Rangitoto Island

This picture is of Mount Rangitoto that we see every morning from our patio as the sun rises. We took a half day P-Day this morning and drove to the Devonport Wharf and caught a ferry boat for the 15 minute ride to the island of Rangitoto. We took what was advertised as an easy one hour hike to the top of the volcano and looked down into the crater. It took us 1 1/2 hours up and another hour to return to the ferry boat. The volcano erupted about 600 years ago and was semi-active for 200 years before all activity ceased. The eruption created the island of Rangitoto that is connected by a causeway to an island to the east that had been occupied prior to the eruption by Maoris’. Rangitoto is currently uninhabited, though there were summer and longer term residents in the 1930’s but the City Council of Auckland succeeded in forcing recent residents to leave the island and they gave the longer term residents20 years to re-locate. The people had lived in Baches (small cottages) and about 100 baches still exist and some are being preserved as historic sites.

Muriwai Beach - Gannett Colony

This is a very popular spot for surfing, hang gliding, and playing on the black sand beaches. The birds on the large rock are Gannetts and they are members of the Tern family. They migrate from this nesting spot to Australia that is 2000 km (1200 miles) away across the Tasmanian Sea. This recreation site is less than one hour from our home onTakapuna Beach.

Auckland - The City of Sails

This photo was taken from Devonport near the wharf where ferry service is available to several points in and around the Auckland bay. We spent our Saturday with Elder and Sister McMullin from the Sydney office touring the Devonport peninsula and the Auckland harbor on the east coast of the North Island. Later in the afternoon, we drove 45 minutes to the Gannett Colony on the west coast of the North Island. This is one of the most scenic sites in the country. We plan to take the ferry to Rangitoto Island this next week. Rangitoto is the volcanic island that we can see from our balcony that overlooks Takapuna Bay. The island is uninhabited but is a very popular tourist destination with many walking and hiking trails.

Bay of Islands - Hole in the Rock

We joined Elder and Sister Trupin last weekend at the Bay of Islands. They both entered and finished the Kerikeri half-marathon whose finish line was about 15 miles north of the Bay of Islands. Following the race, we took a three hour cruise through the beautiful Bay and fortunately, the sea was calm enough that we were able to take the large boat that seats about 75 through the Hole in the Rock. We also spotted numerous dolphins while in route to the rock. We also visited the Waitangi Treaty House where the treaty between the British and the first 40 of the 512 tribes of Maories was signed in 1840. Most historians claim that this treaty was the beginning of modern civilization in New Zealand.

Helen Clark, Prime Minister of New Zealand

The Rt. Hon Helen Clark has served as the Prime Minister of New Zealand for nearly eight years and will likely continue if her Labor party wins over the National party in next years elections. In this photo, I'm visiting with Helen Clark after her key note speech to 1600 youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday November 11 at 7pm. The event was to promote the importance of continuing education and we were pleased that she delivered an excellent message. The National party leader is John Key and we have a commitment from him to speak to our youth on May 18, 2008. Prime Minister Clark's standards don't always match up with those of our Church but she addressed her audience perfectly well. She was in Tonga for the Pacific Forum on October 15th - 20th and she was the only Head of State out of the 16 present that was a woman and more noteworthy, she was the only one to wear pants. All of the men wore skirts (tupenu) usually covered with a woven mat around the waist that is called a ta'ovala. We were also pleased with the announcement on November 11th that our friend Winnie Laban who is a Member of Parliament has just been named the Minister of Pacific Island Affairs for New Zealand. This means that we will have more than friendship to justify our visits with her in the future.

Pa'alang's in Tonga

A Pa'alangi is a non-Polynesian and there are many in Tonga. The richest man in Tonga is Ross Chapman, a Pa'alangi from Sydney with whom we have developed a good friendship. From the left is Elder Condie, President and Sister McMurray (Mission President beginning July 1, 2007) and Wendy and Elder Russell M. Nelson. President McMurray served as a young Elder in Tonga and then after marrying and getting his college degree, they returned to Tonga where he taught in the Church High School on the island of Vavau. They are the parents of 11 children and three are with them in Tonga. He is an attorney and most of his legal work in Salt Lake was with the Tongan members there. He is totally fluent in Tongan and is loved and respected by the missionaries, members and the non-members.

