The Atikokan, Ontario Experience Begins---December 19th, 2013 to February 8th, 2014

This is the beginning of our Atikokan, Ontario experience. The drive from Regina took about 12 hours and was bitter cold and windy.  We stayed over in Brandon on Thursday, then Winnipeg on Friday, stopping to visit with the Mission President and others in the Mission Office, and onto Dryden for Saturday night.  We arrived in Atikokan early Sunday afternoon the 22nd of December, 2013.  We first met with the branch president--President Colin Lindsay and his wife Linda and two of their grandchildren--Elizabeth and Hanna Young. After getting the keys for our rental house, we started the process of moving in. The branch members had kindly arranged our furniture and other kitchen stuff that came down with President Thomas more than two weeks ago. So, moving in was made easy for us.   

Over the last six weeks since we have been here in Atikokan, we have gotten to know all the branch members quite well and have felt right at home here.  There are nine active adults and four primary age children in six households in the branch. All the members have been very welcoming to us in the branch--often asking us for dinner which provides an opportunity for us to teach.  Since we have been here, we have settled-in teaching the discussions and sharing spiritual thoughts with the active members and making contact with, and visiting and teaching where possible, the few less active's in the branch.   Of course they had us speak in sacrament meeting the first Sunday we were here--and of course our main message was on missionary work and encouraging the members to assist us in finding those whom we could teach. Sister Leary and I have begun to help the branch in areas where they need assistance. We started home and visiting teaching in January so hopefully that will continue under the direction of the branch president. We have helped to clean the building and a schedule is now in place for the member families to take turns cleaning weekly. We were also called to teach in the branch. Sister Leary teaches the Joseph Fielding Smith lessons twice a month and I teach the Old Testament twice a month. We also fill-in when a speaker is needed without notice and that has happened to Elder Leary once so far.   We pray constantly for opportunities to find and teach one or two investigator families in order to bring needed vitality and growth to this little branch.  

The Atikokan Branch was formed in 1955 and at one time, when Steep Rock Iron and Caland Ore operated two iron mines nearby, they had over 130 members.  However, the mines closed by 1980 and membership rapidly declined to where it is today. The members were fortunate, after first meeting in their homes, to have purchased a meeting house from the Lutheran Church that was first dedicated on October 18th, 1987.   After some significant renovations, that included installation of carpeting, obtaining and refinishing pews and construction of a pulpit and panel board frontage to the chapel, they had a building they could be proud of and have since maintained well over the years.  It is a very nice building inside and attractive from the outside.  Most of the current members have in the past been in leadership rolls over many years  in the branch.   

The merchants in Atikokan are exceptionally friendly. Everywhere we go, we are warmly greeted; and conversations take place all the time with the townsfolk.  Initially after a few weeks here, we asked the Lord what we should do?  And, the response came to: "Go Amongst Them"; and, more lately to: "Invite Them".  So that is what we are doing the best we can with the community.  To facilitate that process, we spread out our shopping as much as possible so that we can  be present downtown more often.  We enjoy going into the grocery store, hardware store, library, bank, post office and gas station and are beginning to know the names of the various merchants. There are also several restaurants, so we go into each of them as occasion arises.  

The demographics here are such that the number of young families are few and finding such in that age group to teach will be a challenge.  Only about 100 students are enrolled at the local high school.  The vast majority of the population of 2800 consists of retirees.  Also, there are about 7 or 8 church groups, each with buildings of worship here so the local folks are well engaged in their respective faiths.  So to help out with our efforts to find those ready to hear the gospel message, we have begun singing with a multi-denominational choir.  We sing with a group of about 25, accompanied by a pianist for an hour every second Friday at the Atikokan Hospital.  We sing to those patients in the extended care wing and find the experience most enjoyable and rewarding.  We have been twice so far to sing.  Incidentally, this choir was started by a senior missionary couple ("The Law's") that served here some 15 years ago.  We have also been invited to attend a monthly dinner at what is called the Pioneer Center so that we get to know more of the people.  We have only attended once so far. We have also tried to provide service at the First Nation Friendship Center but so far have not been needed--although they indicated they may call upon us to help with the management of the food bank for needy families.  

