Mission: First Week--The Week's End!

Breakfast, then hurried off to the temple.  It was amazing to attend a temple session that was completely filled with worshipping brothers and sisters, many of them young missionaries who walked up Temple Hill to be there.  There are few full sessions where we regularly attend the temple.

After the temple and walking around the beautiful temple grounds, we went from the sublime to the ridiculous!  When we had been in Layton, Utah before entering the MTC we had gone to Target to do some minor shopping.  (I wanted to find a small purse which would hold my wallet, handkerchief, a pen and small notebook, and my brand new good cell phone, instead of the really fabulous purse I had purchased three months ago which I could fill with so much stuff that I was bowed down halfway to the ground...). I did find such a purse for about $20 plus tax.  It did work but after I had purchased it, all of a sudden I kicked myself:  I thought, "I should have gone to D. I. (Deseret Industries,  a Utah version of Goodwill.). I begged Dear One to stop in there on our way out of town the next morning. He was willing since it gave him a chance to find another tie or two!  There I found a perfect, really perfect, purse for $2.00!  And no tax since it was a donation.  I resolved not to use the other purse but return it as soon as possible.  This was the day.

At this Target, which was about fifteen minutes from our room at the MTC, we were able to quickly return the purse then looked around for some 'rescue food' to put into my purse for when blood sugar issues arise.  This time we got small crackers with peanut butter in them rather than the sweet granola-like bars I had previously gotten.  We also found some luscious nectarines.

Back at the room we rested, studied, and read and wrote some emails.  And did a little, (very little), planning for menus in Beaverton.  It is amazing how easily we slipped into the someone-else-doing-everything-about-food-except-eating-it routine!  We will have to snap out of that rather soon!  It has been nice, though.  Son #2 said we would love the food the first week or so, but after that (he was here eight or nine weeks learning Portuguese prior to going to Campinas, Brazil on his mission a long time ago) it would get old.  I think I know what he means....

On Sunday breakfast was a cold one:  cereal, milk, a few pastries, a little fruit.  I tried the Rice Krispies but held the dispersal bar down for about 3 seconds and filled my tray with cereal!  Yikes!  I scooped up the rest of them with a cup.  It was way more cereal than I have eaten in all my life.  The good news is that I was able to put Almond Breeze Unsweetened Almond Milk on top.  Also a small amount of mandarin orange slices gave it a little sweetness guilt-free.  Still, I ate the whole thing since I have such a time giving in to wasting food.  Now it is waisted...too bad.

Church was at 8:30.  Two of the young missionaries spoke briefly, then there was a lovely mixed octet singing parts in the languages of their missions.  The Provo MTC is the language training mission for all Asian languages and many other languages as well, such as Tagalog, Tongan, some of the Spanish and Portuguese, Norwegian, etc.  I base some of this on the fact that we met missionaries going to the places.  After the musical number there were two more speakers.

One of the sweetest experiences here was that at mealtime a group of maybe ten Elders either from Tonga or going to Tonga stood near the entrance of the building where the cafeteria resides and range a wonderful Tongan hymn of gratitude while clasping each others' shoulders.  Stirring, truly.

There was a "Departure Fireside" for all the missionaries who would be leaving the following week.  Because that would be us, we attended.  There were 710 young missionaries in attendance and the 35 Senior Couples who were the remaining part of our group.  The speakers were inspirational and encouraging.

The MTC Mission President and his wife spoke to us, then left immediately, though before they left, they told us we would want to be there for the regular Sunday Evening Fireside for sure!  Two more speakers after that encouraged us to remain strong, obedient, and true to our Father in Heaven and the Savior, Jesus Christ, now just while on our missions but throughout the remainder of our lives.  I think everyone there committed, or re-committed themselves to that end.

When we got to the fireside an hour later we learned that an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ was going to speak to us!  It was Elder M. Russell Ballard!  We were so happy.  Dear One had been in a meeting with him in Massachusetts many years ago for training which was wonderful.  Elder Ballard and his wife entered the room where there were nearly 2000 missionaries singing the prelude music.  When we saw Elder Ballard, everyone quickly but quietly arose out of respect for the man, and for his calling.

Sister Ballard arrived in a wheelchair.  It was sweet to see the loving kindness of those who assisted her up the steps to the stand where she sat beside her husband.  She did not address us, but her presence was a blessing and example to all.  Elder Ballard told us that we need to lock our hearts--and leave the key at home-- so we could focus totally on the Savior as we are giving our missionary service.  This was mainly for the young missionaries, but the same goes for senior missionaries who have concerns that need to be left alone for the duration of our missions.

We were so glad to hear the message and the stories he told.