letter #43

Letter # 43

February 6, 2013

Montreal, Home Again

Sent the 8^th

Dear Family,

This past week has been a whirlwind. I am feeling better but still have a bass voice. How can it be that January is gone by the wayside? The weather has been more than bizarre with unseasonably warm, high windy weather that knocked out many electric lines and left many without electricity. We are still waiting to see how we hold up. The temperature keeps spiking up then drops like a hot potato. It is like a winter weather roller coaster ride here. But I guess we could be worse.

Last weekend was a very tough one as our baby Evelyn had a fever of 105 and Dane and Tracie spent a lot of time in the ER and then a few days up at Children’s Hospital trying to get her temperature under control. I am sure they had an exhausting time as they stayed over night a few nights I think. We were so grateful to Libby and Dane for occasional updates but we were very worried. She is just so young and these things always scare me. But I felt all would be well. I am grateful so say they came home and she has been recovering well. Dane had to take off and fly out and leave Tracie so Libby extended her stay to be with Tracie. That gave me comfort knowing if Tracie needed any help, Libby and Harper were there. Thanks sweet heart. We are so grateful our precious Evelyn is alright. Guess it was some kind of virus. That was the final conclusion. Found out that Little Nelson, Cort , Chris and Beck went through a similar thing. It is surely going round whatever it is in the U.S.

It was a good thing Libby stayed behind because they came home and realized that we had water dripping out of the vent on the ceiling, on the carpet in the Evelyn’s room. Welcome home sweet Evelyn. I think it is a heating vent. This is not what Tracie needed but as usual she took care of things as she and Dane always do at that beast of a house and have things under control. They also discovered additional water damage in the basement, which will be fixed as well.  Thanks to Kat, Farhad and Libby who all helped, we appreciate it so much. Thanks Farhad for going up to the house to check things out. I am grateful for family we can rely on.  What next? I will not mention what I said under my breath concerning a few contractors who shall remain nameless. Honestly, is there NO INTEGRITY in the construction world? Not in our experience. Our heat taping around the entire house is apparently not working and should have been as we had it newly installed before we left in order to avoid exactly these kinds of mishaps. C’est la vie!

I got a call on the miracle hotline, my cell phone last night. We have three Sisters up in Quebec City and they have had a hard time trying to find someone to teach this past week. They made a valiant effort and still nothing. So they prayed together and had the feeling they should go North to what everyone refers to as “the reservation”.  It turned out there were no members of “First Nation” (as they call themselves) but rather all Québécoise. No immigrants, only people from Quebec who were born there and never left. These are the most difficult to contact to even speak with. Suffice it to say they had many doors slammed in their faces. This area used to be 100% Catholic but unfortunately in the past thirty years have all fallen away because of things that happened in the church long ago. So they are either agnostic or atheist.  The doubted themselves and wondered why they felt they should have tried that area. At the end of the day, a very grouchy man who was not happy to see them, told them to come another time as he was watching a game on TV.  Then he slammed the door. According to the Sisters they were overjoyed. To them, this was a real blessing. Someone took a few seconds to talk to them. This breaks my heart. If only folks would give them ten minutes of their time, just give them a chance to let them explain who they are and why they are there. Just treat them with some human dignity and kindness. Most think they are Jehovah’s Witnesses’ and they slam the door. We are not sure why, but the J.W.’s are NOT LIKED at all throughout Quebec. I wish I could ask those who slam doors why they don’t like them…but people never give the missionaries a chance. Just slam doors in their face. Like they are not human beings. Like they don’t have feelings. These sweet, dear, smiley face young, squeaky clean, faithful kids who are out every day, giving of their time and efforts, to bring others unto Jesus Christ. They want to share a message that has made them and their families happy and that is why they want to share it with others. It is such a selfless life they live. I mean wouldn’t you be curious why these clean-cut kids are out instead of out living a life of  trouble and “me ,me, me?” Or doing drugs or sleeping around? Instead they have chosen to leave their lives, families, school and in many cases paid for their missions themselves, and come here to serve their brothers and sisters who they don’t know but love. I love and appreciate them for it every day. And it is brutally cold, but they get up every day and go  out and do it again. They are full of light and love for mankind. They do get discouraged though and sad when they cannot share that which they hold so dear. A few minutes after that grouchy man, they knocked on the door of a woman who said she was sick and to come back later. Her name was Jocelyn. Long story short, they ended up going back and she was waiting for them. She has been kind and receptive to their message. She is so grateful the sisters came to her door to teach her of the plan of happiness and the purpose of life. She loves the spirit she feels when they are there. THIS is why they go our day after day after day. For the ONE. That one special person who is searching, looking for truth. The sisters are beside themselves with joy. I am so grateful for this good woman and for the faithful loving service of not only our sisters in Quebec but all over this wonderful world. I love the miracle hotline. IT is the very small blessings these kids acknowledge, that is the way it should be.

