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