Sounds of Spring on Brookdale Crescent!

Today is Sunday, March 31, 2019.

Happy 87th Birthday to Mom on Wednesday, and to Trish tomorrow!! 

and 

Happy April’s Fool Day!!! 

Last week we felt, and saw a few signs of spring but this week spring has truly sprung. The transformation seems to happen overnight!! Literally when we went to bed Friday night, Lake Banook was still frozen. A rainstorm in the night, and when we woke up yesterday morning there was no ice..it was incredible how fast that ice disappeared, and now I look out and see a stunning lake…When the trees start budding and the leaves burst forth we will really know it is spring!! Sounds of spring out our bedroom window make us feel like we are in a mountain glen…we hear our very own Brookdale (on the other side of our TransCanada trail) babbling away, and songbirds galore, like chickadees, nuthatches, and the like, sing their cheery good morning medleys, occasionally interrupted by noisy ravens or magpies! What a dreamy little corner of Nova Scotia to live in..actually idyllic…and we are still trying to soak it all in!! I don’t know if I told you that the greater Halifax metro has a population of around 700,000, and when we move to Montreal we will be living with, around 4 million folks! Hard to believe we will leave this bit of heaven in just three months. I will not be nostalgic..yet!

Transfer week went off without a hitch…everyone arrived at their proper destination, and new companionships are forming well…so we think anyway!!

Our six new recruits are awesome..Sisters Long, Humphreys, and Fraser, along with Elders Barrett, Birch and Sorenson all seem keen and so excited to get to work!! Even with an hour delay in SLC,  they made their flight connection in Boston and arrived here on time! Sister Fraser is actually from Bridgewater, NS, and is waiting for her visa to serve in Portugal. We look forward to our weekly ‘new missionary’ zoom calls to see each new missionary and to get a personal report from their companionship. It is a pretty effective way to get a feel on how they are doing…that, and the LTP

(letters to president) that each missionary writes weekly, as well as the reports from the district leaders, STL’s(sister training leaders), and zone leaders do a good job of keeping us in the loop of our brood!! When everyone magnifies their calling with obedience and cheerfulness, it works like a well-oiled machine. I know I sound like a cheerleader…and really that is just what we are…we find every way possible to cheer, counsel, teach, motivate, and love, and we do it over and over and over!! This eighteen months or two years of consecrated service is such an amazing way to begin their adult lives…you know this because many of you have experienced it!!

And look where your lives are now because of your mission experience!! 

Here I will insert my recommendation for parents of our future missionaries:

Testimony + Attitude + Hard work + Obedience = a Successful, Happy Missionary….(this is my own little formula, but each of the four keys to a successful missionary do boil down to Testimony, Attitude, Hard work, and Obedience….you have 18 or 19 years to teach those four principles to your children. Do it, and they will be prepared to serve with their whole hearts, mights and minds.  That is our challenge for each of you!!

Last night I was thrilled to attend our Dartmouth Ward Relief Society Anniversary Party, and it was just like any RS party at home,…. just with new friends! Delicious meal included chicken salad, broccoli salad, pasta salad, and coleslaw with rolls and caramel cake for dessert. Table centrepieces had fresh white roses with babysbreath, and 5X7 framed pictures of women in the scriptures..Eve, Queen Esther, Sariah, Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary and Martha, and Emma Smith. The program written by Sackville NS sisters was reenacted by eight ward members who were all dressed in costume and each gave a beautiful reading telling their story, and bearing testimonies of the Saviour; truly a lovely evening. 

French tutoring is going ok…Brooke (my tutor) is positive, and her ‘cheerleading’ keeps me trying. She does compliment me on my accent so that makes me feel good. When we are in Quebec, my own little French handbook will be filled with common phrases and sentences, and it will always be at my fingertips to prompt me along! Today we visited with a couple from the Congo who only speak French, and I actually understood way more than what I could speak or respond. There is always hope!! 

Favourite Pday activities yesterday included spending a couple of hours  outside - first having a run around our lake and then doing a bit of yard work…. it felt so good to be raking our lawn and actually doing some physical labour!! This calling really is heavy on the spiritual, emotional and social aspects of our lives…a little weak on the physical so we are glad we can exercise outdoors, or at the gym. Of course we also carved out time with our watercolours…Dad painting his ocean scenes, and me dreaming in a flower garden!! Such a lovely way to really relax!!

This week is preparation week for next weeks Zone Conferences. Being with our missionaries is really the highlight of our time here, so we look forward to this week of meetings!  We train on the focusses decided by our Mission Leadership Council…  “Spiritual Self Reliance,”  “Energized, Joyful Focussed Finding,” and “Unity with God and our Companions;” so we study Preach My Gospel and conference talks, and have fun creating powerpoints, and preparing discussions that will emphasize the focusses. It requires a LOT of brainwork!!

