New Zealand beaconed six young men,
to come and share the gospel and then return home again.
We departed for the mission field together in April 1973 as new friends,
not knowing if we would see each other until our two years came to an end.
We labeled ourselves the “Super Six” just for fun -
Mike, Ron, Wade, Steve, Roger and Brad on
a once-in-a-lifetime adventure as emissaries of The Son.
We left the deserts of Utah - the west in America,
traveling thousands of miles to the big islands close to Australia.
This was an exotic and strange place to us all -
none had stepped on its beautiful shores before our special call.
Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand is where we landed.
From there we were sent to wherever the Lord requested.
We were foreigners in the land of the “big white cloud” -
not used to constant rain, all shades of green and hukas fierce and loud.
Pakehas, Maoris, and Islanders not a few,
would be greeted by the super six and their companions too.
What brought us together was belief that God would provide,
with callings as ministers and testimonies we did not want to hide.
We had more faith than knowledge and our inexperience would show.
We would be blessed beyond measure to share the most important message
with people we did not yet know.
New discussions, flip charts and slide projectors would help us get the word out.
Presidents Russon and Pere, companions, district and zone leaders
kept us engaged and served us well without a doubt.
We went two by two to unknown regions and quarters,
meeting people on streets, in their homes and flats and knocking on many doors.
The “good news” we carried was the gospel restored in our day -
that prophets, apostles and the true church of Christ will show us the way.
To preach of Jesus and his teachings was an opportunity so rare.
It was such a privilege to share our convictions with
the children of God assigned to our care.
“She’s right mate” would be heard a hundred times and more,
proclaimed by those not interested in the testimonies we bore.
Haere Mai, Haere Mai, Ki te Kai were words we often treasured.
This call to mealtime meant we would encounter food we never would forget –
beans on toast with an egg on top, vegemite sandwiches or fish and chips wrapped in newsprint.
Meat pies, whitebait fritters, trifle, blood pudding, fish eyes, tripe, milo and kumaras,
pork and lamb cooked in a hangi and washed down with a cold L&P soda.
Members would treat us as with the greatest love and respect.
We were like angels to them, an honor we certainly did not deserve or expect.
We wanted to make a difference and we succeeded in this thought:
our missions changed us more than any person we taught.
Before we knew it our missions were completed, the time well spent.
We shed many tears to leave the people and the country to which we had been sent.
It was the best mission possible and the best two years to that point.
It set us on the path to have the greatest time as future husbands and parents.
Now as we look back after 50 years, we are not so green.
We are dads and grandads, just glad to be alive and seen.
Mike has finished his mission on this earth and is sorely missed.
He will be forever in our hearts and will always be part of the super six.
Our witness still burns bright and lights the way for our posterity to follow.
We will not falter but endure to the end and stay on the path that leads to the Savior.
April 2023
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