Kauri Trees

Today we usually go to help in the community garden but when we got there, we were the only ones there. It looked like there’d been a lot of helpers the day before so even the weeding didn’t need to be done. About once a week, they have a special contingency of inmates from the jail come to work so they must have been there. Since there was no garden work, we decided to hike to the Kauri Grove about a half hour hike up the hill. We’ve been wanting to take this hike for months but its been too wet and muddy.

     Kauri Trees are another species indigenous to New Zealand and just in the northern part of the north island. They can grow over 150 feet tall and even though they grow low-lying limbs, they shed these as they grow taller making their wood of mostly parallel grain. That made them highly sought after for ship building in the 1800’s and early 1900’s. They can also be over 15 feet in diameter and live up to 1000 years!

Most harvesting of these trees has now ceased and the remaining groves are protected by law. We happen to have a grove of 20-30 trees just outside of town up a very steep trail. But the walk was worth it. Here is a view of town from the grove:

 and I made Elder O’Neal pose for one:

 And it's still only spring!    

Kia Ora, Elder and Sister O’Neal

A Youth Baptism!

Last Sunday, we had the first youth baptism in the Group. The Group Leader's young son Eliott was baptized at Egan's Park, a beautiful camping spot on a dirt road about 15 minutes from our home. We drove up the week before with the family to check out a couple of different options including the ocean and decided on this spot. The water was a rather chilly 14oC. (57F.) But Eliott was still excited and said he didn't mind. Here are a few pictures of the occasion:

They are a beautiful family and probably what makes it possible for us to even have a group here. Then following that wonderful occasion, we actually had a week where not one appointment cancelled!! That was incredible. We have pretty much decided that missionaries need to plan on at least 50% of their expected dates not coming through. We always try to have back-up plans for our time. But last week was not like that. We had one meeting where the non-member husband came late but we had a good long chat with the member-wife. We had one where the wife ended being busy but the husband came over here for a self-reliance lesson. And then we had a family that showed up an hour late but at least they came, for dinner and a lesson on agency. It was such a good week. That along with a visit to Joy in the care center, working in Sue's garden, having an amazing zone conference, getting to help the Higgins repair a rental unit, sewing etc, etc. We are keeping busy and happy.
And who could complain about the beauty that surrounds us everywhere we go:

These apple trees were lining the road on the way home from Zone Conference.
Kia Ora, Elder and Sister O'Neal