OK. I promised an update on the visa issue.
No problem. When we arrived at the MTC we received a packet full of instructions, schedules, maps, name tags, travel itinerary and passports. The appropriate visa stamps are in place and it looks like everything is in order.
Apparently some people have had problems with visas. Not so for us.
Thank you to everyone involved.
Friday, October 18, 2013
The MTC
Disclaimer: I imagine there are some who would disagree with my assessment of the MTC, but this is MY blog, not theirs.
Monday morning, October 14, we arrived at the MTC, the missionary training center in Provo, as scheduled. We were a little nervous, but mostly too overwhelmed to think about it as we drove along by BYU and the Provo temple. When we drove through the gate I suddenly had the feeling we weren't in Provo any more. I suggested to Sherrie that perhaps this is what Heaven will be like. It was a great feeling that pretty much stayed with me the rest of the week.
We received our missionary name tags, a schedule and a map and with the help of a small army of other much younger missionaries, we made our way to the chapel for our orientation.
Tuesday night Elder Oaks and his wife came and spoke at a devotional. The speakers were great, of course, but perhaps even more stirring was the missionary choir of some hundreds of young Elders and Sisters singing the tabernacle choir arrangement of "Praise to the Man". Wow!
The cafeteria food may not have been exactly gourmet, but it tasted good to me and we didn't have to prepare it or clean up after it! And how often do you get to eat a meal with hundreds of young missionaries? And, can you say, "BYU Creamery chocolate milk and ice cream?"
The five days went fast, looking back. However, sometimes in the midst of a role-playing exercise, it seemed interminable. Nevertheless, we survived the exercises and unbelievably we are already done with the MTC experience and ready to move on to the final phase of our training in Salt Lake before we head off to our mission in Santo Domingo.
The MTC was a remarkable spiritual experience almost like those times in the Book of Mormon where the author said an occasion was so powerful it could not be written. I wish there were some way to let everyone have the same experience. I highly recommend it.
Monday morning, October 14, we arrived at the MTC, the missionary training center in Provo, as scheduled. We were a little nervous, but mostly too overwhelmed to think about it as we drove along by BYU and the Provo temple. When we drove through the gate I suddenly had the feeling we weren't in Provo any more. I suggested to Sherrie that perhaps this is what Heaven will be like. It was a great feeling that pretty much stayed with me the rest of the week.
We received our missionary name tags, a schedule and a map and with the help of a small army of other much younger missionaries, we made our way to the chapel for our orientation.
Tuesday night Elder Oaks and his wife came and spoke at a devotional. The speakers were great, of course, but perhaps even more stirring was the missionary choir of some hundreds of young Elders and Sisters singing the tabernacle choir arrangement of "Praise to the Man". Wow!
The cafeteria food may not have been exactly gourmet, but it tasted good to me and we didn't have to prepare it or clean up after it! And how often do you get to eat a meal with hundreds of young missionaries? And, can you say, "BYU Creamery chocolate milk and ice cream?"
The five days went fast, looking back. However, sometimes in the midst of a role-playing exercise, it seemed interminable. Nevertheless, we survived the exercises and unbelievably we are already done with the MTC experience and ready to move on to the final phase of our training in Salt Lake before we head off to our mission in Santo Domingo.
The MTC was a remarkable spiritual experience almost like those times in the Book of Mormon where the author said an occasion was so powerful it could not be written. I wish there were some way to let everyone have the same experience. I highly recommend it.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Full-Time Missionaries
Today after church Sherrie and I met with the Stake Presidency and were both set apart as full-time missionaries. So, it's official. Afterwards Sherrie observed that we have to be nice all the time now. Here we are, being nice:
Whatever we've done up to this point to prepare will have to suffice because tomorrow morning we report to the MTC in Provo at 10:15 AM. The past few weeks have been busy, hectic, cluttered, and whatever other adjectives you can think of like that. I suspect we could have spent a few more weeks preparing, but, ready or not, here we come.
Apparently the MTC is overly crowded, so instead of staying at the MTC, we'll be staying at the Provo Marriott. Our son and son-in-law, both veterans of the missionary training program, suggested that it's not a real mission if you don't actually stay at the MTC. As I recall, when I went through the mission home in Salt Lake in November of 1973, those of us going to English-speaking missions had three days of training/orientation before heading off to our missions. Things have changed.
Stay tuned for the next exciting episode!
Whatever we've done up to this point to prepare will have to suffice because tomorrow morning we report to the MTC in Provo at 10:15 AM. The past few weeks have been busy, hectic, cluttered, and whatever other adjectives you can think of like that. I suspect we could have spent a few more weeks preparing, but, ready or not, here we come.
Apparently the MTC is overly crowded, so instead of staying at the MTC, we'll be staying at the Provo Marriott. Our son and son-in-law, both veterans of the missionary training program, suggested that it's not a real mission if you don't actually stay at the MTC. As I recall, when I went through the mission home in Salt Lake in November of 1973, those of us going to English-speaking missions had three days of training/orientation before heading off to our missions. Things have changed.
Stay tuned for the next exciting episode!
Sunday, October 6, 2013
One Week Out
One day this last week we had about an inch of snow on the ground when we got up. I have no idea what day that was. How can I be expected to remember more than a whole day ago? In any case it was still September. I remember that much. How fun to have the first snowfall in September right before we go to the Caribbean!
It is conference weekend. Conference is usually a peaceful, happy, reflective time, but somehow this one has been surrounded by, well, other things. As far as we know all the doctor stuff is done. We're all done with the dentist as of a couple days ago. We got our last immunizations last week and we'll be taking the last of the Typhoid pills tomorrow and Wednesday. Sherrie has been taking Spanish lessons and I did a couple days of Spanish immersion with her up in Provo. We've been released from our callings at church - although nobody told Sherrie she had been released as organist until after she played for sacrament meeting last week. I wonder who was planning to play if she hadn't. I think there are still far too many things remaining to be done. Ready or not, we're going to the MTC a week from Monday.
The house is quite a mess with Monica's and Ryan's stuff transitioning into place while our stuff is being packed up and moved to the basement. There are boxes and furniture and things piled everywhere. Who knew there would be this much stuff to do? Who knew we had this much stuff?
Somehow it's all going to happen. Somehow. Next week.
It is conference weekend. Conference is usually a peaceful, happy, reflective time, but somehow this one has been surrounded by, well, other things. As far as we know all the doctor stuff is done. We're all done with the dentist as of a couple days ago. We got our last immunizations last week and we'll be taking the last of the Typhoid pills tomorrow and Wednesday. Sherrie has been taking Spanish lessons and I did a couple days of Spanish immersion with her up in Provo. We've been released from our callings at church - although nobody told Sherrie she had been released as organist until after she played for sacrament meeting last week. I wonder who was planning to play if she hadn't. I think there are still far too many things remaining to be done. Ready or not, we're going to the MTC a week from Monday.
The house is quite a mess with Monica's and Ryan's stuff transitioning into place while our stuff is being packed up and moved to the basement. There are boxes and furniture and things piled everywhere. Who knew there would be this much stuff to do? Who knew we had this much stuff?
Somehow it's all going to happen. Somehow. Next week.
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