Letter #37
January 21, 2012
Mission Home
Dear family,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONDAY THE 23, 2012 our dear sweet heart Clara. You are four years old now and you have a vocabulary of a fourteen year old. Hope your Unicorn party was so much fun. I wish we could have been there to watch the fun and eat cake with you. We love you and hope you had a HAPPY BIRTHDAY on Monday and every day. We love and miss you!
Well, it is time for another letter. We just arrived home from another baptism this time for a young girl whose name I really liked. She was sweet, and so happy to be baptized. Her name is Rayne. Isn't that cute? Her mom and dad moved here from Calgary and they are new to our ward. And guess who baptized her? The grandson of the man who baptized mom, Mor mor, Birgit, in Denmark! So Gaylen Young's grandson is Elder Pistorius and he is a Zone Leader in this area. He baptized Rayne. It is so great to have him here. He is a stellar missionary.
This week something funny and out of the ordinary happened. We had just given talks in French, in the Mascouche ward and were in the middle of Sunday school. The instructor asked that someone read something in the Book of Mormon out loud. A sister started reading when all of a sudden, out of no where, but from some where, and no one could figure out where, (from dad's phone), came a very loud man's voice reciting the scriptures this sister was reading. Everyone stopped, looked around, realized it was coming from dad and watched as dad fumbled around, tried to turn off the phone.It seemed as if the phone were a hot potato the way he was handling it. He seemed to try everything but could not silence it. He turned bright red and said "sorry it is coming from my phone and I can't turn it off". I was trying not to laugh but soon realized he was flustered. So I grabbed the phone and ran out in the hall. I turned it off, joined the class, handed dad's phone back to him and he promptly put it away. Everyone was so nice about it. They love the President so much. It was one of those funny moments I wish I would have had my camera rolling. These IPhones are great but unless you know how to use them they can take over. It was funny. It will be my turn next time but it will probably play some rock music or something.
NOW IT IS JANUARY 24, 2012 SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY BROTHER FARHAD!!! I love you and hope your day was really wonderful. Maybe you will "lunched" with our brothers. I hope you did something fun anyway. LOVE you so much brother.
We are on the way to Quebec to work with the missionaries there. I get to go out with Sisters Bize and Chadburn. Sister Bize will be going home this next transfer and she will be sorely missed. She is such a wonderful missionary. She is from France but her folks moved to the States so you can imagine her French. When she first came into the mission on our way home from picking the new group up from the airport she turned to me in the front seat and said "Sister Cannon, I will NEVER speak Quebequois" I am determined to keep my French pure". Here in Quebec they have a very strong and unique accent. Imagine an old timer from Wisconsin who live way up North and ask him to speak French. This is the best I can do. I find it very difficult to understand the very strong Quebeqois accent especially when spoken with a Spanish accent or a Syrian accent etc. Anyway, she skyped her folks at Christmas and horror of all horrors....her mother, from France said to her, "you really have an accent".... and so it goes. She is a good sport and laughed it off. Hey worse things could happen right?
It is a little colder in Quebec and the snow is deeper here but really the weather has been very mild compared to last year. We were having a meeting earlier and a huge, bright, magnificent cardinal perched on a tree outside out window. Could that mean an early spring??
Feb. 1, 2012 OK, I guess this is why I don't write each week. We ended up going out with the missionaries for two nights teaching people from Viet Nam, Haiti, the Philippines' and Taiwan. I am amazed at how our missionaries communicate with people from all over the world. I love Quebec. It is so fascinating learning about the lives of these folks and why they have come here. Most all of them, leaving all behind to seek a better life for themselves and their children. Many of them refugees. Many trying to escape violence in their countries, seeking asylum. All those we taught were so humble, very poor and extremely kind. I used my feeble French at times and realized how much I don't know. Good thing I was with the missionaries. I love going out with them.
We have since had a Sisters' Conference, a Zone Council, have spoken in different wards four weeks in a row (yes a few in French) and had two Zone conferences since I last wrote. That equates to a ton of planning, training, traveling and a lot of hand shaking. It is so fun when we get together with the missionaries. They are so full of love and life. Their energy and enthusiasm for life is contagious. I wish I could hug them all but that will have to wait. Elders are not supposed to hug women while on the mission. But they do plenty of hugging each other when they see one another. Same with the Sisters, they hug and bisous each-other (kiss each-other on both cheeks as they do here in Quebec).
