Life at the MTC

Life at the MTC
Monday June 9, 2008

We arrived at the Provo MTC Monday at 11:15 am after picking up granddaughter Sara from Summer School. We had spent the morning gathering up our stuff, mailing another box to the mission, and gassing up the Youell van.

Chris pulled the van around to the Senior Couples dorm and everyone helped move the 8 pieces of luggage into our palatial room. We then walked around to the entry and left them in the foyer while we got some of our check-in done. Finally we said our goodbyes in the foyer of the main entry and went off to finish getting checked in.

The MTC is very thorough about everything and we felt very peaceful and directed. After a welcome meeting and division into districts of 4 couples, I am the District Leader of 4M131, we had lunch and then a full afternoon of training about Preach My Gospel and health practices they encourage missionaries to follow. Very good stuff.

Monday night we finished getting organized, read our homework assignment (25 pages of PMG) and finally got to bed about 12:30 am. Just like home.

Today, Tuesday, we were taught the first of several lessons on presenting the message of the Restoration. It involves an overview of the whole plan that can be given on a bus or in a grocery line in 5 minutes. It covers:

• God is our loving Heavenly Father
• The Gospel blesses families
• Heavenly Father reveals His gospel in every dispensation
• The Savior's ministry
• The Apostasy
• The Restoration
• The Book of Mormon
• Pray to Know the truth by the Holy Ghost.

This is a very powerful tool that can be used in any situation, in any length of time. We practiced doing it in less than a minute and for as much as 45 minutes. Our instructor is a returned missionary from Novosibirsk named Devires. Finally, we did a roll-play with a lady who came to our room as a follow up to a prior meeting. We invited her in, gave her some refreshments (macadamian nuts & water) and spent 35 minutes teaching her. She was a real delight.

After dinner, we checked on our transportation plan. We have a 12 hour lay-over in Moscow and were concerned about what we would be doing. We found out that they had secured a "day-room" for us and a taxi from the International Airport and to the Domestic Airport to make the lay-over more comfortable. We will still need to claim our luggage and check-in again for the last leg to Novosibirsk.


We each needed another Typhoid shot and Cindy needed a Tetanus shot so we had that done after dinner. The nurse took Cindy around the corner to shoot her because she had long sleeves and had to disrobe. She was less delicate with me.

At 7 pm we had a devotional in the Snow building with Elder and sister Arnold, a member of the 2nd quorum of 70. She told a story about a cow that broke through the fence and ate wheat until she bloated and died, likening the cow to missionaries who break the rules and "die" as to their mission. Elder Arnold's message had 5 points.

1. Understand who you are and that each of you has been given specific gifts and talents (D&C 46:10 & Ex 4:10-12)
2. Understand the sacredness of your calling & what you covenented to do when you accepted the call (PMG 46 & 139)
3. Understand and observe the Law of Obedience--the first law of the Gospel.
4. Understand your purpose here
5. Work hard and smart

After the Devotional, Cindy & I spent until 10:30 reading our homework assignment and finally got in bed about 11. Getting better.

I love being here. I find myself touched by almost everything that I see or hear. The Holy Ghost is witnessing the truth of everything to me every moment. While bearing my testimony to the roll-play sister I could hardly get it out for the tears. I'm a cryer anyway, but this is over the top.

I am looking forward to our training tomorrow and the language training in the evening. What a place. What a church. What a blessing
ElderDoug