Remember

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This week we held a Passover celebration at the Auckland Institute Building (AIB). Since,

in one way or another we trace our roots to the House of Israel, and since we love

our Jewish friends and studying the Bible,

it seemed like a good thing to REMEMBER Passover too.

Exodus 12:14 "And this day shall be unto you for a memorial..."

We REMEMBERED the story of the Passover as we read together

...from the Haggadah.

We REMEMBERED how much work goes into the preparations.

We hope we REMEMBERED to thank to our YSA's who helped

and to dear friend Jackie Poulsen for sharing Hebrew classes and all kinds of help.

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We REMEMBERED why and how the first Passover was observed.

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And we REMEMBERED how the Jews celebrate Passover today.

We REMEMBERED the lamb bone, to drink our 4 cups of grape juice, the bitter herbs

and the red Egyptian mortar.

We REMEMBERED to wash our hands to be clean ...

and the significance of the roasted egg and "new life"...

...as well as the bitter tears of enslaved Israel and the spring greens

that we dipped into the "tears' to help us REMEMBER.

We REMEMBERED and sang "Dayenu" (means in Hebrew "it would have been enough") about

how God gave so many blessings to His people when He liberated them,

and even one blessing would have been enough. Ever felt extra blessed?

We shared our REMEMBERING with old and young and even different faiths.

We broke our unleavened bread together.

President Spencer W. Kimball said:

“When you look in the dictionary for the most important word, do you know what it is? It could be ‘remember.’

It is a pretty cool word., and always seems an important part of what we do.

REMEMBERING

We got to attend a University graduation this week when our YSA friend Erana Edwards invited us to her graduation from Unitech. We have REMEMBER many past graduations,
and were glad we got to experience one we can now REMEMBER from here in NZ.

(a group doing the haka on the stage to begin the ceremony)
Much was the same, but there were a few things different…like the national anthem, the multiple haka’s family and friends did when their “graduate” received their diploma,
and the many feather korowai (capes) worn by the Maori graduates.

Elly and Manu Edwards and family
We REMEMBERED our own graduations, when we finally finished all our University courses.
Then we also REMEMBERED the words of Paul,

that maybe we still have some unfinished "course" work yet.

When these two little ones came into the AIB and fell asleep waiting for mum to finish a "course" we REMEMBERED those times, and the sweet little ones waiting back home.

On March 31 our dear friend from High School,

Trudi Marie Rutledge Holbrook passed away. We REMEMBER the good times with Trudi and were grateful friends shared her memorial service with us here in NZ.

This week will also hold a service to REMEMBER an amazing mother and mother-in-law of dear friends, Marie King Taylor. When our hearts are sad, it's a good time to REMEMBER.

THOTL

It's also good when our hearts are grateful to REMEMBER.

One way is to recognize THOTL.

Just a few from this week:

-We were protected from being in a serious accident on the motorway when a car darted into our lane.

-Before Passover the technical system and sound DID NOT WORK. We tried EVERYTHING, and offered heaps of prayers. Just as it was time to start it worked.

-We prayed hard for professional direction for someone we care about, but could see no way to possibly get that help. Then THOTL came through when dear 'in-tune" friends stepped in with more help than we ever dreamed.

Another THOTL we REMEMBER from here in the South Pacific:

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Vanuatu

-Vanuatu is a beautiful tropical island in the South Pacific.

The Humanitarian missionaries felt strongly there was a need to drill and cover a

fresh water well on Ambae, Vanuatu in August of 2017.

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In September, one month after it was completed, there was a devastating volcano.

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When the evacuated residents finally were cleared to return home there was no fresh water on the whole island except for the well that was drilled, covered and protected the month before.

Another THOTL

-General Conference and the heaps of sweet answers that flowed from the messages.

They helped us REMEMBER and reflect upon where we come from, who we are, and why we are here. We loved it all!

So did our YSA who met to listen together.

They also just happened to love the pancakes that accompanied the spiritual feast.