Birthday Week!!

Today is Sunday, May 31, 2020

Tomorrow as we flip our calendars to June, we will be scratching our heads wondering where the month of May went?? We have enjoyed another delightful week here in the Canada Montreal Mission, and although we aren’t travelling to visit missionaries all over the mission, we are so grateful for Zoom technology that enables us to see and hear their voices as we interview and carry on with our normal meetings. ‘Things’ with COVID have loosened up a bit here…playgrounds and tattoo parlours are now open, but no hairstylists or malls or Churches…can’t figure the rationale on that!! And…every one of our six provinces, and one state are so different…Frequent communication with Salt Lake City keeps us in the loop as far as when proselyting will open…but we have no prediction when that will be…

Monday meetings were prefaced by a surprise birthday party for ME!! Sisters Mecham, Breckenridge and Little had decorated the board room with balloons, red tablecloths, Happy Birthday/Bonne Fete banners, and the ribbon wrapped boxes of fancy French pastries were tempting us after we saw how yummy they looked!! Seriously French baked goods are unreal…presentation as well as tastiness, and our willpower really wanes when we are in any bakery!!

Meetings were wonderful , and we always feel so blessed to have such a dedicated team!! Visiting with zone leaders and STL’s always makes us amazed at their devotion and hard work!!   Here is the impressive ‘Key Indicators for Success’ report from last week; one friend baptized(private pool in Ottawa,) 33 friends on date for baptism, 71 friends at Church, and 31 new people found to teach!! Our teams of missionaries almost without exception are working so obediently, creatively, and diligently…using only their phones!! Every team or companionship create Facebook quick posts, as well as quality posts, and that

‘new’ way of contacting people is proving to be really successful (as you can tell by our Key Indicators report!) 

Richard knows my favourite birthday activities include gardening and enjoying a family picnic, and so Tuesday the 26th, we spent the day together visiting the Botanix Garden Centre in La Prairie, planting the flowers from that extravaganza….and then that night we had a wonderful virtual ZOOM 66th birthday party - 3000 km away from our dear loved ones!! It was almost as good…I loved listening to you play ‘Who’s Special!!’and thank you for your beautiful, kind  tributes… I should have written them down…to remember!! 

I found myself singing this beautiful song as I fell asleep that night.. Maybe some of you have heard it…the lyrics are lovely, and the melody is wonderful…(you could listen to it on youtube.)

When you come to the end of a Perfect day

And you sit alone with your thought,

While the chimes ring out with a carol gay, 

For the joy that the day has brought,

Do you think what the end of a Perfect day

Can mean to a tired heart

When the sun goes down with a flaming ray

And the dear hearts have to part?

Well, this is the end of a perfect day,

Near the end of a journey too,

But it leaves a thought that is big and strong,

With a wish that is kind and true.

For memory has painted this perfect day

With colours that never fade,

And we find at the end of a perfect day,

The soul of a friend we’ve made.

Another highlight of our week was Mission Leadership Council (MLC) where we gathered via Zoom and had motivational, inspirational teachings. Richard and I each lead hour long discussions, and it is incredible how we can have so much virtual participation, and really feel the Spirit lead the discussion!! Alma 56, 57, and 58 - being ‘firm and undaunted’ was the focus of my teaching. Such powerful scripture that so applies to all of us…it sort of reminds me of  ‘Stand ye in Holy Places and Be not Moved.’  Aunt Janet, my Dad’s oldest sister once taught me that ‘standing in holy places and be not moved,’ refers to each of us making the decision to make the very ground we are standing be a holy place…whether we are in the Temple or in our flower garden or in the line at the grocery store..where ever we are should be a holy place….we each make that decision. BE FIRM AND UNDAUNTED, AND BE NOT MOVED, AS WE STAND IN HOLY PLACES.

15 new missionaries arrive this week!!! 6 arrive tomorrow, 5 arrive Tuesday, 1 arrives on Wednesday, and Friday 3 more arrive!! We are thrilled to have our numbers increase!! Restrictions still prevent us from any interaction here at the Mission Home, but we do get to meet and greet as they arrive at the Airport. Teams of missionaries are assigned to also come to the Airport, pick up the new recruits and take them home for the night, and then preplanned travel plans go into action the next day…buses, planes or vehicles. It is quite the impressive spread sheet that our assistants Elder Fife and Elder Gordon prepare as they plan how to get everyone where they need to go! 

It will be a whirlwind week with meetings, arrivals, many, many interviews, and both Maritime and Ottawa Zone Conferences!!! Life on the speeding bullet train!! 

And….here are a few lovely experiences from the field:

« We also had probably the most amazing lesson of my life with a girl the sisters have been teaching here for awhile. She is the most elect person I have ever met. I dont normally cry ...ever. but I just couldn't hold back tears as she prayed. It was the most powerful experience. I love hearing people's first prayers. I can just imagine how happy our heavenly father feels to finally hear from his beloved children after soooo long. »

This from the Ottawa Sisters:

« A miracle I saw this week! A few weeks ago I messaged a man I was friends with on Facebook from Ottawa who watched our Facebook live. He responded and told me that when he was a little kid he went to our church but really is not very religious but very much respects it. It was a short but good conversation that died down. Then just the other day he messaged me and asked me to reach out to one of his friends. He sent a screen shot of a text message he had sent his friend. It said that a random girl had messaged him awhile back but she might be able to answer his questions about God. I contacted his friend and we have a lesson set up for tomorrow! It was amazing to see the miracles of technology but also The miracle that God provided this man with a way right after he had decided to search for God. 

I know that miracles do happen and God is so aware of everyone! « 

This from Halifax sisters:

« Life is great! Halifax is awesome! We are teaching a girl named Julia who is just a light! She is amazing!!! She loved the gospel so much and truly understands the blessings from living the gospel and following Jesus Christ. I cried in her lesson her testimony was so beautiful! I couldn't stop the tears, a little embarrassing for meeting her the first time... but she was so sweet! « 

On those happy, sweet stories I will close this quick report, and send much love. We do appreciate your love, prayers and faithful support. We do feel the power of those prayers, and believe us,.. we need every one of them. We are grateful for this incredible experience to serve together…everyday brings new challenges, but we know we are being blessed, and the work of gathering continues in the Canada Montreal Mission, just like it does everywhere in the world. Let us continue to share the glorious message of the Restoration. 

With much love 

Grandpa and Grandma, Dad and Mom, Richard and Gayle