Adventures in Paradise Volume 2 #52

Kia ora! Our excellent adventure continues with some thoughts concerning what we may consider blessings. Somewhere last week, I read a little statement that set me to thinking. “What if you woke up today with only the things that you remembered to thank God for.”  Some of us would wake up to abundance and others of us would face a new day that would be lacking in many of the basics of our lives. Sometimes we forget to be grateful and often, we neglect to appreciate what seems to be commonplace.

My first reaction to that sentiment was purely practical. If I were to truly be thankful in my prayers for all of my blessings, I would never get off my knees. I would spend the better part of my day enumerating the positives in my life. It could take hours to be properly grateful. My second, and far more practical approach, was to remind myself that all prayers of gratitude do not have to be accomplished in a formal prayer setting. Gratitude can take the form of paying attention and enjoying the moment. It can show itself by our being appreciative of associations and experiences. Gratitude can exhibit itself by our simply noticing. Then in prayer, we can simply express thanks for being aware.

Living in another country has helped me to see blessings through the perspective of others. It is raining here today and I am remembering to be very grateful for the moisture. After a dry spell at home, I would welcome the water as a way of greening up parched lawns. Now, in an area where we depend on a good rainstorm to fill the water tanks that sustain us, I view storm clouds with new enthusiasm.  I did not fully appreciate how grateful I should be for a downpour, but I do now.

During holiday periods in our country ten thousand miles away from here, it was simply expected that we would spend time with those we love. I’m certain that we were grateful to be with friends and family, but I personally, did not spend enough time being mindful of the blessing that it truly was to have the opportunity to gather. I did not fully appreciate how grateful I should be for friends who drop by or for others who issue invitations, but I do now.

A white Christmas has always been on my wish list and it never truly seemed like the holiday was complete until those fluffy white flakes were falling from the sky. I have missed them enough to cut out substitutes to hang in the windows of our island homes for four years. I had no desire to be anywhere warm or tropical in December as the only true way to celebrate the season was to be semi frozen. I did not fully appreciate what it would be like to observe the festivities while enjoying a BBQ at the beach, but I do now!

In a posture of changing attitudes and broadened horizons, I have come to accept a different country and its culture with new enthusiasm. We have learned to appreciate with new eyes and in the process have also seen many blessings that we never noticed before. I never realized what a blessing it is to be able to pick fresh fruit from a tree just outside my door, but I do now. I never considered it a blessing to have water flow effortlessly out of a tap, but I do now. I never had the opportunity to consider it a blessing to house weary travelers on Christmas Eve, because there was no room anywhere else for them, but I can now.  I have never shared Christmas with strangers only to have the gift of having them turn into new friends, but I have now. The blessings of serving in New Zealand far outweigh the concerns we had about leaving home and loved ones. We did not fully appreciate the blessing this mission would be in our lives, but we do now and we are beyond grateful.

As always, we are happy and trying to work hard. I would not want to wake up tomorrow to find that everything I did not appreciate had disappeared. That one little message has changed my perspective and has helped me to see and appreciate all the positives in my life with new eyes. So in addition to everything else I am thankful for, I am praying that I will remember those few simple words. We are grateful that we have you in our lives and you can be certain that we count you as blessings. We do not want your absence to be a result of our not being grateful.

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

It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is not snoring!!!! 

This is one of our two water tanks. This tank is filled by the rain that comes off the garage. We also have a ten thousand gallon water storage tank under the floor of the house.

This is one of the conduits that feeds the rain water into the storage under the house. Our job is to make certain that it is in alignment so that we don't waste any water.

The pipe bends and enters the holding tank just above the pavement. We have a dip stick so that we can measure the water level under the house. We always want that stick showing a healthy water line. 

Some of the people in this photo were meant to stay with us, but the others could not find a place to stay as they arrived in Gisborne on Christmas Eve. Luckily, there was room at our inn. 

The Haywards hosted a lovely Christmas dinner and we were thrilled to be invited. As usual, there was too much food and it was delicious! On the Menu: Lamb, Chicken with stuffing, Ham, Salmon, five salads, fresh fruit and more homemade desserts and we could count. We also popped open Christmas crackers, retrieved the prizes, read our corny jokes and wore our paper crowns.  

Reuben Hayward and his family were featured in the July 2015 Ensign ( pages 66-69) talking about their reactivation. He is now the Bishop of the Mangapapa Ward and the son of the elder Haywards. We enjoyed their company as well at the Christmas dinner.

The Haywards thoughtfully provided the Sisters with filled stockings and Ward and I enjoyed our gift of Belgian truffles. To be honest, we probably enjoyed them a little too much!