Double Trouble

    Yesterday Paul received his Canadian passport.  He can now avoid the draft by coming back the motherland.  We are not sure how useful this will be but it is kind of nice to have duel citizenship. At least now, if we are stopped, he won't have to explain why he doesn't have a visa.

     We have spent quite a bit of time in the apartment this week, working on missionary things. We assembled the branch area book, similar to what each companionship of missionaries has in their apartment.  We met with the branch president and his counselors to encourage them to work with their ward council and create a branch mission plan. Paul worked some more on the small brochure to hand out to members to help them in their missionary efforts. We also made two trips to Costco (an hour away) to get supplies for a father's and sons activity on Saturday. While necessary, this kind of missionary work isn't as fulfilling as doing missionary work with people. (But I will take it over knocking on doors anytime!)  We have heard from several sources that an assignment of "member and leader support", as ours is,  can be difficult.  Mostly this is true, as I have commented about previously, because there are no guidelines about what to do.  We have to decide how to keep ourselves effectively busy, and one constantly worries that his/her choices aren't the inspired ones.  Many times senior couples are assigned to more than one ward in this assignment, but here we are in a small branch.  I know this is where we are supposed to be, but some days are harder than others.  Just like every other missionary experience, I guess!
    On Monday, our preparation day, we drove to Montreal to the mission office.  Courtney had mailed us a package with 2 pairs of Paul's shoes that he forgot, and a ratty old skirt that is my favorite.  I like to wear it on Sundays and have been missing the old thing.  Anyway, while in Montreal we spent a couple  of hours in the old part of the city.  Hardly old as compared to Europe, but definitely has an old world feel to it.  I forgot to take pictures! But since we plan to return more than once I wasn't too upset about it.
     Yesterday was District training meeting.  The mission president recently asked that these be held in English, so I was looking forward to it.  However, a senior couple from this stake recently started their mission and since they speak only French, it was all in that language.  Another 90 minutes of straining to understand the gist of what was being said. I know, I know, this is good for me.