Joseph Smith, a prophet of God in these latter days, said: "Have the Presbyterians any truth?  Yes.  Have the Baptists, Methodists, etc., any truth?  Yes.  ...We should gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them up.  We don't ask any people to throw away any good they have...; we only ask them to come and get more.  What if all the world should embrace this gospel?  They would then see eye to eye, and the blessings of God would be poured out upon the people, which is the desire of my whole soul."

 

Today, at the Canada Halifax Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the YSA Branch Mission Leader is getting married, which means he will no longer be in the YSA Branch.  Because one of the assignments of Elder Tiffany as a counselor in the Branch Presidency is the missionary activities of the branch, he automatically assumes that position also, at least until another young single adult is called to fill that position.  Our Branch President, Richard Moses, is on fire with the missionary zeal.  He is looking for "real growth" in the branch; that is a convert to the church, and not just a baptism.  Our branch missionaries are very enthusiastic about their callings and make it easy for "real growth" to happen.  We recognize that part of our calling as full-time missionaries assigned to the YSA Branch, is to set the example and teach these youth how important it is to show love and fellowship to everyone.  Sister Tiffany is loved very dearly by the youth and they are very willing to follow her example.  She is definitely a "people person," and loves and fellowships everyone she comes in contact with.  She's like a magnet to others, in a very loving and friendly way.  How great is our calling!

 

Samantha Hoskins and Katie MacAuley, two of our branch missionaries came to dinner.  Sam has been a member of the church for about a year and a-half and is very loving and very giving of her time and talents.  Katie has been active for about a year and is of the same mold in loving and giving.  Very enthusiastic in their assignments.

Sister Drew (left) and Sister Echols (right) are assigned to the YSA Branch and both arrived in the mission at the ripe old age of 19.  Sisters Lee and Ott share an apartment with them, but are assigned to the Halifax family ward.  We have these fine young ladies in for dinner as often as possible.  Sisters Drew and Lee have amazing singing talents and are often on the road on weekends to other areas to sing in firesides and Sacrament Meetings.  Sister Echols plays the violin and Sister Ott plays the piano.

Elders Campbell and Gibbs come as often as we can get them.  Andrew Lacey is the young man on the right.  He's just 19 and has been a member for about 2 or 3 months. 

The sisters came again last night for dinner, but we didn't get a good picture of the other two.  We love them!

 

Our sunsets may not be as spectacular as those of the South Pacific, but, hey, we're on the east coast of Canada, and we think they're beautiful.  These were taken recently from our apartment window.  Elder Tiff is still not convinced of the directions here.  He's sure these sunsets are in the east and Canada is just turned around from the rest of the world

 Most of the pictures of Halifax harbor are from the east (? maybe the south), but one day after an appointment we found this view at the other end, looking toward the west(? maybe the north).  This is from the farthest point of the harbor inland.

On another day, going to another appointment, we drove through the Sir Sanford Fleming Park.  Sir Fleming was an industrialist in eastern Canada in the 1700s, and did much for the economy of the maritimes.  This park was part of his estate.

Here is Elder T in Fleming Park with the Dingle Tower in the background.  This was actually the site of Fleming's summer home, and he called it the Dingle.

There is a bay that comes in around Fleming Park where the Halifax Yacht Club is found.  There are a lot of very "large and spacious" homes here with a lot of sailboats and other vessels.

A few days later, Elder and Sister Wiebe called to ask if we would like to go for a walk in this park.  Elder Tiff is standing in front of the Dingle Tower.

Elder and Sister Wiebe are from Alberta and spend a lot of time working at the mission office.  They live in the apartment building next to us and are assigned to the Halifax family ward.  He is an accountant by profession.

Elders Tiffany and Wiebe took a hike up the stairs inside the tower to see what we could see.  In about the middle of this picture, by the railing, are Sisters Tiffany and Wiebe, the best sight from this altitude.

From the top of Dingle Tower we could see the mouth of the Halifax Harbor and on out over the Atlantic Ocean.  A beautiful view.

Welcome to Centreville (Nova Scotia, that is).  We had to get a picture of this for our friends in Utah.  Along the Bay of Fundy, there is an area of Nova Scotia called "the valley."  It is a beautiful area with a lot of French settlements and many apple orchards and farming.  Centreville, not one of the French villages, is in the valley.  We went to visit the sister missionaries who are new in the area to check out their apartment and see if they had everything they needed.  They didn't, and were happy we were there to see what was left wanting new apartment-wise.



Elder and Sister DelaCruz, from Hawaii, are temple missionaries, and Sister Calvert, from British Columbia, serves in the mission office.  The DelaCruz's had not been to the valley and will be going home in three months, so we asked them if they would like to take the trip with us.  Here we are on the shore of the Bay, outside Grand Pre where the Acadians were from.

Elders Cahoon and Sloan, zone leaders for the area, with Sisters Laxton and Broadhead.

This is only one of many apple trees still in blossom during the first week of June!  Just one week ago the Apple Blossom Festival took place in the valley.

While in the valley, we ventured to Hall's Harbor, a very small and picturesque fishing village.

The tide is out, but when it is in the water level is higher than the tops of these fishing dory's (boats).  The Bay of Fundy has one of the highest and lowest tide levels in the world.

Elder Tiff is out near the end of the dock where the water line is showing on the timbers.

Behind Sister Tiff is the Bay with a lot of dry ground.  That's all covered with about 10-12 feet of water when the tide is in.

Looking down the coastline at Hall's Harbor.  The water will go all the way to the bottom of the cliffs, and then some, at high tide.

Dave Oickle, our nephew from Liverpool, Nova Scotia, came to dinner at our apartment, with Nat, Norah (she doesn't like her picture taken and is hiding behind Nat), and Keegan.  Dave is a Fisheries Warden who patrols along the shores, checking for illegal moves by the fishermen, and was in town with family to attend a training seminar.  We love having family visit us.  It gives us a chance to enjoy their company that we otherwise wouldn't have.  We hope we're good examples to them.

Last week we spent most of our time in service to others.  Actually, Sister Tiffany did most of the work.  We spent one day at Sis. Roberts, washing walls and woodwork in her sunroom.  On Sunday we had Sam and Katie to dinner, Monday was dinner for the lady missionaries, Tuesday was dinner with Dave and Nat, Wednesday was dinner with the Elders and Andrew, Thursday was our temple assignment, and Friday we took the day off and went to dinner at Bro. and Sis. Learmont's, some members of the Halifax Ward.  All of the great meals were cooked by Sister T, of course.