Area Video Call, Junior Missionaries, English Connect, Zone Conference, and Baptism

Monday morning started by NOT getting up for Seminary. Sister Paratene's nephew is home from his mission, so he was the second adult for class. It was a nice break. He is only doing Monday and Wednesday mornings until September. Then he goes to Auckland so he can go to the university. We will take what we can get. 😇

The rest of the day was busy enough. We had our last Temple Prep class with Madison. We decided we would continue meeting and switch over to Come Follow Me. We have enjoyed our time with her so much. Not long after the class started, Elder Cockbain dropped off Elder Dixon for P-Day. Elder Dixon is a bit under the weather. The rest of the Junior Missionaries were headed to the beach to play beach volleyball. They can't go in the water, but they can play on the beach. Elder Dixon was smart enough to realize that probably was not in his best interests.

After Madison's lesson, we spent some time on Zoom with Sierra and Shonee and had a wonderful visit. Shonee told us all about her scary experience while hiking on a mountain a couple weeks ago. They were hiking in the middle of the night, because when the sun comes up it can melt the snow and make the mountain dangerous to climb on. Anyway, he experienced excruciating pain in his lower back. They called 911 but they had to get him lower so the paramedics could reach him. His fellow hikers managed to get him down to a save spot so they could treat him. Once he got home, he went straight the emergency room. They figured it was kidney stones. By the next day he seemed much better and went home. Then, the pain came back worse than the first time and he was back in the emergency room. They did another CT Scan and said he did NOT have kidney stones. They think it was some kind of nerve damage. They gave him some stretching exercises and sent him home again. He is doing much better but is still tender. They are still not sure what caused it.

The rest of the day was spent with Elder Dixon. He is going to start Pathway in September, so we had to get him registered. Sister Farrell is over Pathway and asked if I could help Elder Dixon and two Sisters in the next week or so. They needed to apply for a scholarship as well. I found out that our mission is a pilot program to allow current missionaries access to take a Pathway class and help get them started back on their education. There are three terms they can take, but not until they have that much time left on their mission. It is a great program, and they are still working out the kinks before it becomes available to the rest of the world for missionaries.

Elder Wilcox and Elder Dixon

We then received a call from the Bream Bay Sisters who needed me to go with them so they could exchange US dollars into NZ dollars. They needed someone with a passport. The junior missionaries have to turn their passports into the mission office. It was a very nice opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with them. 

Then it was time for Elder Cockbain and Elder Dixon to go home and change so we could all meet at the Wiongi Whanau (family) for Family Home Evening. We have been doing this for a few weeks now. This coming Monday we will have our group Family Home Evening. Hopefully we will get a few more people. Then we will go back to the Wihongi Whanau again for the rest of the month. We have had some great visits with them. 

Elder Chambers, Elder Dixon,
and Sister Paratene

Tuesday started early with our Zoom class for Seminary. After class we went to the empty flat that we inspect to clean it out. We invited the junior missionaries to come and help. Almost all of them came. They were able to take lots of stuff that didn't really belong in the flat anymore. For example, there was a set of barbells that the Zone Leaders took. They also threw out a bunch of stuff, such as really old pamphlets and things like that. We left a few things in the flat for the next set of Elders they get assigned there. We also did some cleaning. 

After that, we had Elder Cockbain and Elder Dixon back for Elder Cockbain's My Plan call. We kicked them out of the house at 1:00 because we needed to head over to Elder Moyes and Elder Tuaina's flat to pick them up for a celebratory ice cream treat for finishing the Pathway term and to pick up their laptops. I have to install updates on the laptops. Sister Farrell called us and asked us if we could take care of that for them. We said, "twist our arm". Hahaha

The final event on Tuesday was our first training video call with the Area Senior Couple who is over the New Convert Initiative. The Pacific Area is doing a pilot program. They have called one Senior Couple in each mission in the Pacific Area to participate. We will be responsible for training Bishops and Branch Presidents and perhaps other leaders throughout the entire New Zealand Auckland Mission on what they need to do to help the new converts progress through the My Covenant Path program. Part of this program helps the new convert prepare to find an ancestor that they can take to the Temple and be baptized for them. They want this to occur in the first month after their baptism. They have found this really helps the converts get grounded in the Gospel and make it part of their lives. It is a wonderful program, and we are excited to help.