With respect to the India visa situation, we have just been advised by Salt Lake that efforts are being made to develop needed new contacts at the various Consulate offices in Canada and that a plan is to be in place by General Conference.  We continue to be hopeful on this even though we are now in the second year of our mission.  In the meantime, we will enjoy whatever we can do here in Atikokan to further the work.

TRAVEL FROM REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN TO ATIKOKAN, ONTARIO

Sunrise in Winnipeg and False Half Moon

Dryden, Ontario and the notoriously well know pulp and paper mill & accompanying odor

Highway 622 south from Trans Canada Hwy to Atikokan near the USA border

Here we are.  A small community with current population.  The turn off to Hawthorne Road, on which the Chapel and our rental house are located, is only about 1/4 mile ahead.

WELCOME TO ATIKOKAN

--THE CHAPEL, HOMES, BUSINESSES, SCENES, ETC--

Chapel on Hawthorne Rd for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Purchased from the Lutheran Church and dedicated in October, 1987.

Our rental home at 190 Hawthorne Rd--Quite adequate for our needs.  It is typical of the common small bungalow homes for the area.

The Leary Christmas Tree and Decorations--On Christmas day, Brother and Sister Fisk invited us for a wonderful Christmas dinner.  

Our living room with office and media center--very comfortable

Beautifully decorated home in Atikokan--typical of homes here that are well cared for and maintained.  Retirees live in the majority of the homes.

Multiple-Unit Home for assisted living on the right

Not too many homes here are like the two-storey on the left 

One of my favorite homes in Atikokan

A little different--One of it's kind

A little older and not so well kept--generally the exception in the town, except for some of the outlying areas

Mural depicting the history of open pit iron mining in the Atikokan area.  Two deposits of iron were mined by Steep Rock Iron Mines and Caland Ore Company for over 30 years but due to changing processing technology both closed by 1980.

Mural created by a group of 17 local teenagers on the side of Home Hardware on Main Street.  The mural depicts the beginnings of the mining story for iron in the Atikokan area.

Osisko Gold Mines owns a promising large, low grade, open pit gold deposit near Atikokan.  The above two photos of drill core storage at the edge of town are evidence of a lot of exploration having been done.  The town  folks are hopeful that the deposit will go into production soon and bring a needed boost to the local economy.  The Atikokan Branch is also hopeful this would bring in additional members to the area.

Main Street looking west

Main Street looking east

Atikokan Native Friendship Center

Pioneer Center--Mainly used by retirees  for social events 

Local Foot Bridge

A Beautiful Sunset from the North Edge of Town

Atikokan Catholic School and Church.  The community also has a public elementary and separate high school. 

This Dog Sled Company goes by our rental house early in the morning just about every school day in the winter.  This young girl gets a ride to school with her pack while her mother walks behind; her mother then drives the Dog Sled back home from the public school--see below.  Often there are two girls on the sled--today just one.

The mother on the way home from the school with the dog sled and team.  She gets to ride on the way back.

Local toboggan hill

Atikokan General Hospital

Extended Care Wing at the General Hospital where we sing in a Multi-Denominational Choir every two weeks

One of the many local Christian Churches--The Faith Lutheran Church

THE WONDERFUL MEMBERS OF THE ATIKOKAN BRANCH

Conrad and Irene Fisk

Brother Fisk on the right playing the accordion at the Pioneer Center with his sister Pat 
and another gentlemen

The Young Family--From the left, JJ, Alexander, Sister Sarah Young, Elizabeth, Brother Jaime Young and Hannah sitting beside Sister Leary

The Young Family

The Atikokan Branch Members along with President Olson--District President who was visiting from Bergland on Lake of the Woods to the west.  From left side of table going around starting with JJ, Sister Alverne Dickson, Sister Shirley Halverson, Sister Karen Anderson, Sister Leary, Sister Irene Fisk, Brother Conrad Fisk, President Olson, President Colin Lindsay--Branch President, Sister Sarah Young, Alexander, Sister Linda Lindsay, Elizabeth and Hannah.  The only one missing from the photo is Brother Jamie Young and myself.  The District takes in a large area extending from just west of Thunder Bay to the Manitoba border and north to the Trans Canada Hwy.  It includes the Kenora, Dryden, Bergland, Fort Francis, International Falls and Atikokan Branches.  There are missionaries serving in each of these branches.

This is one of the business signs downtown which we have taken as our moto for our service in Atikokan--GONE FISHIN LIVE BAIT.