Letter #4

> August 1, 2010

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> Hello dear family,
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> Greetings from the living room of the Canada, Montreal Mission. It is a beautiful, glorious day of sunshine, blue skies and enormous, white puffy clouds. I am grateful to NOT be writing this to you in the car as I usually do. Today is Sunday, fast Sunday. So instead of eating, it gives me a bit of time to at least start my letter to each of you. I hope and pray this letter finds each of you healthy and happy.
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> We have a full day as always, as we are headed to the Hochelaga Ward (French speaking) I think that is the spelling. It is about 30 minutes away. We have decided to attend every ward in Quebec, this is the one we have chosen today. We attended a baptism at another ward last night so we thought it would be fun to meeting the members of Hochelaga today. We also have another baptism to attend at 4:00.
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> Most of the people who are being baptized are immigrants. It is an amazing thing to see the change that occurs in their lives as they accept the teachings of our Church. As stated by one of our missionaries, Elder Billaney from Guam, "miracles happen every day". They seem to happen with those who are seeking a better life.
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> We also hosting a dinner tonight for 14, including a departing couple who are leaving to go home after a year and a half of service in the Drummondville Branch. They are the Dosch's. A most wonderful couple. They haveloved the ward, served in every capacity within the Branch, taught them leadership skills that have impacted everyone from the kids in Primary to the Sisters in Relief Society, the Brothers in Elders Q. and High Priests. They have given this little Branch the missionary spirit back. The Branch has grown so much since they are been there, that they will soon be a Ward. They are so close to having the numbers of memebers needed to be a ward. Tonight's dinner will be a Pot Luck and will include all of our senior couples who are serving here. It will be a great evening. The Dosch's will sleep over here at the Mission Home and depart in the morning.

A word about out senior couples. These wonderful folks ages anywhere from 70-84 years old, completely pay their own way, drive here in their own car, leave their families, and work every day to further the Lord's Kingdom here on earth. I so admire them and their sacrifices. I watch them tirelessly work every day. They go out teaching with the missionaries, feed them, run the office, take care of all the cars as most of our missionaries have cars, monitor all cell phones as each missionary set has one cell phone, pay bills, send out correspondence, help with conferences and make meals for those conferences, shop, inspect and keep up all the missionary apartments and the list goes on and on. They are supportive of all the baptisms and hold callings and also serve within their respective wards. I simply cannot tell you of the good works they are involved in each day but without them this mission would not succeed. I love each of them. Their names are Brother and Sister Kite, Steinmetz, Dosch, Anderson, Davis (from Australia ) and the Hawkers. These good and wonderful senior couples do whatever it is we ask them to do. It is humbling to be associated with them and a privilege to work side by side with them.

Speaking of our Elders and of miracles each day. I was talking to one of them and I said that it was so amazing to me that whenever I go out teaching with the Sisters and Elders, I meet so many people from all over the world. I hear these stories of folks who have lived lives we cannot even begin to imagine. They have seen their family members killed, had their hands smashed as punishment, lost children, know starvation etc. I spoke of what a joy it is to meet so many and hear their stories. The one Elder said he remembered when he first came to Quebec, thinking the same thing but that he does not even see it any more because to him, seeing people from all over the earth is a normal thing. It seems so natural to him. Oh how I wish that we were all so accepting throughout the world. That we could all live in peace and harmony.

On the other hand. This same young man had had a very tough week. As we talk to the missionaries, they tend to keep negative things that happen to them from time to time...from us. I found out that it is very normal on any given day that they are spat upon, kicked, pushed, punched, thrown to the ground and sworn at. These things can be a daily occurrence. It seems so strange to me that in an area where so many are so accepting of many different cultures that there still exists intolerance of this natural for the missionaries. Many are kind to them. Many are polite but there are always, every day, those who chose to be unkind. It makes me so sad. They work so hard every day. They are sweet, loving and simply want to share with others the things that they know to be true because it will bless the lives of those who embrace it. The Gospel will give them a joy greater than what they have known in the past. It is because of LOVE that these young men and women to out to "battle" each day...for their God. I love each of them. so. As I was talking with this good Elder he started to tear up. He apparently did not want to tell me what had been done to him. He said he was fine. I fed them some dinner as they had not eaten. We talked around the table. He said he had needed just that. He grew up with a mom and a sister. No father involved, so to be around a mom and a dad for a while was just what he needed last night. What a privilege it is for us to serve with these amazing young men and women. I love them so dearly.

When I was listening to all the training CD's, I listened to Elder Jeffrey Holland and Quentin Cook talk about their missions. They were missionaries and companions in England many years ago. They spoke about an experience they had on their missions that impacted their lives. I talked to dad about doing this in our Mission with all of our missionaries and I would love to invite anyone else who reads this letter to do the same with us. We obtained a new copy of the Book of Mormon for each missionary. We bought them each a yellow high-liter. We have all started reading the Book of Mormon looking for Christ. In other words, any time there is any reference to the Savior or God the Father, we highlight His name and I highlight the complete thought with Christ's name in that thought or principle. I have had a great experience concentrating on Jesus Christ and the things He says as well as the things others say for Him by way of revelation. Also when others testify of Him. Anything to do with Him we highlight. It has been a very meaningful experience for all of us. I am excited to do this. Then after we read it through the first time finding Christ, we will read it again but the next time we will highlight in a different color all the Doctrine and Principles of the Gospel. So there you have it. Let me know if you want to do this.

Well, the time is well spent and I need to go make a few preparations as they will be here in 20 minutes. Church was tough for me today as it is 3 hours of listening to French that I don't understand much of. And with the Quebecois accent, it is even worse. I am doing great if I can just stay awake. But the people are SO nice. They try to use their broken English on me.

I feel so blessed. i am grateful for all of you and for this privilege.

much love,

mom/Shir