Hello missionaries from CMM!!!

We have not communicated with all of you for some time. We trust and hope you are having a remarkable and peaceful summer. Daily, we think of our mission experiences and marvel at your collective goodness as missionaries. We are so grateful for your service and dedication.

We are having a good summer. We have spent time with our three children, which is nice and with other family members. Wendy is working on a book on self forgiveness (she won’t use any real names, so don’t worry) and working in the temple. She is looking for a publisher for her temple healing book. Dave is working on a book on leadership, traveling a bit, and playing basketball 1 or 2 mornings a week with the ward members. We like Alpine and our walks along the mountain bench.

It has been fun to attend some sealings and receptions. We are so sorry we can not make them all. It is always good to hear from you and learn how you are doing. You are always welcome to drop by at any time.

We plan to hold a mission reunion on Sept. 29 from 7 – 10, so please hold the date.

Since many of you are into the “career” quandary we thought the following article might be of some interest.

If you have contact information for any missionaries who have returned home in the last 3 months, send it along.

Thanks.

Dave/Wendy Ulrich

801 756 3237

1030 East 300 North

Alpine, UT 84004

September 28, 2005

TO: Missionaries of the Canada Montreal Mission (under Ulrich’s)
FROM: Dave and Wendy Ulrich
RE: Reunion Conference

We have enjoyed our “Saturday night game nights” a great deal. How wonderful it is to catch up with each of you and to be a part of your evolving lives. We look forward to our “Reunion Conference” (as opposed to “Zone Conference”).

When: Friday, Sept. 30 at our ward chapel in Alpine 7 – 9

What: We will have a modified “reunion” conference with Wendy and Dave will speak, Elder Nibley will lead us in singing, and we will all socialize

Attire: Mission attire

Who: Missionaries who served, spouses, dates, and/or friends


Directions to Chapel: Ulrich’s phone: 756 3237

Off I 15. Take Alpine Exit (near point of the mountain), go east about 5 miles to shopping center and stop light (past Wendy’s). Turn left at stop light on Alpine Hwy. Go into Alpine. Go around roundabout and keep going as if you were going straight (2nd exit off the roundabout). Go past roundabout about ¼ mile to 100 South (Bank of American Fork on right). Turn right on 100 south. Go to stop sign (.7 mile). Go straight at the stop sign a couple of blocks to church on left.

Hope to see you soon! Invite anyone from the mission you see.


Europe/London Reunion
For missionaries who are in Europe, we are having a meeting in London on October 28 at the Hyde Park Chapel. Let’s plan to go from 7 – 9. Elder Karl Jolliffe is working on logistics. Please tell everyone you see in Europe that they are invited. Let us know if you plan to come so we can plan on this event.

If you see missionaries who do not receive this, let us know their e-mail and we will include them.

Thanks.

We enjoy seeing you all.

 

Friday, August 26, 2005
FROM: Dave and Wendy Ulrich
TO: Missionaries of the Canada Montreal Mission (under Ulrich’s)
RE: Saturday night game night at the Ulrich’s

Welcome home to everyone who made it (including us). While we miss the mission, we are all shaping our current and future lives.

We have seen many of you, but hope to be able to see all of you. As we promised, we will host “Saturday night game night at the Ulrich’s” in our Alpine house. The house is not remodeled yet, but we think we can start.

When: Sept. 3, 17 (NOT 10), 24
Time: 6:30 to 10
What: Bring your own game (or self) and be ready to play games and just hang out.
Who: Missionaries, friends, dates, fiancés, spouses, children
How: Casual dress

Directions to Ulrich’s: 1030 East 300 North/Alpine/ 756 3237

Off I 15. Take Alpine Exit (near point of the mountain), go east about 5 miles to shopping center and stop light (past Wendy’s). Turn left at stop light on Alpine Hwy. Go into Alpine. Go around roundabout and keep going as if you were going straight (2nd exit off the roundabout). Go past roundabout about ¼ mile to 100 South (Bank of American Fork on right). Turn right on 100 south. Go to stop sign (.7 mile). Turn left and go about .3 mile to 300 North (white fence on right). Turn right. We are 2nd house in the woods.

