Canada Day and the 4th of July

Last Tuesday was the 1st of July which is Canada Day.  Our youngest daughter and her family live in a small Alberta town.  Her two older sisters braved the 12 hour drive and took three of our grandsons to visit our Canada daughter, her husband and three other grandsons.  The boys had a wonderful time being in the parade and visiting their cousins.  Every night they build a fire in their backyard fire pit and roasted marshmallows.  They floated the Milk River, visited the Cardston Temple, Waterton Park, and had a great time.  We love how our children support each other while we are away.

Saturday was the 4th of July in New Zealand.  We got up early and went with two other couples to the Hamilton New Zealand Temple.  Have we mentioned that it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere?  When we left our apartment it was raining and a temperature of 11C/52F.  When we came out it had warmed up some to 12C/54/F.  We know it is in the high 30's C/90's F in Utah and Canada and 41C/105F in Mesa, AZ.  Our children tell us every time we talk to them and we still tell them that it is cold here.  Here we are at the temple yesterday wearing our coats for the 4th!

From our Apartment Balcony 7:30 am 4th of July

After our temple session we came out and the sun was shining.  It was still cold.  We visited for a short time with the visitors center director and his wife where we learned of the passing of Elder Boyd K Packer.  Then we did a little shopping at the distribution center and headed back to Auckland for a FHE - 4th of July celebration with the other senior couples.

A great time was had by all.  We had a short lesson and a traditional 4th of July meal - hamburgers with all the trimmings, chips and root beer floats.  After dinner and before our floats we played "Minute to Win it".  Since we all have a "handicap" of being seniors - we did "30 seconds to win it".  We played several games; Defy Gravity, Suck it Up, Elephant March and Cookie Face.  The winners got star glasses and we all posed for a group picture.

Each holiday celebrated away from our family reminds us how much we miss them.  Our missions have helped us set priorities and remember the things that are most important.  We look forward to spending holidays and special occasions with our children and grandchildren next year.  

We are thankful for all that we have and grateful that we were born in a day with all the modern conveniences which we enjoy.  We know we are right where the Lord wants us to be.  We know the gospel is true and are thankful for the opportunity to serve.   We appreciate living in a country where we enjoy the blessings of freedom.

"Your absence is the most powerful testimony you will ever bear to your posterity.  The day will come when they will rise up and call you blessed because you were gone for a season.  Those grandchildren will never pray as hard for you as they do while you are serving a mission."  Elder David A Bednar,  Mission Conference, February 28, 2015