CTM: FINISHING IN TORONTO and other stuff Feb 2017

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)

The greater Toronto area has a huge number of people from other parts of the world, notably India Pakistan, China, Italy but many others as well, including people from the Philippines, Malaysia, UK, all European nations and dozens and dozens of other countries.  The greater Toronto area now has close to 6.5 million people.  In Toronto over 50 percent of the population are foreign born, there are over 140 languages and dialects spoken and half of the people have been here 15 years or less.  

Some of these people are only in Canada for a few years to obtain their education or gain the work/professional experience they are seeking, and then they go back to their home countries.  Some of them join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while they are here.  As fledgling members they need a great deal of support, then soon they leave Canada, go back to their home country and bring their Church beliefs with them.  For this reason the church in the greater Toronto area is somewhat transient with many novices participating with strong newly found faith but limited in experience.  Core members of the Church, those who have been around for years and even generations, are often holding down two or three callings.  Our Bishop and his wife of the Mississauga ward are busy with ward callings, but they also serve as temple workers once a week.  High Councilors may also teach Sunday School and other stake leaders often teach in Primary.  There are many senior couples in the Canada Toronto mission to add stability to the area.  It is a great opportunity to learn of and try to understand different cultures and peoples

Phillipino family volunteering their time in the storehouse.  The wife and daughter came to Canada 3 years ago and once she was established her husband came, just arriving 2 months ago.

Sikh temple we see every day on our drive to work

Sikh museum

A few hundred miles north, as Steve found on his visit throughout the Sudbury Zone, First Nations and French speaking, along with vast distances and some degree of wilderness, sets the tone.

narrow roads, and over a 500 km stretch between Timmins and Sault Ste. Marie, Steve and Elder Cannon passed only 3 cars but dozens of logging trucks, with little or no cell service, sometimes poor roads but there is always transportation to get around

Seldom a service station, except on First Nations reserves, some of them requiring a tribal status card

PFK (or our KFC) in Notre-Dame-du-Nord, Province of Quebec

Steve in Rouyn-Noranda, Province of Quebec

Across the street from the rented office space used for the Church chapel in Val-d'Or, PQ

HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF LAKES IN ONTARIO AND QUEBEC

one source says that there are 250,000 lakes in Ontario

this lake is in Ontario

this lake is in Quebec

some lakes have small islands with houses

sunset just outside of Val-d'Or, PQ

LAKE TEMISAMING IS RIGHT ON THE BORDER OF ONTARIO AND QUEBEC

We will soon be leaving for Timiskiming Shores where we will serve the rest of our mission.  Depending on road conditions, it is about 6 hours north of Toronto.  It is majorly in the snow and cold belt due to the influence of hundreds and hundreds of small lakes in the northern regions, which impact the humidity and the weather.  We look forward to a full and complete winter of shovelling snow.  The books say it can get hot and humid in the summer.

Sunrise in Haileybury, Temiskaming Shores, where we will be living.

a mild winter in Brampton but the occassional blizzard as seen from our apartment

SPECIAL VISITS

Barb says that she thinks all the reunions we have had here in the Toronto area are similar to what it will be like going to Heaven.  We have been reunited with dozens of people we knew 30-35 years ago and served them or with them, loved them and cared about them, befriended them, wept and laughed with them.  Then we went for a long time without seeing them.  So, when we see each other after such a long absence, there is such a joyful experience! Any of the petty annoyances in relationships have been long forgotten so all we could do is rejoice together.  It's been like Heaven for us.

a special visit with Walter Saunders.  Walter used to home teach us 35 years ago.  Then Dane and I used to home teach the Saunders family.  When we moved from Ontario back to Alberta in 1986 and the temple was built, Walter and Tina served in the temple Presidency for 3 years.  Sadly, Tina has passed away.  At 89 Walter is as sharp and spry as can be.  It has always been great to hear Walter's wonderful Jamaican accent and hear his laughter and feel his strong commitment to the Savior.  Our visit was a grand reminder of the wonderful friend that he is.  Ya mon, its goood ta see yow.

another special visit with Dave and Liz Aiton.  Somewhere around 1982 Dave came into our life.  In many ways he became an 'uncle' to our kids and a wonderful friend to our family.  He is the reason we had 'turnip' ice cream.  Our kids used to love going to his place to see the animal heads on his walls, elephant foot stools and guns.  What a great friend he was to us.  He took the missionary discussions in our home and Steve had the opportunity to baptize him.  After he was baptized Dave married Liz and they were sealed in the temple.  Dave served as High Counselor, Bishop and then was a sealer in the temple.  Currently, Liz is strugglig with ill health and Dave is looking after her.  It was a joy for us to see the love and commitment in their relationship and to hear their humble observations of how the Church and Savior have helped them on their journey in life.

some of our kids will remember this room at Dave Aiton's and the following 'foot'

some personal joy

Barb's delight.  She found some extra large pomegranites!!!

