Rick and Rain's Mission

Happy New Year from New Zealand

2010-12-31T15:20:00.001-08:00

It's New Year's Day in New Zealand. Our family and friends at home are still awaiting the new year to arrive. We celebrated the new year at Elder and Sister Burton's flat in Devenport. Elder Burton is the Area Doctor and as the custom goes, he and Sister Burton get the flat which is on the 10th floor of the only high rise building in Devenport. It's the best place to be on New Year's Eve to be able to see the Fireworks over Auckland harbor. We joined the other Senior Missionary couples for this great event.
Rain and I can't believe that another year has gone by. It seems like we just got here and now we only have two months left of our mission.

This is a picture at dusk of Auckland Harbor. The tall building is the Sky Tower

Elder Rowe and Sister Nance

A game where we had to find someone that met the requirments on a sheet that was provided. You had to interview people to see if they met certain requirments like; Someone that speaks three languages, someone who has served three or more missions. three broken bones, played high school sports etc. It was a great way to find out more about the other couples who serve here.

Another game we played was where you had to find someone with a card that had the name of an animal on it that was the same animal that was on your card. You couldn't talk, you had to act out the animal. Some of them were pretty funny!

Rain and Judy Shepherd (a great Kiwi Missionary and friend)

The Shepherd's. They've been married 16 years and have served 4 missions together.

The Sister's preparing the banana splits.

Elder Strieff and Mangrum (Dennis)

Elder and Sister Streiff

Elder and Sister Starley and Sister Ronnencamp. They're all set for the clock to strike twelve!

The fireworks over Auckland Harbor. They were incredible!!

We made t, we were able to stay up till midnight. I guess we're in better shape than we thought. We wish you all a Happy New Year filled with Love and Peace in your lives.

Rick and Rain

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-24T19:29:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas Day here in New Zealand. Yesterday Rain and I drove down to Hamilton to take the Missionaries Chrismas packages to them so they will have a Merry Christmas. We dropped off the mail and packages at the Visitor Center and had a very nice visit with the Sisters who work there. This is a picture of Rain with Sister's Hafoka and Tanuvasa.

This is Sister Lauritzen preparing to take a tour group through the Visitor's Center.

Sister Hafoka

After we dropped of the packages and mail we drove about an hour SE of Hamilton to Hobbiton where "The Lord of the Rings" was filmed. They're re-doing the set in preparation of a new film next year. These pictures are where the Hobbits live and some of the beautiful countryside of New Zealand

Teressa our tour guide with her Chrismas ear rings
The 140 year old "Party Tree"

Sheep Shearing after the tour

Rain trying to stop the lambs from eating her umbrella

The Lord said "feed my sheep"

We traveled back to the Temple to listen to this beautiful choir and await the lighting of the lights.

These Kiwi's have incredible voices. It really put us in the Christmas Spirit!

The Christmas lights were beautiful

Before driving hom on Christmas day we drove West about an hour to see the sights there. They have a huge windmill farm that we stopped to see.

We then drove to Bridal Vail Falls. No, it's not the same falls in Provo canyon. It was a nice 10-15 minute hike to the falls.

The falls are a 50 meter drop. That's about 160 feet!

This tree is from one root. The foliage here is amazing.

To all our friends and family, we want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year. We Love each and everyone of you.

Elder & Sister Robertson (Rick and Rain)

Transfer Week and Mission Conference

2010-12-17T10:17:00.001-08:00

It's the week before Christmas and the final Transfer week of the year. It's also a week when we say goodby to two special Sister's that we have grown to Love. Sister Ulu'ave and Sister Fotu. Both Sister's have worked for a few weeks in the Mission Office doing referrals. Sister Fotu did them last Christmas along with Sister Selfiason and Sister Ulu'ave did refferals with Sister Mafi this year. They are both going home to Utah and attending BYU, so we will be able to see them when we finish our mission.