Mission Reunion

Even if you can’t make game night, we hope you might make it to the first annual CMM missionary reunion on the Friday night before general conference (Friday, Sept. 30) at our ward chapel in Alpine, 7-9 pm.
We will have a sort of “zone conference” format, then refreshments and socializing. We have reserved the chapel near our home, so please wear church attire. (You can do it for one night if President Ulrich can.)
Alpine ward building directions:
Same as above, only when on 100 south go to stop sign and go straight a couple of blocks to the church on the left.
Hope to see you soon! Invite anyone from the mission you see.
 

October 25, 2004

TO: Parents of and Former CMM missionaries

We held an all-mission conference in conjunction with a District Conference where the new Quebec building was dedicated. This building has been in the works for about 8 years. The current Quebec chapel was built in 1984 on a garbage dump and the footings were bad, causing structural cracks that could not be repaired. After a lot of debate, a new building was approved.

Six months ago, we envisioned missionaries offering the local Saints a gift by singing to them at their district conference and dedication. So, we plotted and planned to bring all 172 missionaries to Quebec for the conference to sing to and with the Saints, hold a mission conference, then spend time in Quebec City appreciating this wonderful city. This means a surprising number of logistics such as music (selecting songs, copying music, rehearsing), transportation and lodging (think a caravan of GM Cavaliers moving to Quebec), food (any meal times 172 is a lot of food), program (prepare and run a mission conference), etc. We are grateful for people like Nibleys (music), office elders (Weigel and Beasley), assistants (Hyde and Oborn), and senior couples (Fishers, Salmons, Welkers, Thommanders, Tooths) for their enormous help.

So, we all arrive at the Quebec City building on Sunday morning about 8:15 and had missionaries sit in the seats along the walls and on the podium. Elder Nibley leads the rehearsal and we sing:

• Called to serve
  • 5 Chinese elders at podium sing 1st stanza in Chinese
  • 25 Spanish sing chorus from the back of the room in Spanish
  • 22 Sisters sing 2nd stanza from choir seats in English
  • 130 French mission missionaries sing chorus in French
  • all 170 missionaries sing 1st verse over again in French.
• Sisters in Zion and Armies of Helaman (in French) ... sort of our “theme” song for the mission
• I believe in Christ (in French) with an arrangement that E. Nibley created. This marvelous arrangement builds on each of the three verses with a crescendo on the last verse.
• We call elders in Nunavut by speaker phone so they can join the group in singing and hearing us sing. Felt nice to have all our missionaries connected, even by phone.
• We sound good after a few rehearsals and everyone is moved by the look and sound of missionaries singing these praises.
• Great to hear Sister Nibley bear her last testimony at this time.

District Conference started about 9:40 with a 10 minute slide show on the construction where the narration recounted the history of the Church in Quebec and with slides showing the evolution of this building. The District Conference meeting was well orchestrated with the first Quebec branch president, a former mission president, a wonderful district choir, and current Quebec branch president. Then, missionaries sang. Way, way cool. The missionaries sang as we practiced. We had the image the Saints in the meeting surrounded by a ring or righteous missionaries. The missionaries felt like a shield and a protection for the members, bringing through their presence and song a spiritual assurance to the members. When the French Elders came in on the Called to Serve, they blasted the place! It was moving. The missionaries surrounded the members and sang so sweetly. A 3-4 year old boy in the middle of the audience stood on his chair and looked to the front of the audience and saw the sisters on the podium, then down one side filled with missionaries and then the back, then the other side. He was just stunned with the missionaries all around him. As we sang Armies of Helaman, we envisioned the missionaries past, present, and future sharing this experience. It was very poignant. Not many dry eyes. Missionaries have a spirit with them, when they sing, they sing with power and affection and E. Nibley did a marvelous job conducting. No way to capture how this felt. “I believe in Christ” (in French) was a marvelous crescendo. E. Nibley wrote beautiful arrangement ending with “I believe, I believe, I believe in Christ...”

President Morin the District President gave a beautiful dedicatory prayer. Strong and firm spirit. He is a superb leader who started by just pausing and inviting us to “get in the spirit” of the moment.

Baptism. Right after the district conference, missionaries had a lunch furnished by members (transform cultural hall from meeting room to dining room) and we had a baptism in the chapel and baptism font. Two people were baptized. Very sweet experience.