TRUCKS

A daily experience we have had in Toronto we really (feared, anticipated, shirked, been awed at, loathed, complained about and shaken our heads and rolled our eyes over)  ok, enjoyed, in driving the 1/2 hour to work early in the morning, then when finished driving the 1/2 hour back in the late afternoon, is trying to get through the maze of many trucks that are not only on major highways, but also on minor roads, and some of the most narrow minor roads.  Sometimes we feel that it is better to drive the city roads by closing our eyes and praying as we drive than to take our chances at dodging, avoiding, rushing, weaving and swerving in and around the big trucks.

Steve's view on the way home from work

our 'together' view heading home

front view

rear view

Barb's view

THANKFUL FOR A LITTLE BIT OF NATURE BY OUR APARTMENT

AQUARIUM one pday we had the privilege of going to the Ripley's Aquarium

16,000 aquatic animals

5.7 million litres of water

a great experience reminding us of this beautiful earth and the Creation story in the Bible

https://www.ripleyaquariums.com/canada/

WE LOVE THE MISSIONARIES.  BEING AROUND THEM IS A GREAT EXPERIENCE!

FRENCH SPEAKING MISSIONARIES IN VAL-D'OR

missionaries signing in to give some of their volunteer time to the Bishop's Storehouse

zone conference

senior missionaries gathering for fun and support





A HAPPY REMINDER

JUST BEFORE HEADING OUT TO TIMISKIMING SHORES, WE DROVE TO MILTON AND UP ONE OF THE ESCARPMENTS TO RATTLESNAKE POINT.  WHEN WE LIVED HERE 30-35 YEARS AGO, NUMEROUS TIMES WE WENT TO 'RATTLESNAKE' FOR OUR FAMILY HOME EVENINGS, OR TO HAVE A WEINER ROAST AND PLAY THE GUITAR AROUND THE FIRE, OR TO SEE IF WE COULD FIND AND CHASE SOME RACOONS.  A HAPPY REMINDER OF HAPPY TIMES!

CTM: EARLY ASSIGNMENTS: new relationships and renewal of former relationships Dec 16-Feb 17

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)

WHAT WE'RE DOIN'

After we were set apart, we asked our Stake President, President Atwood, for some last minute advice.  He said:  Have fun doing the Lord's work!

It didn't take us long to discover that President and Sister Shields work hard, are totally dedicated, put in long hours but they clearly have fun doing the Lord's work. 

Elder and Sister Knight have fun doing the Lord's work in the challenging task of managing the Toronto Bishop's Storehouse

We decided that we would have fun doing the Lord's work while serving our mission, no matter what we were asked to do and no matter how challenging or difficult those tasks might be.

PART OF OUR ASSIGNMENT HAS BEEN TO WORK WITH ELDER AND SISTER KNIGHT

 AT THE TORONTO BISHOPS STOREHOUSE WHILE WE ARE WAITING TO 'GO NORTH' AND WORK WITH A COUPLE OF SMALL BRANCHES IN QUEBEC AND A LARGER ONE IN ONTARIO.

THE TORONTO BISHOP'S STOREHOUSE IS A HUGE PROCESS THAT SPANS OVER A LARGE GEOGRAPHY.  AND THE PROCESS MUST GO ON DAY AFTER DAY WEEK AFTER WEEK MONTH AFTER MONTH TO ENSURE THAT THOSE IN THE CHURCH, REFERRED BY THEIR BISHIPS WHO ARE IN NEED OF BASIC FOOD AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS ARE LOOKED AFTER.

SO MANY VOLUNTEERS ARE INVOLVED.  ALONG WITH OTHERS, WE HELP TO UNLOAD TRUCKS AND PUT FOOD AND ITEMS IN THE WAREHOUSE.  THEN WE  HELP ENSURE THAT THE SHELVES IN THE STORE ARE FULL.  WHEN PATRONS COME WE HELP THEM FILL THEIR ORDERS.  

WE ALSO HELP  FILL THE TRUCK SO FOOD CAN BE TAKEN TO THE NEEDY IN FAR DISTANT STAKES.  DURING THE CHRISTMAS RUSH ANOTHER 26 FOOT TRUCK HAD TO BE RENTED BECAUSE THE TRUCK BELONGING TO THE CHURCH COULDN'T HANDLE ALL THE ORDERS.

IN THE DISTANT STAKES WE UNLOAD THE TRUCKS THEN A LARGE VOLUNTEER 

FORCE SETS IT UP ON TABLES IN THE GYM SO THAT THE PATRONS CAN RECIEVE 

THE FOOD THAT THEIR BISHOP HAD REQUISITIONED FOR THEM.  

