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 Week 36

"He is Risen!" and Hurricanes

20 April 2025



Happy Easter Everyone and welcome to the Papatoetoes Ward. Sister Burke is on the left and Sister Ali is on the right.   They serve with us in the Papatoetoe 1st ward.  This is our Easter family picture.  Sister Ali has completed her mission and goes home this Thursday and returns to Fiji.  Her story is one we hear often in New Zealand. Missionaries who faithfully serve and then return to their island to extremely difficult circumstances. She is the only member of her family.  She has two siblings and 8 step siblings.  Her step-father is Hindu and has rejected her because she joined the church.  None of her family is willing to take her in when she returns and the family moved across the island while she was gone, so she won't be going home to a ward that knows her. They also live in very humble circumstances. Your heart goes out to such faithful members willing to serve and who make such great sacrifices.  Sister Ali will be missed.


Easter dinner with the Shaw's and Croshaw's. Just take the Cro off and it's dinner with family.




Meet the service missionaries in the Auckland NZ mission. Such great people.They gave the Easter sacrament meeting today and did a great job. The Sister in the light blue dress is Lilly Sloan and she serves with us in the Area Office. She is so capable, pleasant and has a great spirit about her. We are inspired by these people and how committed they are to completing a faithful mission.



Yes, we had a hurricane called Cyclone Tam visit us. Takapuna got a pass-by, it didn't make landfall, but we had 65 mile an hour winds and constant rain for about three days. We walk to the office every day no matter the weather. However, the umbrella took a pretty serious hit. The choice to wear a dress on a cyclone day was questionable. It won't happen again. I ruined my see through, domed "brellie". I kept thinking of the earlier years when our kids would put on their roller blades and grab a large plastic garbage bag and sail down our street in Arizona. It was a perfect day for that!


We thought we would live dangerously and take a walk during the strongest part of the storm to watch the raging sea and flying sea-foam.  During our walk, I was  humming "Master the Tempest is Raging". The waves eventually made it up to the beach houses and over some of the retaining walls.   Good news is that none of the homes were damaged.




I finally figured out why our cute up-stairs neighbor hangs out her clothes right before it rains. She probably wants to wash and dry them. Brilliant!!








When the office is closed and it's raining outside, you go to Escape Rooms. Such a fun activity. I think we would have made it if we hadn't poised for this picture! We made it out in 1 hour and 4 minutes.   There are winners and losers in life and on this day we were losers. However, we won with the company and the great time.


Look what landed in my front yard during the storm, so of course I had to "glean" some of this native fruit called feijoa or pineapple guava. It tastes like a juicy flower.



We decided to bring our district together on Saturday morning for an Easter brunch. We have 36 people (17 couples and 2 single sisters) in our district and about 20 were available for an impromptu breakfast.  It was wonderful.  I've never seen so many toppings for french toast. After a thought provoking devotional, we all sang "Gethsemene" together.  Not many dry eyes during the song.  Easter on a mission is an added level of special.  Maybe it's because we are set apart as a representatives of the Savior and we spend most of everyday working on the Lord's behalf. Maybe it's because of the extra time and effort we, as a church, are focusing on "Greater Love". Maybe it's because we are now old and see life differently. What ever it is, I know and can say "He is Risen"!

We love you and miss you,

Elder and Sister Shaw

Comments

  1. MaryAnnApril 20, 2025 at 2:44 PM

    I love you pictures and reading about your fun adventures as well as the spiritual ones. Sister Ali's story broke my heart. She is a beautiful woman. My important question is what was your Easter dinner menu? I can't figure out the casserole dish with what looks like olives on top. It all looked delicious and you all look great. Happy Easter.

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