Queen Mother Halaevalu Mata'aho

Elder Condie called from New Zealand on a Thursday and asked if I could set up a meeting for the Nelson's with the Queen the following Monday. Elder Nelson had met the Queen several years ago when she came to Salt Lake City with her husband. We met in the British High Commissioner's home on the waterfront and she served lemon grass tea and a selection of pastries. She is a very gracious lady and she is loved by all Tongan's. She came to the VIP open house and really wanted to be with us at the cultural event on Satruday evening, November 3rd but she was in New Zealand for medical treatment.

KSL's Carole Mikita at "Heaven on Earth"

We are with Carole Mikita and President and Sister Fineasi Nau of the Nuku'alofa Tonga Central Stake. He is related to the Royal family and the previous King had given him several hundred acres of beautiful beach front property that he has cared for much as he thinks Adam and Eve would have cared for the Garden of Eden. There are no buildings but this beach resort is the most beautiful spot on the main island of Tongatapu. President Nau invited us to join him and his wife at the resort several times and we finally found the time on October 29th. I was so impressed that I asked if he would host Elder Condie and Elder Nelson later in the week. He was excited to do so. I immediately began to persuade Elder Condie and Elder Nelson to come on November 2nd. The sales process took three days and the probability went from 30% to 70% to 90% to 100%. Elder Nelson blessed the food and gave an Apostolic blessing on the Nau's and upon this beautiful property. President Nau also arranged to have a family of five baptized after our feast at this "Heaven on Earth." The family was taught the gospel after attending the temple open house and they were in the temple for the re-dedication on November 4th. This experience was a scenic and spiritual highlight for the Condies and Nelsons in Tonga.

Wives of the Prime Ministers of the Pacific Islands

MelRae and I are with Princess Pilolevu and the wives of most of the Heads of State of the Pacific Island Nations. The Pacific Forum is held once per year and all 16 nations attended. In addition, Ministers and delegates from other countries who interact with Tonga were also present. We received an invitation from the King and from the Prime Minister to attend the opening ceremonies on October 15th. We met with the Ambassador from China on several ocassions and with the High Commissioner from Great Britian. The Minister of Foreign Affairs from Venezuela was also in Tonga to negotiate a petroleum deal. He was one of 45 VIPs that joined us on this tour and he was most impressed by everything that he saw and he asked why the Church didn't have a temple in Venezuela. He was excited to find that we do have a temple in Caracas, Venezuela. He was also impressed by the fact that all of the beautiful paintings focus on a Risen Christ rather than Christ being crucified on the cross. He was having an "Ah Ha!" experience that he will never forget.

Four Beautiful Tongan Women

MelRae is with Sister Fineanganofo (wife of the Area Seventy), Ainise Sevele (former Consul to France and the wife of Prime Minister Feleti Sevele), and Mele Taumoepeau (wife of Afu the Director of Public Affairs for Tonga and the Principal of the Liahona High School). MelRae, Ainise and Princess Pilolevu organized the temple open house tour for the wives of the Heads of State on October 18th. Ainise gave us the following comment after her second visit to the temple:
"My visit to the temple was a personal journey into the realm of all that is holy, which is peace, serenity, hope, happiness, and joy. I felt the presence of God. On my second visit it was reconfirmed to me that there is a living God. I was touched by the emphasis on the Risen Lord. All the paintings in the temple depicted a Risen Lord, not a Crucified Lord. The message is that there is hope for all those who believe in God. God has died for our sins, but He has risen. The temple gives us a clear message that all who die in his name will be resurrected, a message of renewed hope, joy, and happiness. In the temple we feel hopeful, we feel good, we feel joy.

Princess Pilolevu Tuita

We are with the Her Royal Highness following her third visit at the Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple open house. She said that her minister was really upset with her because she comes so often. She is so bright and talented that we joked with her that she could do the next tour and I think she would have loved to do it. She was so attentative and complimentary of everyone and everything . Her brother is the current king and he doesn't enjoy the love and respect that Princess Pilolovu receives from everyone. We became such good friends after 5 or 6 visits that said that most everyone calls her "Her Royal Highness" but she wants Elder and Sister Brown to call her Sister Tuita!

