Bulletin Board

Illustrations by Brad Teare

Fun Facts about New Zealand

Have you met Hyrum from New Zealand on pages 36–37? Here are a few reasons New Zealand is a special place.

• Captain Cook brought the first sheep to New Zealand almost 250 years ago. Now there are about eight sheep for every one person in the country!

• Hyrum’s family likes to visit a place called Elephant Rocks. These giant gray limestone boulders are fun to climb and have been shown in some movies.

• There are no swear words in the Maori language.

“I am a child of God” in Maori

Ko au ite tamaiti o te Atua

Pronunciation: Ko-OW e-TAY taw-MY-tee o TAY ah-TWO-a

Poi

In the Maori language, poi means “ball.” These balls on strings were used by the Maoris to help them increase their strength, flexibility, and coordination. Today, poi demonstrations are a part of traditional New Zealand dance. You can make your own poi to swing!

What you’ll need:

yarn

scissors

6 sheets of newspaper

2 plastic grocery sacks

1. Cut 18 pieces of yarn, each about 30 inches (76 cm) long, and tie the yarn together at one end.

2. Divide the yarn into three sections of six strands.

3. Braid the yarn until you get about 6 inches (15 cm) from the end, and tie a knot so there are loose strands of yarn on one end.

4. Crumple three pieces of newspaper into a ball and tie the loose strands of yarn around the ball.

5. Put a plastic bag over the ball. Close the opening around the braid by tying it tightly with another piece of yarn. Trim off the extra plastic bag.

6. Repeat to make two poi.

Spaghetti on Toast

Spaghetti on toast is a popular meal for kids in New Zealand and Australia. Remember to get an adult’s help when cooking.

noodles

canned or homemade spaghetti sauce

2 slices of bread

grated cheese (optional)

1. Cook noodles according to the directions on the package.

2. Heat the spaghetti sauce in the microwave or on the stovetop.

3. Toast the slices of bread.

4. Place the toast on two plates and scoop noodles and spaghetti sauce on top of the toast. Top with grated cheese and enjoy!

What If …

What if you could meet any prophet from the Book of Mormon. Who would you like to meet? Why?

Family History: I Am Doing It!

Sometimes our ancestors leave behind objects or stories that help us get to know them better. What do you know about your ancestors? You can make a time capsule to help your future self remember the things that are important to you now. It can be an envelope, box, jar, book, or folder where you keep things that help you remember what your family was like, your testimony, what you’ve accomplished recently, your wishes for the future, and other important events. After you’ve filled your time capsule, put it somewhere safe and choose a date to look at it again. What do you think will be the same? What will have changed? (For more time capsule ideas, see Friend, Jan. 2011, 12.)