Today is Sunday, December 15, 2019

Typically we do not do three Zone Conferences in a week, but with Christmas right around the corner we felt it important to spend time with every missionary and Zone Conferences are the perfect opportunity!!!

Here goes this weeks travelogue!!! 

Quebec City was our destination Monday morning, and the three hour drive along the St. Lawrence River through hardwood forests was as beautiful as it always is! Quebec is the largest producer of maple syrup in the world so you know there are ALOT of maple trees here!! Interviews and water-colouring occupied our Monday afternoon and evening and Tuesday Zone conference was lovely…we taught, and had a great discussion on Obedience, and then talked a lot about how to involve members in our work… Being equally yoked with members is one of the keys of effective missionary work, so we talk a lot about that!!  Lunch was made by our senior couple; The Bills who are so clever, and resourceful…placemats are pages of old Church News! Homemade whole wheat rolls are my favourite treat!! 

After lunch we had a party with fun gift exchange, and a talent show!! These missionaries are talented, and it was so fun to see how gifted they are…piano, cello, violin, flute, ukulele, guitar have been played so far, and we have had amazing singers, cute skits, and even a poet in the group!! We have loved seeing them shine in front of each other and us!!

Montreal Zone Conference Thursday at Papineau Building was great; Stimulating discussions, and fun teaching with our largest zone. Office missionaries provided a yummy spiral ham/funeral potatoes feast. Fabulous talent show, and great gift exchange! With 3 sets of die being rolled, 7, 11, or doubles happen quickly, and great laughter as crazy gifts get exchanged!!

Flying back to Nova Scotia on Friday was fun…visiting and watercoloring with missionaries, getting Christmas cards copied, eating my Wendy’s salad in front of 23 Brookdale Crescent (our Canada Halifax Mission Home - which has been sold), visiting Pier One imports, and getting my hair done at JJ Choo’s were a few of my Friday activities. 

Zone Conference was almost a carbon copy of our other two, although the participation and comments are different in each! 

Another fun talent show; this time Elder and Sister Butler did a magic show!!

Pouring rain in Nova Scotia…just like a bathtub facet on full blast!! no snow, and no freezing rain so although our flight back to Montreal was delayed…it wasn’t cancelled!! 

Two great stories to tell:

Last Sunday the Sydney, Nova Scotia Branch had a ‘Light the World,’ fireside, and our missionaries, Elder Birch and Elder Gardner, as well as our Senior couple; Elder and Sister Wilkinson had planned and prepared for this special evening. They had invited everyone they could…three other denominations brought choirs, and the ‘finale’ was the new ‘Light the World’ Nativity movie. Over 100 folks attended with half being ‘friends - not yet members.’ At the end of the beautiful movie…the crowd all stood and enthusiastically clapped. So exciting for missionaries - young and old, and such a boost for the Cape Breton’ers!!  Lighting the World is happening in the Canada Montreal Mission!!

Today after Sacrament Meeting we met a new gal named Sepideh who is getting baptized next Saturday…she is from Iran and is so converted.  She came to McGill and got her Doctorate in Linguistics!! Her brother Amir is investigating too!! They were excited when we invited them for Christmas Eve, and we are excited to have them come!!…Sepideh said the most challenging thing for her is to not wear her hijab. 

Upcoming this week; tomorrow and Tuesday we have Ottawa interviews and Zone Conference, Wednesday interviews, and Thursday combined Mount Royal and Longueuil Sud Zone Conference, and Friday and Saturday we will be in Moncton for New Brunswick Zone Conference.

Celebrating our 43rd Wedding Anniversary on Wednesday was also a highlight of the week. Dinner out on the town was fun!!

And now it is time to sign off for the week…with a little reminder to 

“Light the World!” I find having a supply of passalong cards in my pocket or in my purse makes it so easy to strike up a conversation…try it!!

Sending much love to all

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