Written by Faye:

Today was our first Sunday back at church in the Auckland ward! There were lots of happy people there and much rejoicing!! The first presidency has authorized the congregations in New Zealand to attend church meetings together with no restrictions. It’s been 23 days now with no new Coronavirus cases. As of Friday, according to Carter’s COVID-19 report, there’s a 95% chance that New Zealand is free from COVID-19! It’s been 14 weeks since we last went to church in our building, which was on March 15th. I hugged some of those sweet ladies and shook hands with many of the members. It felt good… but a little weird. There are now hand sanitizer dispensers around the building that weren’t there before and they asked us to use them. That is probably going to be our new normal.

Tears came as we sang the opening hymn, “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet, to guide us in these latter days…”. I love President Nelson. I want to follow him. I felt an extra measure of gratitude for my Savior as I took the sacrament with my ward family. I can’t adequately describe how good and right that felt. I have missed it.  We heard from 5 missionaries who have either been sent back from their missions or have not been able to return to their own country. There were 2 sisters from the Kiribati islands, one sister from New Zealand, sent home from her mission in the Philippines, one elder from Chile and one from New Zealand who was sent home from Ecuador. Their testimonies were filled with hope, knowing that the Lord is in charge. I felt deeply the words to the closing hymn… “Redeemer of Israel, our only delight…”. I have missed those hymns…singing them with my ward family. We only had sacrament meeting today and next week we will start the 2 hour block again. Many mingled afterward just being together and catching up on family news. Many of the members were surprised that we were still here, assuming we had been sent home. I’ve said these things before but I’m going to say them again…..What a blessing to still be serving when many senior missionaries had to go home. New Zealand is amazing and we are so blessed to be here. New Zealand it a great place to be in a pandemic!

We went to visit Valda after church and took her a gospel principles manual and Joseph Smith story pamphlet that she asked for. Some one told me that she is very picky about who visits her but she’s always happy whenever we come. We have never felt unwelcome. She asked for a blessing because she’s having knee problems. She also asked to have a prayer with us before we left. She said the prayer, telling us afterward that she feels funny praying by herself. She likes to pray when other people are with her. She’s so funny… last time we visited her, she asked us to bring Brad Pitt when we come back. Today when she saw me through the sliding glad door, she yelled, “Did you bring Brad Pitt?” I pointed to Carter. He’s pretty darn close. 

With all the joy of going back to church comes the little sadness of the end of our beautiful bubble. That is one of the highlights of the pandemic for me. I will never forget our gospel discussions with Kate & Marie and partaking of the sacrament in Marie’s home. I will remember those times for the rest of my life. They are sacred to me. I felt like we needed to take a family picture and celebrate one last time with our pandemic family bubble. I want to remember….. On Saturday we all went out to eat at a Thai restaurant and did get a family picture. I love those ladies. They are warriors. If I ever have to live my life for a while as a widow on this earth, I want to be like them. I want to emulate their example of service, perseverance and dedication to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We still play games in the evening sometimes and today they are coming over for Sunday pancakes.

Have you had the experience of doing something really wonderful or experiencing something really hard and then when it’s over, you ask yourself… did that really happen? Was that a dream? Did I really do that? I’ve had those thoughts today about our past experience with this pandemic. It DID really happen! The lingering hand sanitizer dispensers in our apartment building, grocery stores and now church building are proof of that. It’s not quite over for much of the rest of the world and there’s the possibility of a 2nd wave, but for now it feels like it’s the beginning of it being over in our world. Having said that… we are still not back in the office, but it’s coming soon. I’m super happy working from home. I am not one who enjoys getting dressed up each weekday to go in to the office. If we have to work from our apartment for the rest of our mission… it’s fine with me.

We have been praying for our Tucson temple to be protected from the fire on the mountains around it. I know there are many praying for that same thing. So far, it looks like it will be OK.