There seems to be a terrible flu roaming around the mission. I field all phone calls when our missionaries are sick. It is amazing the things I have learned. I am thinking of going into medicine when I get home. Just kidding. For instance this week we had a miracle, as far as I am concerned. These Elders could have been killed. They were driving down the freeway. The night before it rained then froze. Before that, we had had a huge snow storm. It was below zero the night before. But during the day, it warmed up a bit and as they were headed down the highway behind a semi truck, an enormous plate of glass of ice came flying off the truck and busted through their windshield. It hit them straight on like you would toss a Frisbee. It completely busted the whole thing. The Elder was driving a bit close to the truck and somehow found his way to the side of the road as the semi sped off. After three hours, standing on the side of the road, the police had come, taken a report, and the tow truck hauled the brand new car away. It hit with such force that it dented in the frame of the car. There was glass everywhere and the car was a mess. But our Elders were ok other than a few scratches on their hands and faces they seemed ok. The one Elder driving however got a sliver of glass in his eye but it ended up it was in the corner of the eyelid. After 8 hours of waiting in the ER a nurse came out and told them they had to wait another 20 hours to see a Dr. So she looked at it and picked out the glass and they went home. They did not want to wait around. I really hope he did not have anything else in his eye that they did not detect. I told him to flush his eye out the second I talked to him but he forgot. I know there are guardian angels who watch our "angels" every day. By this time last year we had totaled a few cars so we feel very blessed. We are just grateful they are safe. During that conference my phone rang and it was Libby. I remembered they were going for an ultra sound to determine whether they were having a girl or a boy. They both felt that they were going to have a baby boy but Heavenly Father had something else in mind. THEY ARE HAVING A GIRL!!!! I am so excited. Eli, you are going to have a whole bunch of girl cousins who will love and adore you and you will love them. You will be very close. Now we just have to find out what Wynn and James are having. I have no predictions, if push comes to shove I will say a girl. All I want are healthy babies, girls... boys, we love them all!! We are so happy for all of our kids. We are happy for us!
We have been trying to keep up with the politics of the U.S. and wow, I wish we could take the negativity out of all campaigns but I don't think that will ever happen. I think it is a shame we cannot be civil, express our differences while showing respect. I long for the civility of long ago where one would never think of slamming others for the sake of gain in the manner we have witnessed in the past 15 years or so. I intend on voting, as we arranged to do so from Canada. I feel it is important to do so. It is a privilege to be able to have my vote count. I am grateful for our great country. I still believe in a strong and good America. I know we can recover if we unite rather than divide. I am tired of this party and that party...I just want to vote for the man or woman who can BEST do the joy. It is that simple for me.
We have a mission song here in the CMM, Canada Montreal Mission. As we first began our service here, we heard it a time or two but never paid much attention to it. But then one of our missionaries left a copy behind and I played it. It is very good and the words inspire our missionaries. I have decided to burn a copy for each new missionary who comes in along with a duplicate of the lyrics. I will include the lyrics below.
You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
You have been recommended as one worthy to represent the Lord as a minister . . .
We place in you our confidence . . .
Greater blessing and more happiness than you have yet experienced in . . .
You are assigned to labor in the Canada Montreal Mission.
I've dreamed of this day. I've pictured it, so many times. Our family and friends; we separate, and say good bye. Now I'm taking my life. I place it in your hands dear Lord. I'll be who you want me to be.
Oh my Father, for Thy help, I do pray. As I testify to the ones who've lost their way. My purpose is clear, I know I am here, to share Thy love dear Lord. The field is white. The time is right.
We see through different eyes and walk in different shoes. Ever searching to find the one waiting for truth. In this place where few still believe. We hold the light, and help them see. But I know your plan. Lose myself to find out who I am. And I know you live. All I have I'll give.
Oh my Father, for Thy help, I do pray. As I testify to the ones who've lost their way. My purpose is clear; I know I am here, to share Thy love dear Lord. The field is white. The time is right.
Days felt like weeks, weeks felt like days. Two years felt like a dream. I've loved, I've lived, I've laughed, I've learned. I've built so many memories. The changes, the difference, I've tried to make. The people and friendships that will never fade. The best days I've yet to see. Quebec, you are a part of me.
Oh my Father, for Thy help, I do pray. As I testify to the ones who've lost their way. My purpose is clear, I know I am here, to share Thy love dear Lord. The field is white. The time is right.
I'll go where you want me to go dear Lord. Over mountains, or plain, or sea. I'll say what you want me to say dear Lord. I'll be who you want me to be. The field is white. The time is right.
Well, that is it for now. Sorry this was a lame, and fragmented letter. I just want you all to know how much I love and appreciate you and your amazing lives. I am having trouble attaching photos to this letter so I will send them separately. LOVE YOU!
Until next time,
Love,
Mom/Shir/Mema/grammah/Soeur Cannon
Click below for pictures if you want
http://www.flickr.com/photos/canadamontrealmission/
Sister Shirin Cannon
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