It's also Rain's Birthday, and she had 12 new arriving Missionaries sing her Happy Birthday.

This week is the week before Christmas and Elder Callister allowed us to have a Mission Conference with all the Missionaries and Senior Couples. We had about 230 missionaries in attendance including our two missionaries from Niue. It was a great day with music and wonderful teaching by President and Sister Porter and Elder and Sister Callister. Elder Callister is the Presiding Authority for the Pacific. Normally the entire mission never gets together but this year we had three Mission Conferences with the entire mission. In January we had Elder's Cook, Christofferson and Bishop Burton here in New Zealand. In November Elder Hinckley and his wife were here to attend the Pacific Mission Presidents Conference and he came to the New Zealand Auckland Mission because we had doubled the number of Baptisms in the last two years which was his father's direction when he was the Prophet. This week Elder Callister allowed us to have a Christmas Mission Conference which was wonderful. The following are pictures of the great day we were able to enjoy.

This is the start of the Conference. We all got up very early to take all the Christmas Packages to the Ferguson Road Chapel. We're grateful that we could get this load of packages out of the Mission Office. We were running out of room.This is a picture of Rain, Elder and Sister Walch and Elder and Sister Brasher sorting the mail by Zone.

Rain and the Walch's working hard!

Sister's Nalisoni, Alatini & Mafi along with Elder Stucki arriving at the Mission Conference

The cars and trailer's packing up all the luggage and bikes, getting ready to travel to their new flats.

Sister's Irobeni and George, and Elder's Spicer and Edlefson

The new arrivals picking up their bikes

New Sister getting fitted for her helmet by Ben Marshall

Our sweet Sister's from the Visitor Center along with Elder Andros

Sister Kapalu, Rain and one of our new arrivals Sister Naidu

Lunch at the Mission Conference

Sister Jones who was one of the great judges of the entertainment. She was "Paula" Jones and was too sweet as a judge!

Mission Conference Lunch

Randy Christensen and Paula Jones

Our new arrivals

New arrivals introducing themselves to the Mission

The Judges: "Randy" Christensen, "Simon" Whitrod and "Paula" Jones

The Crazy Aussies!

Our Chinese Elders singing Silent Night in Chinese

Sister Porter's goofey 12 days of Christmas. It was pretty funny

The Samoan Sister's and Elder's. They were probably the best entertainment. They sang three wonderful Samoan Christmas songs and then ended with the Haka War Dance!

The Grand Entrance
of the Tongans!

The Samoans take up the Challenge and do the Haka after the Tongans did their Haka. It was great fun!

After the Conference everyone picks up their Christmas treats and packages and get ready to go to their flats with their new and old companions. It was a wonderful day.

Sister Elisaia. a wonderful Samoan Sister.

Sister's Beia and Ashcraft

Our great Tongan Elder's

Elder Gunn and his new companion Elder Loomis.

Elder Kafusi after Elder Callister used him as a visual aid when he taught us the Atonement. Elder Kafusi will be playing for BYU when he's through with his Mission in a couple of years. He's 6'7" and weighs about 280 lbs. I'm trying to convince him to play for Utah, but I don't think I'm going to influence him!

This is some of our great Tongan Elder's. The smallest one with the U sign is Elder Molisi. He was an all state running back for Skyline and has a scholarship to play for Utah when he's through with his mission. Some of the Missionaries just know what is best for them. Go Utah!

Our trip to Shakespear Park

2010-12-03T12:33:00.000-08:00

The following are pictures of our trip to Shakespear Park. It's about 20 miles North of Takapuna.

This is aPohutukawa Tree or better known as New Zealand's native Christmas tree.

Rain admiring a Pohutukawa tree

Sail boats everywhere

A fishing boat that you don't have to launch, just drive right into the water.

This is a picture of all the missionaries at one of our Mission Conferences.

