Visitors from Home

Our daughter Sara and her husband, Jac, came to visit us on Sunday, March 15, 2015.

Jac and Sara arriving at the Auckland Airport

We had several mini trips planned to show them all over the North Island.  Unfortunately mother nature had other plans.  Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu on March 13, 2015.  That put a damper on all plans and adventures.  Being well acquainted with emergency response we knew what to expect.  Monday was filled with meetings and phone calls.  Tuesday morning was more of the same.  Tuesday afternoon we drove down to Hamilton and visited the temple.

Susan, Jac and Susan at Hamilton New Zealand Temple

Wednesday morning we rented a car since Jac could not drive our church vehicle.   Susan's hand is still in a cast so she cannot drive a car either.  Gary flew to Vanuatu while Sara, Jac, and Susan drove to Waitomo to see the glow worm caves.  On our way we had to stop at Pokeno for ice cream.  

Waitomo is about 3 hours South of Auckland.  The Waitomo Caves were beautiful.  We actually toured 2 different caves and then drove back to Auckland.

Inside the caves

The glow worms

The next morning we returned our rental car and headed out to Matamata with another senior missionary couple, the Bennetts from Boise, Idaho.  Elder Bennett could drive our church car so he could take Gary's place on the next part of our adventure.  Matamata is the home of Hobbiton.

After our tour of Hobbiton we were back in the mini van and off to Rotorua.  Rotorua is a town with lots of geysers and hot pools.  They have nightly dinner shows where you can learn about the Maori culture.  

We spent the night in Rotorua.  Then the next morning it was back in the van and off to Turangi.  Turangi is nearly 5 hours from Auckland, but only a two hour drive from Rotorua.   It is near the Tongariro National Park and home of some of the best fly fishing in the world.  Gary and Jac had hired a guide to take them fly fishing.  (This is why we had Elder Bennett along - to take Gary's place on the river.)  We stayed in a fishing lodge which backed the Tongariro River.  Jac and Elder Bennett had a good time.  All the fishing gear was included in the price.  We think Jac is ready to come back to New Zealand again just to go fishing.  

While the boys fished we went on a hike.  Sunday morning Elder Bennett cooked us french toast on the outdoor grill before we went to church. 

A Panoramic view of the Tongariro River with the mountain range in the background

We went to church at the branch in Turangi.  Some of the members did not show up that day, so they asked for volunteers to help in the Primary.  Sara did a wonderful job.

After church we drove back to Auckland and met back at our apartment with Gary who had returned from Vanuatu a few hours earlier.

"Often we don't realize that the trial is what enables us to reach the destination the Lord has in minds for us.  He will not let it destroy us, but He will let it move us in the direction we need  to go."  Emily Freeman,  21 Days Closer to Christ

Sunday in Turangi, New Zealand

On Saturday, December 20th we packed up the mini-van and drove 4 hours south to  Lake Taupo, Turangi, and Tongariro National Park area.  Earlier in October we were able to trade our timeshare for a rustic lodge at one of the best places for fly fishing in New Zealand.  Unfortunately Gary does not have any of his gear here.  We did enjoy the countryside and took some beautiful hikes (they call them tramps in this part of the world).

Sunday we attended church at the Turangi Branch.  It was a delightful and reminded us our days in Calvert County, Maryland.  The speakers (called out of the congragation) consisted of two other brethren who had lived in Turangi and were visiting for Christmas, Elder Winters, and a brother from the stake high council.  There was no one to play the piano so we sang the songs acapella.  After church they had a farewell luncheon for one of the members who was moving and they invited us to join them.  It was at the church that we made our post last week as our Internet in this neck of the woods was a wee bit sparse.

Turangi Branch Building

We met the young elders and took pictures to send to their mothers.  One young elder is from Tonga and his mother does not have a computer to send her a picture.  He is from the isle of Ha'apii which we just so happen to be going to visit after the first of the year, so we took his picture and promised to look her up when we get there.  These young elders are serving in the Hamilton New Zealand mission.  Elder Glen Rudd's son, President Charles Rudd is their mission president.  We told them to tell him "Hi" from some of his dad's friends.

Elder Vaisingano

Elder Winters and Elder Vaisingano

Elder Pearce and Elder Winters

After church we went to visit the Tongariro National Trout Centre.  Admission was free so we had a leisurely stroll through the centre.  There was a $10.00 charge for the museum but being Sunday we passed on it.  (When we got home to Takapuna, we learned that we saved $20.00 as the museum was not that great.)  We enjoyed ourselves tremendously and took lots of pictures of the fish to send home to our grandchildren.

He was so big we only got part of him

Just a few of the many

That is the Tongariro River in the background

The Trout Centre was great and we really wished that we could share it with our grandchildren.  We learned that you could purchase food and feed the trout.  They also have special days for kids to fish and catch trout.  There is a fish hatchery and we learned how the trout eggs are hand stripped and the procedure for the trout to mature before they are released into the river. It was very educational and quite fascinating.  For more information about the Trout Centre.

We spent an enjoyable Sunday without TV, the internet, or even the use of our computers and iPads.  Good old fashion books, maps and travel literature were our mainstays.

"Proper recreation and amusement are good things."  Lorenzo Snow "The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow"