A SWEET experience!!

Today is Thursday, March 12, 2020.

Last Sunday I neglected ‘bragging’ about the birth of our brand new granddaughter Liesl Anne Low,  the first born of Jonathan and Jordan, born last Saturday, February 29, 2020.  Uncle David cutely quipped that Liesl (from ‘The Sound of Music’), will be singing ‘I Am 16 going on 17’ for four years!!! Liesl our 23rd grandchild; is joining 11 girl cousins and 11 boy cousins…so she has tipped the ‘girl’ scale!! We so look forward to meeting little Liesl in person sometime this summer!!

Last week was delightfully wonderful.  Monday meetings were inspiring and stimulating, as we visited with both our Senior and our young missionaries.  Every week during ‘call ins’ our STL’s and Zone Leaders report on the ‘keys.’ Keys include: 1. Number of Baptisms 2. Number of new people found, and 3. Number of those new friends that attended Sacrament Meeting.  Then these ‘keys’ are sent to Salt Lake City.  ‘Keys,’ simply defined, are a means for each zone to report and to be accountable to us. As a mission we rejoice in every key, cheering for every zone and their success!! Every missionary helps contribute to our successful keys! We feel so blessed and grateful for their amazing hard work!!

Interviews kept Richard occupied for most of the hours this week, as he completed all interviews for Mount Royal, Longueuil Sud, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland Zones. 

Tuesday, since one missionary requested that I bring watercolours I brought my bag full of supplies and many joined in the fun creative activity. It is so fun to watch their creative juices flow, but even more fun to chat and get to know our team!! Richard and I haven’t painted for over a month, but maybe this weekend!

Highlight of last week - (after Zone Conferences); on Saturday morning,  we celebrated with our dear friends Kenny and Kathy Eldershaw and Steven Creelman in the Halifax Temple as they took out their own endowments, and then as Kenny and Kathy, were sealed for eternity!! What a thrill to help teach friends who get baptized, and then for an entire year faithfully and diligently work towards going to the Temple, and to get to be there with them was just incredible!! Full circle!!! And what added more to the joy was that our dear Sister Stoddard who, as a brand new missionary, had helped teach all three (and who had been recently transferred back to Nova Scotia from Ottawa) was in attendance!! Oh my, that was such a thrill to see those sweet reunions, especially for Sister Stoddard!! Kathy’s sister Patti also went through the Temple for the first time, and her sweet daughter Bryanna was her escort. We were so grateful everything coordinated perfectly so we could be there for that special culminating sealing ordinance. Families being sealed for eternity is what we know, what we teach, and what we testify!!! 

Sunday we were on the Hochelaga Sacrament Meeting docket. French speaking saints are patient with my attempt at speaking, sharing a message and bearing my testimony in French. 

Praying is so much easier for me than giving a talk..but.. the next two Sundays we have two more speaking assignments..this week in Shawinigan, and next in Victoriaville. I am praying my French tongue, and brain will cooperate!! Richard gave a wonderful, motivating French talk.

Sunday night, cousin Cora Bunn, Uncle Don and Annette joined us for dinner and wonderful visiting. Cora was at a Metis Conference in Gatineau, and made the two hour and two minute drive, and we were thrilled to have a little reunion! As kids, when we returned home from Haliburton, Ontario at the end of our magical summer vacations, we would brag that our cousin was related to Pocahontas…and I really think she is!! She does have Metis blood, and is actually on the board of Metis Women of Ontario. It was so good to see her, Uncle Don and Annette. 

Tuesday morning we headed up to Quebec City for more meeting and greeting missionaries; for Quebec Zone Conference. With our new directions for greeting anyone being ‘elbow bumps,’ I found greeting a bit awkward. My simple adaptation is adding a little arm squeeze, to the bump!! Other ‘COVID 19 precautions,’ here in the Canada Montreal Mission include being vigilant hand sanitizing, and having a two week food, and water supply on hand. Each missionary received $100.00 US extra funds to help purchase this supply of food. Also, we are to avoid holding handrails, doorknobs etc. which is a huge challenge since public transit - buses (and subway trains in Montreal) are part of our lives. We are to limit close contact with others as much as possible (about 6 feet)

Wednesday night we got to sleep in our own bed, but were up early Thursday, had our quick treadmill run, and were collected by our Uber driver who delivered us to the Air Canada gate in preparation for our overnight trip to Moncton, New Brunswick. Interviews kept us busy at the Church until just before 10pm. Messages from the Missionary Department, and our Area Presidency kept Richard busy in the midst of teaching, but he took it all in stride. We kept thinking they were going to cancel Missionary Zone conferences….which they DID…right after we had finished!! We were so grateful we got to have our ‘in person’ Conference with our missionaries in the nethermost part of our vineyard!!!

Sorry this didn't get finished last week….or sent….

Part 2 is below!

Today is Sunday, March 15, 2020 and 

PORTER LE RON turns 4 years olden Tuesday, March 17th..Happy Birthday Porter!!!

Yesterday we loved our adventure with most of our Seniors out to the Sucrerie de la Montagne!! After about a 45 minute drive through the city, and picturesque rolling countryside, our GPS guided us to “La Cabane a Pierre,” an enchanted re-creation of an old fashioned sugaring-off operation.  After parking our car, we hopped into a double horse drawn wagon which took us to  a little log cabin to register, and to pay our $35.00. Big long picnic tables accommodated our group of 17 where we were served traditional Quebecois fare including split pea soup, freshly kiln baked bread, tortiere, mashed potatoes, ham, sausages, meatballs, beans, bacon, and scrambled eggs. Dessert included pancakes and sugar pie!! A huge bottle of maple syrup was on the table to douse everything again, so we all came away on a sugar high!! SOOO fun and SOOO delicious!!  Being together is always a highlight for all of us!! Travelling out we loved visiting with Sister Breckenridge, Sister Mecham, and Elder and Sister Kiddle, and had great fun meeting up with Elder and Sister Stewart, Sister Little, Sister Manning, Elder and Sister Boyle, Elder and Sister Swenson, Elder and Sister Mikkelsen, and Sister Wells. A cute gift shop with all sorts of maple’y’ souvenirs was fun to look in!!  I wish I had bought the little ‘grow a sugar maple tree’ kit - next year!!! BTW..Sister Kiddle grew up in Woolford, where Grandpa Hamilton’s sister Estella and her husband Leo Cook lived, and their families were the best of friends, and Grandpa’s brother George was her school principal; and, she is the queen of quilting…she could have her own quilt show!!…stunning photos of her quilts had me mesmerized; and Elder Kiddle’s Mom was Enid Seely’s sister!!! We can sing it….it’s a small world…

Today the Quebec government cancelled all Sugar Shacks for the rest of the season, so we are so glad we had that fun experience!!!!!

Remaining Zone Conferences will be over Zoom technology. In person interviews will still happen which we are grateful for because interviews in front of computers or telephones are not nearly as effective. Tomorrow we head to Ottawa for Tuesday interviews, but before interviews, Richard planned a zone ‘church parking lot’ street hockey game!!  You can be sure he is so excited for that!! Yesterday at Canadian Tire, we found the perfect not too hard, and not too soft red and green tennis balls for the activity!  

Zooming Ottawa, Longueuil Sud and Mt. Royal Zone Conferences this week will be good, but not nearly as wonderful as being right with our missionaries, looking them in the eye, giving them hugs, and talking one on one with them.   

Last year, when we arrived in Dartmouth, we were thrilled to find an incredible 2 ft. cream coloured statue of two Elders, nicely displayed on steps going down to our sunken living room. When Sister Pratt had given me a virtual tour of the mission home before we moved to Nova Scotia, I thought it belonged to them, but we were so excited to realize it belonged to the Mission!! Our goal was to have a matching sisters sculpture created….and..thanks to Bob, we found the original sculptor…a man named Valeri Sokolovsky who has his gallery in Victoria BC. When a senior missionary couple donated half the cost of the sculpture, and a few other generous donors came forward, we had the funds we needed!! We contacted Valeri himself who was happy to begin creating a ‘sisters’ companion sculpture….it really is a long serendipitous story…BUT… Monday we ventured to the UPS depot and collected our stunning ‘sisters’ sculpture, and walking through our front door, they are prominently displayed!!!! We are just thrilled!! 

 Snow is melting, but we still have at least a foot on the flat so it will be awhile before we see grass!! But, Squirrels are awake, and almost dance as they scurry along our picket fence!! Just when we were convinced that the only bird in Montreal were pigeons, last week a little chickadee perched on our back deck, and, this morning I jumped for joy when I saw a darling pair of cardinals scoping out our backyard!! I wanted to go plant some string, and all manner of nest building materials so they would stay!! 

Our missionaries in general are well. Communications with our IFR, and our Area Presidency have changes in the works for our teams…oh my…we will know tomorrow exactly what is happening. 

Following are some March 8th, 2020 amazing miracles: 

From Elder Hindley in St. Laurent YSA Branch: 

A super awesome experience you can totally share with Sister Low is that two weeks ago we taught a recent convert tithing because he needs to pay it to go to the temple.  Then this week we saw him again and it was awesome because last time he had made a super strong commitment to pay tithing and this time when we met him he was thrilled to tell us he had received a promotion at work this week!  We pointed out to him that it came after he had resolved to pay tithing and he totally recognized it as a miracle.  Super cool experience.  

Feelings expressed in a letter from Elder Furrows:

I am doing absolutely amazing. I have found great joy and deep satisfaction in serving a mission. I am learning to love my mission more and more everyday. This past week I have had the distinct impression to Express my gratitude to you and sister low. I would love for you to share this email with sister low. 

To start, I would like to thank both of you for the support and love you have shown me. I have felt you sincere interest in my life, your prayers, and your love. This past week I have had the great opportunity to see you at the mission home on Wednesday, Monday for the zoom call, and today for interviews. At the mission home, as I saw Elder Puzninski leave the mission, I could see and feel the deep and sincere love that both of you have for each of us missionaries. This experience softened my heart, and helped me to see that just like myself and other missionaries, both of you have need of love and support. Secondly, on Monday during the zoom call, I really felt the spirit. I felt a lot of comfort and peace. I know that both of you are doing your best, and as a result of your efforts, this mission is thriving. Lastly, today during our interviews, I had a delightful time as I learned from Sister Low the secrets of seeing and making ties. Both of you are amazing. I know you are concerned for our well being, and you are doing everything you can. I really appreciate both of you, and I can feel the effects of your hard work. 

This one from Elder Barnjak in Victoria ward, south shore, Montreal:

This week we had the baptismal and confirmation of our friend Saul. His little brother of 8 years old  also have been baptized and we were also teaching him along with his brother. This story of this family is just amazing. The brother came to church once (my first Sunday in Victoria) after 7 years of inactivity. Because he felt good at Church he began to come back every once in a while and eventually invited us to eat with his family. Because he felt the Spirit through us and because his children also are really receptive to the Spirit we came more often to teach them.

His family is now really active and he bore a really powerful testimony. Moreover, his mother who was less active for more than 20 years came back for the baptism and confirmation, a friend of the family also came back to activity and was officially a member of Victoria last Sunday.

His story help understand how important the obedience and the worthiness of the missionaries are. The Spirit that we bring can change families for ever. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget.

This from Sister Gomez in Montreal:

The other day I Felt a Strong impression to get up, when i was sitting in the bus, because i wasn't feeling very well. And although  i was tired and didn't understand, I got up, then Somebody sat down where I had been sitting and we started a Conversation, THIS MAN WAS so ready to Hear the message of the restoration !! And I with boldness, remembering your words, told him that God has only one Church on earth. And that he loves his children. He was called, but chose to reject my message, but I Had a Burning testimony of God Using me to be an Instrument in his hand to help, or Reach out to His children. 

And the results of listening to the Voice of the Spirit ! 

OH my goodnes, so excited to be here. 

This from Elder Rodriguez in Terrebonne (North Shore Montreal)

We taught a family and as the mother of a son around my age who is less active, came into the room to hear our message. The Lord guided our message. We were still a trio, Elder Newman doesn't speak spanish and this family speaks and understands a bit of english. I for some reason (now seeing it was the Lord) decided to speak in english on strengthening, and the blessing, and also the love of a family. How through the Love of my family and those that loved me I was able to be here at this time talking with them as a missionary. Then Elder Newman proceeded me in sharing something that brought the Spirit strongly into that home. After the message, I asked if there was anything we could do for them. The Mother started to cry. She spoke of her son. How she greatly wanted him to be in our shoes, sharing the gospel. To experience the joy of seeing him at the airport on a mission, to receive his emails. How out of nowhere his attitude changed  when he came to the mission age. Then she proceeded to say something that hits me hard. How she didnt care at this point if he went on a mission. How in this moment she just wanted him to come back to the Savior. She said, ``I only have one son.`` That statement hits me hard. I cant erase her face and the tone in her voice as she said that from my memory. Oh how I wish I could bring this kid to see the pain he is causing his mother. How I wish his heart would soften and feel the anguish he is causing his family. How because of his example he's leading many of his siblings away.  Even as I write this my heart swells up. When we left and got to the car we said a prayer and I just broke down. President I'm so grateful to be out here at this time. Thank you for your time in reading this. I love you president! 

This from Sister Margrin from Shawinigan:

As for our amis, I need to share with you a story about our ami Simon. We had an appointment with him one night, and when he opened his door he wasn't feeling good at all. He was feeling super dizzy, his face was white and he said that he was going to faint and that he needed help. We were scared, and a little bit shocked, but there was one thing that came to our mind, to Sister Milad and I: a priesthood blessing. We asked the member that came with us for the lesson to call her husband and ask him if he could give Simon a blessing. He said yes right away. This man was comfortably sat in his sofa, resting from his day, but stood up and put on his suit as soon as he's been asked to give a blessing. He is incredible. So out members took Simon to their house, watching carefully if he was okay with walking up the stairs properly. We sat down at their table, and before giving him the blessing, Frère Bédard explained to Simon what a priesthood blessing was, and how faith plays a really important part in that. 

I cried during the blessing.

Fr Bédard didn't even know Simon, but every single thing he said described perfectly his situation. He talked about his health, his job and blessed him according to what the Spirit was telling him.

At the end of the blessing, Simon said that he was feeling so much better, that He was not shaking anymore and we noticed that his face had a normal color. It was a miracle. I have a strong testimony about the priesthood. It really is the power of God to serve his children on earth

And a miracle from March 15, 2020

From Sister Scott in Hawkesbury:

I do feel like God answered my prayer Sunday night. We were having a lesson with a man who is very evangelical and very admit that the bible was the last w

ritten word of God and is complete. We had listened to some of Elder Holland talks that address that issue. He speaks with such power and has such a way with words. I was really asking to be mighty in speech like Elder Holland during our lesson. And at one point in the lesson I had it. I was explaining how people rejoiced when they received more words of God like the 3 other gospel after Mark. I was explaining it how Elder Holland explained it and mentioned the verse when Jesus says my words never cease. For 2 minutes as I was explaining all of that, the words flowed smoothly and you could feel the power and truth behind the doctrine. Not to mention the Holy Ghost was so strong at that moment. It had a man kid many words speechless. Which doesn't happen. And than after that he switched subjects. I believe because he realized, not that he was wrong, but that what Elder Holland and I had said could be true. That moment and the preparation up to that point has deepened my testimony of the Book of Mormon.

Incredible stories of finding, obedience, hard work and testimony!! Oh how we love our CMM missionaries!!  How we love serving side by side with them. We have been so blessed by our service here, and are so grateful for this incredible opportunity!  

We send much love and gratitude for your love and prayers…we sure need them!!!

Richard and Gayle, Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma

Keep Smiling! We will too!!