'Light the World'

Today is Sunday, November 24, 2019

Happy American Thanksgiving on Thursday!!!

With Elder and Sister Bassett here November 12-15,  we did super compressed Zone Conferences, but Richard did not do any interviews….so this past week, and this upcoming week, we are getting all caught up on his 193 interviews! He loves visiting individually with each missionary, and I love visiting with both individual missionaries, as well as groups of them!  Many come to their interview, notebook in hand, with questions to ask the President.  And, occasionally they even have a question for me!! My pre-interview interview is definitely more casual than Richard’s, but I love to feel the spirit guide me as we chat about their experiences, who they are teaching, how they found their ‘friends’, how they are getting along with their companion, etc. etc. Never is there a lull in the conversation. Inspiration I receive from my ‘interviews,’ along with the inspiration Richard receives is what we rely on as we make transfer plans!…which we are working on now…seems like it just was transfer week, and already we are beginning week 5, and next week our dozen new missionaries arrive. Whoever wrote “Time flies on wings of lightning,” described life as a missionary perfectly!!

Interviews at the Mission Office are really fun; our Office missionaries love to have the interaction with the young Elders and Sisters, and I get to interview as well as multitask by helping organize, and visit with our Seniors. I’ll rave again about our awesome Office team who are truly cheerfully consecrated and willing to do anything and everything. And the greatest thing…they do many, many behind the scene tasks without us even asking,…and many of them we don’t ever even know they did!! Incredible!! 

We are bracing ourselves because Boyle’s leave 21 April, Bowler’s depart 1 April, and Stewarts are gone 3 June, 2020.  Any of you who have friends that are considering serving a mission….please refer them to the Canada Montreal Mission, and to us…..we can make it happen!!! Again I will  remind you that serving a mission together is the best!! Everyday we wake up with full purpose, drive, and true joy as we serve the Lord together;  and everynight we fall into bed…exhausted, and invigorated knowing we have done our best in helping His kingdom roll forth. 

With so many missionaries coming and going at the Office, it made for tag-team Christmas tree decorating! We brought many decorations from Nova Scotia, and combined with some pretty decorations that were already here, we were able to transform our waiting room into a lovely festive welcoming area…the only thing we are missing is Christmas music…I’ll work on that tomorrow!!

Double Zoom calls this week..first with our Seniors…all 47, and the second on Thursday was with our ‘newish - (4 weeks old) missionaries. Technology is incredible..when you think of CES, and MLS seniors serving in Sydney, NS.,Ottawa, Ont., Hawkesbury, Ont., Halifax, NS., Summerside and Montague, PEI, Cornerbrook, Nfld., Bathurst, NB.,Greenwood, NS, Quebec City, QC, St. John’s Nfld., Bay Roberts, Nfld., and right here in Montreal; all zoomed in on the big screen for over an hour sharing miracles of their week. Sometimes it is hard to control our emotions as we listen to these covenant-keepers share stories of how they are ‘lighting the world’ with their incredible, creative service in their wards and branches in the nethermost parts of our vineyard. Of course they participate in ward and branch councils where Bishops and Branch Presidents give assignments, but much of what these senior missionaries do is totally guided by the Spirit. Combing ward and branch lists usually is where they start, and with plates of treats they begin ministering!! And then over the Zoom call they report highlights of their week!! We are so inspired, and dream of that missionary service!! 

Our second zoom call with our new group is always fun…they also report on the miracles they have seen that week.  Assistants give teachings that inspire and motivate, and this week I got to give a teaching on Obedience.. I love drawing on experiences I had as a Mom, and shared one of our family mottos:   do you remember?? “If I Obey I’ll be Happy all Day!”  And then I talked about nutrition, and a balanced diet. We just heard about something called “6  Months to Sexy,” which apparently has been going around the Mission. (I didn’t even want to say it) Missionaries get obsessed with having a perfect body etc., and eat poorly, and focus on something other than missionary work. We will keep teaching…oh the challenges…

Two months ago we booked appointments to get our Quebec Drivers licenses, and Friday we had our interviews. We each had our own interview, (which initially had me in a bit of a panic because my French is almost limited to gospel words!!, but my Haitian interviewer was very bilingual!!!)and paid separately, and when comparing notes discovered Richard paid $13 more than me! This is Quebec!! When he was here 46 years ago he had a Drivers License and if you can believe it…he was still in their system, and so we figured he probably paid the $13 extra just for being in the file for so many years!! 

