March 12, 2020 I will go before your Face

What inspires you?  What motivates you?   How often do you think about how blessed we are to live in a society that can solve problems and take action quickly.

The COVID-19 Cornavirus is a great example of jumping into action.   We are embracing recommendations worldwide and encouraging all our missionaries to have a 3 week supply of food, medication, personal hygiene items and water.   We are asking them to have soap and use it often!

How simple is that?  Wash your hands.  Still the #1 way to prevent the spread of infection.

And this week, I made my first loaf of Maori bread.   It's just a little sweeter than our bread.  Some people use a starter, but the Bishop I learned from likes this recipe, and I endorse it!    If you want to salivate .... try it.

Maori Bread   From the kitchen of Bishop Quintin Hapuku, Pukete Ward

3C All purpose Flour (+1c for kneading) 

1ts salt

3TS sugar

2ts Yeast (Instant yeast) The instant yeast is smaller than active yeast and doesn't need to add to water to activate it

2C Warm water

1  Turn oven on and heat to 173C

2  Put all dry ingredients into a bowl and mix for a couple of minutes (everything except water)

3  Add 2c of warm water to dry mix and mix until all combined.  A bit sticky but not runny

4  Roll out onto floured surface and knead for 10 mins

5  When you knead the dough enough it will feel a bit airy and when poked with a finger it will bounce back.

6  Knead until you form a rectangle (about the size of your loaf tin)

7  Either spray your loaf tin with cooking spray or a bit of butter  

8  Place dough into tin.  Press down on dough so all sides are covered with the dough.  If you are using scales to measure the dough  in a normal loaf tin its about 700gm per tin.  

9  Allow to rise for about 30-45 mins until dough is about an inch over the top of your loaf tin.  You can cover the dough with a damp cloth or not, i'm not fussy.

10  It doesn't matter if you forget to turn the oven on before putting it into the oven.  As long as it has risen you will be fine.  Practice practice practice.  

11  Bake in oven for 30 mins at 173C.  You are looking for a med brown crust.  If the crust is dark, it means the oven is either too hot or you have left in for more than 30 mins.  It all depends what texture you want in the end result.  Longer means a deeper taste and a more dense loaf.  If the crust is light, then either the oven temp is too low or it's been removed before time.  You can remove it anytime from 25 mins to 55 mins   

12  Take out of oven and wrap with plastic wrap.  It will be hot but that's ok.  By wrapping straight away, the Maori bread remain softer longer. (up to a week.)

13  You can cut into it straight away(make sure you have heaps of butter and jam) but it will be a bit gluggy (as it needs to rest a bit)  

I'm inspired by missionaries.   It's a struggle.  Here we are away from home and family.   Away from comforts and leisure life.   The young missionaries are asked to work and study hard 12-15 hours EVERY day.  Many of them walk and bike.  Islanders come here not knowing how to ride a bike and they learn, and sometimes fall and get right back on!   That inspires me.  I'm grateful that even when they sometimes question why they're doing this .... they keep doing it!

Some days are nice and steady for us.  Somedays are calm and allow for fishing and hiking.   Then there are the days like yesterday that start early and don't stop ALL day with phone calls and doctor visits and urgent situations.   Some TIRED, weary, frustrated begging for help.  How do we lift and inspire and minister?   How do we say something that calms a troubled spirit?  We're often immersed in situations we would love to abandon, but feel the presence of someone stronger than us, leading and guiding and supporting.   I saw this picture again this week entitled “I will go before your face,” by Kenneth Turner and love the reality of angels supporting missionaries.

We're getting close to transfers again next week.   We are in a constant state of rotation and it's hard to see missionaries leave and go home!   We do love the energy of new ones joining us.   Here is a picture of our current district.  Great missionaries!   And although they look so proper .... they really prefer the 2nd picture pose EVERYTIME!

We love these missionaries.   We're sad when they're sad, We feel joy when they experience joy, We laugh when they laugh, and we're grateful for their testimonies and devotion to the Lord.

The story of the restoration of the gospel is worth studying.  Worth praying about.  Worth finding joy that God testifies of his only begotten son in "Whom he is well pleased."  He introduces him and says, "Hear him" just as he pleads with us to hear him, hear his voice, hear his words and invite others to Hear him.

Invite everyone to church on Easter this year.   We invite them with open doors and open arms.   Find a congregation in your area for them to feel the power and love of the restored Gospel.

We love you.

Elder and Sister Despain