Tomorrow morning midway between our Monday meetings we have to make a trip to the Airport to take a sister who is returning home. We have tried everything to help her, our Area Mental Health Advisor, and our Area Medical Advisor, her Dr. at home, and her parents also have tried everything, but she is determined to go home…her anxiety and depression have taken such a toll. And so she goes…we pray for her. 

And that is our report from the east - the Canada Halifax Mission..we continue to be so grateful for this incredible opportunity to serve, and find JOY everyday. We DO miss all of you dear loved ones…family and friends.…know that…your love, support, and prayers sustain us.

Have a wonderful week!! It looks like spring has sprung in Alberta too!! I heard tulips have already been chomped by the coulee deer..Oh bother.

We send this with much love and gratitude….

Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma, Richard and Gayle

CTR and Keep Smiling

Spring is Springing in Nova Scotia

Today is March 24, 2019, and in three days Berkley James Low turns 13!!!

Happy Birthday Berkley!!

Springtime is here…our front lawn snow has disappeared, and Lake Banook is beginning to thaw. Hundreds of fresh air-loving folks walk, run or ride on our lovely Trans Canada Trail. It truly is picture perfect!! We are thrilled to get to experience all four seasons right here!!

Our nine months have flown by as we serve here in the Canada Halifax Mission; and we are savouring every minute here knowing that soon we will be transferred…Ever optimistic, we look at our transfer to the Canada Montreal Mission, and just think we are getting two missions for the price of one!! We will desperately miss our life in Atlantic Canada…having loved every corner of each unique province, every missionary we have interacted and served with, and every person we have met - member or not yet a member;  we have been in awe of this incredible experience being on the Lord’s errand twenty-four/seven!! Serving together has been fulfilling, rewarding, and so fun!! I must add a little caveat..lest you think we are firing on extra pistons..no, we go pretty hard every day on our own steam, and when it is bedtime we fall into bed…totally exhausted. (Very occasionally we might sneak a forty wink nap!!) 

We have been so blessed with great health…a few bumps in the road, but nothing to complain about!! Richard had a procedure in the Hospital, and spent last Friday in the Victoria General. In my stressful state, I caught another bout of shingles. Fortunately I recognized the symptoms, and sore, and was able to get on the medication within 24 hours which prevented getting a full blown case. (I thought I had to wait a year after having an episode to get the vaccine, but not so… you can be sure as soon as this sore has disappeared I will be at Shoppers getting immunized.) Enough is enough!! Oh brother!! And..Richard is fine..trying to slow down a bit, and loves having me be the chauffeur!!

Sackville Ward was our assignment today, and we enjoyed visiting, and challenging the members to be missionaries.  Our call is to testify, and remind the saints to do the same,  as we all diligently strive to find scattered Israel on both sides of the veil. Probably the most vibrant number of youth in one ward in the Dartmouth Stake; and we were so impressed when Bishop Taylor told us they regularly have 35 youth attend their Temple Baptisms! It was our lucky day when it was announced that today was linger longer so although we hadn’t brought anything for the potluck we had a delightful meal, and fun visiting with Sackville folks. 

Sister Vollmer bore her her final testimony in Sackville today…both she and Sister Degraffenried (who has been serving in Yarmouth) are our departing top shelf missionaries. Oh, what a hole we will feel in the CHM with these two leaving us. Which brings me to your question..?? Yes, this is Week 6, transfer week…doesn’t it seem like we just had transfers?!! We did…six weeks ago!! Here’s what our week looks like:

Tomorrow - Monday Office Meetings, and meeting with Assistants to make travel plans for transfers.  

Tuesday - French tutoring, Free Laundromat at the Mission Home - four companionships schedule their time, and while they wait for laundry to process,  they email or Skype with their families. I will be making buns, taco soup, and butterscotch brownies  for the six new missionaries scheduled to arrive at the Airport around 9:30pm. 

Wednesday - Breakfast with the new missionaries, group walk or run around Lake Banook, orientation at the Mission Office, roast beef feast back at the Mission Home. Welcome testimony meeting. 

Thursday - Transfers - new missionaries to the Office by 6:30am to meet their new companions. Office, and Moncton are the transfer hubs, so anyone with a new assignment meets here, and is transported to their new home. 

5pm our farewell supper for Sister Vollmer and Sister Degraffenried.

7pm Farewell Temple Session

9pm Farewell Testimony Meeting

Friday - Airport  and French tutoring.

And there you have it  - a little snippet of week 6 at a glance!!

This past Wednesday night the six Sister Training Leaders invited me for a sleepover…(I think they just like the treats I bring!!), and we had such fun laughing, and sharing stories.. this is my third sleepover, and somehow they get me telling our love story everytime we get together!!  They never seem to tire of hearing Richard’s “I’m considering you for marriage” line!! Pretty funny. It’s cute how they configure mattresses all over the living room to fit us all in! We were up at the crack of 6:30, all kneeling for morning prayer, and study. I left before eight so I could be home getting ready for MLC. which started at 10am Thursday. 

Mission Leadership Council Thursday included all Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders, as well as all our District Leaders, so our group of fifty all received the very same ‘Spiritual Self Reliance’ training, and heard all the same council…and now will go back and share the training and focuses with their districts, and zones. Our hard working, devoted missionaries don’t find a lot of success, so at every meeting we are cheerleading, and sharing our enthusiasm, and love of them and the Gospel. Our pretty lofty goal of 64 Baptisms before the merger is looming in the not so far distant future, so we are doing our best to build enthusiasm and create momentum!! A highlight of every meeting is the Musical number, and this week the Halifax District sang beautifully with all their hearts: “As Zion’s Youth in Latter-days” We loved it!!

Let me share the Martha story…a sister living in Fredericton decided to send a 90 day Book of Mormon challenge to all her friends on FaceBook. Martha, one of her friends accepted the challenge - thinking to herself I could read that book….which she did. She got a testimony, was taught , and was baptized!! So..Share your testimony on social media…it works!!!

Our P-day yesterday was fun… running and walking at the Gym, grocery-shopping, preparing our talks for today, and water-colouring. Richard’s seascapes are beautiful..he has such gorgeous skies, great lighthouses, wonderful sandy beaches, and is getting pretty good at crashing waves. Flowers are my specialty, although I did do an Irish Antrim coast painting the other day. We can sit for three hours in an evening and totally decompress and relax…we have our favourite youtube artists that we enjoy having tutor us..it is so fun!!

Hope all is well in your lives back home…we love hearing from you!!!

Such is the life of President and Sister Low serving in the Canada Halifax Mission!! 

Sending this off with much love xoxoxo Dad and Mom, Richard and Gayle, Grandpa and Grandma.  KEEP SMILING!! and CTR

Snow storms, zone conferences, and "snow angels"

Today is Sunday, March 10, 2019.

Two weeks have flown by and we have much to report!!

Last weekend we flew to Fredericton for their Stake Conference and were thrilled visiting the wonderful saints from all over New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and the little pocket of Maine, and Amherst Nova Scotia! Last fall the Stake Centre was pretty empty, but with a General Authority - Elder Randall Bennett in attendance, the place was packed!! Last fall they had  skyped in outlying units so although the Stake Centre looked empty there were many people in attendance at their own buildings. Anyway, it was a great meeting where Elder Bennett praised these good people, shared sweet personal experiences from his growing up days in Edmonton, and helped everyone relate to some of the challenges he had experienced. When he was just eight his Mom took him aside and told him that his parents would be divorcing, and he would have to decide who he wanted to live with…, and then for nine years he woke up everyday thinking, was this the day?? They did divorce..his Mom left the Church, and was pretty anti until I think he said about 10 years ago when she returned to Church activity, and now serves as a Temple Worker!! His sharing this and other very personal stories sure put the congregation at ease, realizing that this General Authority had lived through what some of them are currently dealing with. What a great, and powerful teacher!!

Saturday evening session, along with stake presidency members, and us,  two members of the Stake spoke; one was Brother Pitt who had been less active for many, many years and shared his remarkable reactivation story.  Branch members had ministered unceasingly to he and his wife, and loved them right back… All of you are master ministers…And then..Elder Bennett asked who had ministered to the Pitts. President Elliott (a member of the Stake Presidency) had been the chief minister (if there is a chief!!)Elder Bennett had him come up and stand with Brother Pitt, and Elder Bennett, and then he invited him to share some of his sweet ministering efforts in Brother and Sister Pitt’s reactivation.  It was such a lovely way to validate the efforts of those who ministered. Of course President Elliott was somewhat embarrassed sharing some of what he had done..but effective in that, we all felt…we could increase our ministering efforts.

Sister Paterson, a convert of about two and a half years, shared her conversion story. Her best friends growing up in New Brunswick..I think Fredericton but maybe it was Saint John, were Church members and were such powerful influences for good. In fact one friend lives in Utah with her husband and children, and Sister Paterson visits her regularly.  She condensed her life story, but we could tell she had experienced many of life's hardships.. Her friend, I think her name was Julie kept sharing sweet gospel experiences, and her testimony, and her friends around NB. loved her, and opened their hearts and homes to her as well. Again Elder Bennett had those who had been instrumental come up to the stand, and share how they had welcomed Sister Paterson into their lives, and how they had shared the gospel. The spontaneity and the simple sharing of what they had done was just beautiful, and again had us all so motivated…we could do that!! We all can share the gospel…it starts with opening our mouths. It really isn’t hard to share something we love so much… 

Richard is the best at opening his mouth...and I have to admit I am getting bolder!! I always tell who I am, and what my name tag is about, but it is now getting easier to give pass along cards...I have supplies in the car, in my purse, and bag...try it!! We need to flood the earth...

“After all that has been said the GREATEST and MOST IMPORTANT DUT Y
                           is to
PREACH the GOSPEL.”  the Prophet Joseph Smith

On our first visit to Fredericton back in the summer, I got to go on splits with the sisters and met Sister Susan Hebert, a 70 plus sister who grew up in Toronto. Well she is such a visity lady, and we made connection after connection with all my Ontarian relatives, and she pretty much knew everyone - Mom, Nancy, Jane, Boucher’s etc. In fact Anne Boucher was her hero, and she said she was her shadow!! Anyway we enjoyed a wonderful supper Friday evening with her, and loved looking at her Toronto Branch History book!! She promises she will come visit us in Alberta!!  

We have remarkable missionaries everywhere….but I have to share about Sister Degraffenried serving with Sister Shultz in faroff (5hrs away) Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.  Sister D. (as we call her) has grit, determination and fervent testimony. Last week they were knocking in the midst of a big snowstorm…(totally obedient) and knocked into an elderly couples home. (They were invited in because the couple felt sorry for them.) Wife has a belief in God, but not the husband, and neither was interested in the sisters returning. As the sisters were leaving, they asked if they could shovel their snow, and the couple said “no, don’t worry about it”…Well, the next morning didn’t those two angel sisters get up super early, and went and shovelled the snow!! Just as they were finishing, the elderly man discovered them being pixies, and came out to shovel with them. Sister D. described him just watching them…he couldn’t believe these sweet sisters would do such a thing!!! Such is the epitome of a CHM missionary!! Incredible!!! We are in awe of the way they live the gospel. These same sisters also serve in two Church kitchens in Yarmouth - one an Anglican, and the other we aren’t sure..at first people were unsure of having missionaries from another church serving in their kitchen, but these sisters have won them over!!  In fact this week their colour photos serving, were on the front page of the local newspaper!! They are actually teaching one of the ladies from one of these churches!!

Service is such an amazing way to show the world what we believe, and who we believe in!! Keep SERVING!!! 

Zone Conference Week was a whirlwind. Because of severe storm warnings in New Brunswick we chose to hold New Brunswick Zone Conference right after Stake Conference so all our missionaries could get back to their areas, and not have to travel to Moncton on Monday for Tuesday conference. This worked beautifully. We and our missionaries travel so much, and we are constantly on weather, and road watch.  Occasionally we have to make quick changes!! Saturday while Dad was interviewing, Sister Edwards helped me make a quick Sobey’s run to get indoor picnic supplies!!  

FUN and yummy!! 

Dartmouth Zone Conference was Thursday and we feel so invigorated and enthused after being together…have I raved enough about these great missionaries?! My trainings were about apartment cleanliness, and nutrition. I also loved challenging us all to Ponderize…remember Elder Devin Durrant’s General Conference address in October 2015?  As a Canada Halifax Mission, we have taken the challenge, and weekly our missionaries will report their scripture of the week. Exciting!! 

Thursday evening we flew to Newfoundland for both Zone Conference and Newfoundland Conference - (like Stake Conference). We love being with our dear friends there - missionaries, and branch members. Zoom works great for having all our Newfoundlanders in attendance…from CornerBrook to Bay Roberts to Gander to St. John’s we are all there!! 

I might have had a little melt down this morning when I was having Dad change the font and font size on my talk, which was all on my iPad…Can you guess what happened?  You are right if you guessed that half my talk disappeared…you know just like the lost manuscript…that is exactly what happened. Oh my goodness…definitely out of my comfort zone to speak

 without even an outline!! “More purpose in prayer” was my topic so I had to go almost totally from my memory… It all turned out fine. 

In case you are wondering about French…it is ok…this week we will have more time to focus on parlez-ing and practising. 