Mission conference followed where we introduced the new Preach My Gospel program. This new approach to missionary work will have 5 changes:

• Overview and administrative changes:
  • Zones of 18-22 each; 2 zone leaders in each zone; new missionary library, new schedule
• Area book: new forms on teaching record and progress record
• Daily planner ... good-bye blue planner and we now have a 6 week planner booklet. We took a break here to burn the blue planners in a bin outside. We sang a song that we wrote: “Adieu to the Bleu” to the “spirit of God like a fire is burning” ... as we burned our planners. The song does not bear repeating, but it was a fun symbolic moment that the blue planners are now gone!
• Indicators ... we have 10 new indicators to track for our performance. These will be tracked world wide. I still worry about this since we will be compared with Brazil missionaries in lessons taught and we will never measure up!
• Teaching. Talked about content of what we will teach. We will have 3 doctrinal lessons on [1] restoration, [2] plan of salvation, and [3] gospel of Jesus Christ and 1 lesson on 13 commitments for baptism. Also talked the process of how to teach by adapting and committing. We will adapt to the needs of the investigator and their time (5, 15, and 45 minute lessons). We will also commit investigators to accept and keep commandments.
• Restoration Video: new video on Joseph Smith’s first vision which is very moving.
• Testimony. We did not have time for full testimony meeting, so we had missionaries share testimony with person next to them for 2 minutes each.
• Gifts. Everyone got a seedling from sacred grove (shown in the Restoration video) and pine cone from the Hill Cumorah that we picked up last week at mission president seminar. We also gave everyone a gift of the picture, “L’invitation” that we commissioned by Denis Nolet, a local artist. Missionaries liked the picture showing missionaries contacting in Old Quebec.

Missionaries then went to see old city of Quebec at night with lights on, the returned to hotel.. We had missionaries in rooms of 4 with 2 double beds. We did not ask how they slept and did not really want to know. Evidently in one room, all 4 slept on the floor since they could not decide who got a bed; in another one was under the covers; the other on top. The rest we did not want to know. We were impressed by their obedience and quiet in what could have been a raucous situation.

Long day. But, good.

Monday

• Off to chapel for 8 am meeting.
• Introduction to Quebec City by Dean Louder, one of the pioneers of the Church in Quebec and a professor of French history in North America at Laval University. He talked about how the church had grown in Quebec and then gave history of Quebec City. Superb presentation that we video taped for future missionaries.
• Testimony meeting for those going home. Always wonderful to hear the progress in these missionaries. They have matured enormously and done so well.
• 2 sick missionaries from something eaten earlier in the day. We felt so sorry for them! But, they were good sports.
• Missionaries had 4-5 hours to explore the city and do a walking tour we created that helped them appreciate the city and its history.
• Singing in front of the Frontenac hotel for about 30 minutes. Loud (170 people), energetic, and good. Again, E. Nibley conducted well. A few went to front to contact people. Singing went well with closing hymn the song E. Nibley wrote, as a tribute to him before he leaves his mission.
• Missionaries return home. After singing, they need to drive home, which they eventually get to. They don’t like to leave each other.

Long but good couple of days. Back to the work with the new Preach My Gospel tools. Our Vision is the same (to bring people to Christ), Goals are the same (missionaries feeling the spirit 8 out of 10 days, members feeling the spirit through missionary work, and 300 converts), and Actions (9-1-1 and now Preach My Gospel), and Follow up (in companion study, personal study, and indicators). We all feel enriched by the spirit we felt this weekend.

August 20, 2003

Baseball and Mission Council

Lots to recap of the last two days. Chaotic days, but good days. Singing at baseball game and having all mission zone conference.

Monday:

• Up early for last minute touches on zone conference talks.
• 9 am. Singing practice. Show up at Hochelaga building and the entire mission is there. What a delight to see 197 missionaries who are enthused, excited, and so upbeat. Elder Nibley runs us through the songs a couple of times (which we video). We went outside to learn how to stand (actually most of us know how to stand, but getting 200 people to stand in straight lines is much more difficult that I would ever have imagined). We then took an all mission picture that we hope to print and give to missionaries.
• We had a few extra minutes, so we were able to have each zone leader introduce the missionaries in his zone. We gave district leaders on the island who would be hosting missionaries from off the island sticks with colored cloth so everyone knew where to go after the game (good idea on Wendy’s part). District leaders on the island introduced their service projects and waved their flags. We reviewed rules for the day (“quiet dignity” a term in the white handbook would be adapted to the situation).
• How fun to see all the missionaries gathered together. It felt like Alma 17 as old friends reunited with faith and honor. It felt like a “circle the wagon” experience particularly for missionaries who are working by themselves in isolated cities and who are getting mocked for white shirts, ties, and beliefs. They finally come together with others who are being similarly treated and find solace and comfort together. It felt like a community of Saints had gathered together. It felt good.
• 11:00 leave get to stadium. Missionaries went by metro, except 4 who took a car after claiming they had to get stuff for their service project after the game. One lesson learned here is it takes time to get 200 people moving or being quiet. I was “task master”...most of the day!
• We got to stadium about 11:20 and I forgot the name of the person we were to meet (mistake 1 of many on my part), so ran around to Expos offices trying to find who it was while missionaries lingered just outside stadium.
• Finally got into the stadium and were ushered into a large room just off the field and were told we had “a few minutes”...actually it was more like 30 or 40 before we went onto field. I was amazed we had made it this far, into the bowels of the stadium.
• In this room, we had some unanticipated fun to pass the time. Wendy entertained with a few songs “little red caboose” and then we did a sort of mini-mission talent show...
  • National anthems from France by French missionaries; from Guatemala; from Switzerland
  • Sisters vs. Elders “sing off”. Sisters stood and sang “As sisters in Zion” and Elders sang back at them “We are as the armies of Helaman” (Elder’s won ... 170 vs. 22), but sisters looked so much better singing.
  • Elder Bretsky and Chevrier sang song Elder Bretsky had composed on missionary work. Impressive.
  • Elder Rico, Spanish elder with marvelous voice, sang a couple of songs This was a special treat actually. The 30-40 minutes felt like a long time, but it was fun to be together as missionaries and to share some talent. The four elders who went in the car separately finally showed up. I was tempted to tell them they can not sing. They stopped for something to eat (grrr....). I scold them pretty harshly then felt bad about scolding them (but not that bad, I would have done it again).

• 12:53: Onto the field! Single file, in our lines! With 200 missionaries, it took about 3 minutes to get out there. Elder Nibley stood on dias and we were ready! I was taping (but later found out that somehow the tape was overexposed and did not work ... ggrrrrr...my mistake #2) The 10,000 people who were in the stands were anticipating, as on the big screen it said, “CANADA MONTREAL MISSION CHOIR” and we sang! It was great! Missionaries said it reverberated (a closed stadium), but they felt so good singing. Later a member who goes to lots of games said that no one ever signs or even listens to the anthems, but they really did at this one! I think she was being kind, but it was nice to hear. Others told us we sounded great. But, we felt even greater doing it. As I walk out a player (or manager...someone in a Giants uniform) says “the Jehovah’s Witnesses are out in force” and I say, “nope, the Mormons” and he says, “that’s much better....” A Giant player from SLC says hi to the missionaries as they walk off.
• After we sang, lots of applause, but then we realize it is about 50 members who have come to the game and they too can feel a part of this weird community. Sister Jarvis in St. Laurent branch has brought 8 primary kids. Members are yelling loud and making us feel good as we march single file off the field (me being task master and telling them to hurry). I think we delayed the game a few minutes getting on and off the field.
• Had prayer in our ante-room and went up to find our seats. Had members around us who said nice things and were happy to be seen with us. For a day, those who are Mormons could come out of their chapels and be very public and proud of who we are.
• Images of the game:
  • The game was totally irrelevant for me (and many of the missionaries --- many of whom had never been to a baseball game and never figured it out: “when does it get exciting?”), but I realized later that the Expos won. Actually, Elder Bills was in heaven. He is the BYU baseball scholarship player who sat quietly studying the game, grinning, and saying things like “wow is this exciting and interesting. I am learning so much!!” OK, most of the rest of us did not really understand much of what he must have known about the secret intricacies of baseball, but watching him savor the experience was worth it.
  • Missionaries got to be with friends as they wandered to get some food and souvenirs. We worry about doing things that cost money, then most missionaries go buy stuff at ballpark prices. I got to talk to Ottawa stake president and his wife. They are really kind and we could become good friends with them if they weren’t so far away. He had day off because the Ottawa government is on limited power because of black out and he chose to come to game. Got to tell a few elders to not fraternize with member sisters ... nothing serious (I hope!!), but probably need to be extra careful of image here.
  • I got to sit all over among missionaries and talk lots of to them. Just fun to be outside the traditional missionary mantra and talk more as friends. I finally calmed down and got out of task master role.
  • Some members were really having fun trying to get on big screen, yelling, wearing costumes, and ranting.
  • We got on big screen lots and lots and lots ... probably 8 or 9 times ... as we stood out in the white shirts and ties even without ranting. But, when we were on the big screen, we yelled! I wonder what people were thinking in the stadium, “look...the cult guys are yelling again...”
  • Wendy danced during song at 7th inning stretch, (or it was reported to me, since she did not make big screen).
  • At end of 8th inning, I thought “why not” and ran up and down the aisles where we were sitting and said, “called to serve at end of inning ... called to serve at end of inning”.... so at the end of the 8th inning we stand and sang as loud as we could “called to serve.” Members joined in, people turned and looked at us ... “the white shirt guys are singing again...” Then at the end, they applauded. Cool.

