Missionary Journal

01-04 December 2008

Earlier

All of our paperwork said we were to be at the MTC between 10:00 and 11:30 for lunch, a welcome, etc. When we received our tickets we found that we weren’t even expected to arrive at the Salt Lake Airport until 1:00. We called the Travel Office and inquired if this would be a problem. We were assured “no problem.”

Monday, December 01, 2008

We arrived at the San Jose Airport at 8:15 this foggy morning and checked our baggage at the curb. Our flight was to leave at 10:00 am; however, since it was foggy and our plane was a small regional jet, it didn’t have the instrumentation required for landing in the fog. It was sent to Reno and when the fog was better, it had to come back from Reno so the San Jose passengers could deplane. We finally got on the plane at 1:00 and arrived in Salt Lake sometime around 3:30 (including losing an hour going to Mountain Time). Once we had our luggage, we went to the Express Shuttle (the one the MTC Travel Office suggested) and waited there until going on 5:00 pm. We were the first to get dropped off and entered the MTC at 6:30 pm.

We dropped our luggage in our residence #153 in Building 2M and went to the cafeteria. As there are over 2,500 missionaries in the MTC at this time, we didn’t have much trouble finding the place (IT WAS NOISY). We ate with two senior missionary couples who had just arrived at the MTC this morning and they said, “Oh, you must be the ‘Lost Couple.’” Fortunately they told us what the homework is for tomorrow (we start classes at 8:00 am).

The area between the buildings is beautifully decorated for Christmas. I will take a few pictures tomorrow if we have time to breathe.

Tuesday, December 02, 2008 (12:45 pm)

This morning we went to the cafeteria and then to the MTC Bookstore to get our “Missionary Binder” and started class (lecture by a returned missionary to all the senior missionaries) at 8:00 am. We met the other couple that is going to the London South Mission (only a week earlier than we are because of the office orientation we get the second week).

We went through Section 1 of “Preach My Gospel” and talked about what was there. I believe we should have a fireside to go through that book – how marvelous it is and how easy I believe the new way of teaching investigators will be.

We broke into districts (four couples) and had another teacher to help us decide how we should teach an introductory lesson to an investigator. It’s seems unbelievable that we will teach an introductory lesson to an “investigator” (a member from the community) in our residence (room) at 2:30 pm today. I’m nervous, to say the least.

Tuesday, December 02, 2008 (8:22 pm)

At 2:15 we returned to our residence to get ready for our “investigator.” As we knelt down by our bed and prayed for help with giving this first lesson (The Restoration of the Gospel), the Spirit was so strong and I had tears running down my cheeks by the time we were finished. Our sweet sister came promptly at 2:30, and we started. Actually, it went fairly well and took just about the 45 minutes we were allotted, with Walt giving the lesson and me doing the scriptures and testifying of the truth of the things he was saying. I know we missed some things we were supposed to do, but it couldn’t have been too bad since I got two good hugs before she left.

We were given six pamphlets in our Missionary Binder to use and were told the mission will have piles and piles (enough to build a castle). They are wonderful for teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to anyone, with beautiful pictures inside and out, and the gospel explained so simply. I’ve never seen them before now.

Tonight was the weekly devotional. We sang three Christmas hymns before the meeting started. It was really impressive hearing well over 2,000 enthusiastic voices. Then the meeting started and the opening hymn was “Called to Serve.” Walt was so broken up over the song that he was crying and couldn’t sing most of the first two verses. He really is an old softie.

Our speakers were Sister and Bishop Edgley (of the Presiding Bishopric). Oh, goodness, they were wonderful. Bishop Edgley told a story of a missionary who was serving in Denmark and wanted to come home before he completed his mission. President Edgley was Mission President of the mission that included Manhattan, New York (the Eastern States Mission). He was asked to give this missionary a positive missionary experience before he left and to try to get him to stay in that New York mission. They went out tracting in an apartment building and were not having any luck, and President Edgley was feeling bad about the experience the young missionary was having. They were tired and disappointed. Then, similar to our own conversion story, President Edgley saw a door and knew they were supposed to knock on it. They decided one last door. As the door opened and they announced they were missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the sister who opened the door burst into tears. President Edgley said he thought her husband who was right behind her was going to beat them over the head with a 2X4 for making his wife cry. Fortunately, she invited them in and explained her tears. Years ago when she had been in the hospital for surgery she was given a Book of Mormon and had read it. Just that morning she had picked up the book again and had read for several hours. Then the missionaries had come to the door. The end of that particular story is that the missionary decided to go home feeling he had not accomplished much of anything. However, as Paul Harvey would say, “This is the rest of the story.” Bishop Edgley turned the name over to the local missionaries and told them this was a golden contact. The missionaries baptized the mother, then the father, and then all the children were baptized. All the boys went on missions and all the children were married in the temple. At that time there were 13 people who came out of that contact and many more expected based on the missionary efforts of the sons and the progeny to come who will be born in the Covenant.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

We’re on our lunch break (1.5 hour) and as I put this into my journal, Walt is trying to get our Senior Service medical insurance worked out. Just a few words about the cafeteria: it is huge.

