We have run the gamut of emotions during these last couple of weeks. We started off by having two Sisters bikes stolen from their shed behind their flat. It seems that thieves are watching our Missionaries and know right where they can obtain their bicycles. So far we haven’t seen the bicycles nor heard from the police any news concerning the bicycles. We have been blessed so far that more bicycles have not been stolen. We have quite a few bicycles out there and from what we have witnessed the Missionaries are not too careful about locking them up. Enough said about that because there are so many things to be thankful for.
We are thankful for butterflies that God has given us. With all their beauty they help the plants and food to grow. They fly around and catch our eye because they are so ornately adorned. That is not by chance. That is a Miracle.
We are thankful for all of the variety of plant life we find here in New Zealand. That didn’t just appear in a Big Bang. That is a miracle from God! These beautiful flowers and the elegant pine tree. They are miracles!
Who can look upon this scene and say that there is no God or that he doesn’t care about us. It is a marvellous Miracle that he has given us. We must acknowledge his hand in our lives because like our earthly fathers He loves us and wants us to have joy and happiness.
God gives us so much variety like the Hunua Falls pictured here. These things are all amazing and miraculous. They give us joy and happiness. Even with all this beauty there is even more miracles.
He gave us minds and talents to be creative ourselves so that we could create beauty of our own like these items that take wood and shells and imagination to create something beautiful.
Or we can create something fanciful and interesting like this little bike puzzle that draws interest. We liked it because we take care of the bikes for the mission.
It is a miracle that so many of these Elders, without the instructions were able to put up and take down this canopy. Whoever created such a thing must have been a mechanical genius.
It is a miracle that we get to work with such wonderful people like Elder and Sister Clarke who quietly serve the Lord wherever they are called. They are from South Auckland by way of Samoa and were called to serve close to home. They finish their Mission this month, so they will be leaving us. We found out that Sister Clarke has some Scottish ancestry and that both of us are distant cousins to her. We will miss them dearly.
We want to tell you of some other miracles we have witnessed. We had just given a bike to a Young Missionary who had been in the Mission field for 4 days. As we were leaving we stopped at an intersection and saw him and his companion in their suits riding to an appointment. His companion was in front of him by about 10 metres. As we watched a car pulled from behind a building right in front of him. There was no time for him to brake so he swerved around the front of the car and into the street and promptly crashed in the street. We were awestruck and quickly drove over to see if he was ok. By that time he was up and walking his bicycle along the sidewalk. We put his bike on the car and him inside and began to examine him for injuries. Not a scratch was on his hands or anywhere on his body. His suit was not torn. He did have a little soreness but everything was ok. This came to our mind: Doctrine and Covenants 84:88 “And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” That day the angels did bear him up for that was a miracle!
One more story to end this blog. There is a Missionary from Fiji who was waiting for his Visa to go to his Mission field in Papua, New Guinea. Before he left Fiji he got a nasty cut on his foot which subsequently healed up. On short notice he was told to pack his bags and report to the Mission Training Center in Auckland, New Zealand. He quickly packed and took a bus to the airport many miles from his home. When he arrived at the Mission Training Center in Auckland he started to feel sick and finally asked to be taken to the Hospital. They found that he had infection through his blood stream and they started him on an antibiotic intravenous drip. Had he stayed in Fiji for a few more days without the proper care he needed he would have died. The Lord knew where he needed to be to get the care he needed. That was a Miracle! He will be going to New Guinea soon and is all healed up and bears a strong Testimony about his miracle.
The greatest miracle we have is that of our family and friends. Our ten wonderful children and their spouses. Our 29 beautiful grandchildren and all that the Lord still has in store for us. We love you all and pray for Miracles in you lives. Love Elder and Sister Bartlett.
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