This is a picture of the Zone and District Leaders planning for a White Christmas! The New Zealand Auckland Mission is planning on achieving President Hinckley's challenge of doubling the number of baptisms. This year we will do it.

Our trip to the Rain Forest with the Senior Couples

2010-06-04T16:16:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago we along with Several of the Area Office Senior Missionaries took the Rain Forest Express. We really had no idea what it was, we knew it would be a train ride through the Waitakere Mountain range through 10 tunnels and ending up at the Nihotupu Dam which is the drinking water for the region. It was a three hour round trip through a beautiful rain forest. The railroad was built in the early 20th century before heavy equipment. The train is really a maintenance train for the water pipe which is laid above ground. Since the tunnels were dug with pick and shovel, the tunnels are about 5 feet in diameter, just large enough for the pipe and a very small train. Each car holds two people facing each other, with very little leg room. Two of the tunnels had glow worms, but it's impossible to take a picture of them, since you can't put a finger out of the car without losing it. Our group is made up of the Carlson's, Mangrums, Pferdeners, McLaughlins, Fuller's, Nances, Sorenson's and us.

Jacobson Depot

Elder Nance, a Ute fan.

Liz Mangrum

Our 1st look at the train

We're all wondering if we'll fit!

Rain enjoying the moment

Rosie and Stan Nance

The big water pipe

Some strange wildlife in the tunnel

The modern equipment

A stop on one of the wooden bridges

Elder & Sister McLaghlin

Rain and Gary & Janet Carlson

A view of one of the tunnels

Finally to the dam

Dennis Mangrum

A group picture after lunch

Stan and Rosie Nance

After the big train ride we took the Carlson's and Fuller's to meet the wood carver. They have about 30 new chick's, which of course they won't ever eat. They're more of their pets.

The sheep which also are pets.

Chicken's can fly

The artist at work

Elder and Sister Carlson admiring their new Kiwi! Gary's my golf buddy. The

Elder and Sister Fuller. He's the Area Doctor. They're enjoying their new Kiwi carving

Trip to New Plymouth-January 2010

2010-04-29T02:11:00.000-07:00

Our first stop on the four hour drive to New Plymouth was a stop at the famous Waitomo Caves. They are famous for the glow worms. Since they won't allow photo's in the cave, I can't show the unbelievable beauty of the caves. There are litterly thousands and thousands of glow worms attached to the ceiling. Above is Gary and Janet Carlston, Rain and Dennis andLiz Mangrum. (Senior Missionary's from the Area Office.)

Some of the different terrain going up to Mount Taranaki

A local market in New Plymouth. One of our many stops to buy junk!

Mount Taranaki. It's the closest thing to Mount Fuji.

The gang: Elder's and Sister's Mangrum, Nance, Robertson and Carlston

The starting point if you want to climb to the top of Mount Taranaki. It's a 12 hour hike if you're fit. We just didn't have time.

Gary Carlston doing his Tarzan impersonation

Every hike is steep uphill and downhill. Nothings flat in this country!

Our first view of Mount Taranaki on our drive into New Plymouth

The only Kiwi I've seen so far, and it's behind glass

Dawson Falls

Rain and Gary and Janet taking a rest

The trail down to the falls

Some of the foliage driving around Mount Taranaki

A Stop at Hollard Gardens. This was a very beautiful garden that a man and his wife spent years developing.

A light house on the New Plymouth coast.

A view of the Tasman Sea

Adventurous Dennis hiking on the beach of boulders. The beach here isn't like any beach we've seen in New Zealand.

A light show in New Plymouth. We expected to see the lights similar to Temple Square, but were very disappointed. The light show was mostly flood lights pointing up at trees. We had fun anyway.

