Week 2 (MTC)

Monday, December 08, 2008
Today we started our Mission Office training. This morning was an overview of the duties of the Mission Office staff – which was of use. Then the rest of the morning was on Microsoft Word. We opted out of the class since it was the most basic (how to turn on the computer, change fonts and font colors, set margins, etc.). This afternoon is Excel and it certainly doesn’t include linked spreadsheets, pivot tables, and functions (we also opted out of the class). I went and had my hair shampooed and styled ($12). At 3:30 pm we will be back in class learning about the MOS (Mission Office System) software.

This last week the weather has been cold (40s and 30s) but clear and beautiful. Today it started snowing. Walt tried taking a picture but it doesn’t show much and the snow stopped fairly quickly.

We had a lovely complement today as we were heading to the cafeteria. We stopped to say hello to one of our group and asked her how she was feeling (she had an infected dry socket and has been miserable most of the week). As we were talking about the software training we haven’t been going to, she said something like: “I don’t pick up things so easily anymore, after all I’m quite a bit older than you; I’m 60.” Walt and I thanked her for the complement and told her we were 63 and 64, and she couldn’t believe it and thought we were in our 50s. Wow. I’ll take a complement like that any day.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008
We spent today learning more about MOS: Finance for the Mission such as figuring out how much each missionary gets for their monthly stipend. You have a Missionary Base to which you add or subtract any Area Adjustments and Missionary Adjustments. That is calculated monthly depending on missionary transfers. [NOTE FOR P&C FOLKS: The MOS reminds me very much of E2S with pop-up screens and having to save almost everything you do.

This evening we went to the Tuesday Devotional with Elder Lynn Russell of the Seventy. He spoke on opposition:
· Problems are our opportunities.
· Everybody has problems.
· Problem solvers are converters.
· Without problems there usually is no conversion because people are happy just where they are.
· We can’t sell the gospel as a product, but we can convert by showing how problems can be solved through living the principles of the gospel.

Walt has managed to catch a cold of some kind. He’s been miserable since he woke up this morning, but has managed to stay in class and make it to the devotional.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Today we learned more about MOS: Baptism and Confirmation documentation, Referrals, and Missionary Transfers. Then this afternoon, we learned how to do a Mission Newsletter. Oh, how much fun. Actually it was. I just did what I wanted and followed along when I wasn’t showing someone how to take what was taught just a little bit further.

Thursday, December 11, 2008
Today was our last day of classes. We had a final which went fine, then a testimony meeting which meant tears and sniffling. Walt and I have the weekend pretty much free to do what we want (clean the residence room, pack, and try to get our lessons well documented so we are ready to go when we get to England). We have to meet the shuttle driver at 5:00 am Monday for an 8:25 flight to Atlanta, then to Gatwick to arrive at 6:55 am.

We’ve met some wonderful people that will stay in my memories forever, but oh, how I miss you all!

Friday, December 12, 2008
Today was a free day for us since classes are over. We slept in and didn’t do breakfast since you have to get dressed in church clothes to go to the cafeteria. Most of the senior missionaries we trained with are gone – some of them left this morning, some tomorrow and are busy trying to squeeze 18 to 24 months of clothing into luggage. Those that are like us and not leaving until Monday and live close are going to family for the weekend. When we went to the cafeteria for dinner we didn’t see anyone from our group. We still have two couples with no visa that will be staying for a while longer when we leave Monday.

Walt is still feeling miserable so we did very little today. Delight sent a package of things we forgot that arrived yesterday. One of the items was a black skirt that was about 3” too long. There is a “sewing room” where two or three volunteers work part of the day on mending, hemming, etc. I wasn’t sure they would have time to hem my skirt but we decided to ask anyway. The ladies were closing at 2:00 pm and that was only 3 hours from when we were there. What we finally agreed on was that they would cut the skirt off, use the serger on the bottom, and press it with a 1” hem. Then I would hem it by hand. The cost was 50 cents. I said that wasn’t, enough and the sister asked me if I would take money for my missionary service. I said, “No.” She said the 50 cents was just enough to buy buttons, thread, etc. This was their mission. That is one of the most heart touching things about the MTC – almost everyone working here are volunteers. The students in the cafeteria and cleaning are working their way through BYU. Almost all the adults are volunteers.