Our Nigerian friend, Tai, who was baptized in August, delivered her baby boy Malik ten days ago and last night we got to visit them. Tai’s sister Tess who lives in Texas will be here with her for a month.We don’t know Tai’s story, and don’t know if her husband is in the picture, but we do know she needs ministering, and we are going to keep in touch with her. 

Pday yesterday was relaxing..treadmill running, and dabbling in our watercolours again! Richard is getting to be a pro at Peggy’s Cove…yesterday he included Christmas lights wrapped around the lighthouse with a wreath on the door. I keep practising wreaths…trying to get one worthy of being a Christmas card…we will see!!

This upcoming week promises to be another great one…Senior Zoom call, and Office Meetings start our week, and then we have trips to Moncton, Monday and Tuesday, and to Ottawa Thursday and Friday for interviews. 

Wednesday Montreal Zone of 38…get to have their interviews…that will be a marathon day!! 

Lots of exciting missionary stories happening all over the mission..our key indicators (sacrament meeting attendance, new people found, and baptisms) are improving, and although we are not just about numbers it helps us see where we need to improve.

We DO have challenging times…I try not to burden you down with the heartaches we have with some of our missionaries:

Here are some examples:

*this week…breaking the news to an outstanding sister that her father had unexpectedly passed away

*sending a missionary home because of transgression here in the field.

*dealing with a new missionary on a hunger strike…

*we have missionaries with shoulder, ankle etc… issues..

*we have an elder that partially severed ligaments in both legs before coming on his mission…had therapy and was well enough to come and then fell on the ice and now is in terrible pain again.

*we have elders with addictions..

*we have sisters with eating disorders.

*we have quite a few missionaries counselling with our two counsellors

..dealing with emotional baggage, some with depression

*and the list goes on and on….

Perhaps it sometimes seems like a travelogue tripping all over eastern Canada, but there is much to be done to strengthen, motivate and show love to our army of Canada Montreal Missionaries…and that is what we do!!

Oh, how we love what we do!!

We know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only hope for the world, and we are so grateful we are on the front lines helping  gather scattered Israel.  Our missionaries have begun this years initiative of ‘Lighting the World One by One.’ If we all do our part…imagine how we will truly 

‘LIGHT THE WORLD.’     Let’s DO IT!!!

Have a wonderful week!

Much love,

Richard and Gayle, Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

A Whirlwind of a Mission Tour

Today is Sunday, November 17, 2019

Wow…another amazing week here in the Canada Montreal Mission!!!   

Monday Office meetings were wonderful, and they flew by as we anticipated heading to the airport to pick up Elder and Sister Bassett. Aromas of freshly baked buns and turkey soup wafted through the Mission Home, but with a weather delay in Detroit, we didn’t get home from the airport until around two am, and of course at that hour no one feels like eating!! 

Elder Bassett is in our North America North East Area Presidency, and with Sister Bassett came to do a Mission tour, which included attending our MLC, as well as all Zone Conferences. 

Elder and Sister Bassett just returned in August, from three years serving in the Brazil Area Presidency, (where they both learned to speak Portuguese!!) Before that, they served as Mission President and companion in the Arizona Mesa Mission, so…they are both super capable, and inspired, motivational teachers.  

Tuesday, zone leaders, sister training leaders, and assistants gathered at our Mission Office for MLC teaching by Elder Bassett. Logistically it is a huge deal to gather everyone for this meeting.  Car, bus, train and plane are the modes of transportation, and reservations must be made for bus, and plane tickets. I am so grateful we have capable missionaries that take care of all that!!

It is a ton of work!!

