Hikurangi Flat and Temple Open House!

Monday morning started way too early for a day off. The Bishop asked if we could help move a large container from a member’s house since she is moving to Australia. They moved most of everything over the Friday and Saturday before but couldn’t get to the box. It needed to be moved to the Chapel. He also said we would need the help of some Elders. So, he called the Elders to see what time they could do it. We were hoping about 10 or 10:30, since that would be after Auntie Sandra’s Missionary Breakfast. They decided they wanted to do it at 7:00am, which meant a 5:30 alarm! UUUggggghhhh  

After we got that moved to the Chapel, we headed to the Hika flat to await an inspector, while the Elders went to breakfast at Auntie Sandra's house. We were sorry we had to miss it because of the inspector. After waiting an hour, I contacted the property manager to let them know the inspector hadn't arrived yet. She informed me that they had a phone call on Friday, in which the inspector changed the day of their inspection. Unfortunately for us, no one bothered to tell us. We could have gone to the breakfast. 😪

Birds waiting for a snack at the dump

We waited for another 1/2 hour for the cleaners to show up to do the windows and the carpet. Then we headed home to pick up all the weeds from our Saturday weeding project and took them to the refuse center. We picked up a few things from the store and debated if we should go home or go back to the flat as the cleaners should have been almost done. We opted for some ice cream before heading to the flat. Yummy lunch! 🍦

Since the cleaners finished a bit early, I texted the property manager again to say we were ready to hand over the keys. She said she couldn't meet us at that time. I asked if I could just leave the keys in a drawer in the kitchen and she agreed. YAY!!! 🎉We are finally DONE with the Hikurangi Flat!!!!

Tuesday was pretty laid back. I worked on the computer most of the day. We had our weakly Comp Study with the Sisters. I had an impromptu video call with Elder Sorensen from the Area about the New Convert Initiative. I prepare my Seminary Lesson for Wednesday and also helped Elder Wilcox with a few things on the computer.

Our early morning Seminary class on Wednesday  went well. We had 4 students and fairly good participation. The kids gave great answers. We stopped by the new flat for the Elders on our way home. Leona said they were almost done. The wood floor still needed to be buffed after the sanding, and they needed to hang the drapes. Our tentative move in date for the Elders is Wednesday, 12 March. I think we have enough missionaries to help move all the furniture into the flat. Sister Carlisle and I will probably set up the kitchen supplies. 

DCM went well. We met at the Stake Center again, so that was nice. We needed to take our car into a windshield shop to fix a chip we received on Monday on our way to the Hika flat. While we waited, we walked over to the Chemist Warehouse and picked up some prescriptions. By the time we got back, the car was ready to go. I worked on my Thursday Seminary lesson and helped Elder Wilcox with his Elders Quorum lesson for Sunday. I also had time to do some work for HawkSoft.

Our Thursday early morning Seminary Zoom class went very well. I had 9 kids, and we had good participation. I even had a couple who volunteered answers without me having to call on them first. Lol After Seminary, we had our Mission SPF Zoom meeting. Sister Allen gave us our training today about the Temple and Temple Garments. We are all so very excited about the Temple Open house on Saturday for us. Many others in the mission have already gone and loved it. The Carlisles had friends visit so they already went and are going back on Saturday too. 

We managed to get a walk in before we got back to Steve's lesson prep and finished up some HawkSoft. Later in the day, we visited one of our new members in the Ward. We tried to catch another one, but no one was home. We had a nice visit. 

I spent all day Friday on the computer making sure I was caught up on everything. I worked on the New Convert Initiative, finished Steve's PowerPoint presentation, and finished my HawkSoft project. Steve managed to take a walk, but I never got the chance. 

Saturday was our long-awaited day to visit the Auckland New Zealand Open House. We had the pleasure of Elder Erickson and Elder Barthlomew as our traveling companions. The Carlisles took Elder Maraetefau and Elder Hassell. 

It was exciting to see so many people from all over New Zealand and even around the world to see our beautiful Temple. The Temple is beautiful! So much Māori artwork reflected in the interior of the Temple. We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside, but I found some pictures from Church News.  We connected with Ward members and missionaries before and after the tour. We saw the Kreutzkamps before our tour started. They came back to New Zealand just to see the Temple and to visit all their friends from Pipiwai. After our tour we ran into Sister Szott as well as several other missionaries and the Carlisles. Such fun.

The Temple is the House of the Lord. We perform sacred ordinances within the walls of the Temple. It is within those walls where families can sealed together for Time and All Eternity. We not only perform ordinances for ourselves, but we can go back again and again and perform these sacred ordinances for our kindred dead. We don't force anyone to accept the ordinances, we just perform them so if they choose to accept them, the ordinances are done for them...since they cannot do it for themselves after they are dead. We believe our Spirits live on after we die. And, one day, through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we will all be resurrected and receive our bodies back, never to be separated again. At that point, if they want to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, they will need to have those sacred ordinances. It is always their choice. 

After the Temple we stopped for a late lunch/early dinner at a cute little Chicken shop. Elder Erickson’s next-door neighbors from Utah were visiting. Their son served in New Zealand a few years ago, so the parents and the son and his wife are vacationing. We had a delightful meal with them and enjoyed getting to know them. 

Sunday morning started with Ward Council. I think our discussion went very well. Our Sacrament meeting changed a bit from what was originally planned. A few people were unable to be there, so we had a few people step up and cover for them on the spot. It turned out to be a very good meeting and the Spirit was very strong. 

After Sacrament meeting, I helped get Elder Wilcox set up for his Elders Quorum lesson before I headed to Relief Society. I heard he did a great job and had a good discussion. We too had a good discussion in our class as well. Both lessons centered on the General Conference talk by President Dallin H. Oaks entitled Following Christ. It was a perfect lesson for helping us to focus our lives on the Savior. After all, He is our perfect example.

Sister Szott!

It was nice to have the afternoon to relax and watch the first half of Follow Him with John Bytheway and Hank Smith. It helps me so much in my lesson preparation. 

I hope you have a Wonderful Week!

All our Love,

Elder and Sister Wilcox