May 10, 2015

Bob: We just finished our Sunday meetings at the Ward House so we thought we would do the blog now before we go home. The Mission Office is in the same building where we will meet on Sundays so it is convenient to walk to our office area and catch up with our email, etc.
The weather here has been unseasonably hot!! Today's temperature is in the 70s, but the humidity is showing 100% so that makes it even hotter. There will not be any air conditioning in our apartment building until June 2nd. The building has to convert the heating system to air conditioning before we can use it. Providential law requires them to keep heat available to May 22nd so the heat will not be turned off until then. Then it takes 3 days for the boiler cool down before they can convert the system to air conditioning. If the weather turns cold there may be a run on blankets at the local Walmarts! The reason for all this can be summed up in the most famous 5 words spoken in all of Canada: Because You Are In Canada!!

Yesterday wasn't a great day for Bonnie. Her allergies are still acting up and she is quite miserable. I ran a few errands, but she mostly stayed in the apartment. She did a few things and we went out at 9:00 PM for some ice cream, but that was her only excursion out yesterday. The worse experience of the day was my trip to Costco. People were lined up to get into Costco in the middle of the afternoon. I have never seen a more crowded store in my life. I'm anxious to try them again on a week-night to see if it is any better. Only had one item to purchase, a fan for the apartment. Thus I couldn't leave Costco without it.

Best experience of the day was visiting with President Jakob and Brother Sauve from the Temiskaming Branch at the Toronto Temple. Although I got lost on the way we had a great visit. It was so good to see them again. They told me to let them know what weekend we can come up and they'll schedule the Branch picnic then!! That will be fun. Don't know if we'll be able to wet a line or not. Karl told me that Elk Cabins is not open right now. I had heard that the owners went south for the winter. Karl thinks they may have shut down. I hope not, but this might be an opportunity for Serge and Kelly, the previous owners, to repurchase it. Heard last summer that Serge wishes they had never sold it. I hope they get it back.

We went to gospel essentials today. I am waiting for the instructor, the former Branch President, to send me a pdf file on what he talked about. This was the 2nd class of a 5 week course about Family History. We did learn from quotes of Joseph Smith, Gordon B. Hinckley, Bruce R. McConkie and others that the excuses of 'Too busy' and 'Too Hard' will not be acceptable by the Lord. We cannot be saved without our ancestors and it doesn't not matter who you are, the work is not done!! More on this will follow.

Want to wish all mothers a very happy Mothers' Day. Hope your children smothered you with love today. Love you all. Come see us.

Border crossing on Monday after getting permits to enter Canada

President and Sister Clayton with us on Monday night

Mission home purchased by Elder Ballard while Mission President

Bonnie:  It's been a very interesting week! We are finally all unpacked, though Bob still has a little to do. I did the kitchen yesterday, which involved lots and lots of items that I won't need.  I also unpacked my linens which makes me happy. The next step will be going to Good Will and The Salvation Army to look for rugs and a possible night stand and lamp. The Sister Missionary who lived here before us was a seamstress. She put up several hooks with wire between them that she must have used to hang material on, or clothing. They are in the pantry and the master bedroom. The apartment is huge, like a small house! It has a large master bedroom, a nice-sized dining room, a pantry room, a second bedroom and a solarium. The kitchen is small and the bathroom only has one sink, but I can handle that. This is your invitation to come see us! Just bring sleeping bags for the kids. We live in a very tall building on the second floor.  Parking is inside, but is kind of crazy to figure out. There are supposed to be 36 or more trails outside close by, a basketball court, and a swimming pool that is opened up for two months.  And we're in the fourth largest city in North America, after New York, LA, and Mexico City, which means there are many different nationalities here. I love the feeling that different cultures bring to a city. We'll send pictures of our apartment in a few days as soon as everything is in order. I just hope I get to feeling better. I had a bad allergy attack, and still am suffering from its effects. I want to be sharp tomorrow for the two weeks of training I have left.

My love to all of the Mothers who are reading this. You have blessed my life, especially my daughters and daughters-in-law. How I love you all! The ward we visited today gave the mothers chocolates and we also were served M & Ms in Relief Society. I really like this ward. I hope it is where President Clayton wants us to serve.