Hot off the news…Elder Martinez told us that he has a friend who received his Mission Call, and his Call letter told him that he would find out at Conference where he will serve?!!! Can’t wait to hear!!!

I just glanced at the clock, and realized I have been typing away for two hours…this must be a long letter!!…I guess it is two weeks worth!

Hope all is great with all of you.

We send love from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia where we are loving our service, our missionaries, and the wonderful people of Atlantic Canada!!

Have a wonderful week!!

Keep Smiling!!

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

watercolours and more!

Today is Sunday, February 24, 2019 and it is Aaron’s 41st Birthday!!! 

Happy Birthday to Aaron, and on Wednesday, February 27th we wish Mom Low Happy 92nd!!

February is definitely the big Birthday month in the Low family!!

Week 1 is a welcome breather after surviving Week 6 - (transfer week!!) and so the marathon pace of transfers,  slows to a fast jog!! 

My nursing responsibilities have kept me busy…I have to document every phonecall or conversation with regards to any missionary with any ailment! Thanks to Michael and his ‘Coke’ remedy for any gastro problems; that has been my go to suggestion.  I did have to add little caveat to my Elder Gatrell report, because it seemed like every other missionary I reported on I suggested drinking a can of coke. I told Elder Gatrell that we were not Coke drinkers…and yes….I told him the whole story..

French tutorials, visiting and visiting with missionaries, writing notes, baking cookies, and more cookies, and banana bread kept the oven warm almost every day! I feel it is my responsibility to have  buns and treats always available for missionaries, and folks who stop by…so it seems like I am always baking…my goal is to stop tasting!!

My ears are still not adjusting to the humidity, and the sea level pressure. The several Dr. appointments, I have made keep getting cancelled; hopefully this week??

Mission Leadership Council which includes all our Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders, and our assistants was Thursday from 10-3. Dad and I, do a lot of the training assisted by Elders Olsen and Benson. Of course we are training on effective leadership principles., and every one in attendance participates. Without fail, after every meeting whether it is District Council, Zone Conference or MLC,  we comment on the wisdom, and testimonies of these young missionaries (who are just kids!! )They teach us so much.. In the few short months they have served, they have gleaned so much from their gospel study. There is a lesson for you….read and study the scriptures, and your testimonies will grow. 

Friday morning was our new missionary Zoom call and it was so great to see our new group all in one piece! Mostly them seem happy and doing ok adjusting to missionary life. We visit with them for an hour and a half, and talk about strategies to help them adjust to the rigors of their new lives!  One of my suggestions for adjusting to missionary life is to find time…probably at 9pm to relax, and unwind. I think I mentioned that Sister Wood and Sister Edwards started painting with watercolors…so you can just imagine what Dad and I have taken up?! You are right…we have some pretty basic supplies, and have been watching videos…Dad’s passion is landscape, specializing in trees, and my passion is…you guessed it…flowers, so far I can paint ranucula, roses(sort of), and delphinium…nothing like Jessie Ursenbach, but it is so fun, and we both love the relaxation of that simple activity. You should try it!! (We started with $1.00 store, and cheap Michael’s supplies…make sure you get decent brushes, and good paper!!)

Attended a farewell party for our friends Elder and Sister Livingstone on Friday night …first party we have been invited to!!! They have been serving as the CES couple, and head home to Arizona this week. 

P’day was so relaxing..went for our morning run, visited three thrift stores, and sat around painting trees and flowers!! 

Sam and Jeanine McCollum (Tom Jensen’s sister), our newest Senior couple arrived this afternoon, just in time to enjoy dinner with us. They are staying the night in our General Authority room, and will attend our Monday Office meetings before moving into the Livingstone’s apartment.

Oh the big excitement of the week … Halifax Ward welcomed 11 ‘friends of the Church’ - (formerly called investigators!) today..most of them are Congolese, and are ready to set Baptismal dates!! Can you imagine how excited our missionaries are?!

New Brunswick Stake Conference is next week so we are gearing up for that…we will fly to Fredericton Friday, and stay till Sunday. Elder Bennett will be the visiting General Authority, so maybe we won’t be speaking!!! I would be just fine being a listener!!

Have a wonderful week!! We’ll send this off with much love XOXOXOXOX

Keep Smiling!!   Dad and Mom, Richard and Gayle, and Grandpa and Grandma  

Storms, Nursing, and Teary Farewells!

Today is February 17, 2019, and it is Jonathan’s 30th Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday Jonathan LeRon!!!  And Happy Birthday to Janice Louise who will celebrate her 62nd on Friday, February 22nd!!

Another exciting missionary landmark announcement Friday, where missionaries can have weekly contact with family using any method of communication including phone, or video chat!! We are thrilled, as are our missionaries, and know it will be so helpful to many of our team, who currently are struggling with emotional issues. Families generally are the best cheerleaders a missionary has, so getting to visit with loved ones every week, if they choose will be just wonderful, and just what the Doctor - or Prophet ordered!! And…. our sisters can visit with their loved ones wearing pants!!

Monday meetings are always a highlight….having close connections with our office group is wonderful. Transfer week we don’t have our Senior Couples Zoom call. Sister Arnold’s farewell party was Monday night, and we loved eating, laughing and visiting. I have already expressed my fear and trembling about being the designated Mission Nurse, and my concerns are still valid!! Sister Goldie Vay, a local member is working on her mission papers to hopefully receive a calling to serve as our nurse…and is so willing to assist me with anything I need. This week my calls have been pretty simple, and my homespun remedies have included drinking lots of water, eating oranges, having an hour nap, and taking an Advil! We have an area medical advisor named Elder Gatrell (living in Philadelphia) who is my first contact person. I also have regular email contact with him. 

This is what I wrote to him this week: 

“ I feel pretty inadequate adding this to my responsibilities BUT, one of our sons is an internist, another son is a Dentist, we have three daughters in law that are nurses, another daughter in law that is a radiation therapist, another daughter in law that is an ultrasound tech, and our youngest son was the Mission Medic while serving in the Chile Santiago North Mission….SO maybe their medical knowledge will rub off on me!! Actually, I think my years on the front line being a Mom will be what will get me through!!!!…and his phone number!!”

Weather has such a bearing on travel to and from Atlantic Canada, and of all weeks for storms to rage across the continent, it challenged all our Week 6 - Transfer Week cycle!! New missionaries that normally arrive Tuesday evening waited in SLC all day in the airport, and after their flights were cancelled, eventually were transported back to the MTC…can you imagine that letdown? Wednesday their flight was again delayed, which made them miss their connector flight in Toronto, but thanks to Church Travel they rested their weary bodies at the Hampton Inn. 

We were very frustrated when WestJet sold their seats for the final leg of their journey to more aggressive travellers anxious to come to the big Scottie curling championships in Sydney, NS. Elders Hillyer, and D’eon, two of our eight did get seats for a late afternoon flight, and arrived around 8:30pm. President, and Elder Olsen and Elder Benson, collected the other six - Elder Brown and Elder Clifford, Sister Bromley, Sister Rhodes, Sister Wall, and Sister Schultz and arrived home around 2am.  

Add another layer to this day …Thursday was our Farewell Dinner and Testimony Meeting for our departing five - Sisters Nelson, Gillett, and Crowley, and Elders Bringhurst, and Willoughby SO you can imagine the goings on leading up to that!!! Office seniors always celebrate at our farewell, and this week our CES couple, Elder and Sister Livingstone were included in our goodbye party. I know food is boring to report on, but in case you ever wonder….cream chicken, wild rice, fresh rolls, asparagus, carrots, broccoli, spinach salad, jello salad, and turtles cheesecake were on the menue. Sister Majeran brought her delicious lemon broccoli salad…obviously…we never go hungry!!! Farewell testimonies always are the highlight of the evening, and these five were top shelf. Their missions have changed their lives! We know they will be great leaders, and are excited to track their lives, and see ‘Oh the places they will go!!’

Teary farewells at the Stanfield International Airport Friday morning are usual…it gets harder the longer we have to know and love these dear ones. Depending on the security crew…sometimes we can walk way up the queue line and crane our necks as far as we can to 

catch the last glimpse of each of them…most often they are watching for us and wave back…

Back to the Mission Home to find our eight new recruits obediently studying, ready to head to the Office where we, along with our office staff fed and oriented the enthusiastic new group. Taco soup that I had made for Tuesday tasted just fine although it was heated and cooled so many times…(like everytime we thought the group would be arriving!!) After our welcome supper, street contacting  with our metro missionaries was the evening activity, followed by a sweet testimony meeting. Saturday morning the Mission Office was the hub for many of our transfers, including all of our enthused new group. It is a miracle that all the connections happen. Moncton, NB was the other hub for transfers, so several companionships met up there. Three missionaries didn’t fly to Newfoundland until 9pm and arrived around 11pm. Our assistants check and recheck logistics, and everything worked our perfectly, (including weather!) We might be concerned about logistics when our Mission joins the Canada Montreal Mission!!! Look at a map of Canada, and you’ll know why!!!!  

