TV Interview

Monday we found out that they changed the locks in the Toronto Stake Center. We were able to get into the supply room, but not into the institute area where we normally have lunch. That's OK, though, since we didn't take a lunch anyway.

Tearing down a building next to the stake center

We spent the morning Tuesday getting the lesson for our institute class. For some reason it always takes longer to prepare than it would if either one of us were teaching the class on our own. We actually enjoy working together on the class. We each read the lesson and the quotes from the student's manual then we get together to organize the class. As you know, we have quite a view from our window. Elder Wheeler has been watching a windmill by the lake. We decided to go see where it was. We took the bus as far south on Dufferin as possible then walked to the windmill. It as in the exhibition area close to Fort York were we went a few weeks ago. We had ESL in the evening, but no one showed up for the beginning class.

North America's first urban wind turbine

Fort Rouille - last French post in southern Ontario

Lake Ontario

Peace Memorial fountain

This is Canada

 We had zone and district meetings in the morning. They were actually very good and inspired us to do more. There seems to be a lot of pressure on the younger elders and sisters in this mission to spend all their time finding and teaching investigators. We talk to people on the street, bus, and subway, and teach now and then, but a lot of our time is spent doing other things. We visited Adriana and Derek (pictures are on an earlier post) Wednesday evening. Adriana is a member of the church. We need to get her records so her daughter can be blessed. Derek has received the lessons, but has not joined the church. Hopefully they will start coming to church. They surprised Sister Wheeler by asking her to say a prayer (in Portuguese). She did well. She also read three verses from the Book of Mormon (and could be understood). At one point in the visit they asked if the Portuguese elders were teaching Portuguese people in areas where they were transfered. Sister Wheeler understood the question and corrected Elder Wheeler in his answer. That's what good companions are for.

Man in the woods

Replacing asphalt at our apartment building

Thursday we got a call from the mission office asking if we could get some Books of Mormon for a zone conference they were having on Friday. We made arrangements to meet them at noon in the supply room. They were delayed, so we prepared a box for them and left the room unlocked. We got back just in time to meet Sidy at our apartment for Sister Wheeler's Portuguese lesson in the afternoon. The Carrolls and Elder Woodruff dropped the supply-room key off at our apartment later. We had our institute class on Thursday night. We seem to have different people there each night. Our lesson was on setting goals and time management. We had received a letter from Andrea talking about her time management which we read a part of in class. It shows anyone can learn to manage their time (especially if you have six children, are teaching in the school, and are writing a novel). Way to go Andrea!

We were planning to go to the zoo on Friday, but it was raining so we went to a couple of indoor activities. We got free museum tickets from the library which let us see the textile museum and the McKenzie House. The textile museum had an exhibit of African cloth with magic numbers used for protection. The McKenzie House is a restored 19th-Century house of Toronto's first mayor and a printer. We got a downpour in between, but the rain let up by the time we finished so we could walk down Yonge Street.

Elder Wheeler in his new missionary suit

Sister Wheeler weaving a rug

Sister Wheeler at the McKenzie House

Sister Wheeler printing a new tract

Dinner time

While returning we passed through Dundas Square on Dundas and Yonge. We saw a lot of Pan Am stewardesses in really short skirts (sorry, but no pictures). It turned out they were filming a commercial for a new TV show for this fall. Next thing we knew we had a microphone in our faces and a camera running with a man asking what we thought about obesity and forced infertility. Elder Wheeler said as representatives of the church we don't state personal opinions. We hope it wasn't interesting enough to get on the evening news.

Dundas Square - center of city action

Saturday brought ESL again. This time Quan You and Fatima showed up. Fortunately, Adam was there to teach the Mandarin class while Elder Wheeler taught the Portuguese class. Sister Wheeler went to the stake center for the Women's broadcast. Elder Wheeler waited for her in the foyer. We learned that our mission isn't an obligation, but a path we are able to take.

Instead of worrying about not understanding Spanish at church on Sunday we concentrated on being able to associate with wonderful people (even if we don't understand them). Sister Wheeler had the chance to practice a piano duet with Maria for the ward talent show next month. We didn't even know there was a ward talent show thinking all the time they were talking about the stake talent show in November. That is how it is being Portuguese-speaking missionaries in a Spanish ward. We just muddle along, something we are very good at.