Rotorura - July 3, 2013

It was an early start this morning but it was ok because I went to bed at like 9 or 9:30 PM last night.  I was so exhausted. And I am on a bit of a strange schedule.  It get's dark here at about 5:30 and I feel like it is late and time for bed.  I think that is left over jet-lag/season lag.  I'm used to it being late when it get's dark.   I got up and got ready and then walked to the center of town, it took me about a half an hour.  Then I got on the bus that took me to Hamilton and from the bus station in Hamilton I hired a taxi to take me to the New Zealand Temple.  I made it just in time to join in on the 10 AM worship session.  When the session was over I had about an hour and a half before the taxi returned to take me back to the bus station.  It was raining, but I tramped around and took a few pictures anyway. 

I spent some time in the Visitor’s Center across the street from the temple.  There was a senior missionary couple working there and the brother, Elder Baker, told me quite a bit about the history of the church in New Zealand.  It was so fascinating.  During the 19^th Century when New Zealand was being colonized there were many protestant ministers and missionaries that came to NZ to teach and convert the Maori people.  The Maori people were confused because these different sects all claimed to believe in the Bible but couldn’t agree on many points of doctrine (very similar to the experience of young Joseph Smith).  The Maori went to their Elders for advice.  After some time of pondering and prayer the Elders returned to the people and told them that they would know the true church of God because those teaching would come in pairs and they would come speaking our language and they will come and live among us and like us.   Well, the Mormon missionaries came in pairs (as we always do).  They came and learned the Maori language - protestant missionaries taught the Maori to speak English.  And instead of coming and building Mission settlements the Mormon missionaries came and lived among the Maori.  As the Maori people saw the fulfillment of the words of their Maori Elders they flocked to the Mormon missionaries and many joined the church.  It is so glorious to me to hear about how those who are truly seeking truth from God will find it.

The return bus was late and took a different and, of course, longer route so it was dark when I got back to Rotorua and everything was closing.  I walked back to my hotel and didn’t feel like cooking so I ordered room service dinner (which I have done only one other time in my life – too cheap to do it most days).  Then I ended the day with a Rotorua volcanic mud facemask and a dip in my private geothermally heated hot tub.  If volcanic mud can grow trees out of fence posts I thought I would see what it can do for my face.  Hopefully, I won’t grow another one, but just rejuvenate the one I have.