DOZENS OF VOLUNTEERS ARE REQUIRED TO KEEP THIS PROCESS GOING.  WE ENJOY 

PARTICIPATING AND SEEING HOW THE CHURCH PROVIDES FOOD FOR THE POOR AND 

NEEDY.  EVERY NOW AND THEN WE HELP WITH PAPER WORK AND KEEPING THINGS 

CLEAN.

Christmas party for volunteers of the Toronto Bishop's Storehouse.  These volunteers are from all over the world:   Russia, El Salvador, Argentina, Jamaica, USA, Ukraine, Yugoslavia.  Oh ya, there's some Canadians too. 

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BECAUSE WE LIVED IN EASTERN CANADA OVER 30 YEARS AGO, WE KNEW MANY PEOPLE FROM ONTARIO.  ON OUR MISSION IT HAS BEEN FUN TO CROSS PATHS WITH PEOPLE WE KNEW SO LONG AGO AND TO SHARE STORIES OF WHERE WE/THEY HAVE BEEN AND WHAT THEY/WE HAVE DONE OVER THE YEARS

three decades ago Steve trained a man and his wife to teach the parenting course, which they did for years.  We ran into him at a Zone Conference, he is in the Mission Presidency.  A joyous reunion.

We were delivering food orders in Kitchener and ran into Grace, who, 35 years ago was our first babysitter.  A joyous reunion.

 One day we were working to prepare food deliveries, we visited with a family who came to volunteer their time:  the father was from Stirling, the mother knew Rhonda Steed now living in Raymond. 

We were working at the Bishop's Storehouse stocking shelves and the truck drivers came in from delivering a load.  One of them was Alex.  Steve used to home teach Alex and his family over 30 years ago. Tears.  And a joyous reunion.

We have been asked to spend some of our Sundays with the Mississauga ward.  A couple of weeks ago, we ran into the first secretary ever hired by LDS Family Services when Steve set up the agency in 1980.  She used to live in the Mississauga ward but two weeks ago was just visiting.  It turns out that she lives in the Timiskaming branch, where we will soon be living, so we look forward to many interactions with her.

Where we work at in the Bishop's Storehouse is in the same building as LDS Family Services.  So one day we went over to visit with the staff who we both know well and have known for years.  More joyous reunions.

We were helping set up food orders and ran into Donna who was on the Indian Placement Program many years ago, placed in the Chalmer's home:  Dave's (our brother in law) foster sister.

At a Zone Conference, we met a Sister missionary from Finland and had good visits about her home country, Helsinki, the temple in Finland.  The stake president's wife was at the same Zone Conference.  Her husband, the stake president, is also from Finland, so we had another opportunity to discuss Finland, Aland, etc.   We were at a Christmas social for couples and met an older woman who years ago had served her full time mission as a young woman in Finland.  It seemed like 

that week was our 'meet people from Finland' week.

There is a missionary couple we have met whose daughter visit teaches Michelle Z (or vice versa, we can't remember).

Dian (Wilde) and Wes Olsen are coming to our mission soon.  They are from the Welling Ward.  Dian was a good friend of Barb's during High school.

We met Grandma Davies cousin at the MTC and spent good time visiting with them.

We went to the Brampton ward one week and were reunited with two stake presidents who Steve used to work with 30+ years ago.  Lots of talking about old times and catching up on personal news.

When we lived in Milton years ago our stake president was President Shoesmith.  Decades later we now interact with him as an 82 year old Bishop, among other things,  providing food for the poor and needy.  82 and a Bishop!

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We went to Milton to have dinner with our dear long term friends, Brad and Nancy Miller.  Their oldest son Carl was there and it was so good to visit with them.  Karl remembers all of our children when they were young.

Brad told us that when he was stake president they did a count to see how many nations were represented in their stake who were born in another country and immigrated to Canada.  The answer they came up with was 83

While in Milton we went to look at the school where some of our kids attended over 30 years ago.  Brought back a lot of memories!

We also stopped by to see the house we bought brand new almost 35 years ago.  We knocked on the door and had a good visit with the Philipino lady who lives there with her husband and child.  She told us they have lived there for 12 years and a few years ago they totally renovated the outside.  We talked about the bonus of having the big yard, which was there because the developer just couldn't quite squeeze another house in.  So we got the benefit of the extra space, and so do the new owners.  She said the kids in the neighborhood collect there often due to the large yard.

Barb knocked on the door two houses west where her dear friend Lorna May used to live---and---she still lives there.  Another joyous reunion.  

MOST OF OUR WORK IS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AT THE BISHOPS STOREHOUSE

MOVING THINGS IN AND OUT AND THROUGHOUT THE BISHOPS STOREHOUSE IS LIKE A LARGER VERSION OF ROKENBOK!