Wednesday,  Mount Royal, Montreal, Longueuil Sud, Longueuil Nord, and Ottawa Zones all converged at the LaSalle Building for our five zone mega conference, which was amazing. Elders and Sisters love to gather, and the synergy is palatable!! And food is something they all look forward to!! Sister Glowa - the Stake President’s wife cooked yummy taco salad for the 150 of us!!  From Montreal we flew to Moncton, New Brunswick.

Thursday, Moncton Zone Conference which includes all of New Brunswick and PEI, joined us for wonderful training. Sister Taylor and her crew served a turkey dinner with all the trimmings for the hungry group. Months ago when we received direction to not rely on ward members to feed us, we approached Sister Taylor to tell her we would just order pizza,  and she would hear none of that…she is the second generation of Taylor's to feed missionaries!  After our zone teachings, Elder and Sister Bassett were thrilled to sight-see for a couple of hours and tour the back woods of New Brunswick and see the Bay of Fundy! Then another flight…this time to Halifax, Nova Scotia!!

Friday, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland Zones gathered at the Dartmouth Stake Centre for our final zone conference of this six week cycle. Oh, how we love Nova Scotia, and how we love our missionaries… in all eight zones, and, zone conferences are such a highlight for us….and for them!!  Sister Spinney’s cafe rio menu was delicious, and again how the time flew!! Elder and Sister Bassett are master teachers and kept us spellbound. A quick trip out to Peggy’s Cove, was great fun…we even coaxed the sun to peek out for a few minutes!! Our Atlantic was in fine form churning and splashing the coastline, and the sky was alive with huge cumulo nimbus clouds threatening to burst!! Bundling for such weather has become second nature for us, so we barely felt the cold!! Sou’wester, the restaurant at the Cove, served up a fine bowl of seafood chowder, and gingerbread cake dwazzled with warm lemon sauce that warmed our innards was a perfect send-off meal for the Bassetts. We were back to the airport in time to bid farewell to our new dear friends who headed off to Toronto for a Stake Conference, and another Mission tour, and we were off to Newfoundland for a Baptism. 

Elder Bassett taught us that we are teaching….not training. Dogs are trained….missionaries are taught!! I’ll include in point form, a summary of some of his and Sister Bassett’s teachings:

*Alma 8:15 “Lift up your head - don’t be discouraged - have faith and confidence.

*Our call as leaders is to give encouragements - a call to lift up.

*When we are assembled we instruct, edify and act.

*We learn through our minds and our hearts.

*We plan, and study to teach PEOPLE.

*Show we are real people…we are genuine.

*Start a lesson with a song.

*Keep repenting, keep correcting.

*We are good people….becoming better.

*We partake of the sacrament to become clean.

*We need the sacrament to become clean.

*Mosiah 18 - the biggest baptismal service ever!!.. 

* How do we have our hearts knit together?

*All we are doing is real - all part of the plan.

*We use the Atonement daily as we pray.

*Understand the Plan of Salvation - know and teach it!

*Have a daily spiritual manifestation.

*D&C 128:22 shall we not go forth…courage brethren..and on and on.

*What does it feel like to wear the name tag?

*Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.

*Sacrifice is an eternal principle.

*Be willing to sacrifice for Him.

*Be the kind of missionary your mother thinks you are.

*We choose our attitude.

*Our Mission is a gift we put on the altar….. and I’m giving it willingly.

* “Abraham needed to learn something about Abraham” President Hugh B. Brown when on Mt. Moriah and was asked why Abraham was commanded to sacrifice Isaac.)

• President Nelson taught.. “When teaching, begin with the End (Endowment) in mind.”
• Where are my Waters of Mormon? 
• Teach PEOPLE…not lessons…Bonnie Oscarson
• ‘He’ is what we are all about.
• You are His ambassadors.
• We Love Him because He loved us first.
• Preach the word  ‘by the way.’
• Never judge your success by the choice of others.
• This is an opportunity for you.. to show God you love Him more.
• What kind of a mission do you want….a ‘Nephi' mission or a ‘Laman and Lemuel’ mission?
• “I gave up something I loved for the God I loved even more.” story told by President Monson  about a man named Benjamin Landert.

