'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