Wednesday is DCM. Again, it was nice not to wake up at 5:00 AM! With Zone Conference on Friday, President and Sister Allen are up North. Sister Allen joined our District and President Allen joined the South District. Our meeting went very well. Sister Ali gave our District training this morning. She taught us several different ways to engage the members in helping with missionary work and reactivation. We learned a lot. We had a hour long training after DCM on the Preach My Gospel App. Normally that doesn't apply to us, but with Elder Cockbain going home, and Elder Dixon moving further up North, we will be covering what they have been doing so we need the PMG app now. After that, we held a short practice to go over the song we are singing for Zone Conference.

Then, we invited Sister Szott and Sister Nagawaka over for lunch, since they were already coming over for comp study. Also, Sister Szott is one of the Sisters that is applying for Pathway, so we were able to take care of that at the same time. After they left, I finished my Seminary lesson preparation for Thursday's lesson. Steve went back to the Murdoch Crescent flat to pick up most of the things we left, because the Office wanted them. They did give us several things back that needed to go back into the flat.

Thursday started with Seminary. The sunrise was so beautiful. Elder Wilcox got some great pictures. We were missing quite a few from my little class. Thankfully, Elder Wilcox and Sister Paratene stepped up to answer questions, so we had a very good class. After that we had our weekly Mission Zoom SPF meeting. And right after that, Elder Lea'ana and Elder Dixon (they were on exchanges) came over for comp study. After comp study, I had an English Connect class with Elder Lea'ana. Elder Lea'ana said I was supposed to have a training manual. All I had was a workbook. So, I contacted Sister Shaw, who is over English Connect, and she said there has been a change in the program and Seniors are no longer needed to help the missionaries. It will all be self-taught. So, I did my first and my last English Connect lesson. 😢

After they left, Sister Ali and Sister Chapman came over so Sister Ali could apply for Pathway. She is the last one I need to help register. They have to come to our house because they need a laptop and internet, and they don't have either of those things in their own flats. While Sister Ali worked on her registration and scholarship application, I baked a cake for Zone Conference. I used a bunch of our little fingerling bananas to make a banana cake. The frosting called for fresh lemon, and we happen to have a lemon tree, so I used our own lemons too. 😁🍋🍌 Steve washed the car for inspections at Zone Conference. Later that evening the Daytons arrived from Auckland. They came early for Zone Conference. He is our Mission Doctor, and Sister Dayton takes care of all the stuff Sister Bailey used to do. She helps organize all the Zone Conferences, so I work with her a lot.

Friday was Zone Conference. We got there early so we could set up. It was a good thing too, because the Chapel was a mess. We had to vacuum everywhere. We had help! YAY! Everything was all done well before 10:00. Our caterers showed up around 9:30 and they are so busy setting up a beautiful spread for lunch. The 4 Senior Couples in the Northland supplied the desserts. 

Our Zone did our musical number as kind of a kickoff to the meetings. It turned out beautiful. It is an original song written by a member of the Northland area. She passed away a few years ago. It is called Missionary Medley. I heard it for the first-time last Sunday evening at the devotional. I managed to get a copy of the music. I believe it is the "theme" song at the New Zealand MTC. Elder Moyes and the wonderful Sister Lilloux did the musical number for the end of the Conference. Sister Lilloux is in the office now, so it was a wonderful surprise to see her at Conference. Elder Moyes has a BEAUTIFUL voice. His song really moved me. Especially because he sang, I Feel My Savior's Love.  Not long after we moved to Oregon, Sierra sang that song as a solo. I think she was about 9 at the time. I can't hear that song without thinking of Sierra.

