Dear family of mine,
Greetings from Quebec, or more specifically, Mont-Royal. We are well and have just returned from the beautiful city of OTTAWA where we have completed our fourth and final Zone Conference. All four went very well and we feel the conferences were helpful to not only the missionaries but to us as well. They, teach us so much. It is always so good to travel around and see our missionaries. They are the best. We love and appreciate all they do, day in and day out. I think of myself as one of the luckiest missionaries ever.
The weather here today was sunny and fair. We still have snow, still wear coats and scarves but oh yah, it is warming up….relatively speaking. I cannot believe how blessed we have been with the weather so far. Do I dare say, that up until now it has been very mild and I think we can expect it to remain so???? I hope, I hope, I hope. I heard Ottawa is supposed to get some snow tomorrow.
Next week we have transfers again. It seems like we just did this, but I guess six weeks has flown by. I am stunned at how fast the time goes by here in the mission. I fear, I will go home without having learned the language of French but I will have learned much else.
I got a call from one of our wonderful Elders the other night. They were calling to report a miracle. They had just arrived home, rather late, because they were teaching a new investigator. This is how it all happened. The one Elder, Elder G. told me that the night before, in a dream, he had seen a very tall red building and knew from his dream there was someone in that building who they needed to teach. The next day during companion studies and planning, Elder G. told his companion about his dream. They decided to go out and see if they could find this building. As they drove around visiting members and other investigators, they found “the red building” just as Elder G. had seen it in his dream. He does not remember seeing it before but none the less, they found it. Just as they were about to enter, a car drove up and a man got out. He was a tall Haitian man. They can determine nationalities very well. This man walked into the very apartment they were going to knock in. They felt they should follow him. They did so and found a Haitian flag in his window. This is always a good sign. The Haitians here are such good, kind, humble, God-fearing people. They are hospitable and willing to listen. They gave the man a few minutes to get his coat off and then they knocked the door. He answered still wearing his coat. It turns out he had been praying for some answers. He has prayed for someone he could talk to about God. He knew as soon as they told them who they were, that they were the answer to his prayers and he felt he had prayed them there to his house. They felt as if he was the answer to their prayers. He has been a blessing for them to teach. He asks great questions, has great faith, reads the Book of Mormon and prays about the things they teach him. He wants to find out for himself whether or not this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To me, that was a miracle. These things happen daily with our missionaries, our members and with those who are seeking truth. It takes earnest desire, real intent, great faith, and also a person who will pray, read the Book of Mormon and who will come to church. This man did all these things. He has come very far in his journey or quest for truth. He is on the road to baptism. He has changed so much. He was a very good man before but has become an even better man by the things he is doing. I am so grateful to be a part of this process of conversion. I am grateful for our missionaries and that they listen to the promptings of the spirit.
This past Monday we drove up to Quebec City which is two and a half hours N/E of Montreal as we had a Zone Conference planned there. The missionaries up there invited Pres. and I to go to the ICE HOTEL for the afternoon. We left early so we could meet them in the parking lot. It is a massive Hotel made of thousands and thousands of snow and blocks of ice. They start making snow for it in Nov. It costs about $15.00 to get in, so you can imagine, this was quite a treat for the missionaries as they would not normally spend that kind of money to do anything. It is a once in a lifetime visit for them. We roamed from room to room checking out the different designs on ice or sculpted into the snow walls in each of the rooms. They also have a snow chapel carved meticulously, where folks get married. Sounds like a chilly way to start a marriage if you ask me. The suite with hot tub and sauna costs $450.00 a night....to sleep in and freeze. They have a solid ice two story slide, a bar where you drink out of cups made of ice. I have often wondered how you drink out of an ice glass without having your lips stick to it and I was not about to find out. We took lots of pictures and had a fun time together. Outside the hotel was an "all things Maple" shack where you can pay three dollars and they will pour a foot long strip of boiled maple syrup onto snow. You then take a tongue depressor and start rolling the syrup which starts to harden in the snow, onto the depressor. This turns into a sort of maple, frozen, icy sucker that is super delicious. The Quebequois DO love their home harvested maple syrup and they will be the first to tell you it is the best maple syrup in the WORLD. I may concur with that.
On occasion, people invite us over for dinner and usually, along with the set of missionaries who serve in their ward or branch. I am so grateful for all those kind souls who make dinner for our missionaries. I pray the Lord’s choicest blessing upon them. This past week we spoke at a ward in Laval. A really nice member by the name of Brother Lahasche came up after and invited us over for dinner…. to experience his “famous” ribs. I noticed he did not even consult his wife. After, she came up and he told her we were all coming for dinner and she did not mind at all. Wow, I thought, she is very “chill”. I later found out, HE does ALL the cooking, ALL of it. We were actually free that night and accepted his invitation. I asked what I could bring and ended up making Ananas Fromage (Lemon, pineapple, mousse-type delight) which has become famous in the mission. This is the dessert we all know and love that my mom made for us every Christmas Eve of my life and what I made out kids every Christmas of their lives. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. It is so good. They told us how to get to their house but found it so confusing, even with a GPS, we offered to pick up the missionaries so they could navigate the way. And the reason it was so confusing is because they live on an Indian reservation which has no street signs. They all know each other and where everyone lives because they are all related to one another. The only way you can live on the reservation is if you have Mohawk blood in you (he is half Italian).She is full Mohawk. And if you do….it is a sweet place to live because you are not required to pay the 16% taxes that we pay in Quebec. They have their own schools etc. Gas is cheap, stores are cheap etc. It is a very sweet deal. I think I am picking up the phrases of the missionaries...hence the use of the word...sweet. Sorry about that. I am so happy for them. They were so nice and had set the table with their very best. And yes, they were indeed the very BEST ribs I have ever in my life had. His rib sauce is a secret known only to him and his son which was bequeathed to him as an inheritance. He is going to sell it soon and make millions of dollars. And he probably will. He made a delicious array of entrees including egg foo young. We had a wonderful time sitting around the table listening to how he and his wife were converted, baptized and married. What wonderful stories we hear. But that is a story for another time. I am so grateful to know these wonderful people and hear of their remarkable and inspiring lives. And the ribs were great too.
Well that is all for now family. I love and adore you all. I miss you but know you are better off in the Lord’s Hands while we are away. I pray for each of you every day. Thank you for your love and support. We could not do this without your prayers. I am amazed at my stamina, day in and day out. I did not have this much energy and stamina in high school. It is because of the prayers. I am certain of that. Thank you so much. It is a privilege to be out here serving in Quebec with these wonderful young people. I know this Gospel that we share with so many, is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, our Savior. I know Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. I am grateful for a prophet today, even Pres. Thomas S. Monson and I love the Book of Mormon. I cannot live a day without reading that book. It is my life’s manual. I find comfort, guidance and truth within it’s pages. It teaches me how to be the kind of person I know my Father in Heaven wants me to be. I am so grateful for the Atonement of Christ. I know He lives and resurrected from the dead. I am grateful for the third member of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost and the guidance I am given daily by way of the spirit.
Time for bed, good night, don’t let the bed bugs bite, sweet dreams and see you in the morning. I used to say that to you kids. Now I really mean it about the bed bugs in some of our apartments.That is yet another story....
Love you so,
Mom, Shir, mema, grammah, Soeur Cannon
For pictures of the mission click below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/canadamontrealmission/
P.S. all pictures sent today are of the Ice Hotel in Quebec City
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