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
Friday, March 28, 2008
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.
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