Mission: Week One, Day One-The Real Day One!

We were up by six to shower, dress, collect our resources for the day, pray and be out of our room by seven to get to breakfast.  Because our official check-in time was 10:00 AM to 10:20 AM we had time to put our room in order, walk around to get a feel for the campus a little, and attempt to calm a few butterflies in our tummies that had inexplicably shown up.

When we went to the lobby for that check-in we found it jammed with Senior Couples, all checking in, too.  We went through the line, learned more things we needed to do as far as what places we needed to go  to for various tasks.  For example, we had to go to the General Services office to pay for our board and room for our stay at the MTC.  Pretty painless.  We will be here a total of eleven nights.

By the time that was all accomplished it was noon, and time for lunch, which we both enjoyed.  The food was delicious.  Even more delicious,  I did not have to plan a menu, cook the food, serve the food, or clean up after cooking and serving the food!  What is not to love about that?!!!

After lunch was our large group Welcome meeting with the MTC Mission Presidency.  They are lovely encouraging people and we enjoyed the meeting.  There are sixty-five new senior couples this week.  After the welcome was an orientation to what our week of training looked like.

After a short break, we had our first large group meeting where we began instruction using our scriptures, Preach My Gospel manual, and our study journals.  The next hour we were divided into smaller districts.  We were so happy to be in a district of four couples!  Getting to know six new people seemed more do-able than being in a larger district.

Now it was supper time.  Another good meal.  Another time to enjoy the spectacle of so many good young men and women eating dinner together, helping one another, even helping the senior couples.  One young elder asked if he could take care of our tray of dirty supper things!  That was really nice.  (There are lines for getting food, and more lines emptying the trays…)

There was a “family night” gathering where we watched “The Character of Christ”, a video we had seen the night before but which was so compelling we watched it again.  And were touched again.  It was a reminder that Jesus Christ never put Himself first.  Even on the Cross He was concerned for others.  This is an example I would like to follow.

Finally we returned to our room and were ready to pray and fall into bed almost instantly.  So much concentration.  So much spiritual engagement was glorious but taxing.  We dropped off to sleep with smiles on our faces.

Mission: Bonus Post--Fireside Tonight

Today there was a fireside for the missionaries who are departing the MTC this week.  It was a wonderful fireside, so spiritually uplifting.  There were 710 of the young missionary elders and sisters and about 30 senior couples.  The rest of the senior couples had already left.

There were four speakers.  The first sister who spoke referenced a book by Wendy Nelson:  Change Your Question, Change Your Life, I think it was.  The quote from the book was "not even once".  If someone is trying to encourage us to take an action and says "just once won't hurt", we can be very sure it really will hurt.  So we need to make that our choice to "not even once" do the things we know deep in our hearts will hurt ourselves and those who love us, and even those who don't.

Later there was the regular Sunday night fireside for everyone in the MTC.  In Church this morning all the senior couples were told we would not want to miss this event.  So we were there!  It turns out the Elder M. Russell Ballard and his wife Barbara, were guests.  Elder Ballard spoke to us.

Elder Ballard was mainly addressing the young missionaries.  The fireside was broadcast to all fourteen missionary training centers...some live and some on tape delay.  We told of Sister Haehnel in Guatemala watching it as we were watching it unless she has finished training.  The choir was glorious.  Twelve hundred voices!  Think of it!

Elder Ballard referenced counsel by President Spencer W. Kimball that he gave missionaries way back in the early 1970's but said it was applicable today.  He told missionaries to keep a lock on their hearts while they are serving and leave the key at home(vis-a-vis their girlfriends/boyfriends) and to remember where their loyalties lie (to the Lord, the Church, their mission).

He also said we all have too much clutter in our lives...and he mentioned social media!  He said as missionaries we need to cut through the clutter in our lives and teach others to replace the clutter with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Such a good evening.

Week One, Day One at MTC

We arrived at the Missionary Training Center around 3 PM Sunday afternoon.  Driving into the MTC grounds and checking in at the security gate was a very emotional experience for me…something I had been longing for many many years.  We were directed where to park while we went inside to announce our arrival and pick up our packet of information, ID tags, access cards, and room keys.  It is a beautiful welcoming lobby and the sister behind the desk was very kind and helpful.

We moved a small part of our belongings into our room which has a private bathroom, a bureau, closet, table, queen-sized bed, two bedside tables and lamps, and two semi-comfortable chairs with footstools.  We have two large windows, one of which faces directly onto the Provo Temple!  Such a glorious sight every time we are in our room.

After a very nice dinner in the cafeteria—imagine eating dinner in a very large L-shaped dining room where there are 2700—yes, TWENTY-SEVEN HUNDRED!—young missionaries coming and going, the young elders in white shirts and ties, and the young sisters in lovely colorful modest dresses—we finished our meal and went to find the location for the evening’s fireside.

