A Time of Gratitude

As we have recently celebrated the Canadian Thanksgiving and are preparing for the American Thanksgiving, it is truly a time to take stock of all the wonderful blessings we have.  We are thankful for our marriage, for all the wonderful years we have spent together, for our family and the joy they bring to our lives.  We are especially grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for the opportunity to serve Him here in Atlantic Canada.  We are so thankful for the people here, for the love we have for them and for the love we feel from them.  In this Thanksgiving season we are thankful for this beautiful part of the world in which we serve. It is truly breathtaking and will always be in our hearts.  Each new missionary that arrives brings something special with them and we are so thankful for them, for their service and for all they teach us. 

While our daughter Kathy was visiting us Sister Calvert, a new senior missionary sister, arrived in the mission field.  We had her apartment prepared and the Tiffanys were kind enough to pick her up from the airport and deliver her to her new home.  Sister Calvert is from British Columbia and is a widow.  She has a strong desire to serve and is assigned to work with us in the mission office. I will be training her to take over most of my duties as we start to prepare for our return home.  We are very happy to see her come and for all her talents.  Shortly after Sister Calvert arrived, another senior couple, the Wiebes, also arrived in Halifax.  Their apartment is in Halifax and they will be assigned to work with the Halifax Ward but will also help out in the mission office.  Elder Wiebe will work closely with Elder Foley and learn the finances, cars, apartments, etc. and Sister Wiebe will help with a variety of tasks, especially with ordering the missionaries supplies.

On a very blustery Saturday after the arrival of Sister Calvert and the Wiebes we took them to see Peggy's Cove.  The Tiffanys joined us and although it was very cold, Peggy's Cove is always an impressive site.

Sister Tiffany braving the cold for the beautiful view

 

In addition to the Wiebes another senior couple, the Davises, arrived to serve in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland.  A Sunday night Senior pot luck was held to welcome them and get to know them and Sister Calvert better.  As always the food was great and we learned of Sister Calvert's excellent pastry skills.

President and Sister Leavitt with Sister and Elder Wiebe

President and Sister Leavitt with Sister and Elder Davis

Sisters Wiebe and Calvert

A happy group enjoying the great pot luck selections

And there was beautiful music

The last Tuesday of November we welcomed the last group of young missionaries to arrive before our departure.  We actually didn't meet them until Wednesday but they got in Tuesday night and were greeted by President and Sister Leavitt and the APs.  They were taken to the mission home for a bite to eat and then off to bed before an early start the next morning.  On Wednesday morning they went to attend a session at the Temple and then to the mission office for lunch and training.  Thursday morning those assigned to outside areas left bright and early to head out to their first assignments.  Those in the city and those being transferred into the area as well as those completing their missions have a "transfer lunch" at the mission home.  These lunches have been special to us since our arrival in the mission and it is emotional to think this is our last.  It is so exciting to see the fresh and overwhelmed faces of the new missionaries and the strong and confident faces of those going home. This is usually a lighthearted lunch with the missionaries gathering in large groups to take pictures and say their goodbyes and greet those they have not seen for sometime.  That evening is a special dinner and testimony meeting for the missionaries returning home.  We have been so privileged to attend these special events during our mission.  To see the growth that has occurred in these young men and women is a wonderful blessing.  This meeting was especially touching as this group has served with us from the beginning.  We all started as greenies and are now returning home together.  It was a wonderful and spiritual night.

 Elders Hardy, Meynders, S.Hill, J. Hill, Foleys, Elders Bowen, Farnsworth, Biddulph, Marks

and Elder Henry

President Leavitt has been working hard to maximize the use of senior couples throughout the mission.  He felt a need for seniors to work in Bathurst and with the help of the missionaries there we located an apartment for them in the same complex that the elders lived in.  We purchased the furniture and planned a trip to set up the apartment.  Although we knew it would be hard work we were excited to visit Bathurst once more before returning home.  The Bathurst elders were to meet us and also arrange for the help of some members.  President Leavitt decided he would also like to go and invited Elders Tiffany and Wiebe to accompany him and see some of the mission.  The Elders had done a good job of finding an apartment and although it had one of the smallest kitchens I have ever seen the rest of the apartment was quite pleasant.

On the morning of the move we had great help from the elders, the branch president and several members.  The work went really smoothly.  Both Branch President Moray and  Sister Moray had come to help and invited us after to their lovely home for an "American Thanksgiving" dinner that evening. It was delicious and a very enjoyable time.  We stayed over and attended church there the next day before returning to Dartmouth.  Bathurst is a very French community and many of the members speak French although the service was in English.

 

 Branch President and Sister Moray of Bathurst

 

 Elder Foley in front of Bathurst Chapel (note name is in French)

 The Foleys with Elder Skinner

 

 The Foleys with Elder Nzojibwami

 

 Elder Foley, President Leavitt, Elder Wiebe, Elder Skinner, Elder Tiffany, Elder Nzojibwami

We drove home Sunday after church and went directly to the Mission Home where the senior couples had gathered for a pot luck dinner and final farewells for our return home.  It was a wonderful evening and we realized that it would be the last time in Canada that we would see some of these couples.  We enjoyed great food and great company.  The Leavitts gave us some lovely going away gifts and it was a very memorable time.

