This week was filled things like with a trip to the Temple, a Passover celebration, Good Friday, Easter and General Conference.  But we are not supposed to share our take on any of that this week for some reason.  This will be simple.  If you are already on line then the very best way you could spend your time right now is to go to  www.lds.org and listen to a minute or an hour or a session or a review of an LDS April 2018 General Conference talk.  No missionary blog could even come close to testifying more profoundly of Him.   He lives.  Read or listen to His words through His prophets this week.  We testify it's truth. We'll be back. Love, Vance and Louenda Elder and Sister Downs

All of us have weeks, sometimes months, even years where life is so full you forget to stop, look up , and even breathe (when you get caught in that, you miss heaps of great things, like sky and clouds and air).   Because its been one of those here, the wise man of this pair said maybe this is a good week to pick some things and  "let it go"...  So this blog may be more of a simple lick and a promise with some photos of NZ web site lordani0512 The motto for the week, thanks Elsa. Edward John Poynter artist 1867 Seemed an appropriate week to "Let it go" as we are studying the Exodus and working on hosting a celebration of  "LET US GO" and Passover at our Institute (hence some of the intense schedule).  Its all good, or will be soon.    At first we tried this, thinking we could do it all if we stayed up all night... but the wise man Vance insisted we "Let it Go". Let me Go.  Meet little 9 year old Isaiah from the Papatoetoe 1

ZOO Lujan At the recent YSA Fireside with Elder L. Whitney Clayton and his wife, Sister Clayton told of her visit to one of the zoos in the area when they lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina called ZOO Lujan. All the animals in this zoo were in enclosures where you could go in and pet them. Including the Lions! She said it was quite an experience to pet a lion and these lions seemed okay to be petted. Then after she had petted the lions she noticed something she hadn't been aware of at first in lion enclosure, there were little yappy dogs in the enclosure with the lions, nipping at lions heels and following the lions everywhere they went. She asked about the dogs and learned that when the lions were tiny cubs the dogs were put in the cages with them. At that time the dogs 🐶 were bigger than the cubs and the cubs were afraid of them. These controlling little dogs had groomed these lions to do what, and be where, the dogs wanted them to, whether out of fear or habit. It appeared t