Happy Mothers Day!

We had a wonderful time helping with the Temple Preparation class in the Ward. This is the class with Bishop Samau and the High Priest Group leader Brother Tapatuetoa, Sister Warn, Brother and Sister Faalogo and Luke Tapatuetoa. We are hoping they will soon be able to enjoy the blessings of the Temple.

Two times a month the Senior couples in the Mission get together and have Family Home Evening with dinner and a program. This last Monday we were able to have Elder S. Gifford Nielsen and his wife come talk to us just before they leave New Zealand for a new assignment. Elder Nielsen is an Area Authority Seventy serving here in the Area Presidency. In case you didn't know, Elder Nielsen was an All American BYU quarterback back in 1977.

I was walking around some stores waiting for Sister Bartlett to get out of a dental appointment with one of the Elders when I came across this in a Butcher shop. Yes, those are pig heads all wrapped up and ready to take home. I didn't buy one, not sure how to cook them.

We had a wonderful Mother's Day dinner put on by the Melchizedek Priesthood brethren and served by the Youth in the Ward. Several Members brought their non-member mothers to enjoy the festivities.

The Youth sang to the Mothers during the program. The food was plentiful and all the Mothers enjoyed it.

We even had a quartet of Priesthood brethren get up and sing "Families can be together forever" to their wives and Mothers.

On Saturday, we were privileged to be able to go to the Hamilton Temple with members of the Ward. We were able to be there to go through the Temple with Sister Warn from our Temple Preparation Class. It was a wonderful day at the Temple and afterwards we finally stopped in Pokano for the famous ice cream cones. I made mine a double decker with Chocolate Mudd and Mango ripple. Yum!

We were mighty tired after the trip and were woken early by some of out children calling to wish Sister Bartlett a happy Mothers Day. Being the dutiful husband, I made her breakfast with blueberry muffins and an omelette. After church I made her steak and shrimp with baked potato and sweet potato. We had two Sisters to dinner with us. Our mission is wonderful and we look forward to hearing from you about your lives. We need more Senior Missionaries in this mission and throughout the world. Well, this is Elder and Sister Bartlett saying poroporoaki (goodbye in Maori).