Dartmouth Sacrament Meeting today had a Missionary theme with two of our recent converts; Kathy Eldershaw and Stephen Creelman who were baptized in December and November sharing their conversion story, as well as the Ward Mission Leader Brother Macmichael speaking. Also Josh a 12 year old young man who was baptized yesterday was confirmed. So wonderful to have wards and branches that are becoming missionary minded!! We love when members catch the vision and become part of our ‘finding army!’ Are you part of the finding army?? 

So it goes in the Canada Halifax Mission!!

We continue to LOVE our service, and can’t imagine doing anything else!!! It is dawn to dusk challenging hard work, but oh so rewarding!!….and now Richard declares that I should cap this report, so I will!!!

Love to all!!

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

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX…Keep Smiling

Lake Banook....Skating Adventure and Where Eagles Soar!!

Today is Sunday, February 10, 2019 

Out our kitchen, and dining room windows we have a beautiful shrub bed with a variety of about a dozen different shrubs -  I only know the names of a few…like hydrangea, boxwood,  and rhododendron.

Our rhododendron act as a weather gauge for our outdoor or indoor exercise activity, and rather than check on our phones to get a read on whether we run outside or head to the gym, we simply look at the rhododendron shrubs which if it is -7 and colder look pretty sad and droopy; and warmer than that, they look healthy, vigorous, green, and pretty perky, which simply tells us we get to enjoy the crisp air, and run/walk outdoors.  Lest you think I have loved digging in this rich dark soil around our lush plants..think again…it is the same bed our resident rats have been seen; so my love of playing in the soil has to be stifled!! Someday when I reread this Mission record,  I need to remember our close encounters with these nasty critters…(the only distasteful thing about our beloved Mission Home!)

The week of January 28th (Megan’s Birthday) was almost a record bed and breakfast week with our Bay Roberts couple - Elder and Sister Jagoda, and our Corner Brook couple - Elder and Sister Shenfield, Sisters Powell, and Newman (they call themselves the ‘Island Princesses’!!!)from Summerside, PEI, as well as five of their branch members - Cat, Zoe, Jamie, Emily Carroll, and Eliza Law, all stayed. We are blessed with lots of comfy beds, and are happy to have space for these wonderful saints to stay while they are attending the Temple. We are grateful to have so many new friends come and visit!

After receiving diagnosis of Sister Shenfield’s lymphoma, Elder and Sister Shenfield packed up their truck with all their belongings, hopped on the overnight ferry from Newfoundland, and spent the night with us before heading west and home to Rocky Mountain House. All our local senior missionaries joined us for a Farewell Dinner party which, for all of us was bittersweet. Chemotherapy treatments were to begin the day after arriving home, which I believe was this past Friday.  Our thoughts and prayers are with them.  CornerBrook saints are devastated having the last two Senior couples - Shenfield’s and Datweiler’s both leave them..and both for cancer diagnoses. Richard has requested for another senior couple to serve there..hopefully  we will hear soon.

French seems to occupy our minds and much of our time, and while I struggle to conjugate verbs, speak simple phrases and understand this foreign language, we have the faith to know the Lord will bless us for our simple efforts. We will keep praying for the Gift of Tongues. Tutoring sessions are a challenge for me especially, and although our tutors are gifted French speakers, my progress is slow. Richard is helping me by creating sentences using my conjugated verbs…I know this will really aid me in remembering verbs as well as help me in communicating with people. Someone also told us that it is really good for an old brain to learn a new language…maybe I can slow memory problems down by trying to become bilingual!! Richard had an amazing experience on Thursday night where he shared Joseph Smith’s First Vision in French with a new person of interest! Eric his tutor had just had him share it in his tutoring the day before, so his relearning French is progressing really well! 

Last Saturday we had about a half hour to try out our ‘new to us’ skates, so with lawn chairs in one hand and skates in the other we headed across to Lake Banook. Beside the path there is a little brook (hence our street name - Brookdale Crescent!!) and this little brook, of course empties into Lake Banook. We were smart enough to not try skating on the ice at the mouth of the brook, but went further down the shoreline thinking the ice looked nice and stiff. People skating out in the middle of the lake made us feel the ice was safe, but just to make sure Richard with boots still on, stepped out, and immediately was through the ice - up to his knees! Next time we will go to the other side of the lake where no freshwater is entering !! We laughed, but were so grateful it was shallow there!! Another perfect day will come along for us to give it another go!! I have several pair of ‘homemade by Jan’ socks that will fit perfectly under the skates, so it will be a fashion statement when we finally get on the ice!!

