"The family is ordained of God.  Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan.  Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.  Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. . .the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets" (The Family - A Proclamation to the World, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Sept. 23, 1995).

The family of Katherine Evans (on the right), one of our wonderful YSA, had a social to wish her luck as she prepares to leave for the British Columbia Vancouver Mission. Here she visits with Paul and Amanda Hatt, two of our former YSA.  Sister Evans will make a great missionary! 

We had another opportunity to listen to and see the Dartmouth Senior Citizen choir last week.  This was for Veteran's Day, a provincial holiday taken very seriously here.  Melissa O'Connor is the pianist and Karen Morrison the conductor, both very good friends of ours.

We've posted pictures of very large auto transport vessels in the harbor.  This is a view of many hundreds of acres of many hundreds of vehicles either coming or going on those ships.  These lots stretch farther than we can see. 

Althea and Laurie Wentzell and their daughter Shirley.  This couple is among the most favorite of our friends from Bridgewater.  Shirley was visiting from Alberta and got stuck at the airport.  We made sure she made it to her parents' home for her short visit.

A week on our mission without feeding the missionaries would be very incomplete.  You've already met Sisters Laxton, Lee, and Jungheim (from left).  Sis. Aslett is new and coming from England.  A very gracious young lady.

During these last few weeks we've been invited out to a number of homes for dinner.  Catherine and Andrew Connell and their children are a great young couple whom we shared a very enjoyable evening with.  We've known Catherine since she visited us in Utah as a teenager.  She is among the fourth generation of our favorites from Liverpool and Bridgewater.

Tom and Leila White are members of the Halifax Ward.  We think Sis. White was probably Sister Tiffany's sister from another mother, both with similar personalities.

One of our favorite assignments as senior missionaries is to inspect younger missionaries apartments.  We did our final tour last week and found everyone in clean and orderly habitats.  Here we have Sis. Pizzey (Alberta) and Sis. Aslett (England), in Wolfville.

The zone leaders, Elders Prince and Beckert, welcomed us with a banner to their apartment (it says: Welcome Tiffanys).  It was probably the best we've ever seen it, and certainly better than the mission president found (but that's another story).

Elders Beckert and Prince, in Kentville.

Elder Johnson, who begged us to bring some of Sister T's home-made rolls, and Elder Clark, in Kingston.

Elders Horner and Mounteer, in Annapolis Royal.

We spent this past weekend in the Bridgewater/Lunenburg area visiting friends and family, and attending church there.  Two of our very favorite couples are Wayne and Patricia Jewers (left) and Wayne and Diane Hunt (right and front seated), whom we've shared many fun and spiritual times with. 

Our sister-in-law, Sylvia, loves to keep her home in display order.  The dining room table is set most beautifully for whomever may come for a visit.

On Sunday evening we all enjoyed fresh fish chowder and home-made bread.

We were invited, along with Pres. and Sis. Leavitt, to dinner at the home of Bro. and Sis. Aubrey and Thelma Fielden.  They are very, very dear friends of ours from way back in the 1960s.  Bro. and Sis. Fielden are close to 90, but probably more alert than many people half their age.  They are among the pioneers of the church in Nova Scotia, and we enjoyed listening to their accounts of church activity and growth in Atlantic Canada.

 

As our mission draws to a close, we have come to realize more than ever the importance of family and friends.  Far more precious than any material possession is the bond we should have with our loved ones.  When we left home to come here, we were concerned for our children and their families.  The Lord has taken better care of them than we could have, so we owe it to Him to be our very best selves, and to share the message of His gospel with others, that they may have the blessings we have.  Our desire is to recognize and show to others that we are not physical beings having spiritual experiences, but spiritual beings having a physical experience.  We hope we can rise above our temporal surroundings and live more in tune with the Spirit of God to be the sons and daughters of a Heavenly King, whom we actually are.  If anyone has been converted to His gospel by our activities and time here, we pray that we are personally.

 

To be continued. . . . .