Pictures of New Zealand

2009-11-18T21:18:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we traveled to Henderson which is South of Auckland. The purpose was to visit a woodcarver's business we had heard about. The craftsman is Jiries Giacaman who had moved to New Zealand from Bethlehem 22 years ago with his wife and five children. Mr. Giacaman uses all New Zealand wood and is a true artist. We bought several pieces, one of which is the Holy Family. Mr. Giacaman's sweet wife asked us if we would like to see the workshop. This was a real treat. They gave us the grand tour and showed us how he does his carvings. Mr. Giacaman carved a Kiwi bird and then gave it to us as gift as well as a handcrafted tree ornament. We so enjoyed this delightful couple.

Mrs. Giacaman in their store

Rain with Mrs. Giacaman

Mr. Giacaman describing how he finds his wood.

This is a vault that he lets the wood dry for two to three years before he carves it.

Mr. Giacaman does a rough cut at the jigsaw

Shaping the wood

the Kiwi bird

These pictures are from a couple of weekend trips.

Near Orewa

Downtown Auckland

Auckland

Rain near Coramandel

Overlook of Coramandel

Everywhere you go it's green. The whole country looks like a golf course!

Near Cathedral Cove

2009-11-17T21:26:00.000-08:00

This week we went to all four Zone Conferences. Sister Robertson helped me pass out the new JP Morgan cards to all the Elder's and Sister's. The four zones are spread out from Whangerai in the North, to Hamilton in the South. It was wonderful seeing all the 182 Missionaries serving here. I tried getting group pictures of all four zones, but the 1st two zone pictures didn't work out.

We are finally getting better at figuring out our responsibilities, but each day is always a new adventure. After handing out all the cards, two of the missionaries lost their cards, two used the wrong PIN number in an ATM machine, and the machine ate them. I also had 6 of 7 calls asking for their PIN numbers.

We have at least two speeding tickets/week, one or two wrecks, and there's always a problem with fleas in their flats.

With all the little problems, the Missionaries are doing wonderful work here in New Zealand. We've had over a hundred baptisms the last three months, and we expect 140 in November.

This month the Church is starting an ad campaign giving out DVD's for "Joy to the World". We have 4.000 DVD's in the office, with a plan to get more if required. December will be a very busy month with referrals, since the missionaries will be delivering them to people that ordered the DVD's.

We meet with the Area Office Senior Couples each Monday night and have a devotional. We have developed life long friendships with them, and we look forward each week to get together with them. Last week we all were invited to Elder Callister's home for a devotional. He is the Area Authority Seventy for the Pacific. He has written two books, and he discussed the process he went through in writing and publishing them. It's amazing to be surrounded by Area Authority Seventies and to be able to listen to their council.

This next week is Thanksgiving, New Zealand obviously doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, but we have been invited to President & Sister Porter's (Mission President) for a Thanksgiving meal along with Elder and Sister Walch. The Senior Couples and us are all getting together Saturday night to celebrate Thanksgiving as well. We feel like we have so much to be thankful for. We have truly felt the Lord's hand in all we do.

When I arrived here I could barely walk with problems with the Sciatic Nerve in my hip, but I have no pain at all. Rain and I have been going to a Natural Path doctor who's in the Stake Presidency, and he has really helped us both. We go each week for treatments, and he won't allow us to pay for his service. He says there's no way he will charge missionaries. He's a great man for all he does.

We're also getting used to living in our little flat. It really feels like our home away from home. We are able to use Skype and see Walt and Darcie as well as Scott and Amy and the kids, which really helps keep us close to them. We miss all of our family, but being able to see them makes it much easier.

Below are some of the pictures from Zone Conference.

Zone Conference

The wonderful cooks

Some of our sweet sisters

Sister Selfiason & her companion

Some of our Polynisian Elder's & Sister's

Sister Tui and some of our small Elder's

After Lunch

Elder Dixon

2009-11-14T19:13:00.000-08:00

Zone Conference

Elder's Bledsoe & Brady and some of our smaller Elders

Lunch at Zone Conference

Group Picture at one of the zones

Sister Robertson hard at work

Our A/P's Elders Bledsoe & Brady

Transfer's

President & Sister Porter & us

Our new missionaries

Sister Walch

2009-09-25T14:26:00.000-07:00

Here's some pictures we took of the first six weeks here in New Zealand.

