Constants


Hunua Falls.  98 ft high and the water flow from the Wairoa River and the beauty are known for being constant.   In French some of the meanings of the word "constant" include "perpetual, unfailing" and "steady".  That's a good way to be if you're a waterfall.
President Russell M. Nelson and his two counselors President Oaks and President Eyring


We are grateful for the constancy found in the Lord's gospel and His Church, and for the seamless transition of leadership.  The English word "Constant" is derived from a Latin verb meaning "to stand with".  We "stand with" the Lord's prophet.  We, like you, want to become even more "constant", and ones He can depend upon.



This lone black fern tree is a constant we see every day from the 7th floor of our carpark in downtown Auckland.  Sandwiched in between tall buildings, sometimes hidden from the sun, it still finds a way to be constant and thrive.  An inspiration: you can thrive and be constant even if you are not growing in the best ground. 

Here are a few other old faithful constants in the downtown Auckland forest of high rises.  Speaking of constants, Santa and his reindeer stayed up long after Christmas was over, firm and sunbaked!
The Civic Center with its beautiful Maori designs, another nice touch in many downtown buildings
A wooden carved Marae type arch welcoming folks onto the downtown plaza...this week had some big concerts going for summer.
These are our "constants" for summer semester.  They came to our early morning broadcast of Elder and Sister Uchtdorf's devotional...which was AWESOME...so are these students! 
The amazing "constants" at the Otara Stake Institute.  Love being with these guys!
We really enjoy our monthly FHE with other senior couples here.  Its nice and constant.  This month our FHE was a picnic at Hunua Falls.  We are in this picture with the Thatchers, serving in the NZ Mission Training Center Presidency.  They are the in-laws to one of Vance's former student, Tiffany Bell!  Small wonderful world.
THOTL sweet story this week: One of our students (a return missionary, living in downtown Auckland away from home, trying to make ends meet with a little job, working to go to the university, etc.)  had a tough week this week- hope and food were scarce.  A small group rallied around at the Institute to encourage and buoy this student up.  I notice two YSA's slip out for a bit.  When they came back they had these bags filled with groceries.  They quietly placed them by the struggling student's things.  I know these "angel" students don't have a bunch of money themselves...but they have a bunch of heart and goodwill. 
They are "constants", in all aspects of their lives, but today they were the constant kind of friend who is there no matter what, firm and unfailing.


Some of the constant "Bro's" in the Waterview Stake Institute
Found this fun thing one night...one of the firm "constant" highway pillars holding up one of the motorways near an entrance on Highway 16, is lighted nightly with a Maori flair.  See...you can be constant and still be fun.
Brother Tetoki's (center front) great Institute class at Waterview Stake.

Got to attend a "Pre-Mission" camp at Camp Maynard for YSA's in the Henderson Stake.  Here we are with a few of them.  Pretty awesome camp and even more awesome young people.  They are firm, determined, steady and choosing to "stand with" the Savior.  Saw THOTL many times as they shared their background, conversions stories, and miracles thus far in their lives. Nothing they shared happened by accident.  THOTL is working in everyone's life to get us back home to Him.  

The North star and the southern cross are constants in the sky.  Hopefully you have many constants in your life right now, things that are firm and you can depend on them.  We all hope for family, friends, even health, or maybe a job... 
But those things are not always constant and present in our lives.  We have found that everything that is eternally constant and forever constant...
...is because of and comes from Him...His Universe and His Plan, Truth, Redemption, Forever Families, Salvation, Eternal Life...  He and His message is the greatest constant!
We hope we are found constant and "standing with" Him.  Got a long ways to go but glad to be working on it here in NZ!
We love you,
Vance and Louenda
Elder and Sister Downs
He

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