Elder Moyes

Lunch was fantastic. There was such a variety of food. Everyone loved it. We only got to sit in are parts of the Conference. After lunch, we did NOT get to do the Haka. Instead, we sang a beautiful song in Māori that they always sang after the Haka. I need to get the words to that in English. We also sang God Be With You 'Till We Meet Again to our departing missionaries. To hear all those wonderful Elders and Sisters sing is so incredible. 

As the missionaries broke up into two groups for training after lunch, we met with President and Sister Allen about the New Convert Initiative program. It was a very productive meeting. The program just calls for tracking the new converts for the first month or two, however, President Allen has some things he wants to track for up to a year after their baptism. I told him I would be happy to add that information to my spreadsheet...once it gets created. Lol My biggest question for him was how I was going to get the names of all the new converts in the mission. The APs were invited into the meeting, and we discussed several possibilities. I was hoping to be able to have access to the names myself so I wouldn't have to bug someone to send them to me every time some was baptized. That has the great potential of losing people. After Zone Conference, I went home and took a bath and just soaked in the tub. 🛁It was so nice!

The APs came over later that evening to see if President granted me access as we talked about in the meeting. It wasn't there yet. Then the APs showed me a spreadsheet that they have that tracks some other information about new converts and also contains all the information I need to track. They granted me access to that spreadsheet so I can grab the data I need. They update it weekly so that should work out fine. 

Saturday went by way to fast. We cleaned the house and did laundry. Sister Paratene stopped by for a bit to talk about catering for Zone Conferences. Our caterers decided it was not going to work out for them after all. They will do the next conference to give me time to find an alternative. Sister Paratene gave me some ideas of where to look. I would like to talk to Sister Allen about the budget for catering. I really think they need to allow more per head so I can hire an actual catering company. 

We received a call from our District leader wondering if Elder Wilcox’s keys opened the door to the baptismal font. We had tried to unlock the door yesterday and it would open. So, we told him the keys didn’t work. The keys he had didn’t seem to work either. We call the Bishop, but he was out of town. He gave us the name of someone else we could try. We called several other people and couldn’t find anyone. Either they weren’t home or the keys they had didn’t open that door. We called Elder Sanders back and he tracked down the Bishop from the ward that was having the baptism and they finally got it open so they could fill the font. One of the people we called and left a message called us back and said that the keys can be a bit sticky. You really have to jiggle them.

Not long after Sister Paratene left, we got ready to go to the Chapel for a baptism for the Denby ward. Steve tried his key again, and with some jiggling, he was able to make the key work. The Baptismal Service was beautiful. Sister Lilloux was there again, because she was one of the Sisters that was teaching the sister that got baptized. She and Elder Dixon sang a beautiful duet while they were changing after the baptism. Elder Dixon sang the first verse in Māori. Sister Lilloux sang the second verse in French. They sang the last verse in English together. It was so wonderful.

Once we got home, Steve went to work on the Ward Council agenda and finalizing the Sacrament program. I went to work on HawkSoft. We finally finished up around 7:00.

Sunday was a beautiful Sabbath. Fast and Testimony meeting was very nice. I really enjoyed the testimonies. We had several members who had recently lost a loved one. Their testimonies talked about the sweetness of the Holy Ghost and the comfort they received during their time of grief and loss. 

After Sacrament and Sunday School, we had Ward Council. Bishop had to leave right after Church. His cousin passed away on Friday and he was heading to the Marae to be with family. I think we had a good discussion and covered all the topics on the agenda. 

We went home and I started work on the weekly recap, while Steve typed up the minutes for the Ward Council. Between helping him with the computer and trying to finish the recap, we worked until after 5:00. 

Us with Sister Lilloux

I hope you are enjoying your summer. Our winter has been very rainy, but I don't mind. It makes it feel like Oregon. Lol. Friday at Zone Conference we had to go out several times to help unload different cars. When Sister Paratene arrived with food in her car, I went to help her unload. It was POURING rain. When I looked in the mirror, I looked like I had just stepped out of the shower with all my clothes on. I can't remember ever being that wet from rain before. Needless to say, my hair was a mess the rest of the day. ⛈️

Sister Lilloux and Elder Dixon

All our Love,
Elder and Sister Wilcox