Elder Walch delivering Bike's for the missionaries . He's responsible for fleet, flats, and fleas. He and his wife are serving their 3rd mission. He is the only person I've ever met that was a Bishop four times as well as a Stake President. We love working with him an Sister Walch!

Elder Dixon and Elder Brady the mission AP's. They are wonderful!!!
Rain at a park near our flat

Rain by the beach about ready to pick up all the sea shells.

Rick taking a rest

A distant picture of downtown Auckland

Rain with our Cadilac and near our yacht

Sister Robertson with a phone in one ear and a pencil in the other!

Sister Triple and Elder Walch at the office.

Elder and Sister Shepherd

Sweet sister's who have been doing our jobs until we were able to arrive. Sister Triple, Sister Shepherd and Sister Tui.

Sister Tui's family from Australia. They unfortunately were not able to see her, since she is still a missionary.

Rain at Lake Pupuke with the Black Swans

Rain pointing our some of the flowers in front of our flat.

Me in the tree car garage with our BMW

Rick at the beach. It's an easy 3 block walk from our flat

Rain at the beach

Rain in our kitchen. It's small but our's.

Rain hanging laundry. We miss our new washer & dryer at home!

Our son-in-law Walt took us to the airport for our long flight to New Zealand. He was a real life saver for us.

2009-09-14T02:15:00.000-07:00

We’re finally here. Sorry it has taken so long to get this going, but we’ve been pretty busy, and hopefully you will enjoy seeing our blog and the things we are doing.

We’ve now been here for four weeks and love serving in the Auckland New Zealand Mission. Sister Robertson is the Mission President’s Secretary and I’m the Financial Secretary. The work is sometimes hard and a little frustrating trying to do all we are assigned to do. We’ve had many days that we’ve had to put in some 12 hour days which is hard on some old timers like us who are not used to it, but we feel blessed.
The Lord’s work is going forward here in New Zealand. There are 170 missionaries assigned here, and in the next few weeks there will be 190. Getting everything ready to add 20 more missionaries is sometimes very stressful. Sister Robertson has to make all the arrangements with their travel, passports and all the paper work that involves, and I have to make sure they have money in their accounts when they get here and take care of all the rent and utility bills. We are busy making sure they have a place to stay and with beds and furniture to go with that.
Every 6 weeks, about 1/3 of them are re-assigned with new companions and areas to work in, so that’s also a lot of work, tracking where they are and where they are living.
The Elder’s and Sister’s have such strong testimonies of the gospel, and are simply wonderful to be around. Sister Robertson is able to give each of the Sister’s a big hug, and I get to give the Elder’s a hug. It should be just the opposite, but who am I to try and change the rules.
We survived our first inflow of 11 missionaries coming in and 6 going home, and we have 17 scheduled to arrive in early October. With the Lord’s help I’m sure we’ll be able to do all we are required to do.
One of the things that I will be required to do is transition the Mission Finances from the old system (MOS) to a new system (IMOS) that is being put in place in all the Mission’s around the world. I think it will be much better once I get it set up, since I will be able to pay bills electronically instead of preparing hand drawn checks now. I think there will be a lot of work getting everything transitioned to the new system.
We really love the country of New Zealand. It is very beautiful here. We are three blocks from one of the most beautiful beach’s we’re ever seen. Although we haven’t seen a lot of the country yet, we hope to be able to get settled and travel a little more on our P (personal) day. This country seems to have everything, beaches, mountains, geysers and lakes. Auckland, where we live is a huge city of 1.3 million people, but once you get out of the city, there are rolling hills and beautiful landscapes. The people here are warm and very friendly. It’s a real mix of cultures here: Whites, Tongans, Samoans, and Chinese. The mission includes all 4 languages.