 Our quick jaunt over to Newfoundland to witness Zayhef Al-Sabahi’s baptism was a thrill. Jonathan had been his Young Men President so we felt like we represented he and Jordan, supporting the Burton’s and Zayhef. Great branch support with probably sixty in attendance. Zayhef’s best friend and his Mom were there, and she stated she had never felt such a spiritual feeling…they loved it, and committed to attend meetings today!!

Tonight it was fun to FaceTime with Bob, Jan, D’Arcey, Jeff, Donna, Caitlyn, Brent, Celeste, Nancy and Mom. Of course the ‘elephant in the room’ loomed about, as we skirted around Mom’s lymphoma diagnosis. Not knowing when chemo or radiation will begin makes it difficult to actually plan, but we are all so blessed to have such a loving, caring, supportive family.  Everyone will rally around and minister, just like she has taught us… thanks Mom…and thank you all for being on the front line…..I will add that for us…this is the hardest part of being on a Mission…

Love to you all from  85 Henley Avenue, Ville de Mont Royal, Quebec

Richard and Gayle, Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma

CTR and Keep Smiling!!!

Remembrance Day Tomorrow!

Today is Sunday, November 10, 2019 

Maybe the speeding bullet analogy is getting old, but it is such a great way to describe our days, weeks, and months!! Just when we thought the train was in full throttle mode…someone added jet propulsion!! We love being able to push our old minds and old bodies to full capacity, and feel invigorated, and rejuvenated…we just love being missionaries!!! I probably have told you that before!! 

Thaine and Terry Olsen from Southern Alberta are our newest Senior couple arriving Monday afternoon just in time for our monthly Seniors potluck supper…in fact they performed two cute barbershop duets…wow what talent!!! While serving in the Philippines, Terry developed eye problems, which necessitated them returning to Canada. She had her eye problems corrected and had clearance to return to the Philippines, but they felt they wanted to stay in Canada…so Thaine who is Richard’s old friend from many years ago called us about a month and a half ago to check if we were in need of any seniors. ANYONE that makes that call is guaranteed a spot in the CMM!! Visiting and having them spend Monday night at the Mission Home was so fun!! I think they thought they had hit the mission jackpot when first thing Tuesday morning they were raring to head to Summerside, PEI!!

And while they headed to PEI, we packed our bags (we do this in about 5 minutes or less!!) and we headed three hours east to Quebec City where we interviewed and visited our dedicated, hard-working Longueuil Nord missionaries. It is so much fun to just chat, chat, chat with these great young men and women who are doing the best thing they could possibly do to transition from teenager to adult…serve a mission!!! I tell them that all the time! 

Rosalee Savard, our new ‘Marriott’ cleaning friend that we met in August, has been attending Church with her husband Gaetan. They along with our Quebec City MLS couple, Elder and Sister Bills joined us for supper on Tuesday night.  We hope our visit with them will strengthen them. Rosalee reported that she is heading home to the Philippines the 27th of December, and will be there until mid March. Her family in the P’pines are all active church members so she will be strengthened by them while she is there. 

Back to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia for interviews on Thursday and Friday, and for my lovely visit to hairdresser, JJ Choo!! I'm so grateful that our interviews and zone conference schedules jive with my hair schedule, and that JJ always makes time for me!! 

The first time we attended the Halifax Temple last year we met this most remarkable couple…Phil and Linda Thompson. Linda has suffered with MS for many years. I wish I knew their conversion story, but the incredible thing that we saw at the Temple, and at church was how tender and loving Phil was with his beloved wife. Linda’s funeral was Thursday afternoon so as I visited with missionaries,  I listened to some of the tributes to Linda.  What a teary funeral. 

Friday night we joined our new friends Jim and Vicki Cameron at ‘Il Mercado,’ a fun Italian restaurant in Bedford, Nova Scotia. We had great time visiting and getting to know each other. Vicki is an incredible gardener, so we always have something to talk about!!! Jim is a Church member, and Vicki is being taught by Sister Hall and Sister Shultz. It is exciting to watch Vicki’s faith grow. 

