Week 50

Recording Artists and Light the World

28 July 2025

Hello all! How are you enjoying your 100 degree weather? Just a little jealous. That sounds heavenly. We are cold 40-50s and rainy almost everyday. It's feels damp and windy most days. The interesting thing is my hair isn't frizzy like California. I'm so grateful, but I don't understand it. It's rainy and we are by the ocean but it doesn't smell/feel like a salty ocean.  It is a small discomfort to enjoy the beauty all around.

We had a great week this week!

Merry Christmas! July is the month that we start Light the World "Experience the Light". This is our ideation meeting for Light the World. Jeremey is the one at the boards. He is the project manager for this campaign. (We love working with Jeremy. He invited us to his home for Sunday dinner 2 weeks ago with his wife and 2 daughters. Love them.) We threw everything up on the board, small ideas and big ideas. Have noticed after a suggestion is made and someone says, "no idea is a bad idea", it really is a bad idea. Haha. I'm learning so many things in the business world. Someone suggested a drone show with nativity scenes. Our big-boss, Hatu said, "ya, no." (Hatu is the one in the back by the camera. He is great. Very decisive, funny, and a people-person. He likes Kelly. They talk too much.) I'm sitting between the 2 interns. I'm always asking them what they think because I think we need to gear our media to young people. They have great ideas so I am always trying to get them to share.) The outcome of the meeting was a campaign that creates videos of people around the Pacific answering the question: "How have you experienced the light of Christ?" Stay tuned.

Elder Shaw and I had a once in a lifetime experience (OK second time for me) of recording in a studio. It was very fun. Elder Shaw even loved it. The real talent in the room is Daniel Nathan with the guitar. He is a sound producer for our department and is one of the best guitarist if seen and heard. He can play any song (not just cords, but picking) and has a great voice. The 3 of us recorded the accompaniment for a song that Rich Hunter wrote.  That is the same studio that we use to record videos for social media, Area Presidency, podcasts, music, etc, etc.   

Takapuna Light Festival. Takapuna has a fun tradition. It doesn't have anything to do with a holiday but they provide interactive light displays one weekend in July. Did you know if you spin cotton-candy on a LED light stick, your cotton candy will glow. It almost looks appetizing.

Flags in the back is the Auckland MTC.

We try to get to the new Auckland Temple as often as we can. The Auckland Temple is beautiful and the members have done a great job of getting involved.  We have some in our ward that are doing two or three shifts a week as temple workers. It is so fun to see how much the members love the temple.

 This week, Launette was asked to help with the GTPAF (General Temple Patron Assistance Fund), it is probably the most impactful use of Church funds. Members who live a long way from the temple and can't afford to travel are helped with dedicated funds to attend the temple and get their own endowments and be sealed. Miracles happen with those experiences and lives are changed.   Many of the people that come don't have electricity in their homes, no running water, have never been on a plane, and they get a chance to come to New Zealand and be endowed and sealed. A miracle. Don't take for granted how close a temple is to you. More about that later.  

We have a UNICEF inter-faith dinner we are putting on for 56 religious leaders this week. More about that to come.  Leaders of every faith are coming to learn more about how UNICEF and the Church work together to bless those in need.   

We miss you and pray for you.