• Game ended and little colored flags came out. Hard to get missionaries moving again, but they finally do move along.
• Service projects. District leaders are off to service projects that went “ok” ... car washes on Montreal island and south shore seemed the best. Anti-smoking clinic had 20 missionaries and 2 smokers...not really the right ratios. Park clean up was ok. Puppet show went ok (we found out that in Cornwall, they have a committed family from the puppet show, which makes it all worthwhile). Singing in the metro was ok.
• Zone leaders come back to mission home ... 2 zone leaders got left and as they told us “we weren’t lost, we knew right where we were”, but they weren’t with the group. We got a call from one missionary who was stranded in subway and did not know the island well, but we all made it to where we were headed, eventually.
• Dinner at house. Gundersons and Fishers had barbeque ready to go when we finally all got there. I worked for an hour getting fed ex ready to mail to Matt Parkinson for tape on line. Then the Elders told me I had goofed on the video tape and I was so distressed. We called a member who had taped it and sent office elders to get the tape so we could show it the next day. It was ok quality.... Office elders deserve a super prize. They worked so hard ... doing mission mail, car inspections, photocopying, setting up, taking down, etc. They are probably the hardest working in the mission right now ... at the end of zone conference Elder Dafoe was laid out in his overalls (car inspections) on a couch in the chapel. He could not move.
• Mission council. After finally getting dinner over and getting settled, we went into mission council. Ended up focusing on some administrative issues that drive me nuts since finding the balance of rules vs. agency is so tough:
  • Telephone ... too many calls, too much outside zone, and too long. We told 3 people who the new AP was and within 2 hours the entire mission knew.
  • Travel outside your assigned area ... this is a bit tricky on Montreal where assigned areas overlap and on P-day there are buildings and parks for sports not in areas
  • Music ... endless debate and we don’t want to try to be too specific
• By about 9 pm, the 14 zone leaders are looking so tired. Many had been up since 4 am driving into the game. So, being kind, we end, thinking they will go to bed (after eating more ice cream and cookies, of course). I actually did go to bed, then found out later that Wendy went downstairs about 11 and told them “enough, get to sleep” after which they wrestled and talked some more. Guy slumber parties have wrestling and talking. I did not ask and do not want to know what the talking was about.

Monday takeaways:

• It worked! Missionaries had a diversion they will remember. It was on P-day and no one was hurt (a record) and we were visible for the community (these are the rationalizations for doing this).
• Being together. Relationships matter a lot and we were together as a mission community and as individual friends, which is nice.

