Go Towards the Light

Monday was in the 30s so it felt like TimTam slam weather...you bite off the corners of the cookie and use it as a straw to suck hot chocolate through. Don't knock it till you've tried it! I sincerely hope that we have TimTams in the U.S. for post-mission delicacies!

The weather was WAAAY different two nights later when we went out to see the illuminated botanical gardens. It was 65 degrees at night on October 30th. Unheard of in Montreal!!

This is the most magical photo from the evening. I think it almost looks like a painting instead of a photo. This little girl was fascinated by the reflected light coming from the tiny shards of mirrors so she draped half of her body right into the bowl. She was down in this position for a very long time interacting with the light.

I think she's a great example to the rest of us. GO towards the light. Interact with the light. Stay in the light. Jesus IS light. I want to crave Jesus' presence the same way this little girl craved the light she found in this fascinating place.

Here she is from a different angle.

This is a man I see frequently on my walk to the archives in the morning. We struck up a conversation one day and have become friends ever since. He's quite a rough character but I really enjoy talking to him whenever he's out on the steps smoking. He's had a really rough life. He would be a very different person if he had grown up with all of the advantages I've had. I enjoy our friendship.

The fish finally moved inside on November 1st this year. I checked, it's only a week earlier than last year in spite of the warm October we had this year.

Canada culture: Don't remember if I mentioned this already...Ritz crackers don't come in sleeves in this part of the world.

Yes, I did capture some documents this week.

Running total of captures: 438,027

Running total of docs prepped: 12,859

Autumn Changes

As soon as I got to church today, I ran across the sister missionaries in the hall and they said, "There's someone who wants to meet you." What?!? I had a student in my online institute class from Cameroon last year who was called to be a branch president. He told me that one of the members of his branch was in Montréal. I wondered how I would ever run into her in this large city. Well...I ran into her at church with a little help from the sister missionareis.

The guy in the red cap was baptized on Saturday night. He is so  determined to stay on the covenant path all the way to the end of his life. I love his determination and committment. Why do we feel so good at baptisms? Before he got baptized, it was just a regular meeting for me. After he got baptzed, I was on Cloud Nine for the rest of the evening. Can you say HO.LY GHOST?

I also met this amazing young lady at the baptism who is originally from Massachusetts. Her best friend since 1st grade is a member of the Church and is currently going to BYU. This young lady is impressed with her friend because she can see virtue in her life. This young lady  only met our missionaries a week ago and has already committed to be baptized! Do you SEE how easy it is to be a missionary?!? Be good. Be kind. Live a life of integrity and virtue. Others will see you. They will know what you are about and will want it for themselves!

The back story on this photo. . .one of the assistants to the president is finished with his mission next week and I realized I didn't have a photo with them. Elder V, who took the picture, said I should stand between them so it looked like I had body guards. 

It was Sister C's birthday on Saturday and her birthday wish was to get out of the city so we drove about 45 minutes from Montréal to Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. We found a picture-perfect church in nearby L' Acadie.

This is a rock house next to the church. I feel so blessed to be "above New England" in the fall.

Now HERE'S a tender mercy! While we were at lunch I randomly remembered that Sister M had been transferred to a town out this way. She had been worried about this transfer for a few reasons. When I checked the mission directory, I found out that THIS is her area! How random that I would have that thought at lunch in time to buy two very yummy treats to leave under the steps of their apartment building...or WAS it random? Whenever strange things like this happen, I see God's hand in it. I don't believe anything is random anymore. The reason we had to leave the treats in such a strange place is because the sisters live in a locked apartment building and they weren't home. We sent them this photo and told them to fetch the treats when they got home.

It's always interesting ordering from a French menu. I'm never sure what I'm going to get. This was touted as a sausage wrapped in a waffle on Google Translate. Turns out it was an "adult corn dog" with ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, and green onions. Very yummy!

We found a very fun small-town autumn market. Too bad I didn't have any cash with me or I would have bought some things.

These two just up and left us! What were they thinking?!? Just because their mission was over didn't mean that they had to leave!! They've been a daily part of my national archives experience ever since the day I arrived and they've taught me soooo much!

It's going to feel weird without them here. It will take some getting used to not having them around every day.

Halloween is just around the corner. This weekend we've seen a lot of adults in costume on the metro going to  parties in the evening. I decided my new contacting approach was to tell people I met that I'm dressed up as a missionary and then tell that I really AM a missionary. Nice opening line...don't you think? ;)

This fine, young son of mine got his mission call to the Nigeria, Benin City Mission!! He leaves on January 2, 2024 for the Ghana MTC. We've been studying Preach My Gospel together to help him prepare.

Running total of captures: 133,867