As full time missionaries we represent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on our mission. Our blog represents our own personal experiences. The official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is: https://www.lds.org/?lang=eng (click twice)
COUPLE'S CONFERENCE
IN
BRAMPTON
President and Sister Shields provide instructions at a Couple's Conference. We also gather to provide mutual support and share with one another
IN OUR AREA WE:
PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE MISSIONARIES IN THE DISTRICT,
BRING MEALS TO THEM WHEN WE GO INTO THEIR AREAS
OFFER A 'HALF WAY' HOUSE FOR THEM WHEN THEY TRAVEL FOR TRANFERS OR TO AND FROM ZONE CONFERENCE
AND SOMETIMES WE ARE THE CENTER POINT FOR DISTRICT ACTIVITIES AND LIVE DISTRICT MEETINGS
WE ALSO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL TEMISKAMING BRANCH. BARB IS ASSIGNED TO SERVE IN THE RS PRESIDENCY
&
WE INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITY THROUGH SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Gathering for District Activity After a Hard Week of Work
Singing a hymn with the missionaries in the great outdoors
A hike to Devil's Rock
A larger gathering of more than one District
Bringing a meal and doing an apartment check with Sisters Francis and Snickers in Rouyn, Quebec
A meal at our place on their way home from Zone Conference
An apartment check in North Bay with Elders Aspery and Huffaker
District meeting on Skype with some of us joining from Val-d'Or, Quebec
Bringing a meal after District Meeting. The Branch is small so not many dinner appointments. But lots of positive attitudes.
A PREPARATION DAY FOR OURSELVES: HIKING AT
PARC d'AGUABELLE IN QUEBEC
PARC d'AGUABELLE IN QUEBEC
WE MADE SOME FRIENDS ON THE HIKE TO THE SUSPENSION BRIDGE
FINALLY CELEBRATING FATHER'S DAY--IN AUGUST AT A TRUCK STOP
DRIVING FROM KIRKLAND LAKE TO DOBIE TO DO OUR HOME TEACHING/VISITING TEACHING AND COULDN'T RESIST STOPPING FOR A PICTURE AT THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE!!
PREPARING 'ZOBELL AWARDS' TO GIVE OUT TO THE MISSIONARIES
A HEART ATTACK ON THE DOOR INTO OUR APARTMENT CAUSED A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR APARTMENT COMPLEX TO ASK QUESTIONS
GOING HOME TEACHING AND VISITING TEACHING SOMETIMES IS
BACK ROADS ONLY, NO OTHER WAY
FINALLY GOT THERE
CHECKING OUT THE ECLIPSE WITH THE ELDERS
TIMISKAMING FIRST NATIONS RESERVE, QUEBEC
BRANCH PICNIC ON LAKE TIMISKAMING
HELPING SISTER NG WITH HER GARDEN WHILE SHE IS OUT OF TOWN
THE BELOW PICTURE IS OUR MAIN ROAD, TWO LANE, WINDING, A FOOT OR SO OF SEMI PAVED OR GRAVEL SHOULDER, QUITE OFTEN LOTS OF RUTS AND BLEMISHES AND LOADED WITH LARGE TRUCKS PULLING LARGE LOADS CUTTING CORNERS
NOT ALL ROADS THAT WE TRAVEL TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO, FIT THE ABOVE STANDARD
BUT THERE IS NO END OF NATURES WONDERS AS WE TRAVEL THROUGHOUT OUR AREA AND DISTRICT! GOD DID MAKE A BEAUTIFUL EARTH!
IT'S NOT THAT WE ARE GOOD AT FINDING WATERFALLS OR BEAUTIFUL VIEWS, IT'S JUST THAT THEY ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE, WE STUMBLE ONTO THEM ON OUR WAY!!
THROUGHOUT THE AREAS OF ONTARIO AND QUEBEC WHERE WE TRAVEL, WE OFTEN SEE THESE LITTLE 'HUTS' ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT THE END OF A LANE THAT LEADS TO A HOUSE. WE WONDERED 'WHAT CAN THESE BE?' ARE THEY OUTHOUSES? NO, NOT IN THE WAY WE THINK OF OUTHOUSES. ARE THEY FRUIT STANDS OR PLACES WHERE THE OWNERS SELL FIREWOOD? NO.
THEY ARE LITTLE HUTS TO KEEP THE SCHOOL KIDS WARM IN THE 20 TO 30 BELOW ZERO WINTER WEATHER WHILE THEY WAIT FOR THE SCHOOL BUS 100+ FEET FROM THE WARMTH OF THEIR HOUSE!