We sat at dinner with a really cute couple who are waiting for the visa to leave for Mexico on their 6th mission. When you see the hoards of young missionaries (elders and sisters) and senior missionaries who are leaving for two years and paying their own way to serve the Lord, it makes you really humble. I would expect that any non-member, who would walk into the cafeteria and see the smiles and camaraderie, the well-dressed polite young people, the seniors (and in a lot of cases, we’re quite a bit younger) all believing in what we are doing, couldn’t help but understand that the Church is true.

Being a senior missionary at the MTC is too much. Almost every young missionary you pass says hello in whatever language they are learning to speak. Often you are asked to hear them teaching the first lesson. Most times one elder or another will come and ask if they can take our tray to the belt that goes to where dishes are washed. They hold doors. My sister-in-law told me her boys wanted her to have the MTC experience. They didn’t because they were on a Family History mission in Salt Lake and went directly there with attending the MTC. The most wonderful thing about the MTC is the Spirit is felt so strongly here (even more often than at the temple).

I took some pictures today of the outdoors:




Aren’t the winter colors great!

Then we have the tree outside the cafeteria that we’ve nicknamed “The Last Leaf.”

Saturday, December 12, 2008
From the Friday pictures you can see how bright and clear the day was. I went to the MTC Sister’s Beauty Salon and got my hair washed and blow dried (we didn’t bring the hair dryer since it wouldn’t work in England), and when I started back, this is what it looked like.

Of course I didn’t wear my heavy coat (the first time in a couple of days) – just a light jacket.

We’ve had purple pansies trying to grow that are on the way to the cafeteria. This last week they’ve looked pitiful, but today it was worse.

As we went to lunch (all bundled up), we had an elder take our picture. As you can see, Walt is feeling better and I came down with his cold this morning. After taking two DayQuil I felt quite a bit better. I hope this is over quick. I don’t want to have my ears filled with gunk when we fly on Monday.

This picture is of a bronze sculpture that I like of two missionaries on bicycles. Sure looks cold to me and the snow is piled so that they look like they have back packs and Mohawks.

Since tomorrow is Sunday and we leave at 5:00 am on Monday for the airport, we did laundry today. As everything else at the MTC, the laundry room is not your regular laundromat we see at home (large economy size). It’s 25 cents to wash and 10 cents to dry – I’m not sure that even pays for the electricity. There are also computers so the young elders and sisters can work on their homework (language and Preach My Gospel) while they are waiting for their clothes to wash and dry.

Unless something really awesome happens tomorrow, this is the last post I will make from the MTC. Love you all and miss you. Jackie

Friday, December 05, 2008
Today, just like Tuesday and Wednesday, we had one short class time to prepare Lesson 3 “The Gospel of Jesus Christ.” It’s amazing what you can do when you pray earnestly for the Spirit to be with you! We went from scared to death on Tuesday to “No Problem” on Friday. However, I’m sure that when it comes to the “REAL THING” we’ll be shaking in our boots until we do it several times.

What a week!! It went so fast, with our days jammed filled that I’m amazed we’re already at Friday. We’ve made so many new friends; it’s been just great. One of the Elders started a listing of the senior missionaries in our group. It’s interesting: Of 32 couples and senior sisters, 15 are from Utah; 4 from Idaho; 2 from California, Texas, Montana, and Canada; 1 each from Hawaii and other states. As a group we are going to every continent with 8 going domestic. We even have a couple going to Syria.

Well, it’s 8:45 pm and I can’t stay awake (too old, too tired).

This is a picture we took after our last class today of our missionary group – I’m not as easy to see as Walt.