Exploring the MTC campus was lovely.  There are several new buildings which have beautiful back-lit murals in the lobbies with message and thought-provoking questions for viewers to ponder.  We found our way to the large amphi-theatre where the evening’s fireside was to be held.  The senior couples have reserved seats on the main floor, which was a bonus!  Of course to get there we had many many stairs to descend to those seats.  We discovered a way to get there with no stairs on the way back!

We were welcomed by Elder and Sister Braithwaite, Senior Couple helpers,  who turn out to be related to the Braithwaites with whom we served in the Boston Temple!  Such sweet connections seem to be happening every day.  Truly marvelous.

The fireside was a performance by Jennie Oaks Baker and her four children with songs such as Amazing Grace and Abide With Me.  Between the musical numbers she spoke of their lives, especially bringing up the happenings of earlier this summer when her family was in Italy on their way to Austria for performances.  Their car was broken into and everything seemed to have been stolen.  Only not everything WAS stolen.  Her 1700’s violin was still there in the car, though her daughters’ cello and keyboard were taken.  As they prayed in their shock, they felt calm and peace.  Miracles happened and the cello was found several days later.

Following that fireside hour we were all encouraged to stay to watch a video of Elder David A. Bednar speaking on “The Character of Christ”.  It set the tone for the week to come.  Truly wonderful.  When the video was over, the brother who was conducting the meeting invited us to remain in our seats as Elder and Sister Bednar were actually there in the building to speak with us!  What a treasured time followed.  I am unable to put into words what a spiritual feast it was as he and she answered questions the young missionaries asked him and her.

If you would like to listen to a talk by Elder Bednar that is similar in content, click here.

I think you will enjoy it.  It is about half an hour long.

Well, speaking of "long", this post is pretty long so I will conclude.  Please to watch the video. You will begin to understand what Dear One and I will be doing over the next year and a half or longer.

Mission: Last Week Before the MTC

Church with M and J was very sweet.  The talks were about missionary work, so appropriate to us.  A sister in the hallway started talking to me about the Portland, Oregon area, but was interrupted before she was able to clarify her dire words.  Yikes!

On Tuesday we moved from M and J to J, L, and their family in their new home.  It is a beautiful home, but as J told us before we got there, it was box city somewhat when we arrived.  We (mostly Dear One, I was sort of a lump in the comfy overstuffed chair in front of the fireplace) helped emptying boxes, carrying boxes, etc.

Dear One and J installed a reverse osmosis water system under the kitchen sink, including putting in a nice spout to pour water into cups.  He also helped J and L seal the floor in the garage with some sort of epoxy seal that included putting blue and other color paint chips on top.  I thought it looked very nice.  Now when experienced automobiles leak a little oil it will be easily cleaned up.

One thing I did do while there was to make a few pairs of earrings for the granddaughters.  I also helped AE to make her own.  She did a great job and is thinking of making more and selling them to friends.  (Possibly to earn money to pay for cell service…) She applied for a job online for the first time.  We shall see.

On Friday  we watched the Pro Tour de Utah bike race fly by on Antelope Drive where we had a street-side seat- actually A and I stood there twenty minutes watching the traffic before the rest of the family joined us and the large group of bikers came through. 

First video is the front runners.  Second video is the rest of the pack.

 After the race went by, Dear One and I hopped in the car again to move to our next residence:  C and S’s home where they live with the girls.  Because S’s mom was staying in their guest room they got us a room in a nearby brand new Spring Hill Suites.  The motel staff were just finishing their grand opening tours and celebration when we checked in.

We had a lovely afternoon with the children before their parents came home from work. We then went to Market Street Grill for dinner.  Very nice!  Very.  The girls liked their earrings.  I, of course, failed to check with Mom first to see if dangle earrings were acceptable.  We shall see.  I sincerely hope not to have started an issue there…another Bad Grammie situation possibly.

On Saturday the big event was A's baptism.  It was a lovely occasion with many of her family members there.  A sweet spiritual boost to watch this dear little girl so happy to be baptized and then confirmed by her father with uncles and grandfather in the circle.  Sweet sweet sweet little girl.  She is so innocent and lovely.  She hugged everyone in the circle with the most beautiful smile on her face.

Happy girl just before her baptism

Afterwards there were about twenty-five guests at the Pie Pizzeria for delicious pizza.  Amazing pizza.  If you are in the area it is worth eating there.

After naps at the motel Dear One and I went back over to the house for a light supper from Blue Fish and a fun evening watching an episode of The Grand Tour (I think is the name) which was really eye-opening and enjoyable.

We came back to find this on the full-time missionary portal:

Yikes!  It is just about here, the day we have been working towards since our mission call came on 1 July.  We are very excited.  We are so very much looking forward to this service.