Naylor Sports Update

I just thought I would give a quick update as to what the Naylors have been up to. Crew finished a successful high school soccer season. Once again he moved positions to play in the Stopper spot, which is center position between the mid-fielders and the defense. He did very well and was able to take control of the play back in that area. His team made it to the State Playoffs, but after one of the best and most exciting games I have ever seen they were knocked out. Quick synopsis of the game. Crew's school is Palo Verde and they were playing Gorman. At the end of the first half PV was ahead two to one. G is the reigning state champs and favored to killed everyone in their path. With just 8 minutes left in the game G got a penalty kick and made it to tie the score 2 - 2. The game went into over time and G had their hands full. Then into a second overtime where PV had their hands full. Finally the game went into penalty kicks. Each team selects five players to alternate kicking shots against the goalie from 15 out. If tied after five shots they alternate one kicker each until someone wins. Well G missed their first shot and so did PV. Then each team made the next four. G then missed their next shot. If PV made theirs the game would be over. Crew was up to kick but then got called back to allow another kid to kick. Who knows why because this player had not even been in the game. Anyway, all he had to do was make the shot to win the game, but he shanked it left and missed. G made their and Crew then shot and made his. G made another one and then the PV player missed. The loss was heart breaking for everyone. The Gorman team is actually all of the players from Crew's old club team. It would have been nice to beat them, but instead they went all the way to win the State Championship. It was a fun season and we will look forward to next year. Now Crew has Lacrosse to look forward to after the holidays.

Now Powell, Well Powell is playing his first season on a new club team called Las Vegas Premire. The entire team is new so they are having to learn to work together and understand what each other can bring to the game. Powell has also been playing in a lacrosse league on Saturday nights. It just finished up and Powell's team, also know as North Carolina did very well. The team was made up of seventh and eighth grades with Powell being the only sixth grade in the league. Powell got a lot of playing time as an outside mid-fielders and sometimes as Attack (forward). The team only lost one game to a bunch of big eighth graders, but got to get revenge when both teams made it to the championship. NC totally dominated the game with speed and team work and at half time had the other boys on the ropes with a score of 5 to 1. Powell had a great assist to make it 6 to 2 and the final score was 7 to 3. It was a blast to watch and a great warm up to the regular season. Powell's looking forward to getting back out there and knocking the big boys down.

As for Breck, she is still at the top of the tower in cheerleading. Her team, Desert Cheer Extreme, has not started competing yet this year, but she is excited to get going. She did have an unfortunate fall during a practice the other night and luckily she didn't get hurt but one of the girls below her in her base broke her collar bone. I cheerleading is a contact sport. We will keep you updated as the seasons progresses.

Take care everyone.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA BROWN!!

We LOVE you Grandpa!

Have a TERRIFIC DAY!!

Home Depot Kid Workshops

We have a new tradition...we go to Home Depot on the first Saturday of every month for their "Kid Workshop". Each kid gets their own tools and a kit to build some sort of craft (bird houses, race cars, pirate ships). They also each get a Home Depot apron and a pin for each project they complete. The workshop is free and the kids love it.

This past month, we built pirate ships. Even Harper gets her own apron and kit. Here are some fun pictures from our last project.

Halloween Stash

Packer, Travis, Weston, Holland and Cannon raked in the candy on halloween night. It was perfect weather and they didn't want to stop...so they just kept going. The best treat of the night, though, was waiting for them when they got home from Trick or Treating. The Engle family sent matching, glow-in-the-dark, Spiderman t-shirts for all five boys. The shirts were laid out on the living room floor when the boys returned from trick or treating. What a great night!

Thank you Engle Family!

24 Withdrawal

Fox has indefinitely postponed the 7th season of my favorite tv show -- 24. Most Internet buzz says that it won't be back until January of 2009! For those of you who currently live in China, New Zealand and Brazil, you may not be aware that most American TV shows are shutting down operations because of a writers strike. The last writers strike was in 1988, and it lasted 6 months. Another show we like to watch, The Office, will air what may be their last episode for the season next week. Typically the show would run 22-25 episodes, but with the strike, there may only be 8 episodes this year.

24 has been plagued with problems. Many people argue that last season was the worst season ever. The plot for this new season has been rewritten multiple times and the setting has even changed a few times. Keiffer Sutherland was recently arrested for a DUI, and has been sentenced to 48 days in prison. His sentence begins at the end of December. With all of the script, plot, & setting problems combined with Keiffer's prison sentence and the writers strike, Fox has decided that "Day 7" may be delayed another year.

Holly and I are going through withdrawals that shows like 24 and The Office may not be around for another year. We don't watch much TV, but we look forward to "escaping" from our crazy lives for an hour or two each week. With a house full of kids, date night has become getting takeout, putting the kids to bed and then watching a few shows that we TIVO'ed during the week. That may no longer be an option.