Our flight back to Montreal had us home by 7:30am. LaSalle Stake Conference was yesterday and today, and we each had four minutes to speak!! With so few minutes, we had to choose our words carefully!! I’ll try and cut and paste my four minutes worth!!

Montreal Mount Royal Stake Conference

November 10, 2019

  “REMEMBER”

Good Morning!!

My husband and I moved to Montreal from Halifax the end of this June, so for the past four months we have served in the newly merged Canada Montreal Mission, where we have missionaries serving here in Quebec,  a portion of Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and in a tiny bit of Maine!! We are from Lethbridge, Alberta, and back home, our six sons with their sweet wives, our one daughter and her wonderful husband along with our twenty two grandchildren love to hear our missionary stories, and we love to share them!!

We are so appreciative of your warm welcome, and thank you for your sincerity, and kindness to us. 

Thank you also for your love and support of our outstanding army of obedient, enthusiastic young missionaries…currently we are 193 strong, with an additional 40 consecrated, covenant-keeping senior missionaries who you love and support as well!!

Tomorrow, November 11th is Remembrance Day, the day we commemorate the ending of WW 1 and WW11. We remember with gratitude, the millions who lost their lives in the cause of our freedom. 

The concept of Remembering is so important to our Heavenly Father - and so important in the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Weekly as we listen to the Sacrament prayers and partake of the Sacrament, we covenant to remember Jesus Christ.

That is what we are all about …we are all about Jesus Christ , and striving to remember Him, and be like Him. 

Helaman 5:12 reminds us: “And now my sons, Remember, Remember  that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation;  that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.”

One of the best ways we build our own foundation on the rock of Jesus Christ is by sharing the gospel with our family and friends. And that is one of the reasons we are here…to help you do that!!

I love the applying the beautiful Bible story of Queen Esther to us as missionaries.  One portion of verse 4 in Esther 14 gives me great strength and motivation… “And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Repeat… “And who knoweth whether THOU (with arms outstretched referring to everyone)art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?!” 

Brothers and Sisters we have the fulness of the gospel..and we are come to the Kingdom for such a time as this. I know this. I know that each one of you have people within your circle of influence that would be open to the message of the restored gospel. We are excitedly anticipating this years “Light the World One by One” Campaign! AND we invite you to invite the full-time missionaries into your homes, and let them help you make a plan to Light the World!!! A suggestion today is to go to “ComeuntoChrist.org" to get more information, and soon lighttheworld.org will take our phone numbers so we can receive daily text message reminders and suggestions on how we can Light the World One by One.

I have a firm conviction that as we REMEMBER Jesus Christ, and Remember our covenants to Him, we will find JOY and PEACE in our lives. Remember, Remember that it is upon the Rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation.

Let us share that JOY with our family and friends, and help them find that same joy and peace is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ…

And...there you have it!
I was so excited to meet Uncle Don Crawford (who was married to my Mom's deceased sister Alice), and his wife Annette.  He didn't recognize me, but knew I was Pat's daughter. 
We will have them for dinner sometime.

Our General Authority, Elder Bassett and his wife arrive tomorrow late afternoon, and we will spend until Friday afternoon touring our mission, holding Zone Conferences, our MLC, and travelling from Montreal to Moncton to Halifax, and then, when they fly to Toronto, we will head to Newfoundland!!! It will be a marathon week, but so exciting to see all our wonderful missionaries in the period of three days!! Our first Zone Conference of the week on Wednesday is a mega one, where we are having five zones all come into Montreal, and Thursday, our New Brunswick Zone Conference includes PEI, and Friday,  our Newfoundland Zone are flying to Halifax to join the Nova Scotia Zone for our Conference there. Our planning is complete with “Light the World One by One" training, as well as a training on ‘An Eye Single to the Glory of God.’

It will be a wonderful week!

And now I will sign off sending love from the ‘Canada Montreal Mission,’ 

Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma, and Richard and Gayle.

Keep Smiling and CTR!!

trick or treat missionary style

Today is Sunday, November 3, 2019 

Happy 11th Birthday to Lucy Jeanne Thursday, November 7th!!!

