More of Week One

We are having so much fun, exploring the area around Gisborne! It is so beautiful here! So many different kinds of terrain and beautiful everywhere you look!

 On P-Day, we went for a little drive.  The above beach is called "Sponge Beach" it is about 3 miles north of Gisborne.  The Gisborne area is known for its clay cliffs.  

Another view of Sponge Beach...Our apartment is right around the point behind us (Poverty Bay)

 There are farms and ranches everywhere you look.  I thought this was a good view of what the farms look like.  There is an orchard above....notice the wall of poplar trees to provide a wind break.  Every farm has a wind break hedge.  They are about 30 feet high.  The vineyards are surrounded by hedges on all sides.  In the back ground, you can see what the hills in Gisborne look like.  They remind me of my home town of Walnut Creek, California.
All of the hills used to be covered with pines,

 but they have logged them off, and have re-planted them in some areas.  

This is view of what the logged areas look like.

 We were surprised at how many corn fields there are here!  I feel like we're in Iowa (only it's ALOT prettier here! ha!) The farms are beautiful!  These farms are about 5 miles south of Gisborne.

 We went out teaching for the first time on Thursday, February 10th.  In the neighborhood called "Kaiti", we stopped for lunch at a little hole in the wall Fish & Chip place.  Fresh fish....and huge portions!!

It was delicious! I think we've found a "regular" lunch stop!! Uh-Oh....if we eat here regularly, we will definitely put on as much weight as President Porter promised us!  We'll have to really watch it!

This is Helen, one of the first ladies we visited.  She was a doll! She was so welcoming, and happy to see us.  She is an excommunicated member.  She was raised in the church, her father was a stake president, she was married in the temple, divorced, and went off the deep end. She is living with "Boy" an ex-gang member, covered in tatts, and very rough.  They have been having the lessons with the Elders, and are working on getting married so she can get re-baptized. 

"Boy" has lots of W of W problems, and will be a little longer, 

but I really feel good about Helen.  She is a recovering alcoholic, with 8 sons.  

She has had a ROUGH few years... she's ready to turn it back around and be happy again.