Last Sunday the Halifax Elders had 9 investigators needing rides to  to Church so we got in on that excitement and taxied five to the Lacewood Building. About a year and a half ago this group of Congolese immigrants moved to Halifax, and we are finding them!! They are receptive, and anxious to hear the gospel!! I asked Sarah, the oldest daughter how she felt about her experience at Church, and she replied ..“I just loved it!” They all seemed excited, and engaged in both Sacrament and Sunday school!! We are anxious to get a report of their experience today!!

Five Temple couples joined us for Sunday dinner last week,  Randalls x 2, Larson, Andrus (family history), and MacIlmoils, and we loved hearing them laugh and share experiences of their Temple missions. Randalls and Randalls are brothers serving with their wives..one Randall couple came here about two years ago, loved it so much, returned home and talked the older brother and his wife into serving again here!! (The one Randall couple are neighbours of Neil Harker’s uncle Kent Crookson - amazing the connections we make!!)Soooo any of you considering a mission…Temple Missions are pretty amazing…getting to be in the Temple a few days a week seems like a dream to me…next mission!!!

Another invitation for a sleepover had me spending Friday night with six sisters - Sisters Crowley, Boelke, Brennan, Mavy, Gillett and Green over in Halifax. I love to take them to the grocery store to get important supplies like strawberries, grapes, and muffins for breakfast, as well as some evening treats like ice cream, and potato chips and dip!! Those sisters love to get me talking, and don’t seem to tire of me sharing our love story!!!…they love the “I’m considering you for marriage” line!!! Exercising even happened yesterday morning at the Church where we played basketball and chair soccer!!! So much fun to be with these awesome, converted sisters. 

Our nurse Sister Arnold is returning home to London, Ontario this week so her responsibilities will now be mine, and yes I am a bit concerned about this. We do have many resources, and great back-up help…but I am hoping and praying no-one gets physically or emotionally sick!  Our farewell Sister Arnold party is tomorrow, and our office seniors will join us for that party.  We will miss her cheerful, willing presence in the Office. She certainly has been a fixture in the Mission, and has helped so many missionaries with both physical and emotional issues.  Our CES couple - Elder and Sister Livingstone (Carole’s cousin) also are completing their service here, and heading home to Arizona, so this is a triple header farewell party. FYI - I must add that Sister Livingstone - Arnon Bateman was born May 25, 1954 - the day before me in St. Michael’s Hospital in Lethbridge!!! Elder Livingstone was the first Stake President here and they have done so much with CES, as well as reaching our to less active friends from when they lived here many years ago. 

Yesterday after we attended Nikita Glanfield’s Baptism, we had an adventure out to the valley..remember ‘until we reach the valley oh!’ We even picked up a hitchhiker named Mark who looked like he might freeze if we didn’t. Elder Peterman and Elder Olaveson who are serving in Kentville told us about the bald eagle mating sight in Sheffield, down the road from Kentville. Apparently there have been hundreds of eagles there..December through the end of February, and we were excited to see about a dozen of the magnificent birds flying around. Big black ravens circled around scavenging leftover chicken parts. A local farmer throws out chicken guts for the birds. 

February 10, 2019 and it is Week 6 again!!  Tuesday night we get to welcome our eight new missionaries. Hot taco soup and fresh buns is our go-to meal. Wednesday we orient this enthusiastic new group, and welcome them with a big dinner Wednesday night. 

Thursday we have the group to the office by 6:30 am to meet their new companions, and they are off!! New missionary orientation is not limited to that Wednesday office orientation…every Friday morning for the next 5 weeks, we have Zoom meetings with our new missionaries, and discuss a variety of inspired topics that help with adjusting to Missionary life.  I have been grateful for strategies, and suggestions we talk about, and know they work, because I have used them as we have adjusted to our missionary lives!! 

And then Thursday we have our Farewell Dinner for our five departing missionaries: Sister Nelson, Sister Gillett, Sister Crowley, and Elder Bringhurst, and Elder Willoughby.  The highlight of the evening is always hearing each of them bare heartfelt testimonies, and share stories of conversion - others and their own.The longer we serve, the more attached we grow to OUR missionaries, and it is so hard to say goodbye.

Well …there you have it… the latest report from the Canada Halifax Mission, and 

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

Keep Smiling and CTR!!! 

Happy 13th Birthday to Isabelle tomorrow, Jennie on the 15th and Charlotte -6 years on the 16th!!!

Suggestions for future missionaries:

Read the Book of Mormon everyday…try to apply what you learn, and write it down in a scripture book 

Exercise hard everyday - sweat!!

Drink lots of water

Smile at everyone you meet

Pass out 'pass along cards' - get a supply..keep them in your backpack, car, purse, and pass them out!!!