Tape Your Ankles and Let's Go, It's Game Time!

JM - Our friends and fellow Public Affairs missionaries, Elder and Sister Champlin, left on April 14. Their replacements were supposed to arrive before that but visas had not yet been received by Elder and Sister Pinson. When Elder Champlin told Elder S. Gifford Nielsen (of the Seventy and First Counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency - also a former NFL and BYU quarterback) that, his response was "McGuires better tape their ankles, have a pre-game meal and get ready to get in the game." Oh, how right he was!

On the day Champlins left for home we were in Tauranga preparing for the dedication of a monument to honor Matthew Cowley. Click here for a video of that event: Matthew Cowley Monument Dedication, Tauranga, New Zealand . Can you find Shirley and me, twice? Blink and you'll miss us!

These last two weeks have been good and very busy. As usual we would arrive at the office at about 8:30 and leave about 4:30, but those eight hours were action-packed.   It's not been unusual when I get home to be on my laptop working on stories.  We've had a ton of stories lately.  So much to do and so little time (especially for two senior missionaries still wet behind the ears)!

SM: As President Monson said, "When we are on the Lord's errand, we are entitled to the Lord's help.  Remember that."  We are certainly recipients of His help in so many ways.  And, oh, how our family is being blessed! We truly acknowledge the Lord's hand in our lives.

JM: As busy as it has been, this past two weeks has been a good teacher, providing accelerated learning. Previously Champlins had always been there to provide answers and help as needed. Now the work needed to be done and we were the only ones to do it. We taped our ankles, had a pre-game meal and went out onto the field of battle.

View of Auckland from Devonport

In spite of all we had to do we were able to enjoy a few excursions, though. We went to Muriwai for the second time. This time we went with fellow senior missionaries Cherri and Scott Loveless. They are seasoned Muriwai visitors and took us down to the beach where there is a "cave". Actually it is just a narrow opening in the cliff where, I suppose, the waves have cut through. The cave opens up onto the ocean on one side and the beach on the other.

Elder Loveless and Jim at Muriwai Cave

It was low tide and we entered from the beach. It was dark and we were wading in a bit water. As we approached the ocean opening the waves began getting bigger and water came crashing into the cave. It wasn't much water, but it came in with some force. It made quite a loud crashing sound as it  hit the walls of the cave. One of the waves cam in with such force that it almost knocked Shirley over. It was that wave that Elder Loveless said created a sound he had not heard before in his multiple times in the cave, a double crash. The wave crashed into the north wall of the cave and had enough force that it bounced of that wall and still made a crashing sound as it hit the south wall.

Prior to going into the cave we went to the south end of the beach where Lovelesses knew we would find starfish. Sure enough, we found many starfish clinging to the rocks as the waves came in and receded. Interestingly the starfish didn't have five arms like one might expect, they each had 10-12 arms. Wondering if it was alive, Shirley picked one up but quickly returned it to the water.

On our way home we stopped for ice cream (I love New Zealand, it has lots of ice cream). I wish I could eat it every night like I did as a young man. Now my pants are getting tighter and I only eat it less than once a week.

On ANZAC Day, April 25, we arose early to drive over the bridge into Mount Roskill and arrive at a commemoration that began at 6:30 a.m. ANZAC stands for Australia and New Zealand Army Corps and ANZAC Day is similar to our Memorial Day. The two slogans, "We will remember them" and "lest we forget" can be seen throughout Auckland. One member of the Church told me that, with the exception of Iraq, New Zealand has fought alongside United States in every conflict since World War I. The commemoration we attended is documented on Pacific Mormon Newsroom as:
 "Church Members and Friends Remember Those Who Protect Freedom" . 

Cold sunrise service for Anzac Dat

Jim getting information for story

After the ANZAC Day commemoration we went to Matakatia Beach, Red Beach and dinner with another senior missionary couple, Elder and Sister Collins (Lynn and Karen). It was a much needed, relaxing afternoon at the beach. When we had gone to Red Beach with Elder and Sister Champlin a few weeks earlier we had found quite a few nautilus shells. Sister Collins wanted some nautilus shells for her collection and she was lucky enough to find two handfuls at Red Beach.

Matakatia Beach with Collins

Red Beach on Anzac Day

 
SM: On Saturday, April 29, we drove up to Hamilton (1 1/2 hr drive) to attend the temple.  We went to the 1:30 session and were surprised to learn that it was a Samoan language session.  It wasn't lost on me that I'm in New Zealand, a land of many Maori, and as a Palangi attending a temple session surrounded by a room full of beautiful Samoan members and I'm acting as proxy for my French ancestor, Cedulie Bernier.  A wonderful experience! It was reiterated to me that Heavenly Father loves us all - those on the earth now, those who lived here before, and those yet to come down.

We drove back to Auckland and went to a Mexican Restaurant, Little Mexico, that had been recommended to us.  Hard to find good Mexican food here.  Downtown Auckland is quite the happening place at night.  And parking is a nightmare.

We are going to Samoa in a few weeks to meet with the national Public Affairs Director, Sapele Longi, and his team.  We are also trying to determine how many villages there will not allow missionary proselyting.  One list shows 29 villages.  Another list shows 18 villages. (And only five are on both lists.) Some villages fine those who join the Church.  Some will allow members in their village but demand that they attend meetings outside of their village.  A Pacific Area Goal is to make progress toward establishing religious freedom in those villages.  Once we determine which villages don't allow the Church to operate in them, then goals that are more specific can be worked on and the Public Affairs team can become involved in that.  We are looking forward to the trip even though it will be very HOT!