November 29, 2010
A mission is an amazing thing. From the minute Tina and I decided to go, everything fell into place. It is kind of scary too because it is hard to believe that we could have this incredible time doing what is right. It seems that anything this fun would have to be a little naughty.
Our experience in the MTC was perfect—except for the 10 pounds I gained there to be added on to the five I gained between the two weeks before going out to dinner and lunch constantly, added on to the 5 I gained on the fantastic cruise. So, I waddled on to the plane and flew to New York.
Back to the MTC. We met the most wonderful people from our group. We had a huge group of over 80 people and learned amazing things. Some were going to Hawaii, the Rumseys, some to Switzerland, the Cramers (our favorites), some to be CES administrators for the South Pacific, I think stationed in Tahiti, the rumen???. Others were going to Alabama, South Carolina, Toronto Canada, Australia, Romania, the Ukraine, etc etc. All of them seemed worthy to be Mission Presidents and yet were going as proselyting, office, CES, missionaries, all with the same goal to bring people unto
Christ.
We were in classes Monday November 02, 2010 until Friday November 12. The first week we were given lessons from the new Missionary book, Preach My Gospel. The lessons were direct, inspiring and ordered in such a way as to give the investigator an overview of what the church teaches and how it can change their lives for the better. The first lesson was, the second was, the Restoration, the third was the Plan of Salvation and the 4th was , We did teaching scenarios where we would go to an investigator and teach him/her the lesson. Even though the “investigator” was a volunteer and probably a Stake President, we felt the spirit so strong and words would come out of our mouths that we had no idea where they came from. It was a tremendous experience.
The second week we learned office responsibilities. We learned Microsoft Word, Excell, how to make newsletters, how to merge letters, how to finalize transfers, document baptisms and all sorts of worthy office things----most of which I will have forgotten before I use them. I thoroughly enjoyed that week as I love learning things to use in the computer---the fact that I couldn’t find a “new” page to start this, is indicative of how well I remember stuff.
The food was horribly good. I had at least three desserts and full course meals around the desserts. Anyone who ever complained about the food at the MTC just didn’t get it.
Every minute with Tina was a delight. We giggled ourselves silly on more than one occasion and have gotten along just famously. Very excited to move on to the real thing.
We were having my car shipped and I had stuffed it so full that it was just silly. Golf clubs, a sewing machine, more clothes that I would wear in a year and about 15 pair of shoes. Hangers for more clothes than I brought, my printer, a George Forman grill, etc etc. We were told that the car would be picked on Tuesday about 1. Well then it changed to about 5 and then he said he would call as he was about 30 minutes out. We went to dinner and I got quite antsy around 20 minute into it and went for my phone to find it was DEAD. Not just as in had little battery left, but dead dead dead. And the joy of an I-phone is that when it is dead it is hard to get it back even when charging. We ran to the car and plugged it in to the car charger only to have it not connect.
We found a little man in the church parking lot and used his phone to call Steven our driver. We realized that he probably couldn’t get the huge truck into the church parking lot so told him to just head towards us and we would head towards him. On calling him when we figured we were close, his line was busy. So then we just started looking for him along the University Parkway. Tina spotted him just as he was turning the wrong way so we caught up with him in a large car sales lot and gave him my car. Then called Carson to come get us and he was there in a flash and we tore back to the MTC for devotional and made it just in time to get the fifth row seats reserved for seniors and our speaker was Elder Bednar!
He was just unbelievable. His talk was about how the “answer” is the doctrine. We act on the principles (we are baptized because…) and live the applications like being baptized, going to church, etc. But all too often, people live the applications only and don’t go to the doctrine. They go to church, get baptized, etc, but don’t live charity, and don’t turn to the scriptures for answers etc etc. Did that make any sense? Anyhow it was great.
So we lived for two days without a car and then flew to New York on Friday, Nov 12. President Christianson and his wife Melanie (Tina’s sister) met us at the airport and took us to dinner and then to their house. Saturday we went to all of the church history sites. President Christianson knows EVERYTHING about the Joseph Smith farm, the log house and the frame home built by Alvin for his parents. We went to the Sacred Grove, the Hill Cumorah and the Temple. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and a 100% perfect experience. We got to see rooms that others don’t get to see on the general tours and a terrific fellow, Bob, told us about every tree used in the homes and how to cut wood and other things that were so interesting told by someone with such a passion for them.
These pictures are pictures of the “witness” trees, those trees that were there when the vision took place. They were so neat and there is an amazing spirit there. We went there again when Shelby and fam were here and it was soooooo cold. Sorry it wasn’t like it was when we made our first visit there.
That first week was scary to realize all we have to do, but by the second week I knew my disc was full so I just stopped paying attention. When my trainer goes home the 18 of December, I will probably fall flat on my face and mess up the mission royally but for now I’m covered. Even in doing this page, I had forgotten how to find word wrap so I could be in for real trouble.
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