Dad is watching Bollywood. Can't understand a word so guess I will go rescue him.
Don't know when I will be able to use this computer again. Hope all is well there. It is really beautiful here. The flight was VERY long, This is a LONG way from home but we are excited to be here.
Love, Mom and Dad
2nd Letter from Mom Friday, March 7th
We do not have our church (LDS) sign ons yet and do not have our cell phone either or car for that matter. Dad about killed me today with our 'little' walk. Made him bring me home instead of going to the grocery store thinking I would just send him later. He then informs me that he can't go without me as we are partners---so after a short nap and recovery I went to the store with him. Of couse we were thirsty by this time so bought lots of drinks etc. and then remembered we were on foot and had to haul it all back. Needless to say we are learning. Won't do that one again. Have now washed for the week and ironed everything that got mashed during the trip too.
We had 'scotch' steaks for dinner that weren't bad. Everything is horrible expensive.l tried to buy eye shadow at the mall. When I ask the clerk how much it cost she said $80.00. A turkey roast --like in the cardboard box---that is $3.99 at home is $29.99 here. Needless to say we won't be having turkey. Avacados are a bargain though at $.69 each.
Trip here was long to say the least. In SLC when we were supposed to be boarding they put up a notice that our flight was 'indefinitely delayed'. They eventually found us a plane that we could use so we were only 1 1/2 hour late on arrival to LA. Our flight was great 777 that had tall ceilings etc. We were 3 abreast but the lady in the aisle was a tour leader for NZ so she kept leaving her seat to visit her group. They served us a wonderful dinner and then good breakfast at 5.a.m. nz time. Turpins met us at the airport, took us to Langfords so we could unpack and then picked us up for a trip to the office to meet lots of people etc. The thing here is to keep you awake all day til at least 8 p.m so that the jet log is ok. They had dinner for us with Landfords and produced a birthday cake. We actually lasted til 9:30 and had a great nights sleep.
Landfords are out now keeping their friend from the states up till he can go to bed. We are being picked up tomorrow (Sunday) at 9:10 for a trip up the coast to the ward we are assigned to attend. It is the Hibicus Ward. Our bishop and two councilors all work in the area church office building with us. Our stake president is our immediate boss and his office is next to ours. Erik, the executive secretary to the mission is from your stake--at least he attends that building where we went to chruch with you. He is Bro. Rouche--been a temple president etc. His favorite mission was being exec. sec,. to the mission president in Hong Kong. He is arranging the family home evening group that we attend to go to dinner on Monday. Pres. Condie is in that group too. So life is interesting.,
Love Mom and Dad. p.s. e-mail us!
We had 'scotch' steaks for dinner that weren't bad. Everything is horrible expensive.l tried to buy eye shadow at the mall. When I ask the clerk how much it cost she said $80.00. A turkey roast --like in the cardboard box---that is $3.99 at home is $29.99 here. Needless to say we won't be having turkey. Avacados are a bargain though at $.69 each.
Trip here was long to say the least. In SLC when we were supposed to be boarding they put up a notice that our flight was 'indefinitely delayed'. They eventually found us a plane that we could use so we were only 1 1/2 hour late on arrival to LA. Our flight was great 777 that had tall ceilings etc. We were 3 abreast but the lady in the aisle was a tour leader for NZ so she kept leaving her seat to visit her group. They served us a wonderful dinner and then good breakfast at 5.a.m. nz time. Turpins met us at the airport, took us to Langfords so we could unpack and then picked us up for a trip to the office to meet lots of people etc. The thing here is to keep you awake all day til at least 8 p.m so that the jet log is ok. They had dinner for us with Landfords and produced a birthday cake. We actually lasted til 9:30 and had a great nights sleep.
