Return Trip to Home

We are late getting this post entered, due to getting connected to Internet, visiting with friends and family and adjusting to post mission life, especially sub zero temperatures and shoveling snow.

Lita, Mary, and Bwereia joined us for lunch at a Chinese restaurant 

Bwereia, Taraia, Rebwa, and Rusila pose while waiting for the food to arrive

Elder and Sister Thorne at the Moroni Office staff - thank you luncheon

Prior to leaving Tarawa, we took Lita, Rusila, Mary, and the office staff to lunch to thank them for all the support and friendship they had provided us during our mission in Tarawa.  We had an enjoyable visit with our good friends.

The trip home was an adventure, we first went to Air Pacific's office to get our boarding passes and check our luggage.  We had to pay $795 dollars for excessive weight ($15 per kilo), now that is not a great way to start home.  Next we went to the Kiribati Department of Agriculture to have our baskets and items made of plant life and seas shells inspected (that only cost $6.00).  We paid additional excess baggage fees of $340 when we flew out of New Zealand.

Lita met us at the airport to say goodbye

Lita met us at the airport to say goodbye, Tiritaake and her husband were also there to greet us.  They gave Sister Thorne and beautiful handmade tibuta (blouse) and I got a wooden tie woven out of pandanus leafs.  Mary was unable to be there but sent two tibuta's she made, which on the front was embroidered Janis and the other blouse had Brent embroidered (I think I will let Janis wear it instead of me). 

We were truly overwhelmed by the generosity of our friends with the beautiful baskets, necklaces, blouses and other gifts we received prior to our departure.

Bwereia made this beautiful tibuta (blouse) for Sister Thorne

The night before we left Bwereia gave Sister Thorne another hand sewn blouse.  There were also few other teachers also at the airport who said goodbye to us.

Lita, Tiritaake, Sister Thorne and Sister Tune at the airport

Sunday night "Pine-Apple" the painter had his son deliver two painting of the Savior's birth from an I-Kiribati perspective.  The third painting was not completed, so I figured we would need have it sent to us later.  We finally got through the airport to the secure area waiting for our flight when one of the airport workers delivered the third painting to us.  Since our suitcases were already checked in I had to hand carry it until we got to New Zealand.  Pine-Apple is painting two other pictures of the "Tree of Life"
from an island perspective which Elder and Sister Bonnemort will hopefully be able to bring home in February to us.

A final view of our beloved island of Tarawa, where we left many friends but retain great memories and spiritual insights.  It is truly a paradise because of the good Saints who live the Gospel - exercising great faith and commitment to living a Christ like life.

Another view of Tarawa showing how several atolls are joined together by causeways

Map of South Pacific and the Kiribati atolls (islands).  Kiribati is the only nation that lies in all four hemispheres

On Monday afternoon we arrived in Auckland along with 5 of our 6 suitcases (which we got two days later).  We were met at the airport by Elder and Sister Jacobsen and taken to our hotel in Takapuna Beach.  The Spencer Hotel is a really nice hotel with all the amenities you would want and the view from the 16th floor was spectacular.

On Tuesday morning we went to the Area Office and were able to participate in their Christmas social.  It began with a devotional where each of the Area Presidency spoke.  First Elder Watson spoke of some of his memories of Christmas growing up in Spring City, Utah.  He also had a wonderful Christmas message.

Next Elder Kevin Pearson of the Seventy gave a powerful Christmas message and he was followed by Elder Hamula who spoke about the difference between the signs of the holidays and the signs of the "HolyDays".  All the talks were very uplifting and the Spirit was present in rich abundance.

We then went to a wonderful buffet luncheon, where we sang Christmas carols and had great conversations.  Sister Thorne and I were able to visit briefly with Elder and Sister Watson (I was his fathers Bishop when we lived in Mt. Pleasant).  He recognized us from when he visited Tarawa earlier in the year for a stake conference.  Elder Pearson also talked with us for a few minutes about his visit to Tarawa

Elder and Sister Jacobsen, Elder James Hamula of the Seventy and Elder and Sister Thorne.  Elder Hamula's final words to us was to recruit more senior couples and especially teachers.

On Wednesday the Jacobsen's took us on a tour of Auckland, we visited the observation deck of the Sky Tower where we also had a luncheon buffet.

We then went for a long walk to the harbor to see the sailboats and other things on the dock.

View from the Sky Tower

Thursday we drove to Hamilton and went to the temple.  It was a great session and it was good to be back in the House of the Lord.

The Christus statue in the visitors center

We stopped on the way back at a mall and I had "The mother of all hamburgers".  It was big but I worked myself eventually around it.

You couldn't buy hamburgers on Tarawa, so I ordered one in New Zealand, however it was even larger than I had imagined

On Friday we went to the Northern part of the island to see the black beaches and a Maori museum. We caught our flight on Friday eventing to Los Angeles.  After a six hour layover we were met by some of our children and grandchildren at the Salt Lake airport.

We were met at the airport by some really cute grand kids

Kevin, Carrie and J.J. were waiting at the airport along with Tracy, Brian and their kids

It was a very happy reunion, though we miss the good people at Moroni High, our kids and grand kids helped fill the void in our hearts.