Masts

This is one of our favorites, in the Maritime Museum corner of the Auckland Harbor, of the hundreds and even thousands of sailing boats and ships that make port there.  We are always in awe of the tall masts. 

A bit we know about about "Masts":

*Masts are the tall, center support for things like sailing ships.  

*On the deck of a sailing ship you look UP to see the mast.  

*On the top of a mast is where you most often find hoisted the flag or ensign of the ship. 

*In a fleet of ships, the biggest and most important ship is called the “Flagship”.  It carries not only the flag or ensign on the mast, but also the captain or commander.

NZ web archives photo

Some of the huge trees here made great masts on the big sailing ships of the past like this New Zealand ship from the 1800's.   The skill of sailors blows us away as we watch those who have mastered sailing and can go any direction on just a one-direction wind.  

Two important masts in NZ have been taken from their place on ships and are now monuments of sorts. This mast hoists the 3 flags of New Zealand at the NZ National Waitangi Treaty grounds. 
web photos nz above below

The other, this one on Flagstaff (Maiki) Hill across the bay from the Treaty Ground in the north Bay of Islands near Russell, originally flew the Union Jack in 1840.  It was cut down 5 times by Maori chief Hone Heke when he was angry over the Treaty of Waitangi and things in the treaty. Finally in 1858 there was peace and the 5th flagstaff was erected by Maori and named "Whakakotahitanga"..."being at peace with the Queen"  

Flags flying on tall masts can inspire feelings of patriotism, not just to the folks in New Zealand but all over the world.  

web photo

We'll never forget the stirring feelings seeing old Glory hoisted on a tall flagpole above Fort McHenry near Baltimore, Maryland, where the Star Spangled Banner was written. It spoke patriotic volumes. 

Masts, flagpoles and ensigns...

web photo

There was another song written in the 1800’s about another banner, this one an ensign hoisted on a hill, called Ensign Hill. 

“High on a mountain top, a banner (a flag, an ensign) is unfurled, 

Ye nations now look up it waves to all the world... “ LDS Hymn book p 6 

The song was written by a “mast” in my own family, Great Great Grandpa Joel Hills Johnson, about the ensign of the restored gospel being hoisted as a long awaited standard.

Sometimes flags are flown at "half-mast" when one who has been a center pole, leader, and support, a "mast" of sorts, has passed away. Vance’s Uncle Lynn Francom’s funeral was this past week, he was a great center pole in the Downs and Francom family and will be greatly missed. 

We all have those that are "masts" to us, a hero, a friend, a wise parent or counselor that we look "UP" to.  There comes a time and a place where maybe it is our turn to be a "mast" of sorts for someone.   

Moms and dads are "masts", the glue and the flagpole/ensign that their little crew depends on to keep the flag hoisted, the sails up and the ship afloat in all kinds of weather.  

 Like Louisa May Alcott says, don't fear, just learn to sail. 

Someone needs you, you can do it!

A few other "masts" we have observed this week:

We think of the Sky Tower as the "mast" of the flagship Auckland. 

The Zirka Circus "mast" on their flagship tents here in NZ

These little sweethearts Mizpah and Hinelay thought Elder Downs was a "mast"...they kept looking up and saying "wow...you are so tall, you are SO tall!!"  (I think they thought you just keep getting inches with age because they kept asking him as well "How old ARE you?")

Another plug that to view a "Mast", you must look UP.

In our travels as well this week:

Wonderful Mary Stosich was our "mast"erful teacher and speaker at Lunchside, reminded us what a blessing the Sabbath Day really is!

Back home we have good gardeners and then we have masterful or MASTER gardeners, those who know how to make the water and the soil and the light grow amazing things.  Here we find incredible things growing everywhere and think maybe there are not designated master gardeners, but maybe its just that the Master is the gardener.  

Flowers even when it gets colder.  Love it.

(my geraniums never dreamed of being 5 ft high)

The ivy has a great tendency to reach UP.

Lots of impatiens flourish through the winter here.

These next four photos are all camellias.  Pretty prolific everywhere this time of year.  The one above is "japonica" 

This one is a sasanqua variety.

these two are both japonica...cool huh?

web photo

Needed to go to the woodcarver Jiries Giacaman for some awards, and his aloe vera "tree" is in bloom.  Jiries and Marcelle have green thumbs, the signature of masterful gardeners.  Well, Jiries has one green thumb...his other thumb had to have some surgery last week from all his woodcutting.

The Giacaman's picked us heaps of mandarins, feijoa's and clementines...mmm!

Their orchard

Ah, to have your citrus breakfast drink growing in your backyard!

THOTL:  We really love to study and watch the work of the MASTER.  We had a cute YSA bring her Christian friend (not LDS) to one of our classes.  We talked about how the spirit works and about gifts of the spirit.  This young woman was visibly touched, loved reading the associated scriptures, contributed to the discussion, and said she really felt something.  It was visible.  The MASTER is pretty amazing and loves to touch lives and nurture the seeds rookie gardeners try to plant. 

Another "mast" here in NZ is the spire of the Hamilton temple. We got to attend again this past week.  For us, it keeps us centered and reminds us WHO and what FLAGSHIP we look to for support, for our ensign, and our Captain. 

  

web - Arnold Freiberg painting

The ultimate MAST and MASTER, who ought to be the Captain of, not only the flagship, but all of the ships big and small in the fleet, is the MASTER Himself, 

"the MASTER of ocean and earth and skies" (Master the Tempest is Raging Hymn p.105),

 the wind and the waves know and obey Him.  We must too.  

Of Him, our Savior and Redeemer, we testify.

All our love, 

Elder and Sister Downs

Vance and Louenda