THE MISSION EXPERIENCE

We entered the MTC July 16, 2012 bright and early at 8am.  Everything from parking the car to entering buildings, finding rooms and knowing the routine was so  well organized with plenty of help if needed.  We first met in a large room called a chapel where we received instruction of what we were going to be doing. Then we were introduced to a host couple that were there to assist us in anyway needed. They were very gracious.   Most of the teaching was done by young returned missionaries that were attending BYU and they were VERY GOOD.  Also, we must not forget the food was "all you could eat" during meal time and we saw missionaries doing just that. It was gratifying to see all the new missionaries be helpful and solicitous to us senior by opening doors, carrying extra bags for us, etc.

Most of the senior missionaries were staying there, but we drove from our home in Herriman as we were there for only one week because Elder Francom already had 36 years of experience working as a mental health therapist for LDS Family Services and they said he already new everything.  The rest of the Seniors were there for two weeks.  We now have an official badge to wear!!

 

The spirit there is organized, humble, peaceful, expectant, encouraging, helpful, patient, loving and very strong.  We felt it and learned much.

This picture was taken the day before we left for the MTC at Jared and Eliza's.  We will miss them as we will miss all of our children, but we are so happy to know they will be praying for us.  Left to right,  Ella, Naomi, Porter, Grandpa, baby Maggie, Grandma, and Esther.

One of the best parts of the MTC experience was attending the fireside where Elder Featherstone, a retired general authority (who is 94 and had knee surgery only two weeks before) spoke to all of us including all the young missionaries as well.  he was quoting poems and other things from memory which was so incredible.  What an energetic spiritually strong person he was as he gave his message!

 Then all the missionary choir sing,  We got to sing in the choir and the song they sang melted us to tears.  Listening to all those male voices with a much smaller amount of lady missionaries was incredible!! There is nothing that compares to that sound. 

The most fun of the evening was responding to the choir director!  He was so very good and so funny.  It was amazing what he got us to do and sing so well in just about 1/2 hour of practice with an incredible pianist and organist! 

Wow,  amazing!!!!

Here is a picture of the four couples that were in our group at the MTC. 

left to right;  Elder Francom,  Sister Francom, Sister Debbie Jackson and Elder Brent Jackson (going to the Phillipines as the area Dr)., Sister Sarah Cluff (one of our teacher/trainers), and Elder Sam Porter (the other teacher/trainer); Sister Carol Stewart and Sister Julie Grant both going to Logan, Ut to work as employment specialists; and Siser Anita Ehmke and Elder Norm Emke going to the Argentina Neuquen mission.  In the middle is Sister Sarah Cluff and Elder Porter the young missionaries that are training us.  They are so very good!  We learned much from each other while bonding, role playing and learning how to invite someone to come unto Christ by learning of the restored gospel and by having  faith in his atonement, repentance, batism and the gift of the holy ghost,    They are all so kind and good and knowledgeable; they will be great missionaries.

We said good by to the one week at MTC (I wish we could have stayed longer--the spirit there was wonderful!) and after a week of  packing and closing up the home we drove to Durango and spent a wonderful night saying good-bye with David and Lori and family.  We left early the next day and drove thru beautiful mountain scenery to Santa Fe, New Mexico.  After that the scenery became flat and almost without any vegetation until just before Amorillo, Texas. The drought they have been having for 1 1/2.years is really taking a toll.  It looked so barren.    Then it began to have more shrubs and grasses and a little role to the land.  here is a picture where I fnally saw a rise in the land.

That shadow in the picture is my arm taking it. There will be more to come later when I figure out how to download pictures from my phone to the computer.