The Love of a Prophet of God!

Sometimes Missionaries are here just temporarily while they wait for the Visas to their respective Missions. Such was the case with Elder Powell who is headed for Adelaide, Australia. He was a pleasure to have him for a short time. You may notice the decorations in the background. They do celebrate the Chinese New Year here since there is quite a number of Chinese immigrants.

Here is another evidence of the Chinese New Year. They were having a lantern festival in a downtown park. We didn’t have time to go but we drove through and took some pictures.

On our journey through life, sometimes we have to pause and look around us and see the wonders that our Father in Heaven works. For those of you shivering from the cold. We are on the other side of the world and flowers are still blooming.

We have had a wonderful couple of Zone Conferences and have heard the inspired words of our Mission President. Here some of the Elders do a farewell Haka for Elder Taranaki one of our Assistants who will be going home to New Zealand this next transfer. Yes he just lives a few blocks out of our Mission in Manurewa.

We also have the wonderful opportunity to have a special Missionary Conference in which Elder Clayton, Senior President of the Seventy came to speak to the Missionaries. After shaking hands with all the Missionaries he said that in the Temple, President Nelson gave them the specific assignment to tell us that he loved us. He indicated that the Covenants made to Abraham by the Lord were being fulfilled since right in our Mission many nations are represented. As it says in Mosiah 3:20 "And moreover, I say unto you, that the time shall come when the knowledge of a Savior shall spread throughout every nation, kindred, tongue, and people." There are Missionaries and people here in New Zealand from countries I can’t even point out on a map. How about Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Nuie, the Cook Islands, or Kiribati. The Lord loves his people from all over the Earth.

On another note, we are kind of waiting for another Cyclone to hit New Zealand. The last one hit way south of us, so we didn’t get much but a lot of rain. Don’t know how this one will be. We will let you know once it comes. I guess it's time to say so long for now. We love you all and pray that the Lord will bless you and keep you. Love Elder and Sister Bartlett.