Tuesday, December 1, 2015

This week we are spending a few days at the Waitakere Estates with all the Self-Reliance Managers and Area Self-Reliance Team.  They decided to take everyone up into the mountains for a retreat away from phones and offices so we could do some serious training and work on team building.

It was a beautiful setting and the lodge was nice but older.  It was fun to spend that much time getting to know everyone better.  We stayed up late playing games and laughing.  We got up early and went for walks and had meetings from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. each day.

This was part of the grounds.  They were beautiful and well taken care of.  They had little hiking trails below this garden and other places on the grounds.

Looking from our balcony towards Auckland.

This room is where we held our meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday.  It was a nice set up and the breeze coming through all the doors was cool and nice.

We split into two teams on Tuesday evening and played charades.  We had a lot of laughs.

Reed did training on all the booklets he has written.  He demonstrated how to set up a Study Buddy Group, and how to use the materials.  He trained on the English Group and he and I did some training on the Mum's Pre-school Groups.  We did some role-playing and used lots of examples.  All the managers asked a lot of questions, participated and took videos of Reed teaching.  Most of them asked if we could come and train their missionaries and Self-Reliance Specialists.

Nada listening along with all the others while Dean Westerlund (our boss and Pacific Area Education Manager) is talking about BYU Idaho Pathway.

Paul Reid training on Self-Reliance Groups and reporting data.  He is the Pacific Area Self-Reliance Manager. (I call him the Big Dog!)

On Thursday morning, December 3, 2015, they moved us to the Chapel because we were leaving at noon to head back to the Area Office and another group was coming in for seminars for the next couple of days.  It was a little more crowded but quaint.

 Wednesday afternoon we changed clothes and headed outside to do some team building games.

Reed was the only one who could see and talk on his team.  Everyone else was blind folded.  He had to give them instructions and directions and try to get them as a team to use the ropes with a hook in the middle, pick up the pail of water move it to another ring on top of a board without dropping any of the water or stepping into the ring. It was harder than it looked.

Nada had to give the instructions for her team that was all blind folded.  I got a little more excited.  Reed's team beat us but only barely.

With our teams we had to figure out the wood pieces and make them form a square, then all stand on them and then convert it to an arrow.  Reed's team won again.

We played a game of tag where you had to tap the person with the noodle then they had to grab hold and you kept going until everyone was tagged.

We had to shoot arrows.  Reed hit the target almost every time so they just let him keep shooting.  He and President Leota and Carl were the most accurate.  Reed had a sore elbow for a couple of days.

Nada only shot one arrow and missed so we let Carl shoot most of them because he was hitting the target most every time.

We had a lot of fun and learned to work together.

Thursday afternoon we headed back to the Area Office and met with President Pearson.  He talked to us about his vision of Self-Reliance through Education over the next few years.  We felt like we had been talking and training on the same things he discussed with us.

Back Row:  Sope, Ned, Dean, Reed, Johnny, Arama, Paul, Carl, Bruce, Moses, Bryson
Front Row:  Dallas, Verna, Nada, Ariel, Renee

We had a great few days and learned a lot.  Everyone was excited to get back to their countries and work with their teams on the items we trained on.  It is such a privilege to work with these dedicated people.  Self-Reliance and Education are in good hands with people who have the vision and are working hard with Priesthood Leaders to help them understand how important being Educated and Self-Reliant truly are.  We love you and hope all is well with you. 

Until next time, Love Elder and Sister Spencer (aka Reed and Nada)