Week 58

YSAs and King of Tonga Plans Travel to SLC

21 September 2025

Hello everyone! We had another great and busy week. Our days are full at the office reporting to and attending to several overwhelmed employees, and now are nights are busy with YSAs. We have temple nights, RS activities, EQ activities, Ward Counsel, FHE every Monday, ward activities, and ministering visits. It's great!

This was missionary FHE game night that we organized for our district in the Area Office.  Let's just say that being set apart as a missionary does not diminish the competitive spirit of some of the missionaries. Kelly and I manned a table of Password. One rotation was with 2 church legal couples. We were laughing so hard at their arguing of rules. "In Canada Fruit Loop is one word." "In Canada Fruit Loop isn't a proper name." I didn't know I couldn't use rhyming words, that word doesn't rhyme." There was a competition who could argue the best. It was highly entertaining and a large volume of un-healthy snacks were consumed.

Following Institute they play games.   I played four rounds of dodgeball and then had to sit out before I passed out.  I haven't used those muscles in a long time.  But the good news is that we won 3 and lost 1.  Victory was sweet.

Our 2 new interns, Trey and Chiara. I like them already. I hope they have a good experience. It's always an adventure.

I don't ever get tired of seeing the Auckland skyline. It is beautiful with the inlet of water around it.

I think I can make it for 5 more months with my family beside me. I should have printed these months ago.  FYI, the other two individual above the pictures are working on the social media post of Sister Johnson and Sister Runia who are in the Pacific right now and traveling the islands.  Our team is with them and sending back the video to be edited so that is can be posted across all the media channels of the Church.

The 2 employee in the back are very talented producers of video graphics. I have learned to appreciate that profession.

We purchased and assembled church history journal kits for some of the units in Papua New Guinea (PNG). They don't have many computers or internet access there, so we are supplying them with what they need to record the history of the church. It is amazing what is going on in that country. I know it is happening in a few other locations around the world. The church is exploding and they can't supply and organize meetinghouses, priesthood leaders, missionaries, and resources to keep up with the grow. Well the Church wants it documented. 

These kits are a trial run. After we dropped them off to the person going to PNG, we thought, how many of those people can read or write. We don't know. It may be an assignment that encourages someone to learn those skills. It's a big world out there.

Another interesting task this week was planning and assisting the hosting department for the Church.   We have 4 people from New Zealand going to October's General Conference and the International Law Symposium.  We are helping to coordinate the travel and the events that will happen while they are in SLC.   

The King of Tonga has agree to attend April Conference along with a tour of Temple Square.   Because it is the King of Tonga, the planning is a little more extensive and detailed in order to make sure we comply with all cultural and tribal protocols for the King of Tonga and the 1st Presidency.  You have no idea how much planning and effort goes into understanding all the cultural issues and the detailed planning of flights, lodging, travel, biographies, events, talking points, invited guests, timing, etc.  

Did you know you have to have 1st Presidency approval to give the family history to a dignitary?  And it is only given by apostles or prophet to Presidents, Prime Minister, Kings and Queens, and Prince and Princesses. It is often leather bound. That is what we were told but I will ask for detail tomorrow and tell you next week.

Such events go a long way in keeping relationships active and allowing for open communication on other sensitive issues such as visa approvals for missionaries and humanitarian work.

We just got back from a temple fireside in our Tongan ward called "Do You Have My Name?" It was so sweet; It had me crying. Everyone that came to the fireside received a name with an ancestor on it. During the program, each reader, dressed in white, told the story of their ancestor that wasn't given the opportunity to hear the gospel while living on earth. At the end of the of their brief history, they would say, "do you have my name?" If you did, you would walk up and the reader would hug and thank you. It was very touching. They also sang beautiful musical numbers between each ancestor story.

These Polynesian people are so warm and loving. They give their heart to everyone they do. It's very endearing. I love them. I feel the Lord's love for them. I know the Lord loves their earnest desires to serve and live the gospel. It's a privilege to be here and experience the love in this ward family. We are going to miss them as we move to our YSA ward.

We love and miss you,

Elder and Sister Shaw