Letter #32 mom/Shir

Letter #32
Sept. 3, 2011
Outside on mission home steps

Dear Family of mine,

How is every little thing? How are you? We are alive and well here in Montreal. It is a warm and humid day at best. It is sunny and the cicadas are out in full force. They sound like an orchestra of high pitched violins playing with no conductor. If you hear them during the day, you can be sure it will be hot and humid.

It has been very busy since I last wrote. In fact I tried at least three or four different times to write but something always came up. We have had a new senior couple living here with us by the name of Elder Roger and SIster Diedre Mahaffey. They are wonderful and are anxious to start their service down in a little town called Cornwall. President assigned them to this branch as they have been begging for a senior couple. They are very near becoming a ward. Cornwall is right near the U.S. border so they can slip down to Messena and buy groceries at U.S. prices which are considerably less. Especially in the meat and dairy depts. The Mahaffeys will be a great blessing to this small branch. They will strengthen them in missionary work, teach leadership skills, serve in callings, and work with inactive families as well as work with the Elders in that area. The Elders are so happy as they know the Mahaffey's will feed them. Missionaries love food. They will also teach a Bible study institute type class. I love all our Senior couples, they are such a blessing to each of us here in this mission. We could not do the work we do without them. They have left their homes and families to come here and serve. They finance their missions sometimes at great sacrifice without any regrets. They are the living gospel in action. We love each and every single one of them.

This week your dad and I searched for a place we could buy Pickleball paddles and balls so we could play at the ward. This is a sport the missionaries can participate in. Click on this site to see what Pickleball is all about. We tried it, like it and think our missionaries will too: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7159765n
It all started when a mother of one of our Elders, Elder Reid, sent him two paddles and a ball. They played one preparation day and apparently, had a ball. No pun intended. The missionaries are not allowed to play soccer, football or full court basketball because of all the injuries we have had since we have been here. So we are trying to discover things they can do without a greater risk of injury...hence Pickleball. They can play tennis, volley ball, Frisbee and some hit golf balls in the parks with whiffle balls, jog and exercise in their apartments. Lots of apartments have weight benches and many bench press. We are hoping this will be something fun they can do. I would highly reccommend it for you who work with the youth or the aged. Any age can play. You could play as a family or with friends. It is played on a smaller area than a full tennis court and is not as tough on the elbow. So you who are over the age of 4, get out there and try Pickleball. It is good for the health and it is FUN!

We had the great pleasure of having Jill and Greg Brim from Chicago visit us for an evening. They were kind enough to stop by en route to Toronto as Greg had business there. We were hoping to spend more time with them but stuff came up and we were not able to go with them. They took us to a restaurant called Les Enfants Terribles. I think it was the best meal we have had since we came. Thanks so much. It was like having family here. Jill is part of the Taco Bell group. She is a dear and loved friend. We were so grateful they would take the time to stay a night with us. They headed up to Quebec city after but that was cut short because of the effects of hurricane Irene which whipped through here pretty quickly. It was not too bad.Tons of rain. A few areas lost electricity but no flooding this time. We were very lucky. Sorry they cut it short in Quebec. That means another trip is in order..thanks Brims. We love you and thanks for the popcorn from Chicago. We loved it...that means it is gone.

Last week was such a great week for baptisms. We had TEN! For us here in this mission that is very good. We are so proud of our missionaries and so happy for all those wonderful folks who were baptized. We are so lucky to be able to attend most all these baptisms.

I want to tell you about a sweet girl whose mom is Jewish and her dad is from Iran. Yes...you heard me right. Her folks wanted nothing to do with religion. They used to be very active in the beliefs of the Zoroastrian religion. But now have fallen away from all religion. Their daughter however kept on believing. In fact when she was 7 years old she continued to pray out loud and her mother ridiculed her and made fun of her. After that she never prayed out loud again. Since that time she secretly worshiped as only a young girl without guidance could. As she grew older (she is 22 I think) she studied many religions. Then one day a few months ago, as she was in the Metro, one of our missionaries saw her, dressed in a white dress and gold sandals and thought she looked like a person who might respond to his message. As they talked, she sensed something special in him and his message. They started teaching her and voila, she was baptized last week. This young woman has so much faith. She is now praying again, and when she was baptized, she wore the same outfit as when she was first contacted. She is so dear. I have met and taught her. We were at her baptism and she glowed she was so happy. This young girl spent a lot of time preparing small wooden boxes for each of the four Elders who taught her which contained little pieces of paper with something written on each of them. She had prayed long and hard to know what each of these young Elders might need in times of trials and discouragement that come with being treated badly and rejected. This was in an effort to thank them. She gave the boxes to the Elders, on the way home that night, one of the Elders was standing on the street and a woman came up to him and contacted him. She asked him what they were doing. He told her they were missionaries and she had explained that she was looking for a religion but that she had not found one she felt was true. She had been going through some very difficult times in her life. As they talked she looked down and saw the box the Elder was holding. She asked him what it was and he explained it was a thank you for teaching this young woman. She asked if she could read just one of the pieces of paper. He was a bit reluctant as he had not even read them himself. But he allowed her to read one. When she did she almost started crying. It was a direct answer to something she had been praying about concerning a struggle she was going through. She was so delighted that she asked if she could meet the young girl some day to thank her for the message even though it was not intended for her. They set up an appointment to teach this lady the Gospel. I tell you this story because I see the Lord's Hand in our every day lives. I see how He sets up divinely orchestrated events that lead to divine rendezvous. I am so grateful for His loving Hand in each of our lives. In the lives of our missionaries, I hear of these things all the time. It is nothing less than miracles in our day. I know that with all my heart. We must but seek for them and we also will see the Hand of the Lord in our lives. He loves each of us so much. I am grateful for that knowledge.

I want to thank all who have driven mom to and fro and here and there. Kel, Di, and Wynn. Dru has done so much for mom I cannot even begin to thank her. I need to thank you all, and those who I did not mention for helping mom out, to get back on her feet so that she can enjoy a wonderful quality of life. A life that is as active as she can be. One with exercise and love from her family and friends. Thanks to all of you brothers and wives and Dane and Tracie for running errands, making lemon bars and taking them to her. and buying Gatorade when she was sick. And Tay and Farhad for the things you have done and fixed, Kat, Ham and Maj...for everything you do to make mom's life better like taking her to the Dr. Thank you so much. I cannot tell you how tough it is knowing I can do nothing for her. I must rely on your goodness. I have had to learn to let go and give it up to Heavenly Father and all of you. It is all I can do. I am sorry I cannot help. Thank you thank you. I love you all. Wynn I have not heard mom that happy than the day you took Acadia up there and went shopping with her. Thanks dear.

Well, OK that is it for now. I seem to be rambling again. I love and miss you all. We are fine here and I love this work, this mission and these missionaries sooo much. They are valiant and true. Faithful and hard working. We just got 8 new dear missionaries who are now having the toughest week of their lives most likely. I pray for them daily. Thanks for all your prayers. We feel them every day. We could not do this without your love and support.

love,

mom/shir/mema/Soeur Cannon

CLICK ON LINK BELOW TO SEE PHOTOS FROM THE MISSION IF YOU WANT
http://www.flickr.com/photos/canadamontrealmission/

pictures of girl in white baptism, the Brims, our Zone Leaders and two visiting sisters, and Elders in Rimouski who are giving a can or whipping cream from an elderly man who wants to feed them pie and whipped cream each time they have taught him.
Soeur Shirin Cannon