Elder & Sister Garrett and Elder & Sister Eldredge are going to islands, not somewhere in the water!!  This sign is especially for Elder Eldredge -

Some of our inspiration at the MTC-We love you and you are wonderful!!!!!!!!  (Go ye into all the world.....)

                                   Time to lengthen your shuffle!!

We watched the sailby of the Tall Ships yesterday down by the Dartmouth wharf and it was a magnificent day-blue skies, small breeze, ideal temperature.  Aren't they beautiful?

We had an opportunity to speak with many people and to appreciate the scenery.  It was a very nice day and a chance to meet a lot of strangers turned into friends.

We had a great trip to Newfoundland.  It's covered with trees and rock.  It's nickname is "The Rock", and we found out why.

Being with the mission president and his wife was a treat.  This was taken near a place called "Wreckhouse" because of the strong winds, so they are holding onto each other so they're not blown away.
       We had an opportunity to talk about the mission and what is happening with the Saints throughout.  We listened to some conference talks on CDs as we rode (5 hour drive to Sydney and the ferry, 5 hours on the ferry, 2 more hours from the ferry to Cornerbrook).
The branch in Cornerbrook is small, but they do have a chapel.  It is a building originally built by a Protestant denomination, then owned by the Catholic Church, then The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  It's a rather plain but nice building that has everything they need, and the Saints there are very happy with it. 

This is the senior couple there, the Steffens, who are really wonderful people.  They have been there since November 2011, and are a real strong part of the branch.  Elder Steffen teaches an institute class, meant for the young single adults, but quite a few other members attend also.  Sister Steffen is a counselor in the Relief Society.  They went through the MTC with my brother and his wife, who are now serving their mission in Guam.



The branch president, President Sheppard, is a very well-rounded and intelligent individual, who loves the gospel and Newfoundland.  He has been Branch President for 4 years and his father was in that position before him for 8 years, so he has a good strong foundation in the church.  We had a chance to talk briefly about the YSA and institute in his branch.  Those that they have are strong and active.
Altogether, it was a good trip, and a great opportunity to feel the spirit of their little branch.

After church on Sunday, there was a baptism of a young single mother, Nancy Green, and her son Nathan. He will be a welcome addition to the Primary, as the 5 who are there now are all children of the Branch President. 

Elders Nielson and Goldie with new member Nancy Green.

A few days after we returned, Pres. Leavitt called us in and gave us an insight to his desires for us as a senior couple in his mission. He asked us to serve at least one day a week in the temple as ordinance workers. The main reason, he said, is that he would like us to be a sort of liaison between the new converts, the YSA, and the temple. He wants the new converts and YSA to have as much contact with the temple as possible, to keep them strong and working towards their own endowments and sealings. We would introduce them to the New Family Search, so they can have names of their own ancestors to be baptized for, and to catch the vision of eternal families through temples. This is all very exciting for us.
Our CES coordinator and his family have finally arrived. We met them at their ward on Sunday, and he seems to be a very likable man, who is anxious to get going in organizing our time with the YSA and institute. We, too, are anxious to know what his expectations are and how we can best serve. We'll be meeting with him in the next day or two to put some of these things together.
We are so thankful to be here and for the spirit of the members here.  The gospel is true and our Savior loves us and knows who we are - individually, by name, as well as a family of His brothers and sisters.  Our Heavenly Father is so loving and patient with us, we pray we may do our part to share our testimony with others to bring them the same joy we feel.  We're thankful for our Prophet President Monson and all the church, stake, ward, and mission leaders, and the direction they give us to return to our Father.

