January 12, 2011
I absolutely love this quote. For our Assessment class, Brother Jacobs had us read a BYU Speech by Gregory Clark entitled "Some Lessons on Faith and Fear". I learned so much from this. In it, he shares the quote "It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry." from Gordon B. Hinckley. It is so simple and so powerful. But basically from the speech I gained a better understanding of faith and fear. Fear works directly against our faith. I really like how he says that fear has the power to eventually cancel out the faith that would enable me to move ahead with confidence, knowing that with the Lord's help I can change myself and even the circumstances around me for the better. And faith has the power to overcome and even eliminate fear.
This experience, though I know it has only been one week, is going to be one of the hardest experiences, but also one of the best. I am so happy to be here, but I am ready to be adjusted and just used to everything. I am out of my comfort zone, that is for sure. My life has drastically changed from my life in Provo. But I know that this is a good thing. I know that when I have faith in my Heavenly Father and know that he is with me, I can overcome any fear I have. I cannot live in fear.
How beautiful is this?! Seriously, THIS is where I live! On Friday, Carla, Noah, Katie and I walked to McDonald's to get some ice cream after dinner, and got to look at this all the way home.
I should have put this picture first, but oh well. This is just at one of the parks close by our house. Katie and I went bush walking (hiking) with Carla and Noah, and we wanted a picture with the cutest boy EVER. Carla snapped the picture right as Noah sneezed. You can't really tell because this is too small, but he is making the funniest face. I love it!
So yesterday (Tuesday) after school, Alice just picked Katie and me up from the church because she was going to go pick up Noah, and we were going to head to the store, but ended up doing something much more exciting :) Alice showed us all around the city! It's neat how close everything really is. Just ten minutes up the motorway (freeway) and we're in Auckland pretty much. So we picked up Noah, and drove around looking at Mission Bay, a place we'll go at some point, and she also pointed out this island, Rangitoto, that you can only get to by ferry. Apparently it is an amazing hike up to the top. It is a reserve, so there is no commercialism on the island. That is definitely something on my to-do list!
We drove all along the waterfront where they have a running/biking trail. I want to run along it at some point! It is so amazing. You have this gorgeous blue water that goes on forever on one side, and then the city on the other side. Alice drove us up this street that I can't remember the name of, but it is where all the multi-million dollar houses are. They have the BEST view I have ever seen in my life. Look at this:
The picture does not even do it justice, but can you imagine looking out your glass house every morning and seeing THIS? It would be incredible. Also, I was asking Alice what the weather is like in the winter time, and she said that it is pretty much the same, just a bit rainier. So if you lived here, it would be views like this with a five minute walk to the beach year-round. I could live with that...
Ok, so back to the picture of Katie and me...after we drove down by the waterfront, we drove up to this historic site, the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial, where they erected an oblisk in his honor. It is surrounded by a sunken pool and beautiful gardens of flowers. He was the first Labor Prime Minister of New Zealand. It is such a beautiful memorial, and we got some amazing pictures overlooking the waterfront and the city.
This is at the top of the memorial, and the island in the background is Rangitoto! We really are so lucky to be living with Alice. She is so willing to drive us all around, using up all her petro (gas) to show us her beautiful city. Oh holy cow, gas is SO expensive here. 1.97 per liter!! We cannot complain! But we are so happy because we are getting starting to really get to know where we are and what we want to do while we are here.
Also at the top of the Memorial- there is Auckland!
So Alice pointed out to us the New Zealand Christmas tree, the Pohutukawa. Most of the blooms have fallen, but we were able to find a few!
Ok, so that was Wednesday night. Tonight we had a get together with all of us and our families at Whitney and Emily's house. It was a lot of fun! It was a big pizza/pasta night, and Alice made this amazing summer pasta salad. She loves to cook, and she is so great at it! Seriously, every single thing we have had is just wonderful. We're pretty lucky! Anyway, it was so great to just hang out with the girls and continue getting to know everyone. It's been hard because we are in school from 8-3 with just a 45 minute lunch break, so that doesn't give us much time to really get to know each other. But only two weeks left after tomorrow! And then QUEENSTOWN!!! I am SO excited for that.
This weekend we are going to Mission Bay, a place Alice showed us Tuesday afternoon. There is this really fun market she pointed out that we really want to go to with lots of little boutiques, along with laying by the beach! We just have to figure out the bus systems...but it'll be fun!
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