ALISSA'S BDAY PARTY AT PRESIDENT JAKOBS
FALL FAIRS IN VARIOUS SMALL COMMUNITIES--SMALL MEANING 200 TO 1500 PEOPLE: EARLTON, NEW LISKEARD, ENGLEHART, CHARLTON, THORNLOE. FALL FAIRS ARE IMPORTANT TO THESE FOLK--ENMESHED IN THEIR CULTURE
SERVICE PROJECTS FOR THE YOUNG MISSIONARIES QUITE OFTEN INVOLVE CUTTING/STACKING CORDWOOD FOR OUR CHURCH MEMBERS OR THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO NEED HELP
WHAT A TYPICAL FARM (KIND OF MAYBE) LOOKS LIKE IN THIS PART OF ONTARIO (OR WHAT WE THINK A TYPICAL FARM LOOKS LIKE)
HAILEYBURY MUSEUM
WAR MUSEUM IN COBALT--SMALL COMMUNITIES REMEMBER, FOR A LONG TIME, THEIR NATIVE SONS/DAUGHTERS WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE--MANY WHO DID NOT COME BACK
THIS PART OF THE MISSION IS SO BEAUTIFUL, AND THE MISSIONARIES ARE SOMEWHAT REMOTE AND SOMEWHAT ISOLATED, AND THERE ARE NO GYMS AVAILABLE, SO THE MISSIONARIES SOMETIMES GATHER IN A CENTRAL LOCATION (LIKE OUR PLACE OR A PROVINCIAL PARK) AND OFTEN GO FOR HIKES FOR PDAY ACTIVITIES--UNTIL WINTER SNOW FALLS!
ATTENDING CHURCH IN THE ABITIBI BRANCH, IN ROUYN-NORANDA, QUEBEC
Pres Ochs with Sister Snickers, Sister Francis, Elder Martinez and Elder Pineda
Quebec missionaries with a woman of great faith, powerful faith to survive and stay alive. With our poor (non existant) French and the members ability to speak a bit of English, and with hand gestures and smiles, and a lot of heart, we are able to understand somewhat when we attend chuch in Quebec.
we brought dinner to the missionaries in Quebec but no place to eat since the building rented by the Church is locked up immediately when Priesthood and Relief Society are completed--so we had to find a park
A TYPICAL MORNING WALK
WE GREW OUR OWN TOMATOES IN OUR 4' x 8' GARDEN THAT THE MANAGERS OF OUR APARTMENT COMPLEX LET US HAVE
PICKING BLUEBERRIES
PREPARATION DAY DISTRICT ACTIVITY
Sister Snickers and Sister Francis emailing home from our place--Gwenda doing homework
11 of us singing I Am a Child of God (both French and English versions) and The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning to various groups in our apartment complex
Celebrating Elder Martinez birthday--he's from Brazil
And Sister Snickers birthday celebration--she's from Belgium
No gym available for these missionaries so after the meal they go play soccer and beach volleyball. Below L to R: Me from Alberta, Elder Aspery from Australia, Elder Martinez from Brazil, Elder Roundy from North Dakota, Elder Hansen from Idaho, Elder Huffaker from Colorado, Elder Pineda from Mexico, Barb from Alberta, Gwenda a recent convert from Val-d'Or but going to college in Rouyn-Noranda, Sister Francis from Utah and Sister Snikers from Belgium.
While they are enjoying their pday we go to enjoy delivering Meals on Wheels
NEXT DAY: A FIVE AND A HALF HOUR ROUND TRIP TO VISIT THE ELDERS IN TIMMINS: ELDER JOHNSON FROM OHIO AND ELDER TALBOT FROM UTAH. A BIT ISOLATED BUT THEY LOVE THEIR AREA AND THE MISSIONARY WORK THEY ARE DOING
NEXT DAY: 3.5 HOUR ROUND TRIP HEADING SOUTH TO NORTH BAY IN ORDER TO HELP AS ELDER HUFFAKER HAS BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL TO HAVE APPENDIX REMOVED. WELL LOOKED AFTER BY HIS COMPANION ELDER ASPERY. THE CHURCH FINDS THE HIGHEST QUALITY AND MOST EFFICIENT MEDICAL SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR THE MISSIONARY FORCE. IN ONE DAY AND OUT THE NEXT.
OVERALL WE FIND MEANING BEING ON OUR MISSION. ALTHOUGH WE THINK IT IS 'UPHILL' ALL THE WAY, THE EXPERIENCES WE ARE HAVING, REPRESENTING THE CHURCH AND THE SAVIOR, MAKE ALL THE EFFORT WORTH IT!
MOST OF THE TIME, WHEN THE DAY BEGINS, WE ARE EXCITED AT THE ANTICIPATION OF ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE, EXPLORE, LEARN AND SHARE
MOST OF THE TIME, WHEN THE DAY ENDS, WE ARE USUALLY EXAUSTED, BUT MOST OFTEN GO TO BED WITH A SENSE OF FULFILLMENT 
