Saturday, January 28, 2012

Milford Sound - #5

Travel Brochure Picture

This is the view you see on many travel brochures for Milford Sound.  What do you think?  Does this make you want to come visit the 'land of the long white cloud'???
 
Every morning I wake up wondering how we could be so blessed to have these amazing experiences!  Right now I'm posting this photo of a beautiful New Zealand landscape from our hotel room in Tahiti!!!  We will be here for a week, and yes, we are here on assignment, but will have time to see this tropical paradise.  We had a very productive meeting last night, but today we've been invited to the birthday parties of three of our host's grandchildren.  They live on the far end of the main island and we have to get there by 4 wheel drive.  He said we will be part of their family birthday traditions and learn how they cook their traditional food.  We are so excited to step away from what the tourists see and have a glimpse into real Tahitian culture.  I have only begun to post our NZ trip to the south island, and by the end of this week I'm sure I'll have a gazillian photos of Tahiti.  I think I already have enough photos of beautiful places to post for this entire year, and the year has just begun!!!  

I need to add a 'footnote' here.  Because this is a photography blog, I mostly post the beautiful places and beautiful people we see and meet.  But I want you all to know, that our reason for being here is because we are missionaries for our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We serve here because we have been asked to serve here, but we would have gone anywhere willingly.  I want you all to know we have had amazing spiritual experiences;  in seeing the beauty of God's creations, but more importantly, in amazing faith building experiences and our own spiritual growth.   These things, rather that photographs, will become part of us forever.