 Sisters Calvert, Leavitt and Steffan

 Elder and Sister Wiebe

Elder and Sister Edwards

 Elder and Sister Foley

 President and Sister Robinson (of the Temple)

 President and Sister Leavitt

 Fun Surprises!!

 Beautiful Nova Scotia Crystal candle holder

 Crystal Clock

 Funny clock for Larry!

Kathy's visit

Our daughter Kathy is a busy wife, mom of four boys and now also a busy student.  It was fun that she could get away all by herself to visit us in Canada and see where we have been laboring.  She had previously made a trip by herself to visit us during our mission in Mexico City. She could only stay for a short time, so we let her choose what she would like to see.  It was not an easy decision for her as there are so many wonderful things to see in our mission. She finally chose to see beautiful Cape Breton Island, a place that is renown for the vibrant color of its autumn leaves. She was here just in time to enjoy them.

 Kathy and her daddy at the airport

First stop the mission office

Thursday:  After picking Kathy up at the airport we stopped by the Mission Office to show her where we spent much of our time.  We had dinner at our favorite Wharf Wraps in Eastern Passage and sold Kathy on the "best fish and chips in the world"! The walk around Eastern Passage is also a pleasant experience. 

Friday:  We began the beautiful drive to Cape Breton Island. This island is about 4000 sq miles located off the north shore of Nova Scotia. The island features rocky shores, rolling farmlands, glacial valleys, barren headlands, mountains, wood and plateaus. A little of everything for a pleasant trip. On this trip we followed the Cabot Trail, a scenic highway which makes about a 200 mile loop around the island offering gorgeous seascapes and passing through the Cape Breton Highlands.

 

One of the many quaint churches along the way

Breathtaking scenery along the way

We spent our first night at an inn in Cheticamp, a fishing community on the west coast looking out on the Northumberland Strait, an arm of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. .After we got settled in, we went downstairs to have dinner in the restaurant.  It was a charming place and it was so fun to be together and catch up on old times. 

 Sign on the wall of the restaurant, great advice!

 The room was cozy and it was fun watching the rain falling on the water.  

 Lots of rain

Saturday:  We continued the drive around the rest of the Cabot Trail.  It was beautiful but the weather was erratic We ran into sun, rain, hail, strong winds and even a little snow.  However, it didn't dampen our spirits.  One of the highlights of the day was hiking up to Corney Brook Fall.  Kathy has become a big fan of waterfalls since she moved to the Northwest, so she was excited to see this one. The autumn leaves and the stream coming from the waterfall were so beautiful.

Corney Brook below the falls

Trail to the falls

Just the three of us

And one more waterfall for the list (Don't remember the name of this one)

Time for lunch at Neils Harbour. We chose a little restaurant on the water.  We were lucky to be served. They were just rolling up the carpet and closing down for the season but they did let us come in. The tables out by the water were definitely empty. We had some great fish and enjoyed watching the waves break on the rocks and the birds flying over the water.

After lunch we drove through the headlands at the northern end of the island and started down the eastern Atlantic shore stopping at Green Cove.  It is a rocky granite headland jutting out into the oceans. The colors of the rocks and the view of the ocean was amazing.

 The rocks were lined with pink, blue and green

It was time to start heading home but not before stopping to see our friend John Pettipas, just over the Canso Causeway as you leave the island.  John is a great man who is not a member of our church but is a friend to so many members.  He probably knows more about the church than most members.  In fact, John knows a lot about a lot of things and he likes to share it with people.  He would frequently call the office to share interesting facts so it is fun when we can see him in person. 

 John's one of a kind store.  He has a little of everything and never sends you away without something.

 High Five!!

 The rest of the drive home was filled with beautiful autumn scenes and culminating with a gorgeous sunset.

Sunday: We had a wonderful day at church.  It was so fun to introduce Kathy to President and Sister Leavitt and to so many of the missionaries and members of our ward.  We spent the rest of the day at our apartment eating, visiting and enjoying each others company. 

Monday:  Larry returned to the office to keep things running while I played hooky one more day and Kathy and I drove to Peggy's Cove and then on to Mahone Bay and Lunenberg.  

 Kathy was fascinated by the docks and the huge cranes loading freight on the barges

Beautiful red plants growing around the rocks near the cove





 
 The church at the entrance to Peggy's Cove has just been refinished and it so lovely.

 Fishing boats and lobster traps at Peggy's Cove

 Kathy at the Peggy Cove lighthouse

Kathy looking over the rocks toward the village of Peggy's Cove 

A few of the many rock formations built on the natural rocks

 Colorful ground cover

 Memorial to Swiss Air Flight 111 that went down off the coast here in 1998.  The people of these small towns hosted the families of those killed in the crash when they arrived to make arrangements for their loved ones.

Famous three churches on Mahone Bay

 One of the many charming stores in Mahone Bay

 Mahone Bay

 Beautiful Lunenberg

Our darling Kathy in Lunenberg

 

 On the pier in Lunenberg

After a wonderful day we headed home to have dinner with Larry.  It has been a perfect visit and it is hard to see it come to an end.  

Tuesday:  Up early and off to the airport.  Kathy's plane left on time and we were off to work to prepare for a new group of missionaries arriving this evening.   

 Goodbye sweet Kathy

Thanks for a great time!  Thank you for letting us share with you some of God's beautiful creations in this wonderful part of the world.