I didn't know what to name this one. It is about how the spirit often provides. We had a really interesting week last week. On Monday, we took a walk and went to the little garden center down the street. While standing there talking with the owner, a car pulled in and a man got out. He walked up to us and looked straight at our name tags, then read them aloud. The next thing we know, we are in a conversation with him and he was inviting us to come to his home the next day. We did that, met his sweet wife and left a DVD and a Book of Mormon. They are planning to ask us to "tea" soon.
I had to spend a bit of time making amends with one of my friends. I posted a story about her and her family and used a word that apparently around here does not mean the same thing as it does to me. She called me out about it and I really appreciated it because the last thing I wanted to do was hurt anyone. I can deal with it when I know what I have done. I also ended up changing another post because of her wise suggestion.
On Wed. we went to Temuka. We were just filling some time between appointments, walking down the street when a little couple from Geraldine walked up to us to talk. Seems she lost everything in a fire after the Christchurch earthquake and she had just started a genealogy club. There are 8 ladies in it and I got to tell her that there is a Family History Center in our little building in Timaru. She seemed pretty excited. Everything she had including her genealogy was lost in the fire. Fortunately, her husband was warned by a neighbor and was able to get out. Later we were looking in the window at an op shop and a young woman walked up behind us to ask when we were coming to her house. We have been trying to get an appointment there for a while. We got to visit with her whole family this week.
We chose a name from the little member book we had to go and see before our dinner appointment. We walked in on a difficult situation but the man looked at Ken and said, "It's Elder Jarvis!" He is not a member and she is less active. We had no idea how he knew us until he told us that Ken had spoken to him in a second hand store. He couldn't believe that someone who didn't know him would take the time to speak with him. He had been looking for us. They have both had tough lives but I think they really want to work things out and establish a happy life and family. They decided to come to church on Sunday. Since then, she has been reunited with her mother and we have held FHE with them and another is scheduled for next Monday. It has been a beautiful thing. We had no idea that she and her mom were related. We were on our way to dinner at her mother's home when we picked her name.
I guess it goes to show that if we pay attention to the spirit, and where he leads, some amazing things can happen. Even though we feel like ordinary people here, the spirit is giving us some extraordinary experiences.
2 months to go!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Friday, July 20, 2012
The Adventure Series III
Adventures in Culture Part 2
Last time I discussed some Maori culture and this time I want to address the European culture that is here. There have been many immigrants over the years from many countries. There are Germans and Austrians, Irish and Scots and Englanders, French, Italians, Scandinavians and several other cultures represented. Most of them are hard working, independent people who were looking for a new life here in New Zealand and many of them have found it.
They have remained to themselves or mixed with the Maoris. Whatever the case, it has made for a lively and interesting blend of people and customs. We have met people from each of these areas while here. The one thing they have in common is their open, friendly attitudes for the most part. We have been warmly welcomed by almost all of them. That has been a big plus for us. From the start, it has seemed like home away from home. We couldn't ask for more.
The only difficulty I have run into is trying to understand some of their speech but hey, what's new? We have had that almost our whole lives with the deaf culture. Interestingly enough, the two things I have not come to meet here are a person of African descent or a deaf person. We have pretty much met dozens of other types of people. I have only gotten into trouble a couple of times and both of them were over misunderstandings over the way we use different words but that happens to everyone.
I told you about a little couple we met not long ago. They are truly wonderful people. They are Irish Kiwis. They became friendly with us from the first day they met us and we with them. It was so comfortable in their home. They treat us like good friends and they have become very important in our lives. While we were there at their home, I noticed a beautiful picture of the two of them taken on their farm many years ago. It is a classic photo of two lovely people and for me it represents all that is good about the people we have met here. I asked for a copy and it has a proud place on my mantle. It means something very special to me and always will.
These people and many others have come here or followed in their families footsteps as hard working, honorable people, dedicated to their families, their work and their country. These kind of people came here looking to continue something good and have done so. They all help make New Zealand what it is today, a welcoming, warm country where we feel right at home.
Last time I discussed some Maori culture and this time I want to address the European culture that is here. There have been many immigrants over the years from many countries. There are Germans and Austrians, Irish and Scots and Englanders, French, Italians, Scandinavians and several other cultures represented. Most of them are hard working, independent people who were looking for a new life here in New Zealand and many of them have found it.
They have remained to themselves or mixed with the Maoris. Whatever the case, it has made for a lively and interesting blend of people and customs. We have met people from each of these areas while here. The one thing they have in common is their open, friendly attitudes for the most part. We have been warmly welcomed by almost all of them. That has been a big plus for us. From the start, it has seemed like home away from home. We couldn't ask for more.
