Wonderful Week in the Mission!

We love our assistants Elder Smith and Elder Kelly!

We have had a great week this past week in the
Canada Calgary Mission.  We were able to travel through our whole mission and meet all of our missionaries.  We left on Monday and drove to British Columbia, which is about a 4 1/2 hour drive from Calgary.  We went through the absolutely beautiful Crowsnest Pass.
We got to the little town of Jaffray where we met with the sister missionaries there, Sister Moulton and Sister Wallock.  We were able to go with them on a teaching appointment and we were so impressed with everything they did.  They truly loved the people they were working with and there was a good spirit there.
They are so enthusiastic about the work and we loved being with them.
Getting to meet all of our missionaries and look
into their eyes has been so great.  We can see
how much they love the Lord and their great desire to serve.

The Frank Slide where in 1903 half of the mountain broke off!

Some of the beautiful scenery on the way to B.C.

In the little town of Sparwood we found this truck!

A ski resort in the town of Fernie.

We love these Canadian Rockies!

The meetinghouse in the little town of Jaffray.

Our awesome sisters in Jaffray, Sister Wallock and Sister Moulton.

Our British Columbia Zone

Our southern Alberta zones...

Elder Johnson, Lillian-newly baptized member, Elder Ward

One of the highlights of our week was being able to attend our first convert baptism with Elders Johnson and Ward.  Lillian Melling was the sister they have been working with, and she was so sweet and so excited to go into the waters of baptism.  It is really special to watch someone take this step.  She was so grateful for the missionaries that she said have 'helped her on her journey'.  This was really special for me because I truly can't remember when the last time was that I saw a convert baptism.

This is the Bow River which winds through downtown Calgary.

President Miles in front of the Bow River and downtown Calgary.

We are feeling so blessed to be able to serve in this capacity.  We have truly felt the Lord's hand guiding us in all that we do.  It is very overwhelming and daunting to think of everything that needs to be done, and to think of how we can best lead and teach our missionaries.  We have been very humbled and pray for help every day that we can do what Heavenly Father wants us to.  One thing that has been easy for us though, is to love them.  As we have conducted interviews this week and been able to sit down with some of them personally, we have grown to love them already.  We want so much for them to have a wonderful mission experience and for their faith in Jesus Christ to grow.
We know if they become 'steadfast and immovable' and feel the power of the atonement in their lives their missionary work will become joyful and easy for them.
We pray for them every day, especially as they face their personal challenges...and each one is so different.  But they all have a great desire to serve and are trying and we are so proud of them.
This past week we were also able to meet with 6 Stake Presidents and their wives in the Calgary area.
They were the nicest, most down to earth people, and we felt like we were among good friends.
We are anxious to help them with the missionary work in their stakes, and they are anxious to work with us.  One of the greatest blessings of serving in the church are the wonderful friends and people you are able to meet and grow close to.
This mission is a true blessing!!