Our District (Back Row: Elder and Sister Sessions, Elder and Sister Baxter, Elder Reimers; Front Row: Sister Jensen, Sister North, and Me [of course])

For Nate and Mary Lynn, Elder and Sister Sessions are going to the New Zealand Auckland Mission. For Margo and Al, Elder and Sister Baxter are going to Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Saturday, December 06, 2008
Today was our “P” (preparation) day. On “P” day you can dress down a bit, and I can wear slacks; however, you have to put on a skirt to eat as an example to the young elders and sisters. Breakfast starts and 7:00 am and ends at 8:30 am. We were up at 7:30 am, showered, and at breakfast at 8:15 am. Then back to our residence to change into slightly more casual clothing and catch the MTC Shuttle to the University Mall. We really didn’t go to the Mall for much of anything. We did get the shuttle driver to take us down a block, or so, on the opposite side of the street so Walt could go into SAS Shoes. With his big, long, narrow feet, there are few shoes that fit him well. When he was looking for shoes for our mission, he found a 14 “slender” (A width) which is narrower than “narrow” which is a B width. We had to order a pair from the Sandy UT store which will be shipped to the MTC.

From there we walked in and out of stores (Sister Missionary Mall, Deseret Book, Seagull Book, etc.) and wound our way back to the Mall where we were to meet another couple who had come with us and meet the shuttle at 12:30 pm.

Back at our residence, I took a two-hour nap while Walt went to the study in the residence hall to use the internet.

After dinner, we went down to the study (a lovely room) and chatted with two single sisters and others about our conversions to the church.

Sister Jensen, the sister in blue, had just received her 5th mission call. This is an interesting story. She lives in a small town in Alberta Canada and was receiving e-mails from the Germany Frankfurt Mission before she received her 1st mission call. At that time, 9 days before she was due at the MTC, she was called as we were to work in the office and was to leave for Germany early Saturday morning with no specialized training for the office. Then, when she arrived at the MTC on Monday, she was given a 2nd mission call that said she was going to serve in the Freiberg Germany temple and was still to leave on Saturday.

To make a long and frustrating story shorter, just this morning, she received an official but short letter from President Monson stating she would be serving in the Germany Frankfurt Mission Office and would leave a week later so she could take part in the office training. She had already packed her bags, but was very relieved to have the extra week and training.

Below are a few pictures of our residence hall and the study so you can see what I’ve been talking about.

This is the Joseph Hamblin Residence where most if not all of the Senior Missionaries are roomed.

This is the study that I spoke about.

Sunday, December 07, 2008
Sacrament meeting was from 8:00 to 9:00 am. Then, since it was Fast Sunday, we had a two-hour Mission Conference. “Preach My Gospel” makes the following statements:

“The Book of Mormon is powerful evidence of the divinity of Christ. It is also proof of the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith. An essential part of conversion is receiving a witness from the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is true.”

“The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the Book of Mormon is ‘the keystone of our religion.’ On another occasion he stated: ‘Take away the Book of Mormon and the revelations, and where is our religion? We have none.’”

This morning we were told, “The sooner you can get your investigator prayerfully into the Book of Mormon and into the Sacred Grove, the better it will be.”

May favorite lesson that we taught this week was the one on Thursday where we picked a chapter from the Book of Mormon and taught an inactive couple as we applied, discussed, and testified of blessings as we read groups of verses. The power in the Book of Mormon is that it is so for our day. It was easy to listen to the issues as we interviewed and talked and find what seemed to be the absolutely right chapter to teach. I’m sure that as we get out into the mission field, we will grow ever more dependent on the Spirit in everything that we do. This principle has been forcefully evident this week as we have learned and applied that learning to teaching “investigators” or a less-active couple. What a blessing this week has been already!!

Tonight’s devotional was a re-broadcast of the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. Then we stayed to watch Testaments. Oh, what a beautiful movie. There’s something about the MTC, we’re crying half the time.

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.