Spring?

While friends at home are golfing and grandkids are playing soccer, lacrosse and baseball, we are enjoying the Canadian Spring.  They promise us it’s coming. 

      

Even if the weather in not cooperating, the missionary work is going forth.  We had a wonderful mission conference with Elder Bednar, Elder Foster of the Seventy and Bishop Davies of the Presiding Bishopric.  It was such a spiritual feast to sit at the feet of a Prophet of God and be taught for 3 1/2 hours without a break.  President Scott had the missionaries spiritually and physically prepared to receive the instruction given.  It was a once-in-a-life-time experience.  My question is why we don’t prepare ourselves equally well to be taught at General Conference.

                                         

We had to take an elder to the Medical Center in Rochester NY this week.  Our area Medical Advisor concurred with me that he was not getting the care he needed here in Canada.  The elder ended up going home to Utah to be tested and treated and will hopefully return to finish serving his mission here.  I couldn’t resist taking a picture of this sign on our way for our good friends the Brenchleys who served a mission in Batavia NY.  It was a 31/2 hour drive each way and 6 hours in the ER. I was supposed to speak in sacrament meeting on “A Proper Fast”.  I called one of the Sister missionaries in our ward and she was happy to do it for me.  A missionary should always be prepared to teach and testify. 
                                

These apartments are called the “Marilyn Monroe Buildings”.  Can you guess why?  We pass them every Sunday on our way to church in Mississagua.  They are a famous piece of architecture here in Canada.

March Already?

We just got through with out first Zone Conferences.  The temperature was almost to zero and there were blizzard conditions for two of the three days.  It was too cold to take any pictures, but we got to go to Orangeville, London and Oshawa.  It’s bound to get warmer, right?  We had to speak to the missionaries about car safety and medical concerns, do car inspections and then got to visit with the other couples for a while.  It’s great being around the young missionaries; they energize us and keep us going. 
                                         

Elder Fielding and Elder Burdett are the AP’s and do such a great job organizing and running the Zone Conferences.  We really enjoy working with them. 

                                         
This shows Rod’s car boards and the 101 cars he is responsible for right now.  It’s a huge job and he does it well. 
                                                     

This is our favorite place to hang out and we do it as often as we can.  I love looking out our tenth floor window of our apartment and seeing the lighted spire of the temple in the distance.  It brings such sweet peace just knowing it is there.                 

New Year in Canada

       
We were able to take a short break from the office and celebrate New Year’s Eve with some of the other couples in the mission.  Elder and Sister Robison are the CES couple, Elder and Sister Rees are the office couple soon going home, Elder and Sister Whitehead are Temple Missionaries and the Gillens were MLS-turned office who serve now with us in the office.  It was fun to take a break from the stress of the office and visit for an evening. 

                                          

President and Sister Scott are wonderful!  They work so hard and love the missionaries and the work. They will be going home this July so we will get just a few short months to work with them.

             

Rod and I share an office. He takes care of all 95 cars and I take care of the mission secretary details and the health of 296 missionaries.  We are learning so much every day and know the Lord is blessing us to do the work.  Things are a lot different in Canada than they were in Pittsburgh so we have a lot of things to learn.
                                     

Every fast Sunday, the Ludlows have all the mission and temple workers over for dinner.  They have been doing this for over 20 years.  Rod enjoys visiting with them since they are long-time members in the area and know the people he served with as a young missionary 46 years ago.

                                     

We were also invited to the Solomon’s for dinner one Sunday evening.  Bishop Solomon was just released as Bishop of the Brampton Ward and is the Temple Recorder.  They are both from India where they joined the church as some of the first members there.  They served a mission together in India and their son is serving a mission there now.  They have been in Canada for 14 years.  Sister Solomon served us some delicious Indian cuisine.  It was a fun evening with new friends.