Canadian Winter

 It is sooooo cold here and has been for several weeks now.  The temperatures have been between 0 and minus 11 regularly.  Of course when you add in the wind factor, it's a lot colder than that and we have had a lot of wind.  Although I got these photos from google, this is just what our streets look like now.   Last week we had church, but the two weeks before that most of the churches were closed on Sunday.  The first week we couldn't have gone even if we wanted to because the driveway to our apartment was so blocked with snow that we couldn't get out.  Besides that, the little snow blower that the custodians were working on was broken.  The second Sunday that church was cancelled the Branch President called and told us that we could hold Sacrament meeting in our apartment and that we could invite the other couples and sister missionaries that live in our apt. building.  Sister Abrams and the young sister missionaries came over and we had a very spiritual sacrament meeting.  Both John and I had been scheduled to give talks that Sunday and the Sunday before so we were totally prepared.  We talked about faith and consecration.  That morning I quickly made some banana bread and so after we had our meeting, we were able to have a nice, warm treat and visit a bit.

We see lots of frozen bikes in the streets.  Not all of them are in this good of condition.  Many are tipped over.

 Each morning people have to dig their cars out of the snow.  When we drive to the office, or even to the store, John has to scrape off the windows before we can move the car.  This year we bought metro passes and have been taking the Metro to work.  It is great.  The Metro is in the basement of our apt building and our stop is just across the street from the mission office.  It's really quick too and gets us there just as fast as if we drove.  It has been so convenient.

 These are the gates to China Town Montreal which is just a short 10 minute drive from our apartment.