We have been in the Mission field one month today.  We are still getting our bearings as we are new, we have a new Mission President-President and Sister Leavitt from B.C.; we have a new Institute Coordinator-Richard Cartier who is arriving from Alberta; and we are the first C.E.S. Senior Couple in Halifax-the last one was in New Brunswick so it is all new.  We are going to Cornerbrook, Newfoundland this weekend with President and Sister Leavitt to visit the branch and ward leaders which is great for us-we will know the leaders of the YSA's and find out if they are still in their areas.  We have a 5 hr. car ride to the ferry in Cape Breton tomorrow and a 5 hr. ferry ride on Saturday.  We are sailing the North Atlantic and the Titanic was not too successful so pray for us.  There are two cemeteries here in Halifax filled with those on the Titanic who did not make it.  We will be back Monday returning the same route.  We have had some appt. with the young Elders Deem and Parsons and they are wonderful.  We have another senior couple in the next building-the Piersons from Taber, Alberta.  We have been to the Temple twice this week and visited members here.  We love the Lord and hope that we can be a positive influence on the members and non-members alike.  The weather is fantastic -about 80 deg. with a breeze.  The Tall Ships from all over the world are docking here next week for 10 days-very impressive.  July 19-29.  The Church is True.  Stay strong.

What a ride.  We arrived in Nova Scotia a week ago and visited the Church Historical sites along the way-Nauvoo and went to the Temple for a session; Kirtland; (Niagara Falls not in Church History); Palymra  where we arrived on a Sunday so we visited the Sacred Grove and walked around the Temple; and then on to Sharon, Vermont where it was really raining and the rain continued into Nova Scotia when we arrived on Tuesday. ate and Marcie drove with us and they were a Godsend with all of the driving and long days.  Our trip was wonderful and without any problems.  We were tired but the rain stopped when we unpacked the van at our new residence in Halifax.  We went to dinner at JJ and Sheldon Choo's on Tuesday so that we arrived to a cooked dinner-it was wonderful.  Melissa lives at JJ's and so good to see everyone. 
On Wednesday, we reported into the Mission Office that we were there and then headed down the shore so see family as Marcie and Nate had only a few days.  First was Peggy's Cove and the Memorial for the Flight 111 off the coast of Peggy's Cove.  Then through Mahone Bay and on the Liverpool to my sister Lil's home.  She lives at her son Dave and Nat's home and they had dinner and family waiting for us.  We visited for two days and visitedwith relatives (they are wonderful).  We so good to us.  Friday we headed home and stopped in Mahone Bay at the Davison's for lunch and back to Halifax.  We had our first official meeting on Friday night at the Dartmouth Chapel with the Young Single Adults.  This is going to be fun.  Brother Pilling is moving to Alberta and we are getting a new C.E.S. Coordinator-Brother Cartier but he does not arrive until July 20th. Saturday we spent the day setting up a cell phone and internet.  It is the Canada Day weekend so the internet service will be ready later in the week.  (I am at the library writing this)
Sunday we attended  two sacrament meetings-one in Dartmouth and one in Halifax for the YSA's.  Marcie and Nate left at 6 AM Sunday morning so we were at the airport at 5 AM so it made for a long day.  That evening we met with the new Mission President-President Leavitt from Vancouver, BC and his wife.  There are 4 couples serving in this area  plus the Temple President.  There is a couple in Newfoundland and one in Prince Edward Island so we did not see them.  We were told that the senior couples there that night will be going to Newfoundland the last week end of August for the conference they are holding there and they need speakers. 
Monday was a  holiday as it was the official July 1 for workers so even Walmart was closed-could not believe it!!!  Almost everythin  was shut down so no shopping for necessaries.   We did visit the Mission Home and got familiar with the area.  (Halifax and Dartmouth are twin cities and the only cities in N.S.-there are two large bridges that connect them.  Tuesday we had a District Conference with 4 Elders and two sisters and one other Senior Couple-the Pearsons from Taber, Alberta.  After that we finally found some stores to get food and drapes-it is hot here and quite humid-happens every so often.
They do not quite know what to do with us as we are a Church Education Ssysytem couple and July is not busy.  The YSA's have a fireside on Sunday where Brad Wilcox from Utah is speaking (it is a big deal) and next week there is the Palymra, N.Y. bus trip for them.  Also a potluck between church and the Fireside on Sunday.  We are excited to meet Brother Cartier and get going for real.

This is what we have been called to do and we are loving serving the Lord.  Thank you for all of the support and love-plus all of the blessings we have received.  Keep us in your prayers and Nova Scotia is beautiful.