25 September 2009
Today we worked with some of the other couples. We did role playing. That is very hard for me because I have quite a difficult time pretending or I guess making up stories. First we were a member with challenges and then we switched roles and were the missionary. It was a very interesting day. The classroom situations are over for the week. But we have been trained by several great returned missionaries, and had older couples talk to us about their missions. It has been an amazing week.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
24 September 2009
We thought we were forgetful yesterday. Got up at 5:30 today to walk. Earlier than we ever had. So we were ready earlier but walked into class right at 8 am. I was supposed to have been there 10 minutes early to play prelude music. Dah.
Gave a 2nd discussion today to another volunteer and it was a little easier. We both kind of break down every time. Gosh, when you begin bearing your testimony about things, the spirit is so strong and you just really feel it.
We thought we were forgetful yesterday. Got up at 5:30 today to walk. Earlier than we ever had. So we were ready earlier but walked into class right at 8 am. I was supposed to have been there 10 minutes early to play prelude music. Dah.
Gave a 2nd discussion today to another volunteer and it was a little easier. We both kind of break down every time. Gosh, when you begin bearing your testimony about things, the spirit is so strong and you just really feel it.
23 September 2009
Got to class after lunch today and I said to Dad--"look at me, do I have any makeup on?" He smiled and said--"No." That is how frazzeled we have been. We have left our room key in the room twice and had to go get a key from the front desk and Dad misplaced his meal ticket one day and was sweating over that.
Got to class after lunch today and I said to Dad--"look at me, do I have any makeup on?" He smiled and said--"No." That is how frazzeled we have been. We have left our room key in the room twice and had to go get a key from the front desk and Dad misplaced his meal ticket one day and was sweating over that.
22 September 2009
Difficult day! We had to give a discussion to a volunteer who came in to listen to us practice. It was very hard as they asked questions and we tried to get through our outlined lesson. It is a challenge to put your testimony into a lesson.
There was a devotional tonight. Singing with 2,400 young people is so exciting. We sang the prelude music. How Firm a Foundation, Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel, Called to Serve. The hymns sound different than when you sing them at church. Dad was in tears. He is very moved by music. You have to be here to know what it feels like though.
They keep us busy. We are up before 6 so we can get our hour of walking in. Five times around the perimeter of the MTC is 3 miles. Back to shower and get ready and off to breakfast so we can be in class at 8.
Difficult day! We had to give a discussion to a volunteer who came in to listen to us practice. It was very hard as they asked questions and we tried to get through our outlined lesson. It is a challenge to put your testimony into a lesson.
There was a devotional tonight. Singing with 2,400 young people is so exciting. We sang the prelude music. How Firm a Foundation, Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel, Called to Serve. The hymns sound different than when you sing them at church. Dad was in tears. He is very moved by music. You have to be here to know what it feels like though.
They keep us busy. We are up before 6 so we can get our hour of walking in. Five times around the perimeter of the MTC is 3 miles. Back to shower and get ready and off to breakfast so we can be in class at 8.
We actually got to the MTC on our own. As you walk in the front doors, this is what you see. I have carried this pic in my planner for years. It is a carving the President David O. McKay saw in Scotland when he was a missionary and tried to make it a part of his life. I think it is a wonderful motto for all of us to live by. As missionaries, we are going to diligently try to act the part.
As we walked down the hall, we were greeted by a sister who handed us a packet with our names on it. She directed us into a room where we sat with another sister who went over every paper in the packet and explained all of it to us. We got our name tags and put them on. Keys to our room, went and paid our room and board and got cards to swipe for each meal. Went to another area and had questions answered, another place to get our Preach My Gospel manual.
The MTC is one fine oiled machine. You just go from station to station and pick up your supplies that all have your name and room number on. Everything is in place.
And we felt like we had a luxury suite. That is because we walked into our room and it had a bathroom. After having been at Dance Camp and living in the dorms, the bathroom was down the hall. Yea, we had our own bath. We did have to make up our bed with pink sheets and a flowered bedspread, but we are so tired at night that we don't even notice it.
It was lunch time by the time we got moved in and so we headed to the cafeteria. We just sat there with our jaws nearly on the floor as droves of Elders and Sisters were walking quickly around picking up the food they wanted. There is usually three or four choices for every meal. Always salads and sandwiches, fruit and desserts. Elders in white shirts and ties and Sisters in skirts and sweaters. All looking so happy, some studying their little handbooks, laughing together, drinking blue drinks or even Diet Coke Caffeine Free, of coarse.
It has only been the last 2 or 3 years that the Seniors have been here at the MTC. They used to be at a hotel down below the campus. In fact, the place where we spent our honeymoon night. So we are thrilled to be here at the MTC with all of these young people. They hold the doors open for us, let us in front of them in the food lines, and stop us on the sidewalk to bear their testimonies in whatever language they are learning. There are about 2,400 missionaries here right now and it is great. Nowhere on this earth could you get that many young men and women together and accomplish what is going on here. I believe that angels are surrounding the perimeter of the MTC and we are blessed.
There are all kinds of missionaries. Saw a young girl in a wheelchair with only one leg. Several on crutches, some in foot braces, a Sister with an artificial leg, one of the couples with us--the man is blind, three deformed Elders who are trying to walk a little faster than they are used to just to keep up, and one very small Elder with severe deformities, who couldn't even sit straight, he was leaning way back in his chair, but sang with such intensity that I couldn't take my eyes off him.
September 21, 2009
We left Salt Lake, headed for the MTC at 9:30 am. Of course, we had several teary goodbyes beginning on Sunday after our setting apart and they continued until the final one on Monday morning with Matt and Eryn and Silver.
As we drove down the freeway I saw this flag flying at Colonial Flag. I have always been going to take a picture of it because I love it so much. And this was my last chance. Pretty good pic as we are moving along at 70 mph.
As we were driving, we had a call from Adrian. She told us to watch for the American Fork overpass at 5th East. She had taken her boys there to leave a message in the fence with red plastic cups. Sure enough, there were red plastic cups stuck in the fence in a heart shape. More tears. She said they had planned on standing up there and waving to us, but it was too dangerous for little guys. I tried to get Dad to go back so I could get a picture, but he said we would be late, so it is just a memory for us.
(Here you go mom and dad...I took a picture of it. Ade)
We left Salt Lake, headed for the MTC at 9:30 am. Of course, we had several teary goodbyes beginning on Sunday after our setting apart and they continued until the final one on Monday morning with Matt and Eryn and Silver.
As we drove down the freeway I saw this flag flying at Colonial Flag. I have always been going to take a picture of it because I love it so much. And this was my last chance. Pretty good pic as we are moving along at 70 mph.
As we were driving, we had a call from Adrian. She told us to watch for the American Fork overpass at 5th East. She had taken her boys there to leave a message in the fence with red plastic cups. Sure enough, there were red plastic cups stuck in the fence in a heart shape. More tears. She said they had planned on standing up there and waving to us, but it was too dangerous for little guys. I tried to get Dad to go back so I could get a picture, but he said we would be late, so it is just a memory for us.
(Here you go mom and dad...I took a picture of it. Ade)
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Adrian has been over a couple of times and set up this blog and tried to teach me what I need to know to do this. I am a very slow learner and then the practicing has been very slow too. I have been able to organize and put a bunch of pictures in separate files and that feels good. So today Megan is here and I asked if she would walk through it with me again. So we have begun our practice session. Now to try and pull some pics in.
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