Landfords are out now keeping their friend from the states up till he can go to bed. We are being picked up tomorrow (Sunday) at 9:10 for a trip up the coast to the ward we are assigned to attend. It is the Hibicus Ward. Our bishop and two councilors all work in the area church office building with us. Our stake president is our immediate boss and his office is next to ours. Erik, the executive secretary to the mission is from your stake--at least he attends that building where we went to chruch with you. He is Bro. Rouche--been a temple president etc. His favorite mission was being exec. sec,. to the mission president in Hong Kong. He is arranging the family home evening group that we attend to go to dinner on Monday. Pres. Condie is in that group too. So life is interesting.,
Love Mom and Dad. p.s. e-mail us!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Mom's Birthday
Here are the few pictures that I was able to take from our celebration of Mom's Birthday.
Waiting for Mom to blow out the candle
Happy Daniel :D
Sad Daniel :( I don't remember what set this one off, but it was entertaining since he was faking most of it.
Happy Birthday Grandma!!!Sunday, March 2, 2008
Today is Sunday and we survived the MTC! We really enjoyed our time there. We learned lots. We got to be the last of our group to leave as we had extra training for our roles as Area Family History Support Advisors to the Asia Pacific Area. We have an office in the Area offices in Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand. We are advisors to 57 libraries in seven different countries in the south seas---which include Tahiti, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, New Caldonia, three in the Marshall Islands and several more. We have no responsibiity for any libraries in New Zealand. We serve under the area president, Spencer Condie.
We leave tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. We have a three hour stop over in L.A. and then a 13 hour flight into Auckland arriving about 7:00 a.m. two days later. I get to skip my birthday so I am not counting this year--just celebrating.
We will be staying with a couple from Salt Lake City for about the first month til the couple we are repacing get closer to their release. Has one more bedroom and one more bathroom so we will be comfortable. We will post more as we survive the flight etc.
We leave tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. We have a three hour stop over in L.A. and then a 13 hour flight into Auckland arriving about 7:00 a.m. two days later. I get to skip my birthday so I am not counting this year--just celebrating.
We will be staying with a couple from Salt Lake City for about the first month til the couple we are repacing get closer to their release. Has one more bedroom and one more bathroom so we will be comfortable. We will post more as we survive the flight etc.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Almost time to leave the MTC
Mom and Dad will be leaving the MTC tomorrow to head to Shannon's and Erik's for the weekend. They have had a wonderful experience at the MTC. They spent the first week going through the proselyting training and the second week doing Family History Training. They saw a few of the girls from my Singles Ward that Dad knows from his time there. They were able to come home last Saturday for part of the day to finish up work on the basement and to go through some files. Dad and Steve got everything finished downstairs that day and it's now ready for people to move into!
We're excited to get to have one last family dinner in Utah before Mom and Dad fly out on Monday and to celebrate Mom's birthday a little early since she'll actually lose her birthday while she's flying! (They'll leave Monday night from SLC, but have a lay over in LA, and then fly on to Auckland, which is one day ahead of us, so they won't get to have a Tuesday!) Suzanne and Daniel are flying in this weekend and will get to spend some time with them before they leave.
For the time being, Mom still has her cell phone in service. I don't think that it gets shut off until after they leave, but she probably won't be able to accept calls on it after they leave the states due to roaming charges, but they will have access to their e-mail if you want to drop them a line!
andreawootton1@yahoo.com or mbwootton@gmail.com
We're excited to get to have one last family dinner in Utah before Mom and Dad fly out on Monday and to celebrate Mom's birthday a little early since she'll actually lose her birthday while she's flying! (They'll leave Monday night from SLC, but have a lay over in LA, and then fly on to Auckland, which is one day ahead of us, so they won't get to have a Tuesday!) Suzanne and Daniel are flying in this weekend and will get to spend some time with them before they leave.
For the time being, Mom still has her cell phone in service. I don't think that it gets shut off until after they leave, but she probably won't be able to accept calls on it after they leave the states due to roaming charges, but they will have access to their e-mail if you want to drop them a line!
andreawootton1@yahoo.com or mbwootton@gmail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)