Illuminations

Auckland hosts annually a festival of illuminations called Bright Nights. 

They invite world class lighting artists to create a work in lights 
(with emphasis on sea life and sustainability). 

The exhibit in the above photo was built by lighting artist Matt Liggins,
and based on Leonardo Da Vinci’s "Vitruvian Man".
(Short on perfect models, these two missionaries had to do for now)

We love going down to the wharf when it's illuminated! 

Friday night we invited our senior missionary friends to meet us down at the Viaduct Wharf to explore Bright Nights... and be illuminated too! 

That night even the host of normally dark boats in the wharf were bathed in a bit of the colored lights from the surrounding harbor. 

I'm not sure my camera adequately reflects the fun colors, but there was color everywhere.  

The event was packed with families and wide-eyed kids (often bringing along their dogs) who couldn't get enough of the lights and all the colors.  
We found both kids and dogs wearing lights as well.

We had fun just standing in one place and watching as the lights changed from one color to the next.  Light is pretty fascinating.

  

I caught Elder Downs eyeing the boats and yachts ..."lighting" on some dream of trying his hand at Gilligan's Island or something.

Sure loved how the lights looked against the dark night.

 This fun display was a talking jelly fish called Crank Zappa (made of plastic bags and plastic bottles, etc., that are so destructive to sea life in the ocean) encouraging folks to stop the plastic!  It was clever and the jelly guy was a hoot!

A permanent metal display reflecting in the pond below

Angus Muir-art director of Bright Nights

This one was thousands of glow-in-the-dark ropes, a UV illumination display by Angus Muir 

We were surrounded by light changing sculptures and heaps of lighted dancers 

and robots who danced 

through the crowds and by the wharf

Even the Harbour bridge (our regular morning drive everyday into the city) 

in the distance across the harbour joined in with an 

illumination show, 

not to mention the light up in the even farther distance...

the trusty and welcome illumination of the moon.

Above and below:The Sky Tower, with its own illumination, loomed in the background.

We've experienced all kinds of "illumination" here in NZ, and grown to love this place! 

To Our Wonderful Illuminating "MUM'S" on Mother's Day

 A quick happy mothers day to ours and all the wonderful mothers who fearlessly 

and wearily continue to bathe the earth and their children with whatever 

good illumination they can.  

We love you!

We think one of the greatest places to see THOTL is in the work of a righteous and determined mother.

 Why Light

The "lights" of the downtown arcade by our building help "sell" the games to the heaps of young people who go to hang out looking for something to challenge them and fill their time. 

 Man uses light to illuminate and show. 

Most of us, like our fellow earth friends the bugs, are drawn to light. 

 It can beckon us, 

and the light of a fire can warm us,

 and even protect us in the darkness.

 The winter flowers at Albert Park

The more light, the more clearly we can see...colors, shapes, and our world.

Light in all its forms can aid illumination for the eyes,

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and for the mind,

and for the heart.

web photo of Auckland fog

For some reason we have had several mornings in the past few weeks with pretty heavy fog, so much so, that flights have been cancelled.  

But when the light and warmth of the sun comes 

it doesn't take long for the fog to burn off.

Sometimes we find ourselves in a fog, a blur, a darkness of the mind, the heart, or the soul. 

Here again “Light” can bring illumination and warmth...

and can drive away 

the fog and the darkness.

Sun or Son  

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The words to a seldom sung hymn "Softly Beams the Sacred Dawning" , 

with text by John Jaques, describes the way that both kinds of fog can be lifted.

We find that the SUN/ the SON,

 seems to be the best way to drive out any kind of darkness.

An early morning walk produced another illumination we love, the sunrise 

putting to bed the dark night. 

When the world is dark, man uses inventions like electricity, batteries, and even fire to provide illumination and light.    All of these things harness their energy in some way from the Sun and ultimately its Creator, the Son.

With the illumination that comes in the rising of both the sun and the Son

 we can leave the darkness 

and be able to see more clearly. 

Light and Darkness 

Light and dark cannot occupy the same space.  

The sunshine and the Light drive away the darkness. 

Seeking Illumination

Light seekers at Sunset Ward YSA class.

Our Wednesday devotionals are a quick bit of enlightenment for the soul,

added generously to some food for the stomach. 

Here are some Illuminated YSA from our Tuesday night class.

President Matt Murray illuminated us at Lunchside on Thursday 

through his personal story about life and its challenges, 

and marriage and its challenges.  

But he then coached us that we have enough light and strength 

and we know enough...we CAN DO this!

 Illumination and PUZZLES 

Our YSA seem to love to put puzzles together.  They love finding even one piece between classes here or there to help make the puzzle picture more clear.  It's illuminating.  

In their lives (and all of ours) we are piecing our own big puzzle together, 

looking for pieces that fit, 

pieces we think we've lost, 

and pieces that shed some light on what is next.  

It's sure nice working with someone who helps us find the next piece 

so we can get the picture to come together.

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This week one of our YSA stopped in to share a profound illumination.

After experiencing a rather abrupt change in both their university 

and relationships pursuits,

they were struggling for more direction. 

Like anyone would do, we encouraged this YSA to try the Lord at His word, 

let go of using just logic and reasoning, 

and seek greater and more specific help from the Lord.  

So after sincere seeking and prayer for help to find "pieces to this puzzle" 

this YSA was sitting in a lecture at Uni (University) and began receiving some pure illumination,

 and not on the Uni lecture topic. 

 It was a profound answer to heartfelt prayers, a message of clear direction. 

 It was full of not just what to do, but why.  Pretty sweet!

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We know that can happen for all of us if we trust that He can give us 

light and illumination,

and consume the darkness.

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He knows where our puzzle pieces fit. Trust Him.

 We testify He can and does illuminate our world.

Love,

Elder and Sister Downs

Vance and Louenda