The only difficulty I have run into is trying to understand some of their speech but hey, what's new? We have had that almost our whole lives with the deaf culture. Interestingly enough, the two things I have not come to meet here are a person of African descent or a deaf person. We have pretty much met dozens of other types of people. I have only gotten into trouble a couple of times and both of them were over misunderstandings over the way we use different words but that happens to everyone.
I told you about a little couple we met not long ago. They are truly wonderful people. They are Irish Kiwis. They became friendly with us from the first day they met us and we with them. It was so comfortable in their home. They treat us like good friends and they have become very important in our lives. While we were there at their home, I noticed a beautiful picture of the two of them taken on their farm many years ago. It is a classic photo of two lovely people and for me it represents all that is good about the people we have met here. I asked for a copy and it has a proud place on my mantle. It means something very special to me and always will.
These people and many others have come here or followed in their families footsteps as hard working, honorable people, dedicated to their families, their work and their country. These kind of people came here looking to continue something good and have done so. They all help make New Zealand what it is today, a welcoming, warm country where we feel right at home.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
The Adventure Series III
Adventures in Culture Part I
Being here has definitely been informative. We came thinking that there would be a great many more Maori and a lot fewer "others". Boy were we wrong. After taking a day with a good friend, Joe Reihana, a Maori, we came to a lot of conclusions. One of them unfortunately was that colonization here has been as hard on the Maori as it was on the Native American. In fact, there are a great many similarities. Both of them had their land overtaken by foreigners and both are fighting to get some of their rights returned.
The Maori are very fascinating people. They have many wonderful traditions that we could learn from. They are very loyal to family ties going back hundreds of years. They allow access to their Marais (kind of a holy area) only by invitation and they are not reluctant to tell you if your interest is not wanted. Their traditional greeting is nose to nose, forehead to forehead. Our first traditional greeting was with a drunk woman but their have been many more since. They are very open and friendly until you give them reason to stop trusting you.
Joe took us to his Marai which is about 8 miles from where we live. The Maori are much fewer in the South Island but all of them know to which family they belong. The "tribes" were determined by the canoe on which they arrived in New Zealand. Ken wanted a Maori Toko Toko or walking stick and asked about it. He was told it would be better for him to go to a tourist shop and buy one because you have to "earn" one otherwise. He told Joe he would rather earn his. That is part of what warranted our trip to the Marai.
They remind me a great deal of Native Americans. Their stories are very parallel. They come to a beautiful land and make a home for a very long time. Then, other people begin moving in and taking away all that they have cared for and learned to love. They were basically assigned certain "assets", most of which was swamp land. Now they are fighting to get what is theirs returned in some measure. They have been looked down on in this young land even though they are basically a very sweet and handsome people.
The family we are helping teach are Maori. The father has been in some trouble in life and he was explaining to us how he tried to "scrub off his color" because people called him the "n" word and other bad names because of it. He said he hated being Maori so he scrubbed and scrubbed but it would not come off. It made me very sad. He is a very nice young man and is trying hard to be responsible and take care of his family. No one should ever feel like they have to scrub away who they are with soap or any other way. I'm so glad he is becoming comfortable with his inheritance now. Too bad we choose to inflict so much pain on people just because they are different from us!
Next time I'll address another element of society here.
Being here has definitely been informative. We came thinking that there would be a great many more Maori and a lot fewer "others". Boy were we wrong. After taking a day with a good friend, Joe Reihana, a Maori, we came to a lot of conclusions. One of them unfortunately was that colonization here has been as hard on the Maori as it was on the Native American. In fact, there are a great many similarities. Both of them had their land overtaken by foreigners and both are fighting to get some of their rights returned.
The Maori are very fascinating people. They have many wonderful traditions that we could learn from. They are very loyal to family ties going back hundreds of years. They allow access to their Marais (kind of a holy area) only by invitation and they are not reluctant to tell you if your interest is not wanted. Their traditional greeting is nose to nose, forehead to forehead. Our first traditional greeting was with a drunk woman but their have been many more since. They are very open and friendly until you give them reason to stop trusting you.
Joe took us to his Marai which is about 8 miles from where we live. The Maori are much fewer in the South Island but all of them know to which family they belong. The "tribes" were determined by the canoe on which they arrived in New Zealand. Ken wanted a Maori Toko Toko or walking stick and asked about it. He was told it would be better for him to go to a tourist shop and buy one because you have to "earn" one otherwise. He told Joe he would rather earn his. That is part of what warranted our trip to the Marai.
