Amazing Week

Hey everybody!

I wish I could have been there at Jarin's baptism! I'm sure it was an awesome experience. I'm grateful for the many lessons I've been learning lately. We had such an awesome week this week full of life-lessons and great opportunities.

Last Monday Elder Read went into Vermont for a doctor appointment (since Canada's health system makes it impossible to set up an appt.) for his knee. He's going in on Thursday to get it scoped and probably have a surgery. Since he was in Montréal Monday night, I asked President Patrick if we could come in to pick him up the next day so that we could go to the temple. He said he thought it was a great idea. I would have missed out on that since the temple will be closing for construction before I go home. It was awesome to go through for the first time in 18 months, and it was even cooler since I got to do the session in French!

On Friday I had probably one of the most humbling experiences of my mission. Stéphane's dad had been having health problems for a few months, and Stéphane called us and told us he was in the hospital and that it was probably his last day. He asked us if we would give his dad a blessing. We went over there feeling a little sheepish, and as we put our hands on his head and I started to give a blessing, he started thanking us for each thing that we blessed him with. Afterwards, he kept saying how grateful he was and how good the Lord had been to him. Stéphane told us that he usually never talks like that. Later on that night he passed and I had a strong feeling that he did so peacefully. Stéphane showed a strong example of faith and said he knew his dad was in a better place. He felt at peace with it.

We had great lessons with the 2 African families we're teaching right now. Both are progressing pretty well.

I love you all and hope you have a great week! It's still freezing cold here!

Love, Elder Oxborrow

p.s. I received my departure date for May 15th