Tuesday

• Early walk. I don’t sleep well mad at myself for having botched the video. Hard to let go of mistakes that are costly. Give up about 4:30 am and decide to walk to where we want to have morning devotional with zone leaders to scout it out a bit. Nice location.
• 6:45 leave with zone leaders to Mount Royal park. It is a lovely site, overlooking the entire city. We want to find a private spot, but the guy who is sweeping and washing steps shows up at same time. Elders run to the edge of the overlook and take pictures (of course).
• Find little grassy area just off the veranda and have meeting. I read about Heber C. Kimball’s mission to England and then ask all the zone leaders and APs to join in giving me a priesthood blessing. I have asked Elder Chevrier to be the voice. He is a spiritually gifted young man from Tahiti. I asked him a day before and then checked into see if he was nervous during breakfast and he said “no of course not, I will just ask the Spirit to show up and it will come.” This was a moving blessing and symbol. We live far below our privileges and giving and receiving priesthood blessings allows us to feel why we are here. Wendy then gave beautiful prayer for the mission. Then, we are off to zone conference with the right spirit and focus. I was a bit worried that the baseball game of the day before would overwhelm the zone conference day and we would lose some sight of why we are here as missionaries, but this did not happen.
• District Leader training: 40 minutes to help DLs do baptism forms, follow new policies (on travel, telephone, music), and use statistics to make decisions.
  • Zone conference for the entire mission
  • What a delight to see the 195 people we have stewardship for show up now ready to learn. Sitting on the stand watching them is just touching. The pride Helaman shows when he talks of his 2000 is easier to understand.
  • We watched member tape of game and it worked ok.
  • Thanked a lot of people.
  • I gave talk that reviewed our mission goal: a committed with a host family in every area, every transfer and was able to report that we had 57/88 areas with committeds, but we had 113 people committed to baptism in the 1st transfer with this goal, when our average had been 45 committed to baptism in previous 5 transfers. 1st transfer, we also baptized 44 people. We may reach our goal of 400 baptisms in 16 months at this pace. We talked about this being a miracle and we are in the midst of a remarkable blessing. Statistics also showed we were not working longer hours which is good, but we are having a much stronger focus and much higher success. Then, I shared a few lessons on our theme of “learning” ... how to ensure that we learn from what we have done so that we will do better going forward. President Morin the District President came to the zone conference with his son. He is always welcome. He bore a strong testimony of the work and helped us realize that we are working hand in hand with members in this service.
  • Wendy gave exceptional talk on discernment and revelation. There is often a concern when someone says, “the spirit told me to...” and it does not always work. One of her insights which really strikes me is that discernment is a skill that has to be learned over time, not a right gained all at once. Like with any skills (piano playing, baseball, singing, etc.), we make mistakes as we learn. We should learn from the mistakes and not assume we have it right all at once. Same thing is true with revelation and discernment. Michael had to come to teach Joseph Smith to discern Satan disguised as an angel of light (128:20) and Joseph Smith had received dozens of revelations prior to this time. Really powerful stuff. When I talk, missionaries are generally attentive and listening. When Wendy talks, they take out note paper and start writing things down. Me too.
  • Lunch ... well organized by office couples.
  • Afternoon break out sessions on finding, teaching, committing, and baptizing. Missionaries did superb presentations here!
  • Testimony meeting that was very sweet as we recall why we are here and how we are learning in the process.
  • Closing song where Elder Sweetwood stood in the middle of the room and everyone faced him and we sang, “we are as the armies of helaman” ... really moving to see his face as he was touched by the music and to all share in a gospel moment. Sweet closing prayer by Elder Mellbloom.
  • Hard to keep things moving as people wanted to hang around after, which is understandable.
• Baptism I had a chance to perform a baptism for a sister (Blondine) who was taught by the Sisters. I was worried about doing this since it might mean she is not being fellowshipped by members, but she had 4 or 5 member sisters there who will nurture her and help her in the Church. Nice experience to cap off the day. But, by this time I am spiritually drained.
• Home to crash a bit, then APs call and saw we got photo in the newspaper, so they bring it over and we look at it and talk all about it.

Now, we are done and tired. Long couple of days, but nice days. We now have time to relax a bit and enjoy for a week or so.

What a blessing to be with missionaries who are faithful and doing work that is honorable and right.

March 2003

We are happy to give you a little update on the Canada Montreal Mission!

Although we no longer include any of the US, we are up to about 192 total missionaries and still growing. We have missionaries from about 20 different countries, including Africa, North and South America, Europe, New Zealand, and Tahiti. No one from Asia yet, but we could sure use a few as the work among immigrants from China, Cambodia, and Taiwan is going very well.

We have two senior couples in the office, one working with CES, two doing family history work, and two in the field supporting small branches. We have 15 French sister missionaries, 7 Spanish sisters (one borrowed from French), and 16 Spanish elders. A new chapel has been announced for the Quebec branch. It will be on a new site in a growing area of the city, and about 2 times the size of the current chapel. The new district president is Pierre-Paul Morin, formerly of Chicoutimi and now living in Quebec.

The Montreal temple is well attended under the warm and spiritual administration of President Conrad LaPlante and Sister LaPlante (from Drummondville). He has been serving along with President and Sister Gaudreau from Drummondville and President and Sister Rollins from Ottawa. Missionaries all get to attend the temple twice a year, and just before returning home from their missions.

The first French TV ads ever have been translated and will be shown on commercial stations throughout Quebec starting March 24. These are one minute ads for L'Agneau de Dieu videos with a 1-800 number to request them. These ads will show for 8 weeks. There is also a series of Homefront ads which have been translated and which we hope to have shown as public service announcements starting in May.