We just watched the groundbreaking program for the new Auckland temple. If you are interested, there’s a virtual choir number that is pretty amazing! It comes at about 30:20 minutes into the program. You can find it on this site: https://pacific.churchofjesuschrist.org

Written by Carter:

 We had a nice Zoom Family Home Evening with the other senior missionaries. Everyone told a summary of how they met and something about their mate that others may not know. I said that Faye is a really good whistler…like her dad! Last night we played some new games with two other couples (Resistance and Werewolf). I sure do love serving with these other good couples! I’m grateful for the technology that has permitted us to “meet” with one another during the lockdown…but am also grateful that the pandemic has eased enough here that we can now meet in person!
   

The sister missionary that was bitten on the face by the dog is doing better; she is healing nicely. The area mental health advisor told me that, when she talked with the missionary, she was thinking of a way to serve the owners of the dog that bit her! There’s an amazing attitude for you!
   

When I was about 15, our Sunday School class was quite rowdy. We ran off several teachers. Lonnie Hawkins was then called…and he subdued us with appropriate boundaries, the pure love of God, and teaching correct doctrine. One of the speakers in October 2019 General Conference mentioned the leaders who had influenced his life for good…and I thought of Lonnie. I’ve been trying to find a way to contact him since then. I finally was able to get his number from his brother, Deryl, who is a year older than me. Lonnie lives in the Phoenix area. I called him and we had a nice chat. I told him “thank you” for his influence in my life.

I continue to be grateful for my eternal companion (and best missionary companion), Faye. I feel like our marriage is growing stronger as we serve together. I’m grateful for her love, her faithfulness and her desire to do what is right.

President Nelson has asked us to notice and record how we follow God’s invitation to hear His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. As I mentioned last week, one of the ways I “Hear Him” is through memorizing significant scriptures and proclamations from His living apostles. Another way is to learn more about Christ’s great atoning sacrifice for all the world…including me. This week, I finished listening to “The Infinite Atonement” by Tad R. Callister. That is a profound book, one I cannot recommend too highly. I am grateful for that Atonement, which makes the Father’s plan possible. I also “Hear Him” through my patriarchal blessing, which I received when I was 17 years old. Several years ago, I committed it to memory. This week, I have been re-memorizing it. What profound promises and counsel have come to me through that blessing. It is another evidence to me that God knows me and loves me and desires only the best for me. To see the blessings promised over 40 years ago come to pass…sometimes again and again…is a humbling experience. I am grateful that I can continue to learn and grow during this lifetime; I will never know it all. I am grateful to better come to know He who DOES know it all…God.   

Alma chapter 9 highlights the importance of remembering. One of the manuals I used to study this chapter encouraged me to make a short list of significant spiritual experiences I have been privileged to have and then asked the question, “What blessings might come from regularly reviewing these lists and continually adding to them?” This exercise was a wonderful blessing for me; I commend it to you.

This week I have also re-memorized Ether 12:27, where God promises to help make my weak things become strong…through the grace of Christ and my humility and faith in Him.

Our Venezuelan “son” and his family continue to take the lessons and plan to be baptized July 4. The lockdown in Peru has been very difficult for them; both parents have lost their jobs. The local members are helping them find work. It has been humbling to see their faithfulness, cheerfulness and concern for others who have even less than they do. I am so proud of them!

I watched the 1960 Disney version of Pollyanna, with Hayley Mills. I have heard Pollyanna’s name used as a caricature for someone who is unrealistic in their optimism. I didn’t get that out of this portrayal: she was a sincere young girl who looked for the good in others and in life’s situations. It was a very uplifting movie for me. Was it “realistic”? No…but how many movies really are? Think of the adventure films where the “good guy” always wins, doesn’t get shot (or gets minor wounds), etc. The point is entertainment and sometimes (as in Pollyanna) to teach us moral principles.    For those who want to send us cards and letters, you can do that through a “pouch” in Salt Lake City. It will take 3-4 weeks to arrive, but you will only have to pay US postage. You just can’t send packages to this address. The pouch address is: Elder and Sister Mayberry, Pacific Area Pouch, 50 East North Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150.

The last portion was written by Carter