We're wondering what the writers strike means for the Wardrops....Travis and Weston have informed us that their dad has unplugged their TVs until 24 starts up again. They may have a long wait!

Football in Utah

This has been a GREAT weekend for football in Utah.

BYU beat TCU on Thursday night, 27-22. BYU is the only team in the MWC to be undefeated in conference play. Every other team has lost at least two conference games.

Timpview High School (Dallin & Brandon's school) won their semi final game against Mountain Crest, 38-0. They move on to the 4A state championship game next weekend against Pine View. Timpview has had an incredible season, going undefeated and winning every game by an average of 35 points.

Alta High School (where our kids may some day go) won their 5A semi final game last night against Bingham. Bingham was ranked #1 in the state and had beat Alta in their last 5 meetings. Alta won in a nailbiter game, 21-17. Our next door neighbor is the star linebacker for Alta and hopes to go to BYU next year. Packer's summer camp soccer coach plays for Bingham. He is playing in the All-American prep game as the kicker, and has a full ride to BYU next year. Unfortunately, he missed two field goals in this semi final game which cost the team the game. We were excited that Alta won, however. Alta will play Layton next week for the 5A State Championship game.

In other sports news, Holland started Junior Jazz Basketball this week. He has an excellent coach who is doing a great job teaching them how to play. He is also alot of fun -- Holland loves it! He is playing with 4 other friends from the neighborhood. We learned last night that this will be a long season. The team doesn't begin games for over a month (has 5 weeks of practices) and then the season lasts through March! All the games are at the Sandy rec center by Grandpa Noal's house. We drove by grandpa's house and there were 3 cars in the driveway. Obviously the house has new owners. We wished we could have picked up grandpa to come watch some basketball.

Packer begins basketball next week. He is playing with his friends Will and Joseph.

Mom & Dad on KSL

KSL ran a series of news vignettes about Tonga during the 10 o'clock news each night for 3 straight nights. They did an excellent job of showing the different festivities going on as well as reporting on the Tonga temple dedication.

It was very exciting to see what Mom & Dad have been working so hard on for the past 6 months.

Below are links to KSL's website and the accompanying stories about Tonga.

WATCH THE VIDEOS OF TONGA!! If you click on the PLAY button on the top photo (after you click on the ksl link) you can see the actual news footage with clips of the cultural events and dedication. In the second link you can SEE MOM AND DAD sitting directly behind Elder Nelson as he is speaking -- it shows them for a long time. Mom is also pictured within the text of the news story. I saw the 3rd clip live on KSL TV, but was excited that all 3 were available online.

They are short...watch all 3!!

King of Tonga (Nov. 2, 2007)
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=2082822

Cultural Event (Nov. 3, 2007) Mom & Dad seated behind Elder Nelson
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=2088882

Dedication (Nov. 4, 2007)
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=2092928

Remember to Vote

We have been supporting a good friend who was running for Draper City council. Holly was moreless acting as his campaign manager and I created his website. We have been out putting up signs, holding cottage meetings, and campaigning for Troy Walker since July.

HE WON! In fact there were 3 open seats (out of 5 total seats) and all 3 were filled by people we supported (people who will be supportive of charter schools and education in Draper). We are very excited by the outcome. This will make our lives ALOT easier. Holly spent a good portion of her summer fighting the old city council in order to build the new junior high. The new council will be GREAT to work with.

BY THE WAY -- GRANDPA NOAL WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO KNOW THAT HIS GOOD FRIEND LINDA SEVILLE RETAINED HER SEAT ON THE SANDY CITY COUNCIL!!

Below is a copy of an email Holly sent out to 200 friends in Draper.

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

As many of you know, our family has been involved in the campaign to elect Troy Walker to Draper City Council. We've had many people ask us, "Why become involved with a campaign during the busiest time of your life?" For us, it comes down to our family, especially our children.

We envision a day when we don't have to drive to Sandy to sign our kids up for sports. We imagine a time when our city council fights to reduce, and not increase, property taxes. We want to see our parks and trails maintained without that money being redirected toward expanding city staff positions. We see a time when our city council fights to put more public schools in Draper and has more control over spending.

We strongly endorse Troy Walker for city council. We have worked with him personally in many volunteer community-based causes and know him to be visionary, fiscally conservative, and passionate about Draper.

Holland, our second son, was outraged this morning when he realized kids couldn't vote. It made us remember what a privilege it is to participate in the process. Thanks for listening, and make sure that you exercise that right today.

Sincerely,

Mark and Holly Brown