MTC Experience

September 8^th, 2014.  Steve and Afton report to the Missionary Training Center, Provo, Utah.   With great anticipation and excitement we drove to Provo to begin our first week of wonderful training.   We were greeted by young missionaries and let through the orientation process including immunization and room assignments.  It's like we joined the Army!  (Wait, I guess we did.  The Lord's Army.)  Steve has already been assigned to be a District Leader, which means Afton was in charge of refreshments - chocolate every day. It's important to set a good example.  The first day wrapped up with inspirational training, moving into our small apartment, and collapse.

Tuesday we found our basic schedule looked like:

• 6:15  Alarm went off way too early!  Maybe tomorrow we'll try the inflatable exercise area.
• 7:00  Out the door to the famous MTC breakfast.
• 7:59  Music and instruction started - On time is late, better to be early.
• 8:00  General training and instruction from PREACH MY GOSPEL.
• Noon:  More food at the cafeteria
• 1:15  Back to class  / Basic Training
• 5:30  Dinner - Still more food.
• 7:00  Devotional

All of the missionaries met for a devotional with special speaker, Elder & Sister Sitaki from the Presidency of the Seventy.  They came to us from Nairobi, Kenya and were converts in 1986.  About 1/3 of the missionaries participated in a special missionary choir and we all sang Called to Serve.  It was fun to look down the row while singing and see the young missionaries using the words to the song in their own newly learned language as we sang in English.

The highlight of Wednesday was a session at the Provo Temple which has the greatest attendance of any temple in the Church.  It's remarkable to think about how well-used this temple is and yet the building and its furnishings are still in pristine condition.  The experience was beautiful and the Spirit uplifting. 

MTC Training this week has been all about learning to teach.  We have been given skills, practice for those skills, interaction, more practice and testimony.  It was lots of fun yet very spiritual. We are loving lunchtime in the cafeteria with 2600 young excited missionaries. The courage of Senior Missionaries going to foreign language countries with no training and all the assignments given by the Lord is stunning.

To be continued ............

First Day of Missionary School