NAPIER, HASTINGS AND FLAXMERE

Mount Ruapahu

The weather in NZ while we visited there was mostly chilly. We caught this rare view of blue skies as we drove from Waiouru and snapped a picture of Mount Ruapahu. There had been a bad snow storm the week before and the road we traveled had been closed with snow. As we drove, we passed MANY, MANY cars pulled off to the side of the road while people played in the snow. We traveled a beautiful windy road that was surrounded on both sides by thousands of sheep, many cows and also fenced in deer herds. They say that NZ has 4 million people and 40 million sheep. I loved watching Brittney's delight in all the baby animals we saw since it was springtime there and lots of new little babies had been born recently.

We arrived in Napier which is a town on the south pacific ocean. The buildings are painted in bright colors and it is considered an art deco town. Our motel room had a balcony looking out over the ocean. Napier, Hastings and Flaxmere sit in a region called Hawkes Bay and it is where much of the fruit is grown in the country. We saw lots of orchards and fields.

Johnny and Britt walking along the ocean.

The spring flowers were beautiful in Napier.

Johnny and John cavorted with an Island maiden.

We drove to Hastings to visit with two families that Johnny had been especially close to when he served in that area.

The Hiko Family

The Hiko family lived in Waiouru (the small branch we visited) and Johnny and his companion would stay with them every other weekend when they drove to Taihape. They have seven children and Brother Hiko was in the army there and serving in the branch presidency. They had since moved to Christchurch and then Hastings after Brother Hiko left the army. We enjoyed our visit with them. We found out that they are less active now and it is hard to see that when you love them. They had a good time reminiscing about the times Johnny stayed in their home.

We then went down the road to the Edwards' home. Johnny spent his first Christmas in NZ at the Edwards' home. Brother George Edwards was serving in the bishopric in Flaxmere 7 years ago when Johnny served there. Now he is a counselor in the stake presidency. He and his wife Rose are always serving and sacrificing. They had been to the rebroadcast of general conference and attended 6 baptisms that Sunday. As we arrived they were feeding 6 missionaries, their own family and other friends. I was thankful we had eaten...but they served us delicious cake and of course Tip Top ice cream. George, Rose, and their daughter, Janene, shared some very special spiritual experiences with us that they had. They are very sacred. Janene is married to the bishop of their ward....a great guy!! George and Rose are also raising two of their grandchildren. Winney is a beautiful and sweet teenager. I wanted to bring her home with us. Just before the missionaries left, they also shared a message with us. One elder from Auckland sang to us a beautiful song on his guitar and another elder gave a spiritual thought.

George, Brittney, Johnny, Rose and Winney

Winney and Janene

Our singing elder

The other elders

Monday morning we drove to the Edwards' home to tell them goodbye. The Edwards were leaving for their week at the temple in Hamilton. It was hard to tell them goodbye not knowing when we will see them again. We then went to visit Sister Vicky O'Brien in Flaxmere. She is so good to the elders. She loved seeing Johnny again. We appreciate all these good saints that welcomed and cared for Johnny on his mission.

Johnny and Sister O'Brien

We stopped at another member's home to visit Porky and his family. We laughed so much as we visited them. Porky is a very funny man. He reminded Johnny that he was a "mummy's boy" and so did Sister O"Brien. Porky loves his Rugby and his son plays on a junior league and is very good.

Porky and his family

We ended our day on a spiritual high as we went to lunch with Sister Candi Coromandel before we left Flaxmere. Sister Coromandel has the strongest faith. She sacrifices so much to care for the missionaries. She is always looking out for them and none of them will ever go hungry with Candi around. She means a lot to Johnny. Candi's 37 year old husband was diagnosed with cancer 4 years ago and died two years later. She is raising their 4 children. She told us that as her husband's condition became worse they shared their testimony of the Plan of Salvation over and over with their children. They wanted their children to understand that earth life is not the end and families are sealed forever to live together once again. Her nonmember family members couldn't understand how their children handled their father's death with such faith. Candi inspired me to recognize how very important the gospel needs to be in my own life each and every day. I will never forget the truths she taught me. Candi is coming to the states in the next year and I hope that I might be able to see her then. We all loved our short stay in the Hawkes Bay region.

Candi and Johnny