The exchange rate is 1 US dollar equals 1.31 Canadian dollars. When we buy something we multiply the price by 0.7 to know what we would pay at home. The cost of living is about the same.

Canadians have done a good job with their currency. They eliminated pennies and round the final cost of something to the nearest nickel. They've also done away with paper $1.00 bills. They have nickels, dimes, quarters, and one and two-dollar coins. Paper currency includes $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100. Currency has a clear vertical panel, is color-coded, has large numerals for the visually impaired. For people who are blind, the denomination is written in braille in the upper left corner.

Left to right, top to bottom: nickel, dime, quarter, one dollar, two dollar coins

Currency

The clear vertical panel is visible in this $5 bill

The Edmonton Alberta Temple was dedicated December 11, 1999. It's a small temple at 10,600 square feet. The Redlands California Temple is slightly larger at 17,300 square feet. The Salt Lake Temple is 385,000 square feet.

A "cottage meeting" was held this evening in the mission president's home. Five Mandarin-speaking YSA investigators and converts came. There are eight Mandarin-speaking missionaries in Edmonton, four of them from China or Taiwan, who prepared Asian food for the gathering. Brother Spencer, (standing) the Institute Director at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, taught the lesson. It was a nice evening. We hope to have cottage meetings in other homes in the future so that Mandarin YSAs can further integrate into the Church and learn about LDS family life.

The Church publishes the Book of Mormon in 110 different languages. Below is a photo of two translations; on the left is Hindi (India) and on the right is Igbo (Nigeria).

Different languages take a different number of words to say the same thing. The picture below shows the Hindi translation on the left and the Igbo translation on the right. Quite a difference.

                         

                         

We love the Canada Edmonton Missionaries! 

Below is a note from Sandy to our family:

                                    

Hello Everybody! Today is "Family Day" in Alberta Province. Schools are closed so families can spend time together. Great idea don't you think? Although we can't be together, I'm thinking about how each of you makes your own special contribution to the Kerr Clan.

From my point of view,

Nolan is pretty much a walking encyclopedia

Brandon is a thinker and an examiner

Cassie is a learner and an adventurer

Brady is a people-person extraordinaire

Robyn is methodical and a master teacher

Gavin is gifted with aeronautical skills

Kristen is a seeker and a great deal finder

Jayde is generous and gives unique gifts

Chandler is saavy, sweet, and sentimental

Rylee is sometimes reserved, yet the life of the party

Kendall is a planner, a dancer, and a popular friend

Presley is perky and witty and loaded with style

Sage is organized and a master at kids' riding toys

Brayden is skillful at games and the first guy on the ice

Sophia is "Miss Communicator" and a beach lover

Oh how I cherish you all... Happy Family Day!

Though English is spoken in Edmonton and Alberta Province, most of the items we buy are labeled in both English and French. The cinnamon above is an example.

In the forefront of this photo of the Mission Office is a metal post with electrical outlets. Quite a few cars here have electric block heaters to keep motor oil from thickening when it gets really cold. The cars have plugs sticking out of the grill. Extension cords connect the block heaters to outlets on these posts. 

Sandy is being trained to be the mission secretary by Sister Salter, and I am being trained by Elder Salter to be the vehicle coordinator. The Salters are Canadians who live locally and have served for two years as Church Service Missionaries.

Mission Logo

Canada Edmonton Mission

The farthest north that missionaries serve is Yellowknife (look to the right of the word "CANADA" and up a bit). There are two elders and a senior missionary couple there. Yellowknife is a 15-hour drive from Edmonton.