Surprise!

Well surprise surprise, this is Ken and not VeaLynn.....she is busy doing house things getting ready for a dinner we are hosting and then some more next week. We have learned one thing from our time here and that is FOOD followed with music is a BIG deal so I guess, like your sister said "when in Rome'. Anyway, we'll probably weigh 400 pounds when we get home.  This is a funny country.  This area has all the sheep, pigs and beef in the island but it still expensive to buy any. They feed dogs with cuts we pay extra for, they have so much. We have decided it is a good thing missionaries are not allowed to swim in the ocean because we have many slaughterhouses in Timaru and all are on the coastline and all dump straight into the ocean. You can tell when that is happening, thousands of gulls are having a field day with that. Sooooooo well stay out of the water for now. 

However yesterday, a family we have been teaching asked to be baptized.  We are thrilled about that.  Only problem is they want to be baptized in one of the main rivers here and it is still very cold.  If you read in the church news about a senior elder dying of frost bite expect your Vea Lynn home early. We also have another family getting closer too.   The other day she and I were talking and it dawned on us that just in our family we have more priesthood than the entire branch.  We feel fortunate about that and sad at the same time because these folks have been so kind and accepting to us. 

We are pushing to grow faster than i think they can stand but if they want a temple on the south island this branch needs to become a ward. It is like the wife of the branch pres. said this morning, "We need to get off our butts and do something if we want the Lord to bless us". Well said! Anyway we are doing great. Vea Lynn's health has not been better and she is loving this work so much and that pleases me. She teaches institute and after class teaches tai chi and some of the men even go so good. I am pretty busy with branch work and mission work at the same time but it has been great. We get to go to the temple in Oct. as the only stake on the south island has a stake week in the Hamilton temple. Feel bad for so many who can't go. 

This is such an expensive country and the cost is so much to get to the temple. Many members sacrifice much already that many simply can't make it happen on such low wages. We all hear in the south, and I hear many prayers that the church will grant them a small temple so they can be there often. As I heard an older Maori friend tell me he would "live in the temple" if we had one closer. Well better go, Vea Lynn will catch me writing e-mails and want to teach me more about the computor. Oh yes, we haven't been at odds too much but she is teaching me again how to wash the dishes so life goes on.
From the land of the long white cloud...............Ken and Vea Lynn love you all