PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE

This past Saturday we drove to downtown Edmonton and visited the Provincial Legislature building.

Plaza, fountain, pools, and legislature building.

A multi-purpose water fountain -- the lower right bowl is for pets; the middle one is a regular fountain; and the upper left is for filling water bottles.

The greenery in these planters are the numbers "1-5-0" in recognition
of Canada's anniversary this year.

Beautiful grounds surround the legislature building.

A large totem pole is located on the grounds

Yesterday, as a way of learning more about the areas where missionaries are serving, we attended church in two branches east of Edmonton. We drove 114 miles and attended Sacrament Meeting with 32 members in Vermilion (population 4,000).

 

Vermilion Branch Chapel

 After Sacrament Meeting we drove 44 miles farther east to attend Relief Society/Priesthood in the Lloydminster Branch. Lloydminster has a population of approximately 28,000 and a proportionally larger branch membership.

Lloydminster Branch Chapel

On our way home we stopped in the small community of Chipman and saw these two churches. There is a significant Ukranian population in this area.

St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church


The Russo Greek Orthodox Church

Canada is the world's second largest grower of canola, behind the European Union. Right now the canola plant is flowering. In about a month, seeds will begin to form in pods,. Eventually the seeds will ripen and the crop will be harvested using standard combines.

The bright yellow canola fields were spectacular!

Early settler sheds giving way to advancing time.

Look at the blue letters on this Goodwill sign -- nice message.

 

Saw this sunrise while walking.

The City of Olds is between Red Deer and Calgary, and is the farthest south community in the Edmonton Mission. We were pleased with this sign: O "LDS."

Two weeks ago we spent the weekend with Cydne and Dave Godfrey who live outside of Calgary in Cochrane. They took us to the Banff and Yoho National Parks which are located west of Calgary. Below are some photographs:

Takakkaw Falls

Bow Falls

Lake Louise

Today is a holiday known as Canada Day. On July 1, 1867, the British North America Act united the British provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario into the Dominion of Canada.This year is particularly special since it marks Canada's 150th birthday.  Alberta Province (Edmonton) was added to the Dominion of Canada in 1905.

This week I found a paper mache statue on my printer. The sticky note attached to its leg read, "The Car Czar Cherub." It was a "gift" from the mission finance secretary, Elder Watson.

Alberta Temple. The clouds here are spectacular.

More clouds

This is something I get to deal with occasionally. Fortunately the missionaries were not hurt. The windows are blocked by the air bags that deployed. The repair estimate was $11,200 ($8,600 US). The Church decided to write the car off. We are now down one vehicle from our authorized number with no new cars due until January 2018.

The July issue of the mission newsletter can be viewed by clicking on this link:
Mission Newsletter - July 2017