We attended the most joyous wedding at the Montreal Temple, of a former missionary who served in our mission. Elder Aquim Garcia. He was from western Canada but during his mission his family was transferred to Montreal. It was a bit disconcerting to him as his family would be in the same city he was serving. It all turned out fine concerning that and he completed an honorable mission. He was a very serious Elder. Very strict and to the point. I had a few conversations with him about smiling more. It got to the point where he almost prided himself on not smiling, as he was so serious. Fast-forward, the mother of one of the Bishops meets Aquim and immediately starts her match making with him and her newly returned missionary daughter who is working in Calgary, out west. When Julie came home to visit her family she met Auqim and they hit it off immediately. They saw each other every day. She flew home for vacation. I think he even flew out there. But the miracle in his life that took place is that that young man cannot stop smiling. We saw him just after he had met Julie and he hugged me and was smiling and all congenial. We looked at each other and thought, “what is up with aka Elder Garcia”? Then he told us he was dating. WOW, what a difference this good woman has made in his life and I am sure he has made in hers. They made such a lovely couple yesterday and it was an honor to be there and witness their marriage in the Temple, for time and all eternity. This is the frosting on the cake. We saw him come and go in the mission. He grew immensely and changed dramatically. Then to see him enter University to study to become a Dr. and marry in the Temple…it does not get better than that unless it was my OWN kids. And our children already blessed us with that great blessing. My heart is so full and I feel so grateful for all I have been given.  I can never repay my Father in Heaven for what He has given me.

We finally finished interviewing all the missionaries in their apartments and I can say I am very glad. It has been a long process as we had transfers in the midst of all of this. It is the sweetest thing and often times very funny to meet with them, check out their apartments’, chat one on one, send a picture of them to their parents and make sure all is well with the apt.,  with them, physically, spiritually, mentally and  emotionally. I am glad to say other than three or four ailments, such as wisdom teeth having to be extracted and another’s coming out and one more physical problem I can’t mention, we are in good shape other than one who received the shocking news his parents were divorcing…so sad. He had no clue. What a blessing. We finished off in Ottawa where the threesome of Sisters Houde (from Quebec serving here) Lucas from Guatemala and Anthian who has been called to serve in ST. GEORGE but is waiting for her visa, made a lovely lunch for President and I. We enjoyed a delicious lunch of spaghetti (the choice of all missionaries as it is inexpensive) and salad with the Sisters. They were so sweet. They set the table all fancy as fancy as they could with their dishes, cups and utensils of which not one matches. I love them so.

Well, I have rambled on enough for this week. Just finished a round of four zone conferences.  We are beat but glad to be done. Now we concentrate on finding apartments for all the new incoming missionaries. I love and adore you all. I am so grateful for each one of you my kids, in law kids, grand kids, parents, brothers, sister, in laws, nieces and nephews, friends, and on and on. Thank you for your prayers and support. I feel you carry me through this wonderful experience, each day. I don’t know how one could do this without the help, love and support of loved ones and friends.

Have a great week, I will too!

Love,

Mom, Shir, Mema, Grammah, Sister Cannon, Soeur Cannon, Hemana Cannon

 P.S. it is snowing like mad, we are having blizzard conditions. Just got home from cleaning an apartment we are going to rent, long story, and my windshields could not stay clear. They were so frozen over, I had to stop every so often and  clean them again. Glad to be home.

Pictures:

1) My all time favorite Sister's picture

2) I love this of the Elders just after they finished serving at the homeless shelter, we all served food. They do this every week along with the help of the Sisters as service to the community for four or more hours.

3) The churches are so magnificent here. I love to see the unique steeples. Sadly, they are empty. Unfortunately they are selling them of as business space, condos and retail. It is very sad to see.