The Pacific Post

  Week 15 Giving Machine Week! 22 November 2024 It was a Giving Machine week. We met will the 4 charitable organizations in Hamilton that are being spotlighted in the Hamilton giving machine. This company is called Waterboy and provides athletic gear for children that can't afford it. Angie, (to the right) who is our intern from BYU, filmed them while we asked questions. Angie is putting together a video to go on Facebook using the Church Light the World guide material. You see them everywhere.  The Church provides the music and the clip of the machines being used, and we provide the interview portion. That was probably more than you wanted to know. I have learned a lot, even what a B roll is.:) The biggest Nutella container I've ever seen! Next, we went to the ribbon cutting for Auckland's Giving Machines. These kind people are UNICEF representatives. UNICEF is a global partner. There are 4 local and 2 global for every location. Their committee has agreed to come to the Au...

 Week 14 Tonga Take-Aways 17 November 2024 This week we fell in love with Tonga and the Tongan people. What a kind, fun-loving, easy to laugh, friendly, family-strong, faithful people. These 2 girls are 16. They have one more year of high school. Today was high school graduation so it was one big party all over town. Students were in groups talking and eating in their darling uniforms. We learned that each school has a color. The school is painted that color and the students wear that color. Most girls have jumpers like these but we saw shirts and skirts also. Boys have shirts in their color with black pants. On Wednesday they can wear what they would like because it is wash day.:) Most everyone was friendly when we stopped to talk to them. I introduced ourselves and ask if they have heard about the Church of Jesus Christ and most of them said, we are member too. About half of Tongan are members of the Church, but...many, many are not active. The fruit and vegetable market in the c...

 Week 13 Prayers From The Cook Islands November 10, 2024 We are on assignment this week in the Cook Islands. I had to say that to make it sound official. We are on assignment, but what a beautiful assignment. Every year in November, all of the religions come together for an inter-faith prayer meeting to ask God to protect them during their cyclone season which it between November to March. Then, in April they come together again to thank the Lord for protecting them, their "Thanksgiving". It is such a beautiful tradition. I interviewed an older sister today after church, and she told me how the tradition started. When Cyclone Sally hit the island, all the Church mothers gathered together in white dress to pray for those that were suffering. Over time the tradition and prayers changed to include everyone on the island and to ask for a prayer of protection. We took the district president and his wife to dinner to learn more about his role. A leader or pastor from each religion ...

 Week 12 2025 Planning in Wellington November 3, 2024 Kia Ora Everyone, Our weeks are getting busier!! We love it. We have been out on our mission for almost 3 months and we now have a to-do list at the office. This week we traveled to Wellington to cover a church anniversary fireside and attend an area planning meeting. Anniversary Fireside: We have learned that you can only take pictures of general authorities and share them, with permission. We received permission for this picture.  Kelly wrote 3 different stories this week about the anniversary of the church in New Zealand. 1. 170 Anniversary of the Church in New Zealand 2. Ancient Huia Feather Found and Restored (I think you need to Maori to appreciate this one) 3. 1888 Original Manuscript of the Book of Mormon in Maori Found It was a busy week for Kelly. He worked with the head of the Church Historical Museum on these stories, so there was a lot of back and forth communication. We are happy that the stories are now to th...