Sunday, March 3, 2019

Sunday, March 3, 2019

It's been kind of a strange day today and an emotional couple of weeks.  We had a big (kind of ) snow storm over night and several of the Wards meeting earlier in the day cancelled.  We debated about attending our 11:00 meeting and decided not to because we not too confident in the condition of our tires and the temps were below freezing-both Celsius and Farenheit--😉. We decided not to go after a member of the Branch Presidency texted and said that they weren't coming in either.  Then about noon the sun came out and we probably would have been fine.  More snow is expected tonight and tomorrow.  President and Sister Low are in Fredericton, New Brunswick for Stake Conference and about 2 weeks ago sent a text to me asking me to book 7 rooms in a hotel there because he wanted the Missionaries in that zone to come to Conference and some of them live too far away to come to a Saturday meeting and then again the next morning.  Elder Bennett from the Area Authority was presiding over the Conference.  Then yesterday when word of the big snowstorm came the President decided to change the New Brunswick Zone Conference from Tuesday in Moncton-about an hour away--to today in Fredericton after the Stake Conference.  Because of him deciding to bring all the missionaries to Fredericton they were all there, including the Senior Couples, even though some had driven 5-6 hours to get there.  We let the Relief Society Sisters in Moncton who were planning on feeding 40 people on Tuesday that that meal was now cancelled and President and Sister Low were able to get something organized at the last minute in Fredericton, I'm sure with the help of the Sisters there.  After Zone Conference today then the missionaries can all get back home hopefully before the snowstorm hits tonight.  The Lord works in mysterious ways.

We still have Zone Conference this week in Dartmouth on Thursday and Newfoundland on Friday.  We don't usually go to Newfoundland because we have to fly to get there and that can cost up to $1000 round trip.

A couple of weeks ago we had to let our favorite dog named Baxter go.  He moved in with Cameron and Tiffany when we left for our Mission but he got old all of a sudden and he needed too much care.  After a visit to the veterinarian for an extensive check-up we had to acknowledge that his quality of life just wasn't what it used to be.  A BIG thank you to Cameron and Tiffany and their family and Ashley and her kids for loving him and doing all they could to take care of him.  Many tears were shed and our hearts hurt but we knew this time was going to come and it was necessary.  As we looked back in pictures we remembered all the good times we had with him.  He was in the lives of most of our grandchildren from the time that they were born and they all loved him-especially Kenny, Tenley, Tucker, and Mason. 

He loved the Elders who lived with us from 2009 - 2011.  Here he is studying scriptures with Elder Becerra.

with Makennly

With Charley and Tenley

 

Little Joseph isn't too sure but is trying to be brave.

A boy and his dog watching out the window together.

This is what you wear when you walk the dog--Mason

Tucker reading to Baxter and Grandpa the morning we left for the Mission.

Time to say good-bye for Cameron and his family

One more kiss

This is how he used to wait and watch for Cary to come home every day.  That is probably what he is doing in Heaven--waiting and watching for his family to come home.

But that wasn't the end of our eventful day.  A couple of hours later we got a tearful phone call from Ashley telling us that she was leaving the Riverton Hospital and taking Charley up to Primary Childrens Hospital because she had fallen down the stairs at Cameron's house and his her face.  She couldn't stop crying and was now throwing up.  Jonny was out of town. She left her twins with McKennah. Suddenly our focus changed.  We were sad about our Baxter but our prayers quickly changed in earnest for Charley's health and courage and comfort for her Mom.    Luckily her brothers live close by and Cameron was heading to the hospital to be with her and Tiffany hurried to Ashley's house to help with Tenley and Tucker.  By the time they made the 45 minute drive to the hospital Charley was able to calm down and was acting like her normal self.  They were able to give her a CAT SKAN and decided that she most likely had a concussion and the CAT SKAN showed that there wasn't anything else wrong.  I for one felt very lucky to once again be reminded of our Savior's love for each one of us individually.  Even if the news hadn't turned out the way we wanted for Charley-I knew that there was a God in Heaven who could help us cope with the pain and sorrow we were feeling.  I am so thankful for my testimony of faith.

We do have some other news that some of you might not now.  On July 1st our Mission, the Canada Halifax Mission, is going to merge with the Canada Montreal Mission.  Our President is going to be the President of that Mission and will be moving to Montreal.  So the office here will be closing and we will also be moving to Montreal to serve in the office there.  We love Nova Scotia and hate to leave here but know there will be great adventures waiting for us there--most of them in French!!😏

In the meantime we look forward to another week in the Mission.  Hopefully the snow won't keep us away from the office in the morning.  I am about done with the cold!!!  Unfortunately I understand that Montreal is even colder.  Bring it on!!

Robyn