Adventures in Paradise Volume 2 # 23

Kia ora! Our excellent adventure continues with some thoughts about a birthday party and the lessons that I learned by attending. Many of you are aware that the members of Relief Society just celebrated its 173^rd birthday. One hundred and seventy three years ago, twenty Mormon women met in the upper floor of a red brick store to form that organization. By the end of the meeting, they had a vision and a clear purpose: to save souls and to care for the poor and the needy. Today the Relief Society is one of the oldest and I believe, the largest women’s organizations in the world.

Every year, there are birthday celebrations in honor of the Relief Society and those celebrations are as varied and creative as the members themselves. I can recall some lovely dinners, delicious lunches and even a picnic or two. There have been musical presentations and art exhibits. Other observances have been service centered, where projects were completed for local homeless shelters. I can remember collecting books for a neighborhood school as well as packing hygene kits for people suffering in disaster-stricken areas. Once, I even recall a party where birthday cake was served to the women as they chatted over quilting frames. This year the news from my home ward in Salt Lake was that a delicious dinner was enjoyed with homemade birthday cakes providing the dessert. I was told that the decorations included white feather boas intertwined with tiny white lights. Having heard that, I suspect that my sweet friend, Ida, had a hand in those arrangements.

Our tiny branch of twelve women celebrated here as well. The Manutuke branch Relief Society president, Sister Faeanza Whaitiri*, who is creative and imaginative came up with an idea that set this year’s festivities apart from all of the rest. Faeanza has flare and is somewhat larger than life. She wears more jewelry at one time than I own in entirety. She always knows the thoughtful thing to say and her bear hugs are legendary. She lives with a unique zest for life and her personal style showed up again in her idea for our little get together. Her birthday party idea takes the cake. No pun intended!

 

This six-person canoe is called a Vaca. Our expert paddler spent fifteen minutes with us explaining the different strokes and demonstrating the proper paddle hold. She taught us how to sweep and draw. We learned how to turn the Vaca, how to make it stop and how to direct it backwards. We were instructed to keep our weight centered over the right side of the canoe and we were to paddle alternately, but in unison with the person directly in front of us. After what seemed like a very short lesson, we were deemed seaworthy (some of us had our doubts) and we were launched into the river. Our trial paddle took us down stream and when our instructor felt we were sufficiently practiced, she directed us up river and into the experience of a lifetime.

I am willing to admit that I was not all that keen on the paddling idea when I first heard of it. In fact, I will also admit to saying a little prayer, where in I asked for really bad weather so that we would not be able to go. I was afraid of looking foolish and even more afraid of looking wet and foolish. As it turned out, it was a beautiful fall day and the weather was perfect, especially considering the fact that cyclone Pam had arrived the previous Monday. The river was smooth as glass, and although we were warned that trees and boulders lurked beneath the surface, it all appeared perfectly calm to us. After our trial paddle, we turned our vaca around and headed up stream. We spent the next hour working and laughing together as we explored a part of the Gisborne landscape that I had never seen before. On occasion, another traveler would pass in a kayak and there was animated waving from the bank. Ducks and geese paddled along side us as we listened for our teacher to call cadence. Every ten counts, she would call, “hip” and we would raise our oars, change sides and begin rowing again in unison. We laughed and chatted and it was wonderful. I found myself shuddering to think that I had almost missed the experience due to being fearful. It was an idyllic day and I loved every minute of it. I was reminded of something I have said before. “Fear keeps us from doing.”

After docking the canoe, Faeanza, laid a tablecloth across the hood (bonnet) of her car and we were treated to a kai (lunch) of fresh fruit, crackers and cheese served on real dishes with not a paper plate or cup in sight. Without disparaging any of the other birthday celebrations, I was struck by the fact that this had been a unique opportunity for women from very diverse backgrounds to get to know each other better. This would not have occurred had we taken someone else’s suggestion to have lunch together in a noisy restaurant. It was the perfect day and the perfect celebration. Near the end of our time together, our coach announced that we were now ready for open water! Open water? I think that means the ocean!

Later, as I thought about all the things that I had learned last Saturday, I remembered Robert Fulgham, who years earlier had said that everything he needed to know for life he had learned in kindergarten. I found myself correlating my rowing experience in that same way. Much of what I learned while rowing can relate directly back to having a successful life.

1. Listen to someone who has more experience and who knows more than you do.
2. Be aware of hidden dangers
3. Do your part
4. Wear a life jacket, even if it does not make you look fabulous
5. Don’t splash the person in front of you. Be thoughtful
6. Still waters run deep
7. Be prepared
8. Pay Attention
9. Many hands make light work
10. Learn correct principles
11. Don’t be afraid to try something new
12. Pull together
13. Embrace Change
14. Keep learning
15. Enjoy the journey

Mr. Fulgham also asked us to remember the Dick-and-Jane books where the first word you learned was the biggest word of all.   LOOK

As always, we are happy and trying to work hard. We have so enjoyed looking around our new home and learning from what we have seen. We have looked at your lives and have learned from them as well. Thank you for being good teachers and we would be happy to have any of you as rowing mates. By the way, should you be wondering if any mission rules were broken, I can assure you that they were not. Our mission president, has encouraged us to enjoy our new surroundings and learn from the unique culture here. He has strongly suggested that we become participants. He has also been very supportive when it comes to our having visitors from home. So, as usual, the Belliston Hotel is happy to welcome visitors should you like to inquire about a booking.

Love Ward and Susan    Elder and Sister Belliston, serving in Gisborne, New Zealand

* In Maori, “Wh” is an “F” sound. So Sister Whaitiri’s name is pronounced  Fi tee tee (the “r”s being another matter all together)

 

Our president, Faeanza decked out in matching necklace and bracelets. She had also had her nails done that morning for our special occasion!

 

Our caller is just entering the back of the vaca and that's me looking stunning in the yellow designer lifejacket.

Notice that our paddles are facing opposite sides of the canoe. We are preparing to launch.

 

 

"Hip" has just been called and we are changing rowing sides.

 



Paddling up a lazy river