Elder Stark taking care of vehicles

Elder Stark has to take care of all of the vehicles, this includes doing inspections, he also during zone conferences ensures all of the fluids are topped up.  We certainly had some fun this summer doing vehicle inspections in plus 33 to plus 36 degree weather.  I wasn't complaining, it is better than in negative 33 degrees.   We have "black boxes" which the missionaries have to log in to when they drive, several of those kept falling off when the heat was extreme, the glue would soften, and then Elder Stark would have to go reinstall them.

The Canada Toronto Mission Office

The Mission Office

Elder Stark is in charge of 80 vehicles, give or take-as he is also responsible for selling off the older ones, and at times the numbers can vary. The job is actually more demanding than it would seem.  The cars are tracked according to drivers, drivers ability, mileage, maintenance schedules etc.  As well as reconciliatin of each cars expenses eand month. The paperwork is ...well it definitely keeps him very busy.    He must also certify any missionary who is allowed to drive a mission vehicle, and that involves initial certification and ongoing monitoring and training.


When Sister Stark started she had to reorganize the entire storage area.  As time went along of course you can imagine that things can get a little out of order, so I thought it would make my job easier in the long run just to reorginize everything.  It was work, but it left me with the time to do other things.
Sister Stark is the Mission Nurse, that has involved a lot of extra work as the Mission had changed policies just as I was arriving, and I was assisting help the transition, as well as being involved in attemtpting to implement solutions.  Sister Stark also ensures that the mail gets to the missionaries, ensures that their supplies don't run out!  I take supply orders from the missionaries and order the supplies.  I also do the history books, and the monthly Newsletter,and referrals.
  Although we have been busy, we have been able to assist in some teaching and Elder Stark was able to Baptize an invesitgator for the first time as a missionary.  We have been both excited to be able to share our faith.  As we were new to our missionary work in the mission office we found it took a lot of time to get everything done. We hope to be able to do more teaching as often as time allows.  In the local ward where we attend we have duties and responsibilities there also.  Sister Stark has been blessed and challenged with playing piano during the Relief Society meeting.  Visiting teaching and Home teaching and being part of correlation Ward Council along with assisting with any other acts of service such as assisting in the prepararion of Baptismal servies etc.  In August we had Baptismal Serviecs three Sundays in a row.  These are of course all a pleasure to be a part of.  We love you all and hope that gives you all a bit of an idea why we may not have been contacting you all as much as we would love to.  We have been and are very busy.

We Have had Severe Heat Warning for yesterday and two days before it- 36 degrees

I am adding this note on July 13th, 2012.  We have had more above 30 degrees days than under 30 degrees, here if it's 29 degrees, it's a cool day.

Lush because the heat is HUMID, that is different from Alberta!

The First home in the Brampton Area

The First Home in Brampton Area

...was out in the country, the fabulous and unbelivable beautiful country.  We had wild turkeys, deer, a racoon, a porcupine living nearby, and rolling hills and landscape that was so unbelievable.  The only downside was the 40 to 50 minute commute.  It was much shorter in non-rush hour traffic.  The reason we lived in this home temporarily was because the apartment in which we were to live was still being lived in by the couple we were going to replace.  There was a three week overlap, so Elder Stark and I could be trained.

The door on the back right leads to.that stove and fridge, there were more beds beyond that...

Get a look, yes it is a WILD TURKEY, they'd come out often and "gobble"

The Canada Toronto Mission



 We are having lunch with the AP's. the recipie is Sharleys Favorite Recipie

When we arrived at the Canada Toronto Mission I was quite worn out.  all of the excitement and driving left me sick -quite literally.  I had some sort of stomach flu, was in pain most of the day before we arrived and up half the night in the small room.  Well, when we pulled up that fateful Monday morning, I said to elder Stark, I don't want to go in.  His responce?  It's kind of hard to serve a mission that way.  Luckily the Mission President and his wife, the AP's (Assistance to the President) and the office staff we of course very welcoming and understanging of my fatigue, after lunch at the Mission Home Elder Stark and I went to our beautiful "new" home in the country. This picture was taken on another day, lunch at the office.

Flowertown

Now we are at Brampton

All of the many connected areas around the actual city of Toronto are the GTA, or Greater Toronto Area.  Toronto is like one big downtown, at least from what I've seen so far, and the areas around act more like the "suburbs"-although Brampton was a city in its own right at one time, with a downtown of its own etc.   The freeway from Brampton into Toronto is a 14 to 16 lane freeway.   The first time I was on that it was 9:00 at night, so not rush hour, and yet nearly two accidents happened right in front of us, one on the way there, and one on the way back.  I can see why the insurance is so high here.  There are a lot of accidents, and yet no snow to blame!(-yet).  I asked Elder Stark if we ever have to do that drive in the winter if we could leave at 5:00 am, and get to where ever we were going a bit early rather than do that road in traffic in the winter.  Some one told us that that path can usually take 2 hours in rush hour traffic, it took us 30 minutes in non-rush hour traffic.  Here are some photos, although photos cannot grasp it.

They call Brampton "Flowertown"

The reason  it is called "flower town" is because I guess they used to sell incredible amounts of floweers from Brampton.  They still do, but not as large a share of the market as they once did.  The name still stuck and so there are many street corners which have lots of flowers, apartments etc.  They all do an excellent job of the very large flower beds throughout the city.

This is non-rush hour traffic

Winter Quarters Nebraska

Winter Quarters is the place where the early Saints escaped to after much persecution.  They decided they needed to spend the winter here before travelling on to the promised safe area west.  Here much suffering and death occurred due to severe winter conditions and lack of supplies, the early Saints were driven from their homes so quickly they didn't bring much with them. They didn't have time to grab and take anything with them as the mobs threatened their lives and destroyed their property.  Here on the lot directly adjoining this Temple is a graveyard where many children and adults were burried.