The first shall be last

Here it is the first day of 2012 and the last day in the Christie Ward. It seems strange. It doesn't seem like we have accomplished anything, but the members of the ward say they will miss us. We decided to bear our farewell testimonies in church today since it was fast Sunday. Oops, we didn't find out it wasn't fast Sunday until we got to church today. Yes, the message from the First Presidency was read in sacrament meeting, but that was in Spanish and we don't understand Spanish. We are not only out of sync with the ward, but with the whole church. The bishop was kind enough to let us bear our testimonies even though it wasn't fast Sunday.

It was a slower week this week, just trying to catch up on things that need to be done before we leave. Monday at least gave us the opportunity to take a ride downtown for a little bit in the afternoon. We spent Tuesday looking for a truck to rent since we will have to move our furniture to Campbellford. All the missionaries showed up for ESL on Tuesday night, but none of the students came. We were ready to go back to the apartment at 7:30 when Shaheen (one of the students in our class) came. So we had a special lesson for one person.

Sister Wheeler at the Music Garden

Small houses by the harbor

Roger Center and the CN Tower

 Wednesday was a cold day. It started with a district meeting in the morning. We then went to visit Marzia with the three Portuguese elders. She fed us all and Elder de Moura gave her part of the 5th lesson. We then hurried to the church where we helped the elders give Mucio and Jayanna Maia a second lesson. They are a delightful young couple who seem very interested in the church. We had a 5-to-2 advantage, that's better than a power play in hockey.

Jayanna and Mucio with the missionaries (one missionary is taking the picture)

We went to the bank to deposit a check and get some cash. We snapped a picture of Nigel from Tobago (the little island in the Caribbean tied to Trinidad) who has been very friendly since we first opened the account last June. We then went to see Emily and her new baby.

Nigel from Tobago

Emily with Suzie

Sister Wheeler with Suzie

 The internet has been down this week. We finally gave Rogers (our internet provider) a call. They sent a technician out on Friday to replace the modem. We also had a 3rd lesson with Mucio and Jayanna on Friday morning. We had our last ESL on Saturday. Shaheen, from Pakistan has been a regular in our class. She said she will miss us as English teachers. She was very sad and teary eyed.

Shaheen, our ESL student

In Campbellford, we will be moving in to the apartment where the elders used to live. They left a few holes in the walls over the years they have lived there that will be fixed up before we move in.

A few holes in the walls?

It is really the building being demolished behind the Stake building.

We had a New Years Eve dinner with other senior couples at Frankie Tomatto's, an Italian buffet. We will miss getting together with the other missionaries.

Senior missionaries at Frankie Tomatto's - Pres & Sister Scott in the back

Mona Lisa's smile?

Who's that riding with Ben Him?

Must be New Years Eve with too much to eat

 As we said, Sunday was our last day at the Christie Ward. The Spanish elders had a baptism (Rafael) after church. A member of the ward provided a dinner (Cuban food) for Rafael (and the missionaries) in the evening. A good way to end a fast Sunday that wasn't really a fast Sunday.

Break fast for the Wheelers