Amberley & Leithfield Beach

Went to an early morning seminary north of Christchurch, in Amberley, about 45 minutes away.  Had a delightful time with Jenny Wood and her family.  Sister Wood teaches seminary in her home and teaches three of her five children.  While we were having the lesson, President Wood was cooking breakfast.  He is the branch President.  They are living in the home they are building, have a huge yard with a fishpond, orchard, pigeons, chickens, garden, quail, and guinea pigs.  The kids talked our heads off after the lesson and then they sent us out the door with sausage biscuits and fresh peaches. The Wood parents both went on missions and met each other in Australia.  She is from Scotland and he is from North Carolina.  How they ended up in New Zealand is another chapter to be discovered.  Their place is literally the "Garden of Eden".

 On the way back we saw a turnoff for Leithfield Beach and we took a little detour.  Within five minutes we were walking on an empty beach, watching the sun rise and listening to the pounding surf on the beach.  It was one of those glorious moments that you record in your mind and play back a million times.  Elder Blackwell and I both picked up a smooth pebble to remind us of our delightful morning.