MTC 2013

Stephen and I just finished our first week at the MTC (Mission Training Center) in Provo, Utah.  What a great experience this has been.  We came at a time when there were 124 senior couples and over 3000 junior missionaries.  They seem to be bursting at the seams trying to find places to house the large numbers.  We are staying at the Marriott in downtown Provo just a few blocks from Cory and Suzanne. 

We reported at 10:30 on Monday, April 1st, and spent the majority of the day in basic orientation meetings.  We were able to drive onto "the campus" and park inside.  The first thing they did after checking us in was to give us our black and white name badges.  That seemed to be a turning point when I felt we were actually official.  They made it clear that whenever we were out and about we need to wear those badges since we never know who we will meet and we want them to recognize us as missionaries. 

Tuesday we began our district classes with our instructors who were all young returned missionaries.  I was so impressed with their spiritual insights as well as their teaching skills.  It didn't take long to see that the new youth curriculum being used in the Church is based on this same principle of teaching with and by the spirit.  There will be lots of opportunities to bear testimony and make promises to people.  Tonight we went to the Devotional.  Seniors had reserved seating on the floor close to the speakers' stand but we had to be there early.  Michael Ringwood of the Seventy was the speaker.  He shared with us the necessity of enduring to the end and not letting "things" get in our way of accomplishing this goal.  We were finally able to find our niece, Kaytie, as she had been chosen, among 3500 missionaries, to give the benediction.

Wednesday was our first experience in the TRC (Teaching Resource Center) giving a lesson on the Restoration.  Most of the people seemed a little distraught about this but my feeling was that what would they do if we didn't do well?  Nothing other than encourage us to do better next time.  It really was a good experience and the time went by much too quickly.  It was fun to meet these "investigators" who volunteer their time to help prepare the missionaries.

Thursday we went to the TRC (it was actually just cubicles set up in the cultural hall) again but this time taught a follow-up lesson on the Plan of Salvation.  This investigator was very helpful -- I don't know how many we will have in real life that are so agreeable.  I was surprised to hear my name called and to look up and see Devin Wright.  He looked like a missionary.

Our last teaching experience we did was with the other senior couples taking turns being the less-active members and then the missionaries.  I found this one to be the most difficult.  The good news is that this is probably not going to happen in our mission assignment but it is definitely something that I could utilize when we get back to our ward.  We said goodbye to many of the couples today as they were leaving for their assignments.

We have no classes over the weekend since it is conference but we begin again on Monday morning.