Medley: I am a Child of God, God Be With You, I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go

Since I've taken three months off, I will try to summarize with three songs.

March:  I am a Child of God
I am a Child of God and He has sent me here.
Has given me an earthly home
With parents kind and dear.

The Orange Blossom Family Special concert series brought many children of God and their parents kind and dear together for fun, wholesome music and entertainment. We are a little sad that it's over, but very glad that it happened. Fredericton shone as bright as our lighted sign by having many new friends and family members attend the concert here.

The amazing Bishop Sexton had Elder H. find this sign. Brother MacGougan and his mom did the letters, and Brother Vienneau cleared the snow so it could be put in place. It was great advertising for the last two concerts.

We love the musical missionaries who have generously shared their talents, Elder and Sister Call as the director and assistant to the director, and President Leavitt's vision and generous support to make it all happen.

The Phantom after one of the final concerts.

Parents and children of all ages enjoyed two fun activities organized by our young missionaries. First, the Elders gave us "Sixty Seconds to Score," a Minute to Win it-type activity. Then the Sisters put together a fun Valentine's party for everyone.

On St. Patrick's Day, we felt LUCKY to know so many of God's choice children here in Canada.

April:  God Be With You

God be with you 'til we meet again.
When life's perils thick confound you,
Keep His arms unfailing 'round you.

With heavy hearts we accepted a call to leave Fredericton and move to Dartmouth to work in the office and serve in an entirely different way. It felt as if someone had cut out our hearts with a dull knife. However, we are so grateful that part of our hearts will always be here. No one can take away the love and memories of the people and experiences that made this year the best in our lives so far.

(We regret that we didn't get pictures of all those who took time to wish us well or invite us to dinner including Davie & Carol Ray and Don & Faye MacRitchie and others).

 





Elder H. combined farewell dinners with his birthday celebration. Elders Hunt and Skinner made amazing home-made tortillas for our Mexican dinner. We broke out the party hats the Sisters gave Sister H. for her birthday. The famous pink iPad recorded the moment.

Donna Clark and her girls and Theresa hosted a farewell supper with our friends from Carrington Place Apartments.

Glenna, Pauline, Betty, and Mrs. Wilson at the apartment supper.

Farewell buffet dinner with our across-the-hall neighbors and adopted parents, Bob & Theresa Anderson.

Family Night with Bishop Sexton, Carin, Jacob, Mason, and Liam.

Sisters Gochnour & Turner are shining lights that were hard to leave. We loved watching the General Women's Meeting with them and Emmeline.

We made a final visit to Manida's seamstress shop. It was here we taught our first missionary lesson. We have been blessed and see these two become fully active in the church. They are our friends forever.



Last YW activity with Avery Pierce, Camelle Currie, Sam Hatt, Tanya Knudson, Summer Augustine, Janessa Harker, and Emmeline Barnett. They made a scrapbook page with photos and notes. How blessed I have been to know them.

Rachael Mattice showing her flexibility at our last YW activity.

Barry & Louise Hatt took us and their daughter Jessica to dinner at the Diplomat. They were the first members we met and have been wonderful friends, fellow missionaries, and examples of love and service.



Terrible picture of the wonderful missionaries at our last district meeting: Elders Hunt, Skinner, Hatch, Jensen; Sisters Turner, Gochnour, Sandberg and Doherty, and Elder & Sister Call.

 

So hard to say goodbye to these wonderful missionaries we have come to love like our own children.

 

May:  I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go

But if by a still small voice He calls
To paths that I do not know,
I'll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in Thine:
I'll go where you want me to go.

Surprise! There is much to love and enjoy here in Dartmouth. The walking trail and Lake Banook are next door and across the street. The Mission home, with our beloved President and Sister Leavitt, is shouting distance away. We can attend the temple in less time and have a better parking spot than we ever could in Utah. The people in our ward are welcoming and kind.

Farewell gathering at the mission office for Elder & Sister Davis, joined by Sisters Leavitt, Ranglack, Wiebe, Thompson and Curtis.

We had the opportunity to sing in the choir and perform with  the BYU-I Sinfonietta orchestra on Easter Sunday.

We love the energy and commotion of being in the office with so many young missionaries coming and going, calling,  and sharing their enthusiasm and love for the Gospel. Elder and Sister Davis left things is perfect order at the office and in the apartment we took over from them. We could not have better co-workers than Elder & Sister Wiebe and Elder and Sister Thatcher. The days are busy and simply fly by. We know the Lord has called us here and will guide us to those we should meet and teach.

Reunion at the office with Sister Broadhead. We went street contacting before she left for home.

Our beloved Elder Hawkes preparing for the big transfer back home.

Sister Sandberg heading for Newfoundland.

What a blessing to have some of our beloved Fredericton friends come to visit and others meet us at the temple.

Elder & Sister Heninger (the new Fredericton couple that are taking care of things very well), Susan Gorman, and Melvin Nash came on the bus for the temple trip. What a great place to meet good friends.

Adam Strangemore, a stalwart recent convert, visits the temple for the first time.

 

Daisy Street, who was in YW in Fredericton, now lives close to Halifax and we've seen her several times already.

YW (Naoise Moeller & Emmeline Barnett) and the Temple:  a heart-warming combination.

We are happy that we are where the Lord wanted us to go and we are working on learning what He wants us to say and especially what He wants us to be.