A Trip to the Sugar Shack

Today marks the 6^th month anniversary of when we went into the MTC!  It also is the third anniversary of my mother’s death.  I have missed her so much during the last six months—so many times when we experience something here as missionaries, I wonder if my parents had the same kind of experiences.  I am so grateful for my parents, for their lessons, and for their examples.

Most of the seniors meet each Monday for Family Home Evening.  Each senior missionary, in turn, selects a conference talk and prepares a discussion.  Last week’s lesson was especially good.  It focused on Elder Oaks talk on the Proclamation on the Family.  I really enjoyed the way it was presented and the discussion that resulted. 

(As I sit here, it sounds like there is a gymnastics meet going on above me!  We usually hear very little noise from other apartments.  It sounds like kids are jumping up and down and throwing things!  This is really strange!)

This week we were on week 4 of the transfer cycle.  This means that the actual arrivals, transfers, and departures are finished as are all the zone conferences.  This week Pat and I did apartment inspections, he continued with all his vehicle chores, and I did some of the secretarial items that I need to do to get ready for missionaries who will be here in two more weeks and who will depart in two weeks. 

Apartment inspections are interesting.  Thankfully, most of the missionaries keep their apartments in very good shape.  Several of the missionary apartments are actually better than the apartments that the seniors live in!  Thursday I made appointments to do three inspections at one-hour intervals beginning at 7:30 in the morning.  I had plotted out the route, knew the metro station we needed to go to, and felt that we would be able to accomplish the task and be back to the office by 10:30 so that we could help as necessary with a mission leadership council.  The old adage, “The best laid plans. . .” I nailed the amount of time needed for each inspection, but what I didn’t count on was getting hopelessly lost trying to find the first apartment!  We wandered around for 50 minutes trying to find the street.  I used the printed instructions—no help.  I used the maps on my phone—no help as the directions took us up several streets, over a couple of streets and then back down.  Finally, we made contact with the elders and asked if they could come to the station to meet us.  Once we hooked up with them, they explained that in order to get to their apartment, we had to cross a highway—there are only two ways to do it:  using an underpass (the way they took us) or go up and around—the way my phone was trying to take us!  We ended up getting to the office an hour after we had planned but in time to man the office while Sister Puzey and Sister Evans made the final preparations for the council. We had to finish our inspections on Friday.  We found the apartment with little trouble—mercifully.  We have this little assignment down for this transfer.  Hopefully, we’ll have the same apartment assignment next transfer!

Our weekend was busy. We spent several hours with nine other seniors yesterday at Érablière Charbonneau. (Now there’s screaming and yelling coming from above!) We had such a good time with the other missionaries.  We enjoyed being outside of the city, seeing the taps on the maple trees, and seeing the apple orchards.  We ended our trip by have a wonderful maple-themed meal.  We loved it!  

Here are some photos I took of our senior outing to the Erablière Charbonneau!

 Look at all the maple goodness going on here!

Elder McGee and Elder Drolet!

This truck was a frame for plants.

 And here we are: Sisters Iverson, McGee, Evans, Puzey, Drolet, Carlson, and Hyde in front. Elders Evans, McGee, Drolet, and Carlson in back.

Mont St. Grégoire

Sap collection

This is what we rode in as we went from one location to another.

Maple taffy - so good!

Here we are enjoying the traditional meal!

Sap ready for collection

We didn't leave empty handed!  Bears for Sarah and Michael; the rest for us!

Pat didn’t feel very good this morning, so he spent all day in bed.  I went to church with Sister Hyde.  Her companion, Sister Iverson, is in Ottawa for a medical appointment.  I had a great time visiting with Sister Hyde as we drove to and from church.  Then the two sister missionaries from our ward joined us for dinner.  I replicated the raclette that I did last week but did a Tollhouse Cookie Pie for dessert instead of last week’s apple pie.  Sister Chatterton and Sister Hyde joined us.  Because the missionaries were about 40 minutes late, Marianne and the kids called to FaceTime. Sarah and Michael said hello to the missionaries, and we finished dinner before Marianne called back.  I love interacting with those precious grandchildren of mine!  Sarah and I read books, Michael sang and recited the months of the year.  They are so dear to me.  I love them more than I can express!

 

Sisters Chatterton, Ashcroft, Hyde, Taylor, McGee

Tollhouse Cookie Pie - Yum

The missionaries always leave us a spiritual message.  Tonight they read Matthew 4:18-20 where Christ tells Peter and Andrew to follow him, “And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.” The sisters then talked about what nets in our lives are holding us back from being the disciples that we could be.  Great topic for some self-reflection.

Time to call it a day.  Thank goodness the ruckus above has stopped! We love you.  We love doing what we are doing.