The last week of October zipped by, just as our weeks usually do!! Meetings, more meetings, French tutoring and Mission Leadership Council were highlights of our week. Gathering our Zone Leaders, and Sister Training Leaders from all over the Mission for MLC was awesome. It is a big deal organizing travel for missionaries to fly from Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, and our Sister Boyle is the master of taking care of that.  I will rave again about our Office team, our senior missionaries who administer to all the needs of this massive mission!  Because they take care of all the logistics, we never worry a minute.

Leading trainings, and discussions at MLC is delightful. We give our Prepare to Learn assignments early in the week so everyone has had a chance to read.  Elder Marlin K. Jensen’s talk from years ago entitled “ An Eye Single to the Glory of God,” was the springboard talk I used to lead a discussion, and Richard led a discussion on President Oaks “Teaching Repentance and Baptizing Converts” talk from a worldwide missionary fireside. Every meeting, whether Zone Conference, MLC, or Zoom meetings we are consistently impressed with the knowledge, and testimonies of our army. They are prepared, converted, and enthused, and we always feel like we have learned way more than we even present or teach. It is certainly stimulating, and we just love every interaction with our CMM Missionaries!

Torrential rains hit Ville Mont Royal Thursday, so Halloween was postponed until Friday night. That was great for us because we got to take our banana bread loaves to both sets of neighbours; Michel and Jennifer and new baby Zoe live on one side, in fact their home is the mirror image of ours but, they have totally modernized and renovated it. On our tour, we kept trying to figure out which room we were in!! Michel is a pharmacist and owns his own Jean Coutou pharmacy, while Jennifer is a Family Doctor.  Joanne and her tiny terrier Gloria, live on the other side of us. Joanne’s husband Prudent is somewhat of an inigima…we have never seen nor met him!!

Throngs of trick or treaters first knocked on our door  Friday at 4:45pm, and the knocking didn’t stop until around 7:30pm when we turned out our lights because we were totally out of treats…can’t think of anytime that’s ever happened!! After exhausting our chocolate bar supply, every other possible goodie was distributed…ritz cracker and cheese snacks, packages of Kirkland trail mix, Welch’s fruit snacks, and an entire box of Fruitsations!! Children in the Ville de Mont Royal dressed as unicorns, witches, princesses, goblins, little black rainclouds, and every possible costume, actually have police escorts as they run around the neighbourhood collecting treats, in fact at the end of the evening, we counted at least six police cars, lights flashing all gathered at the other side of our Darling Park!!   

PDay on Friday was an adventure!! Taking the subway down to Old Montreal is always so fun. With winter right around the corner many of the businesses have been winterized and closed. It was our lucky day when we found a creperie upstairs in a 300 year old stone building that is open year round.  My lemon crepe will keep me dreaming for weeks, and Richard adored his shrimp crepe….both were scrumptious!! My favourite little shop which is also open year round features lovely little 'Made in Quebec' souvenirs. I feel very French wearing the fox pompomed red floppy toque Richard insisted on buying!!  Our metro ride back home was right at rush hour and so we were really crammed in the train car, BUT we avoided all the vehicle traffic above, and arrived home so quickly!!

Yesterday and today we attended Longueuil Stake Conference (French), and we were in awe of the reverence of the Saints, the music, and the messages. They are faithful members who love the Gospel, each other and the Saviour. We loved being with them. Richard shared the Vaillancourt conversion story of 45 years ago. Joslyn Vaillancourt and his family were there so it was so sweet!! Many people were so thrilled to meet and visit with us - especially when they realized Richard had already served here!! Bearing my testimony in French is getting easier, because my mouth is starting to cooperate. Gutteral r’s are still a big challenge, but Lavender is helping me.

Because we have Elder Bassett from our Area Presidency next week for our Mission tour and Zone Conferences, and there will be no time for interviews; sooo this week we travel to Quebec City, as well as to Halifax so Richard can do his interviewing! We enjoy so much our visits with these great missionaries, and look forward to every interaction! It will be another wonderful week!!

And now it is time to head to bed!

We’ll send this off with much love,

Richard and Gayle, Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma

CTR and Keep Smiling    xoxoxoxo…