Today is Thursday, May 14, 2020
Happy Mother’s Day this past Sunday!!
and Sadey Dawn celebrated her 7th Happy Birthday on Tuesday!!
Last Thursday our plan was to head to Ottawa Friday morning to deliver the Zone order, and to drive around the city, and from a distance view the annual Tulip Festival!! When we heard that snow was forecast, and that only 20% of the tulips were in bloom, we postponed our trip. Almost immediately after deciding to wait on the Ottawa trip, Richard received an email from our Area Presidency giving him, as Mission President, permission to administer the sacrament for all our Quebec sisters who have not had it since March; so Friday morning, we were packed and ready for a road trip!! Shawinigan, Trois Rivieres, and Quebec sisters were so thrilled, and grateful to partake of the sacrament, and we were so thrilled and grateful to see each of them in their own little homes. It was just lovely to embrace each sister and share bear hugs!! Old Quebec usually is bustling with tourists, but covid 19 had the century old city resembling a ghost town where shops were closed, and streets were bare. UBER eats was the only way we could get food, and after we paid our $74.00 for fast food fish and chips, and shepherds pie, we wished we had just fasted!! Saturday we returned to Montreal via Drummondville, rendez-voused with Elders Kennedy and Forsyth to pick up apartment keys. Elder Forsyth’s Mom passed away the week after my Mom, so we wept together, and he shared some amazing stories of how his testimony has grown by leaps and bounds since her passing…such faith. (His Dad is Bryan Forsyth - Neil and Betty Ellis Forsyth’s grandson..FYI)
Remembering it was PDay, we stopped at Ferme Guyon, near St. Jean - a wonderful garden centre that is sort of like Green Haven! Lineups are the norm around here, but this one took the cake. Waited about half an hour to get in, and then discovered we had to decide if we wanted to look at bedding out plants, perennials, and shrubs outside, or, if we wanted to shop inside, and look at the fun gardening accessories. We (maybe that should say I!!) wanted to do both, which would require waiting in the line again, after finishing outside, so after purchasing Siberian bugloss, and about six little herb pots, our shopping spree was over!! Maybe..I have mentioned that our FM team is incredible how they take care of all our gardening wants and needs. Yony (Johnny) our gardener loves plants, and was as excited to get my wish list as I was to give it to him. Perennials, climbing roses, tea roses, and about 200 annuals were on the wish list! Most exciting part is that I get to do the planting!!
After gardening shopping, we had another mini Sacrament meeting in Longueuil, and then home for the evening.
8:30am Sunday morning we were off again and spent until 4:30pm making our rounds visiting almost all our sweet sisters in and around Montreal. What a thrill for them, and for us!! I can’t think we will ever have that opportunity again to renew our covenants eleven times in two and half days. Truly amazing. And what kind sisters who were so sweet with cards, Mothers Day gifts, and hugs!! We will always cherish those tender, mostly French sacrament meetings. Cute sisters apartments were spitspot!!
Tuesday evenings we have Zoom Area Presidency calls where we are taught, and instructed on timely matters mostly to do with results of covid 19. By October 2020 our complement of missionaries which decreased from 180 to 120 will swell to 280 missionaries, some called to serve here, and many who were serving overseas are being reassigned here!! Our first wave will arrive next week, and we are still waiting to receive details about who they are, and when they will arrive. We have such respect for the Missionary Department who seem to be working round the clock to make these new arrangements happen, and as we check IMOS (internet missionary online system) things can change several times in one day!! Such exciting times!! Groups of new missionaries will arrive every two weeks, so that means our transfer board is very fluid…
Trees are bursting forth…our tree in the back is not a magnolia..and we haven’t determined what it is…Red tulips in our curving front flower bed are finally opening up, and they look magnificent!! Quebecois folks are master gardeners, and manicure every corner of their huge gardens or just their teeny yards! I just love how the world has awakened, I love the majestic hardwood trees which are starting to leaf out, I adore the blooming forsythia, and I can’t get enough of all the colourful blooming tulips, daffodils, and hyacinth!! Oh what a beautiful world!!
Last weeks Worldwide Devotional with Elder Robert C. and Sister Lynnette Gay was such an inspiration…if you didn’t get to see it…check it out…”Live life by covenant not by convenience.”
Mother’s Day was a highlight for me, getting to talk to all of you, our dear family!! Thank you for your wonderful visits!! Oh how we love you all!!
Our sweet missionaries compiled a beautiful Mother’s Day tribute booklet for me as well, where everyone contributed feelings of love and gratitude…I feel so blessed and loved…
Tomorrow we are heading to Ottawa to deliver the zone order, and to drive by the magnificent tulip beds…
Maybe you know the origin of the tulip festival, but in case you don’t, I’ll give you the Reader’s Digest condensed version. During World War II, with Germany threatening to take over all of Europe, some of the Dutch royal family relocated to Canada. In 1943 Princess Margriet was born..the first, and only royal personage ever born in Canada!! Immediately following the end of the war the royal family returned to the Netherlands, and in 1945, Holland began sending 100,000 tulip bulbs yearly, as a symbol of international friendship and gratitude for the role Canadian troops played in the liberation of the Netherlands and Europe. 2020 commemorates 75 years since this beautiful tradition began…and this year 300.000 tulip bulbs were sent!! What a beautiful gift of friendship! We are excited to see the beautiful display!!
Have a wonderful week!! Thank you for your continued love, and prayers, which we feel….
We continue to be so grateful for this opportunity to serve! Our time is ticking so very quickly…We love the Saviour and His glorious Gospel.
And we send our love to you
Richard and Gayle, Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma
Keep Smiling!!! CTR…and Look at the View!!
Did he get you climbing roses?
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