Week 75

Giving Machines Wrap-Up

25 January 2026

Happy Sabbath. Our time remaining is quickly coming to a close and is packed with meetings, "hand-overs", seminar planning, "lasts", and many good bye dinners.

This week completed our work with Giving Machines. Few people understand this product is almost a year-round project. Those that are in involved with GMs know it can be very time consuming. Maybe we feel that way because it is during Christmas. It's just a good thing when the wrap-up event is done. Here are some of the GOOD people involved in NZ Giving Machines.

ALF! We love this man. He is currently not a member of the Church. For now, that is not a bad thing! (Can I say that?) He is doing an amazing job at promoting the church from an outward position. He speaks very highly of the Church's generosity and goodness. More importantly, there isn't a better person with a kinder heart in the world. We love Alf! (He doesn't need a last name. Everyone knows him.)

Elder Jaggi joined us for the wrap-up and presenting the checks to all the charities involved in the Giving Machines.  

Did you know... For 30 years the Church was highly involved in humanitarian work around the world. Then it occurred to the leaders of the Church that we have needs and concerns in our own communities, so Giving Machines were created. They are to bless the lives of those in need in our communities but more importantly they are designed to encourage and inspire the lives of those that give. Because 100% of the proceeds go to the charities, it would be more financially advantageous for the Church to donate to the charities directing. These Giving Machines are for us!

Also did you know...the creator and designer for the digital GM is from Auckland. He is the man sitting with a tan coat and something red on his lapel. He has a sweet arrangement with the Church.:)

These people are great. Most of them run the charities.

This is Ida and Brad Anderson from Mesa Arizona.  It was fun to visit with them about all things Mesa.   They are here serving as the Pacific Area Auditors missionaries.

Takapuna beach Saturday morning races. The weather in this picture looks great, but about 5 minutes later it was pouring rain and strong winds.   It didn't stop the race. They battled on. It was fun to watch. We stopped to watch a kayak race and then they all started swimming. Wow, they are athletes. Distance swimming in cold, windy, choppy water is crazy. 

Stone pizza dinner at the Paul and Irene Rytting's home, (Paul is taking the picture. He is the Chief Legal Council in the Pacific) and Rich and Laura Hunter (Rich is our Public Affairs Manager for the Pacific). Good food and wonderful people. It is hard to explain the scope of the work the Church is involved in through-out the world. It is Church employees like these that make the work of the Church happen in very miraculous ways. These 2 departments have interesting stories!

This dinner was designed for us to thank Rich for being such a great boss, teacher, and mentor. This has been a hard year for him with all the change in our department. He has had to be very adaptable going from writing and editing for Newsroom to the public affairs manager.  

Sunday dinner with Melissa and Jeremy Higgins. Their 2 teenage daughters had to leave quickly for a fireside. Jeremy is the project manager in our department. We love hime and his wife. They are thoughtful, funny, ambitious, and spiritual. Kelly and Jeremy have become great partners in crime at the office.

We miss all of you and we will miss everyone we are leaving behind here.  It's a strange phenomenon. Love isn't replaced. There is always room to love more and more.

We love and miss you,

Elder and Sister Shaw