They remind me a great deal of Native Americans. Their stories are very parallel. They come to a beautiful land and make a home for a very long time. Then, other people begin moving in and taking away all that they have cared for and learned to love. They were basically assigned certain "assets", most of which was swamp land. Now they are fighting to get what is theirs returned in some measure. They have been looked down on in this young land even though they are basically a very sweet and handsome people.
The family we are helping teach are Maori. The father has been in some trouble in life and he was explaining to us how he tried to "scrub off his color" because people called him the "n" word and other bad names because of it. He said he hated being Maori so he scrubbed and scrubbed but it would not come off. It made me very sad. He is a very nice young man and is trying hard to be responsible and take care of his family. No one should ever feel like they have to scrub away who they are with soap or any other way. I'm so glad he is becoming comfortable with his inheritance now. Too bad we choose to inflict so much pain on people just because they are different from us!
Next time I'll address another element of society here.
Friday, July 6, 2012
He's Watching Over Us
Don't know quite how to start this one. While we have been busy here doing our work, things are happening at home that we hadn't expected. I don't know why we didn't expect them. I guess we thought that the blessings would come in ways such as there being no serious difficulties at home while we were gone. In a matter of three days, that has been proven wrong. I'm not naive enough to think that nothing would go wrong while we we're gone but I had hoped it would slow down a "wee" bit.
Jenny e-mailed us Wednesday (Tues in the US) to tell us that Ashy was in the hospital. We only picked it up because I decided to check e-mail while we were home for just a short in and out. We called everyone or Skyped them at least trying to get someone to tell us what was going on. We finally caught Mandi at home. Then Jen called us back to tell us Ashy was in there due to dehydration. She said while she sat in Ashy's room, she watched the fire race up the mountain northeast of Alpine. She told us of all the fires that were going on throughout Utah.
Today we came home to find another e-mail saying Micah had been in an accident but not to freak out because he was okay. It seems he had been on a narrow road when a big truck coming the other direction was awfully close so he moved over to get farther away. His tire caught the wet sand on the edge of the road and he rolled his car. The car is totalled.
Normally this would have totally thrown me but right now I am trying to look at the blessings in all this. Ashy is out of the hospital and seems to be doing well. Thanks for the blessing of people who know how to take care of very sick children. The rain in Utah has been coming and hopefully will help with the wildfires. Thanks for rain. Micah and Sarah and their boys, Benson and Taft are all okay. Other people stopped to help and Sarah's brother was close enough to go be with them until everything was worked out. The car is gone but a car can be replaced. Thanks that they are all well. It could have been much worse.
Meanwhile, Heavenly Father has a plan for us to be here helping people other than our own children. We feel helpless but we can't help but feel grateful that the kids have one another. They have friends and other family to help them when they need it. In the meantime, we are trying to help the children of other moms and dads who are concerned about their children. Some of them are still here with us. Some of them are on the other side cheering us on. Aren't we glad that we all have each other. Thanks all of you for looking after our precious children while we are looking after others.
Jenny e-mailed us Wednesday (Tues in the US) to tell us that Ashy was in the hospital. We only picked it up because I decided to check e-mail while we were home for just a short in and out. We called everyone or Skyped them at least trying to get someone to tell us what was going on. We finally caught Mandi at home. Then Jen called us back to tell us Ashy was in there due to dehydration. She said while she sat in Ashy's room, she watched the fire race up the mountain northeast of Alpine. She told us of all the fires that were going on throughout Utah.
Today we came home to find another e-mail saying Micah had been in an accident but not to freak out because he was okay. It seems he had been on a narrow road when a big truck coming the other direction was awfully close so he moved over to get farther away. His tire caught the wet sand on the edge of the road and he rolled his car. The car is totalled.
Normally this would have totally thrown me but right now I am trying to look at the blessings in all this. Ashy is out of the hospital and seems to be doing well. Thanks for the blessing of people who know how to take care of very sick children. The rain in Utah has been coming and hopefully will help with the wildfires. Thanks for rain. Micah and Sarah and their boys, Benson and Taft are all okay. Other people stopped to help and Sarah's brother was close enough to go be with them until everything was worked out. The car is gone but a car can be replaced. Thanks that they are all well. It could have been much worse.
Meanwhile, Heavenly Father has a plan for us to be here helping people other than our own children. We feel helpless but we can't help but feel grateful that the kids have one another. They have friends and other family to help them when they need it. In the meantime, we are trying to help the children of other moms and dads who are concerned about their children. Some of them are still here with us. Some of them are on the other side cheering us on. Aren't we glad that we all have each other. Thanks all of you for looking after our precious children while we are looking after others.
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