Barb in the warehouse getting ready to set up orders for far away deliveries

Steve with Elder and Sister Knight who are from Utah on a two year mission to manage the Bishop's Storehouse in Toronto

Barb helping volunteers prepare boxes of food to be shipped to far away stakes

During our delivery in Kitchener we met a RS President, Grace, who decades ago was our first babysitter in Milton

The truck gets offloaded in far away Stakes and set up by volunteers in an orderly way in the gym of a church building

Lots of work to empty this truck load, 26 foot van full of food finished

LOTS OF WORK TO DO AND MOVE AROUND IN THE WAREHOUSE

Donna with Steve and Barb.  Donna came to help at the Storehouse.  We found out that years ago she had been on the Indian Placement Program with Dave Chalmers parents.  What an exciting moment for us to have that connection!

OUR MISSION PRESIDENT AND HIS WIFE, PRESIDENT AND SISTER SHIELDS, HOSTED A NICE PARTY FOR THE SENIOR COUPLES WHO WERE AVAILABLE TO COME.  THIS WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MEET OTHER COUPLES.  SOME ARE ON MISSIONS TO THE TEMPLE, OTHERS ON MISSIONS TO SERVE IN THE MISSION OFFICE, SOME SERVE MISSIONS WORKING WITH YOUNG ADULTS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS OR ASSIGNED TO SPECIFIC WARDS OR BRANCHES NEEDING EXTRA SUPPORT.

Barb with Sister Shields in the Mission Home.  

Barb helping other Senior sisters preparing Christmas treats for the full time young missionaries.  There are over 200 in this mission.

Barb presenting a small treat for Sister Knight to celebrate her birthday.

Barb and Steve with President and Sister Sheilds.  They are so dedicated, positive and energetic.  They reminded us that, in the past,  President Monson and Elder Ballard were both Mission Presidents in the Canada Toronto Mission

THE MISSIONARIES' CARS NEED TO BE LOOKED AFTER.  WE WERE ASSIGNEED TO  SPEND 4 DAYS TO WORK WITH ELDER AND SISTER YOUNGBERG TO GO OVER THE MISSION CARS FOR LEVELS, TIRES, PAPERWORK ETC.  TO DO SO WE WENT TO FOUR ZONE CONFERENCES WHICH WERE HELD THROUGHOUT THE MISSION FOUR DAYS IN A ROW, JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS.  DURING THE 4 ZONE CONFERENCES MISSIONARIES FROM ALL 10 ZONES IN THE MISSION CAME FOR INSTRUCTIONS.  SINCE THE CARS WERE IN A CENTRAL PLACE IT WAS EASIER TO WORK ON THEM AND KEEP THEIR PAPER WORK, REGISTRATION, INSURANCE AND MECHANICAL/FLUID ASPECTS UP TO DATE.

Barb and Elder Youngberg preparing to review and do upkeep on mission cars.  About 20 cars came in to each of the 4 Zone Conferences, so there was lots of standing in the cold doing our work.

Nice to come in from the cold and join the missionaries for lunch.

Lunch provided by various wards.  In this Zone Conference it was Bishop Lim and his ward who provided the meal.  We knew him from meeting him at the Bishop's Storehouse.

We met a sister missionary from Finland.  She was fairly new and so glad to meet some people who had been to Finland and knew a bit about her home country.

After each lunch, the missionaries sang Called to Serve and a Christmas carol to those hosting the lunch.  Very invigorating and rousing to the spirit to hear them sing with such energy and enthusiasm.

And of course the full time missionaries, being so close to Christmas, wanted a zone picture with their Mission President and his wife so memories can linger in a picture

Steve has been willing to assist with missionary mental health issues when the Mission President requests.  Usually this work includes assessments to set up a treatment plan, a bit of counseling, and some brief consultations about preventing depression or anxiety or dealing with SAD.  Steve and the mission health officer will visit all of the missionaries in the Sudbury Zone, one companionship at a time, to provide information on how to prevent or deal with medical and mental health issues.  It takes close to 9 hours on good roads to drive from one end of the Sudbury Zone to the other and there are lots of stops driving across the zone to meet with the missionaries.  Then there will be some work to be done in the Barrie Zone.  There are 10 mission zones in the Canada Toronto mission and the Sudbury Zone is just one of them.  When we were initially going to serve in the California San Fernando mission, President Henrie told us that even in rush hour in busy Southern California, it would take only about an hour to drive from one end of his MISSION to the other.  Our trip in the Sudbury Zone will take us to Bracebridge, North Bay, Timiskeming Shores, Ruoyn Noranda and Val-d'Or both in Quebec, then back to Ontario to visit missionaries in Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie and finally Sudbury, then on to make presentations in the Barrie Zone.  We have a lot of geographic territory in the Canada Toronto mission.



THE SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS WE TEACH IN THE MISSISSAUGA WARD

One evening we helped with the youth group temple trip at the temple