Worth fighting for...

Today marks 11-11-11 (Nov. 11 at 11:00 a.m.) of 1918, 100 years since the Armistice of Compiegne, the WWI ceasefire signed by the Allies of WWI and Germany. 

Both New Zealand and the United States were part of the Allies.   

We visited the Auckland War Memorial and its reminders of this day with its thousands of white memorial crosses for those from NZ who gave their life in that conflict.

wikipedia image - signing of the Armistice of Nov. 11, 1918 in Compiegne France

The ceasefire led to the formal end of the war and the 1919 Treaty of Versailles. 

We also visited a rose garden, spring blooming season is in full swing…and appropriately the “Peace Roses” are especially nice.


More of the rose gardens, blood red and peace roses.

Auckland Domain War Memorial and Museum

This section was for "brothers"...families who lost multiple sons.  For a country of barely 1 million people, New Zealand casualties in this war were almost 1/10 of their population.  Each cross here had the name of a soldier who died.  Some families lost 2, some 3 and some lost even 4 family members, mostly sons.  What a sacrifice.

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  WWI was one of the deadliest conflicts in history with civilian and military combined casualties with war-related famine and disease estimated to be around 40 million people.  Few of us living today really comprehend that war and its scope and losses…on ALL sides.  German casualties were listed at over 7 million.

web photo clickamerica.com

 US losses from WWI were about 117,000.

  The grounds of the Auckland War Memorial with her thousands of white crosses.

As secure as we sometimes feel in our own little corner of the world, war is not over, 

it continues on many fronts.   

cnbc.com web photo

...wars against wildfires 7000 miles away back home, wars against senseless killings, brave wars and battles fought against mental, emotional and physical disease.  And our world still knows military war, wars with terror, and even famines - famines of food, famines of kindness, and famines of the word of God.  All of these famines and wars leave the human race with great casualties.

Another kind of war
We even saw this at a bus stop ...a war to save dolphins and sea life from getting caught in our senseless litter in the oceans (years ago in San Diego Vance and I came across a little seal pup caught in a piece of plastic trash...poor little guy, so we are in on this war).

  

Enlisted

We love the army of missionaries enlisted here in New Zealand.  When its flat inspection time we get even more chances to be around these great Elders and Sisters, missionaries working on battles like the famine of the Word, trying to share help and hope.   

This is Elder Fukofuka from Australia and Elder Galdino from Brazil.

Sister missionaries and the Mt. Roskill Relief Society Presidency are fighting the same battle.

Elder Chan (Orem) and Elder Mondejar (South Pacific) are in the ranks too (Elder Chan said he was fighting a battle with fleas as well...Elder Mondejar said he's used to them....yikes) 

 This past week, Nov. 5, was also Guy Fawkes Day again. 
(In 1605 in England he and his friends made a failed attempt to blow up English Parliament with gun powder in their war against what they felt was Catholic persecution).  
Celebrated now not as much for the remembrance of initial fight/battle as just for the excuse to light fireworks...hmmm...lighting the fireworks with no thought for the original battle or the cause...that reason may be more familiar than we think. 

Our Family Home Evening with a YSA ward included a fireworks display afterward.  Some wanted to be in the firing line and we had to remind them that sometimes its best to stay behind the battle lines.  A few broke ranks and tried to jump over the short ones...

Our army of YSA that evening.

We get to spend more time between semesters one on one with some of our YSA, time we didn’t have when they were busy with school and we were busy preparing and teaching.  I say “didn’t have” but I mistake…we didn’t sometimes take the time for.  These opportunities open up worlds to us and them, getting to know them, finding out where they come from and where they hope their dreams and eternity will take them.  We find out what battles they have faced and are now facing.  Talks are often long and its not uncommon that they ask for a blessing to help with wars they are fighting.  We have prayed together, laughed together, and even shared a few Kleenex.  Lots of THOTL in these sweet talks and their battles, but so worth it.

The Lord fills our days with His Hand in finding answers, opportunities, people, things, words and direction.  It undeniable and pretty humbling.  It sure helps in the battles and the war.

We got to attend a Seminary graduation on Sunday.  Great kids.  I'm sure its a war of sorts to fight getting up early morning for 4 years at 6:00 a.m. every weekday for "basic training" in the scriptures and the word of God.   These girls made it.

 Avea (one of our former YSA, now married) is these guys Seminary teacher and the “lollie” necklaces are just one "Islander" tradition or reward from their families and fans for being committed and graduating.  This candy haul makes your Halloween bag pale.

Watched this fitness army out with their trainer fitness-fighting on the beach. 

  War with its pain, suffering and losses, is not new.  

Some battle are easily visible, some are fought in the heart and soul.

We see clearly that the war that began in our pre-mortal world against evil rages on,

in our world, in our countries, and in many hearts and minds and lives.  

How do you fight a war? 

Is the cause worth it? 

Where do you turn and 

whom do you trust?

Will it ever end?  It will.

Christ, Our Pilot web image pinterest

We have to trust our “Captain” and His leaders (2 Chron 13:12), 

trust in His Army (II Kings 6:16-17), 

trust that it will end (Psalms 46:9) 

and know that He will win (Rev. 19-22).  

Then there’s hope and His Way is worth fighting for.

The battle may be long, but the cause is JUST and RIGHT and OH, SO WORTH IT! 

 You will see that in the end.  We promise.  Stick with Him...He wins.

Love,

Elder and Sister Downs