Same

 Same old us, same companionship, same place, same calling.  There are heaps of quotes on the value of being different, about the collective good of the many great kinds of differences.  But, sometimes "same" is good too (we really like having the same companion). Sometimes "same" lets us continue on the same course, be steady in what's familiar.  There can be value in the routine and repetition if it helps us remember to do good things and makes us stronger and better. 

 

Every morning as we travel to downtown Auckland we pass heaps of young people dressed the "same"...in their school uniforms.  Each school's uniform is distinct to their school but all the kids wear ONLY the school uniform.  You can apply to be enrolled at the school of your choice here (unless the school had reached enrollment capacity, then if you live in the "home zone" you get priority).   Many are considered boarding schools. 

Westlake school uniforms on-line

Westlake Girls School (the largest girls school in NZ with 2200 enrollment) is just up the road from us in Takapuna.  Their same uniforms.

Even the primary schools have uniforms...all the "same"

web pictures anon.

The same storm (cyclone Gita) that devastated Samoa hit New Zealand this week as a tropical storm.  Did a heap of damage to the bottom part of the North Island and top of the South Island..  Weather has calmed a bit since and is back to 70's, not nealy as humid, and nice.  When you have a nice day of 70 degrees you love many more days of the "same".

The rains from the aftermath of Gita gave us the same things they always do...rainbows.  We never tire of them.

Some of the "same" YSA's that we love in the Takapuna YSA 2nd ward.  Going along with the Olympics theme they had a Family Home Evening of "MINUTE TO WIN IT" type games and we ran the clock (low skill level required).

Another reunion of sorts with some of our "same" folks from home, Elder and Sister Blackburn (on the right...Holbrooks on the left).  Elder Blackburn (Brent) taught at Farmington Junior High with Vance.  The Blackburns finally got their visas and left this week for Fiji to teach vocational education (same class Brent taught at FJH)  at the church school in Fiji.

Some of the same and a quite a few new YSA's at the Otara Stake Institute this week, great young people.  Even a few ties on a week night, that's dedication!

Mt. Roskill Stake Institute YSA's, you gotta love em (and we do)!

Same ocean but new beach...Snell Beach.  Full of happy healthy gulls and very warm water.  

Manurewa Road YSA's.  Getting to know new ones and hanging out with some of the same.  Etena is in the red shirt, she's a "samie" that we get to be with often! 

We get to see the same sun as all of you see daily.  It just take on new looks at Takapuna beach every morning. We can never get enough of the sunrises.

Etena invited us to a Cottage Meeting of one of the groups in the Manakau YSA 1st ward on Friday night.  She is a sister to one of our AIB Institute student, Ofono.  Great young women, great sisters, great students and amazing YSA's...(their dad loves to garden and is growing heaps of Taro.)

We can say the "same" for all of the young people who came that night. One of them recounted a great THOTL story.
 (As I remembered the story): She told how she had grown casual in being faithful and trusting the Lord.  Then one day she was driving down the road far too fast and couldn't make a stop light or turn.  She broadsided a van and the gentleman in the van had to be taken away by ambulance.  She was devastated, frightened and very sorry.  Before he left he told her he forgave her and made a comment that the Lord loved her.  It had a profound effect on her.  She later located the man to check on him, and in the course of the conversation he told her more about the accident.  He never drove home that way but felt impressed to do so that day.  Had he not done so she would have directly hit a very big power pole that was actually blocked by his van in the accident.  He said that would surely have injured or killed her.  She began to see again the Lord's hand throughout her life and made her way back to the "fold" of God.
Sometimes we think we know a better way than the Lord does.  So instead of following the same safe path He has always beckoned us to walk with Him, we choose another path.  In the end (whatever and wherever that "end" may be) we come to realize He was right.   He always is.    

Now and then I will stick in a few of the podium flowers arrangements we see each week at church.  Always heaps of flowers, especially on the podiums at church.

Another THOTL story at the meeting with these flowers. A man shared his story of choosing to leave church activity because his family was involved in a very challenging court battle. He told his family rather than taking their problems to church they should just stop going.  He said his heart became hard and life became hard as well.  Years later through the THOTL and loving people he was helped to see that his answer was not in turning away from the Lord but in turning TO HIM.  He has since found peace in coming back, and he shared a profound statement:When you choose a path,
You choose a destination. 
Our choices will lead us somewhere...we choose that destination by the path we choose.

More church podium flowers.   These are real flowers, but I think the rainbow ones are spray painted.

More podium sprays at another church house...real again.

Back to the Matakana market, same location but new mates (Stosich's),  new vendors and lots of new market fun.

Love all the fresh veggies and fruits.  Same ones I've loved since I ate them smooshed from a Gerber baby food jar as a baby. We're in the middle of the summer here and there's produce everywhere.  Yum! 

Definitely never seen another dog the same as this one...

Nor a zig-zaggy spider web like the one in the upper right hand corner (...maybe we need to get out more)

This sulfur-crested cockatoo was new as well.  It is native to New Zealand.  This bird was with his mate (the boy) entertaining at the market and trying to earn some money for a school trip the young man was hoping to go on. The bird did talk a bit to us..."hello" stuff, and showed us how his powerful beak can do a number on big seed pods.

Vance found a musician with much the "same" love of 70's-80's music groups.  They talked Chicago and Sergio Mendez, and guitars and all kinds of music.  The musician is from England just outside of Liverpool 

YES... this is the SAME Chloe Beus that went to FJH and lived (until a month or so ago) in Farmington Utah!  And she's here in Auckland on a mission and assigned to our Takapuna YSA 2nd ward!  How wonderful is that?!  That's definitely THOTL.  And her sweet dad who passed away several years ago also came on this same mission as a young man!  YES, the Lord is very aware of each of us! 

We have found that whether each day brings much of the same or heaps of different, we are in awe of all the wonders and challenges and blessings Heaven sends our way.  They are full of the same universal truths and come from the same trusted Hand.
We are grateful that His truth, His love for us and His ways are constant and the same. 
"Jesus Christ (is) the same yesterday, and to day and for ever."  - Hebrews 13:8
We are hoping that He can trust us to be the same.

Have a wonderful week,
We love Him and love you,
Elder and Sister Downs
Vance and Louenda