The lesson to be taught today is the Plan of Salvation. Interesting enough, as scared as I was yesterday of giving the initial lesson, today looks to be much easier. Just as yesterday, we have an “investigator” coming at 2:30 pm.

We had a wonderful investigator this afternoon, and we remembered all the things that were to be done. We were late getting out of our 1:30 pm class and didn’t have time to pray before the “investigator” came. Even though we did the things we were supposed to, I didn’t feel the Spirit as strong. Admonishment to me: Pray as a companionship always.

After our appointment was completed we went back to our classroom (return and report). We had a new and different teacher this time, and he asked our names and where we came from. Our district leader is Elder Baxter. Sister Baxter said they were from Tremonton, UT. Of course, I asked if they knew Margo Johnson. Come to find out, Sister Baxter was Dixie Cornwall (went to school with Margo), and Patriarch Johnson gave her a patriarchal blessing. Not only that, she mentioned Barbara Nelson. Then when we said where we lived, Elder Sessions (Mike) asked if we knew Nathan Day. We said, “Yes, he’s in our branch.” Elder Sessions served in Church callings with Nate when Mary Lynn and Nate were newlyweds in Guam. I can’t believe how small a world it is.  

This evening we caught the bus and went to the University Mall to buy Walt’s suits and overcoat. The bus came at 5:57 pm and we were at the mall at 6:09. Since the last bus back goes at 7:19 pm, we had to run. We went in and spent a very short time buying two nice suits (with 2 pairs of pants), a coat, 4 ties, and 2 pair of suspenders.

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Today’s lesson was on Retention and Reactivation. We broke up into four couples (two each from different districts) and were instructed to think of someone we know quite well that is inactive and play them. It was extremely interesting. First, we were teamed with Elder and Sister Holland. They were very good at role playing. We were to have an initial meeting with them as new missionaries attached to their ward. We had some troubles - I had a headache and just wasn’t able to think. I know we could have done better. Then we matched up with another couple and they interviewed us. In the afternoon, we had to use a chapter in the Book of Mormon to read with them that would help solve the reason they were inactive. It was a wonderful experience. As we read verses, discussed different concepts that were contained in those verses, and Walt and I testified of the blessings that would come to their family if they would read the scriptures and pray about them. The Spirit was right there and the Holland’s were teary (so were Walt and I).

I can’t even begin to explain the beauty of the Mission Training Center. In three days, many of us have become friends. Everyone here is happy and enthusiastic about missionary work.

As a closing “devotional” we had short talks by two sister missionaries (older than I am) and a couple. The sister missionaries were called about 3.5 or 4 years ago to the Australia Melbourne Mission. The only time they were in Melbourne was when they first arrived in Australia. The mission president immediately sent them to the little outback town of Fridley (6 blocks X 6 blocks). He told them the town had been tracted out (there wasn’t any town close, so when the elders were in town for 90 days everyone in town was contacted multiple times) and to think of something new. These sisters were not met with smiles. In fact, people would cross the street or walk into a store to get away from them. It seems the pastor of the biggest church in Fridley had told everyone these were “not nice ladies.” Of course, not only weren’t they nice ladies, but they weren’t Christian either.

When Christmas came, there was a Fridley Combined Christian Choir that put on a Christmas Pageant and went from town to town presenting it. There was a small branch in Fridley, but because they weren’t Christian, they couldn’t be in the choir.

The sisters joined everything (Weight Watchers, book clubs, anything where the women of the town collected). One of the sisters also became the Director of the Family History Library. While doing that she met the “Bee Keeper.” He was an important man in town and the next time his pastor denounced the sisters from the pulpit, he stood up and said: “It isn’t true; these sisters are truly nice Christian ladies.

Their assignment was to be for 90 days. They spent the entire 18 months of their mission in Fridley. The next Christmas they were both invited to sing with the choir and so were other members of the Fridley Branch. At the final presentation, the choir director was thanking different people (soloists, accompanist, etc.) and at the end she thanked the sisters for changing their town for the better. I don’t think I’ve cried so much (at least not happy tears) in a long time.

I will close this for now, PDF it, and send it out via e-mail. We are having a wonderful, scarey, time. I love it and our relationship is even getting better.

Here I am in the Tutoring Room in the residence hall sending this on my laptop.