Our sweet mission president says that the senior couples have a "get out of jail free card". I think he understands that we have worked hard our whole lives to be able to do this mission. He also understands that it costs a whole lot of money that mostly comes out of our pockets and that it can be a pressure that we have worked our whole lives to be free of. : ) Here we are again, back on the front lines so to speak and it can get a little overwhelming and lets face it, we are not spring chickens. There is no way that we can keep up with the young elders and sisters although some of the time we try. He therefore grants us from time to time a little "vacation" time.
We took one day of that time on Friday. We have had our shoulders to the wheel pretty much all the time even when we went to the north island and the temple. They were a little bit like working vacations. We saw a lot and did a lot even there. Friday was literally a mini-vacation. It was awesome. Because of the holiday, which New Zealanders pretty much observe from before Christmas to the 6th of January, people are not very available so appointments fell through and we found ourselves with a whole day free. We woke the usual time and Ken said, "Let's get in the car and ride up to Tekapo." Tekapo is a lake on the way to Cook.
We got on the road pretty early and headed up to the Southern Alps. We intended on going to Tekapo and then to Twizel, a little town south of there. Even then we couldn't let go of the missionary handle. lol In Twizel there is a couple and their 3 children who are members and can't get to church often because it is 2 1/2 hours away. They are on the western most boundaries of our little branch and the only members there. They are both return missionaries and have a strong little family. We did end up seeing them and having dinner with them as well but I digress.
The scenery as we went on this little get away was amazing! To begin with, there were thousands and thousands of lupine growing everywhere. You can't begin to imagine the color, variety and number of flowers. I remember taking my mom on a little trip to Bear Lake a few years ago. There was a yard full of snapdragons and the Bear River valley was full of wild flowers. The hills were literally blue and I have never forgotten that. In that same way, I will never forget this trip. There was mile upon mile of purple of every shade, blue, pink, white, yellow and peach. I took a "jillion" pictures. Maybe I exaggerate but it seemed like that many. I still have the sight of it in my mind. At home I got excited at the sight of one lupine but thousands are overwhelming.
We did the usual "tourist" stop at the little chapel at Lake Tekapo but since it was early in the morning still, we decided to make the run all the way to Mt. Cook. The scenery changed from alpine to high mountain desert much like home. It was wonderful. We stopped at Lake Pukaki to have lunch before starting the leg to Cook. The mountains were mirrored in the calm waters of Lake Pukaki. It was gorgeous and for some reason, tuna sandwiches tasted better. I have seen few lakes with water that clear. Nothing was growing in it and there was no polution from boats or other water craft.
We stopped at Peter's Point for a panoramic view and met a lovely lady there named Pat Pendergrast. She was busy doing watercolors of the area. As she painted, she made her living selling books about her paintings, wild flowers and her mountaineering experiences. We bought a book, a print and exchanged cards and thoughts on God. We continued on and as we got closer and closer, nothing prepared me for what I would see.
When we arrived at Mt. Aoraki (Mt. Cook) it took our breath away. The mountains there are beyond comprehension until you see them. I suppose it is the same as the first time you see anything new and that massive. I felt like I did in Alaska only closer. I felt like I do in Utah on looking up at Timpanogos. Those mountains are so rugged and even in summer, they are covered with a thick layer of blue glacial ice. Pictures are not adequate although I tried my best to get some. Pat's paintings were much more near my memory of those colors. I tried my best in Alaska to render justice to that color but the camera cannot do it unless you have a really expensive setup. My jaw literally dropped in awe and I have seen some beautiful sights here before.
Ken and I have talked a lot about how you explaining a spiritual experience with non-spiritual eyes. It is impossible. I'm sure it is no news to any of you that you can't explain seeing something amazing with real eyes by using words or pictures either. I guess that is why Pat tries so hard to paint things in the way that her eyes saw them. I came away with a renewed determination to do that. I came away thinking that I need to interpret with my own eyes what I tried to capture with my camera. It will not be the same as a digital image but it will be my interpretation of what I have seen however primitive.
I am adding some of the camera images for effect! smile!
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