I'll have to be truthful...this week wasn't my favorite! We got our first REAL taste of missionary life! We had lots of people stand us up.... lots of people not home...lots of rain... and lots of home-sickness! Aaahhhhh! Thank goodness for Skype!
On Thursday, we drove up the coast to visit the four branch presidents who live in the little towns north of us. It is a LONG drive, and very tiring, because of the skinny winding roads! They are so windy that they make me car sick! But the scenery is absolutely spectacular everywhere you look, so it makes the drive go by fast. It rained all day, so we couldn't see as well as we would have liked, but we saw enough to know that this country is unbelieveably beautiful! (I don't think unbelieveably is a word!) Ha!
We would stop every now and again just to snap a picture. I just had to share the beauty with my friends and family! I wish you could see how green this grass is in real life! It's fluorescent!! Seriously!
Tokomaru Bay....view from the "Holiday House" that the Branch President owns. If my family comes to New Zealand, I am hoping we can stay at this house! It sleeps quite a few people, and the beach is quiet and beautiful. There's only about 500 people in this town!
We ate lunch with President and Sister Robinson in Tokomaru Bay. This is their front porch. They had chickens and roosters all over the yard. They were pretty ones! Their yard was gorgeous. They fed us a yummy lunch, Quiche, salad, and lemon aide. It was all fresh from their garden, chickens, etc...
It was delicious!
Just another random scenic photo....There are HUGE rivers everywhere. In the back part of the picture you can see one of the rivers...
I was hoping to capture the brightness of the green grass in this pic because of the contrast...but it just doesn't give you a true picture! It's almost as if the grass is electric when it gets wet!
View of Hicks Bay
This is the Mangu family. They are having lessons from the missionaries. They live up the coast in Ruatoria. The kids go to a school right behind their house that teaches everything in the Mauri language, and teaches all the traditions of the Maori people. There are schools like this in every town. The Maoris are trying to bring the culture back...they feel like it has been lost in the last generation. If the kids speak English at all during class, they have to run laps around the paddock (field).
This is just a typical hill side...happy sheep!! :)
This mountain is sooooo steep, but it doesn't look like it in the picture. It's a volcano close to the town of Ruatoria.
Hicks Bay...the Branch President lives on that flat place right down by the water...
Lonne.....admiring the view!
This is President Caldwell and his wife in Hicks Bay. You'd never know it, but he is Maori! He is as white as Lonne and has red hair! He speaks the language fluently. We forgot to take pictures of the other Branch Presidents...we'll have to do that next time.
This is a wild pig and her babies in the paddock right in front of President Caldwell's house.
YAY!!! We got our first letter in the mail!!! It was a Valentine from Lonne's parents!
We were so excited to get some mail!! :)
The "Golden Plates" have a whole new meaning to us, here in New Zealand. A pack of what we would consider the "cheapest" paper plates costs $13.00!!! The other day I asked Lonne to give me his plate when he was done with it...he laughed and said he never thought he'd see the day that
I would "re-use" a paper plate! He was quite proud of me! ha!
13 comments:
Hey, what happened to the "scrambled" hair? I so enjoy reading your blog and hearing your stories. Thanks so much for sharing your mission with all of us at home!!!
Those pictures are Beautiful! I can imagine what it's supposed to look like! I think the paper plates are so funny! I can't believe how expensive things are over there. I was talking to Mitch about it the other day. I don't understand how things can be THAT much more over in NZ? Crazy! Love the new pictures and good see you guys! Oh ya and we have mail for you but Mitch doesn't know what he did with the other address. not the PO box. If you could e-mail it to me that would be great!
Sister, you amaze me! You are out there teaching discussions of Book of Mormon stories that your teacher taught to you cuz yo mamma didn't, getting stood up, smelling things everywhere you go, seeing beautiful sights, living in fear of earthquakes, and you can still laugh at the end of the day. You are one strong little woman! I love ya! Keep up the positive outlook!
LOVE the pictures! It is SO pretty over there! I can imagine how green it is. I hope we can come see it and how fun if we could really stay at that house! So good to see you today. Love you so much!
I love all the pictures. It looks so green and beautiful. The chickens in front of the house are so pretty they almost look fake.
The land you are is so completely different from Santa Clara. To go from the deserts of Southern Utah to all that green. You will be homesick for it after you get home.
I should send you some paper plates! Rich loves that you recycle them :)
Ha. Ha. Ha. I remember the cost of paper plates, cups, plastic forks, etc. in Zambia. The people would go through our garbage to save these items. It was hard to wash dishes after every zone conference(because the utensils would cost more than the food),and I was too cheap to buy them. Oh, what we take for granted in the U.S. I love your blog! Just wish we would have had high speed internet in Zambia, too.
I miss you! I love all the beautiful pictures. You so cute in all of the pictures too. You must have done some heavy duty shopping before you left. Love and miss you tons.
Ooops, I guess I was logged in as John, it's me Jen.
Your pictures are BEAUTIFUL! I love all the green! You guys are doing such a great job and you're an inspiration to us all! Do you want me to send you some paper plates? Love you!
Hi Nancy & Lonne,
OUCH! Over $8 for gas and $13 for paper plates, Seriously??? No wonder your recycling...it made me laugh remembering a few to many times when I had to do the same thing when my kids were younger. Sounds like your working hard and making some good contacts. Your photos are AMAZING! NZ is gorgeous and the people seem wonderful. Your going to have a hard time leaving in 17 months I bet. Keep in touch, I love reading your blog.
Janell (Black) Brockway*
*PS I'm trying out a new last name cuz I'm a bit over using my ex's last name after being divorced for 20+ yrs now. Ya think?? (lol) :)
I am so, so proud of you!
Love you lots.
Wow...it is SO beautiful and green over there!! I LOVE it! Your hair went pretty good straight!! I guess you don't have to do it scrambled everyday!! Those sheep do look like "happy Sheep"!! If only Dad's cows could see that!! Love you!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Love "THe Burt's"
Post a Comment