10 days at the MTC

Well, here we are! New Missionaries!
Can you look any "newer"? It was a fun
place to be. Everyone should try it!


Everyone has to have a picture in front of the
world map, or you haven't really been to the MTC!


Doug standing outside of our MTC room. Now
when we see a Motel 8 we think it is another
MTC!


This is our group of 88 Senior Missionaries...
They might not all be in this picture, but we tried.
It was the biggest group ever!
















This is the laundry at the MTC. The day we were there we forgot to take a picture... It was so busy that you couldn't hardly get a machine. But it was fun to spend time with the young missionaries.

I don't know why I have these two pictures in a row... I am just learning... anyway...

Also, the MTC is run so efficiently that unless you see the rows and rows of suitcases you wouldn't know that anything different is happening. Over 400 Missionaries come in each week, and the classes and meals never miss a beat.

*****

Well, we survived the Mission Training Center! We not only survived, we thrived! It was so fun and so very helpful... They treated the Senior Missionaries so good. Doug just kept saying that I was not suffering enough for it to be a real mission experience. They don't want the Senior Missionaries to suffer.. I like it that way!

When we got to the MTC we checked in and found out that because we had such a large group there wasn't enough rooms. We were sent down to the Motel 8 with about 12 other couples. We just thought of it as our personal MTC with fringe benifits (like TV)! Seniors can go eat dinner out, go to a movie on their day off, use cell phones, and even meet up with friends after class! We really don't suffer. It is so lovely!

There were 88 people in our group. If it wasn't the largest group ever, it was close to it. Everyone kept saying.... what a large group you are. It is so wonderful. We didn't think much about it until the next weeks Sr. Missionaries came in. There was a total of 44 people! We even had 2 couples that were serving missions with their Downs Syndrom daughters. One of the daughters will be serving in the Spain Temple Laundry while her parents will be working with the CES (Church Education) institute program. It was wonderful to know that they could have the chance to serve a mission.

In our group of missionaries there was also a couple from the Bountiful 20th ward where Doug and I grew up. Delbert and Marylou Strasser were going to Switzerland to work in the mission office. It was fun to see them and talk of our parents with them.

The first nightwhile we were eating dinner, Doug jumped up and went after a guy.... I was a little shocked to say the least. It turned out to be his Mission President when he served a mission in Taiwan. He was so excited to see us. He said that we are the first of his missionaries to come back through as Senior Missionaries. It was fun to see him there each day. He is one of the district presidents of the MTC so he practically lives there.

The first week they taught us to teach from the "Preach My Gospel" handbook. It is a wonderful book. I wish that everyone could come down to Provo and learn how to use it. It really was a wonderful week learning to teach and testify. It gives you confidence.

The second week we learned about Visitor Centers. It was nice to know what we will be doing. During both weeks, each afternoon Church Service Missionaries would come in and we would have to teach them gospel lessons... some short, some longer. You wouldn't know if they were "Members, or non-members" so it was fun. After we were finished, we found out that we were teaching returned Mission Presidents!!!! they were kind and said that they would have love to have had us in their missions, but we think they were just trying not to crush us! It is pretty intimidating, but very helpful!

We went home on 11-02 to do our washing and final packing. Jeff and Laura gave us a "Costa Azual" last supper... it was a great send off. The next morning we got up for an early "take-off", but we didn't get out of Dodge until 12:45 pm. We are in Cheyene, Wyoming tonight. We have a week to get to New York and report to our mission president. We hope to get to stop at a few church sites as we go.

I guess the best news for the week is, we didn't have any major fights with our companions. We are still speaking and even having lots of fun together. We still love each other, so what more can you ask?!?

We love you all! I will write again when we get to our "new home". Leave comments! We'd love to hear from you. :)