We have firesides at the mission home about twice a month, focusing on either French, English, Spanish, or Chinese investigators. We are also trying firesides in Ottawa at the home of the mission counselor who lives there, Curt Stone, and in Quebec City at the home of counselor Remy Tremblay.

Thanks to a fancy DVD made available to us by the friend of one of our missionaries, we can explain the basics of about fifteen aspects of the Church in 8 different languages (Spanish, Portuguese, French, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, German, and English). We stock Church materials in about 60 languages, most of which get used.

The elders in the Saguenay won 8th and 9th places respectively in the snow sculpture contest in Chicoutimi this winter. All of the cities with branches in the Quebec District have now been rededicated for missionary work. Interest in the Church and baptisms have increased following these rededications, and member support and enthusiasm is growing.

Baptisms for the last half of last year are up about 20% over a comparable period for the year before, and are up even more for the first two months of 2003. We have a goal of 400 baptisms for September 1, 2002 through December 31, 2003. Other goals are that missionaries will feel the spirit 8 days out of 10, and that 80% of active members will have a positive experience with missionary work this year. The St. Laurent branch in Montreal has grown to an average attendance of about 90 people each Sunday, and has qualified for their own chapel, which we hope will be started soon. Land has been identified and is being negotiated.

The Victoriaville branch is also growing and hoping to qualify for a chapel soon.

Spanish missionaries are now working formally in areas on Laval Island and the South Shore in addition to the two Montreal Spanish Wards and the Spanish branch in Ottawa. Bilingual Spanish / French missionaries are also assigned to help with Spanish teaching in Chicoutimi and Trois Rivieres.

In two districts where the district leader cannot regularly attend district study because of distances, sister missionaries have been assigned as district trainers to teach district study when the district leader cannot attend.

Recent zone conferences have focused on the themes:

• Finding through Befriending
• Teaching all the Time
• Prayer is a Commitment to Action
• Say Nothing but Repentance
• Cleave unto Charity

There is a new CMM Handbook that includes a mission-long certification program, a health and happiness plan for new missionaries, talks by general authorities, resource material on teaching, finding, member work, and mission leadership, and mission policies and procedures.

Several missionaries have invited local ministers out to lunch to discuss how we can better bring Christ to the people of Quebec and Ottawa. These have almost always been well received as we find we have more in common than different.

English classes are continuing in many areas of the mission, and some sisters have started morning aerobics classes geared to mothers of young children.

Every apartment got a crock pot for Christmas!

Of course the most important updates really cannot be neatly summarized, and they are the wonderful individuals and families who are gaining testimonies and joining the church, strengthening our wards and branches and finding the sweet blessings of membership in the Church. These range from people who have studied with missionaries for years but who finally get an answer to their prayers and decide to join the church, to people who read the Book of Mormon in two days and ask to be baptized in two weeks. In recent weeks the baptisms have included or will include:

• a 94-year-old man
• a family with three teenagers, all baptized along with their mother by their father, a member of two weeks
• a father of three whose girlfriend kicked him out when she joined the church last year -- now both are baptized and they just got married, reuniting their family
• a teenage son of a woman who joined the church several months ago and her newly reactivated husband who was just ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood
• many other wonderful, interesting people whose lives and circumstances are too numerous and complex to share, but who will bless the church in so many ways.

Thanks for all the seeds you have planted for us to harvest. How we hope and pray that your lives are richly blessed for your service here, and for the sacrifices you made to bless the lives of so many. We will try to leave our share of seedlings for those who come after us. We appreciate your ongoing interest in, and prayers for, the great Canada Montreal Mission!

- President and Sister Ulrich (514) 342 2243

 The Longueuil temple is the 86th in the world, the sixth in Canada. 

 There were about 3,246 Latter-day Saints in Quebec in 1981 and 6,800
 in 1990, and there are 8,500 today, church officials say. 

 In addition to most of Quebec, the temple will also serve Ottawa,
 Hawkesbury and Cornwall in Eastern Ontario, as well as parts of
 Vermont and some other U.S. communities. The area has an estimated
 12,000 to 15,000 Latter-day Saints. 

 No one but Latter-day Saints deemed worthy will be allowed to enter
 the temple after the world president of the church, Gordon B. Hinckley,
 dedicates it June 4. 

 But the public is invited to visit the temple, at 1450 Marie Victorin Blvd.,
 tomorrow and next week.