On the Ground and Running

We got an email from our good friends George and Nancy Young this week who hoped we were "on the ground and running," and that describes it well. We now have completed one week on our own and as yet we don't think we have caused any irreparable damage. We continue to be challenged with new things everyday but that is good and keeps our old minds active.

The highlight of this week was an invitation to attend a baptism held in the Halifax Young Single Adult Branch with President and Sister Simpson. The young man getting baptized is from India and has been studying the gospel for 10 months. He first heard the gospel from some sister missionaries doing street contacting and he began to take the lessons. He had committed to baptism 2 or 3 times but had changed his mind at the last minute because of strong family opposition. That he got baptized at all is really a miracle. He is from a Hindu background and when he told his family he was studying the gospel, his father, who is of prominence in the Hindu religion in India, did not speak to him for months. The family did not call him nor did he even hear from them on his birthday. They then canceled his plane ticket to come home for Christmas break and told him not to return to India any more. His father even tried to take legal action to disown him as a son. You can imagine how hard all this was for him but he said he finally received such a confirmation of the truth of the Book of Mormon that he couldn't deny it and had to follow what he knew was right. It is amazing to see this kind of courage and faith in such a young man.

With Sister Hudson, one of the missionaries that taught him

With sister missionaries and a fellow student who baptized him

Another good event this week was the Zone Leaders Council held at the mission office. Fourteen elders and President and Sister Simpson attended. Janice prepared lasagna for them and it went quite well (other than the lasagna falling apart as it was served). It was fun to meet so many elders and feel their great spirit. Interacting with these young people serving the Lord is one of the great blessings for senior missionaries.

This sculpture is in the reception area of the mission office and was done by a member in the mission. Whenever Elder Foley sees it he remarks that it reminds him of young Elder Foley (our grandson serving in the Boise Idaho Mission).

And now for a tour of our apartment so you know where we are when not at the office.

The living room


dining area


study area (next to table)


kitchen


guest bedroom (Come and visit us!)


our bedroom


and YES, I do have a bathtub!


And the view from our living room window

We are very blessed and very comfortable here. We are adjusting to the cold, sort of, and spend as much time indoors as possible. We are looking forward to our short Canadian summer.