The MTC--Classes and Devotionals

Training took place either in large group meetings or with our districts in smaller groups.  In the larger groups, we met with the MTC mission presidency and later with the senior missionary branch presidency.  We had classes on family search, security (by a former CIA agent who was so interesting), Facebook and social media, adjusting to senior missionary life, and other related topics.

Our two weeks in the MTC were divided up into two separate weeks--

"Preach My Gospel" classes which were taught by two different sets of young returned missionaries and current BYU students--the morning and afternoon.

morning class with Sister Gee and Sister Ogletree 

Missionaries are:  Elder and Sister Flora, us, Elder and Sister Christl (Lousianna) and Elder and Sister Dewy from Nauvoo, Illinois

afternoon class with Sister Van Slyke (Sister Port was absent that afternoon)

I took pages of notes, but the number one thing that I came away with is how great the book "Preach My Gospel" is.  I should have been using it in my personal life since it was released back in 2004/2005.  It is a gold mine of suggestions, scriptures, life "hacks", answers to gospel topics, and just about anything else you would need in mortal life except how to cook dinner.  It is amazing.  Spend some time with it and you will see what I mean.  I love it!

During a role play, Jena opted to
observe with our instructors-Sister Van Slyke and Sister Port

Jena did a great job being involved during long days of sitting and discussions.  She prayed, she read, and she engaged with us.  Our instructors were all amazing with her.  Many times, they would talk to us privately about their experiences in the mission field with "trios" and what a blessing Jena will be to the people of Arkansas and to the missionaries.  Everywhere we went in the MTC, people would share similar things with us.  And the young missionaries were great to talk to her as we passed them in the buildings or on the grounds.  It was long for her (for all of us) but she was amazing.

Gary was asked to serve as district leader which made me laugh.  Mostly he had to ask people to pray at the beginning and end of classes and share announcements if needed.

One of the fun activities from this first week is that we were paired with another senior couple from another district and had to do a variety of assignments with them over the course of the week.  We were assigned to Sister Jan and Elder Rob DeGiulio.  We had met them the night before at dinner so we already felt comfortable with them.  However, after they greeted us, Elder DeGiulio then said, "Let me grab the Rook cards and deal them out"....we knew that they were new lifelong friends.  How cool is that?  We had to get to know each other, teach each other a lesson, do a service together.  It was great fun!

For our lesson, we decided to start with a game and M&Ms--unfortunately, we couldn't find Rook cards.  They loved it (and later gave us some popcorn for our road trip to Arkansas.)

For our service project, we bought candy at the MTC store and passed it out to staff of the MTC and missionaries walking by.  Each times we asked them what they liked best about the MTC.  We got some sweet answers and we felt the spirit as people testified of the spirit of the MTC.

We love the DeGiulios and are glad that they are coming back to Utah so that we can really play Rook with them sometime.

We lost all of our district the second week since the others were all assigned to the Headquarters Mission.  Elder and Sister Flora ended up being assigned to our old zone in the Church History Library which is great.  They will fit right in.  Elder and Sister Dewey went to the Data Quality Assurance Zone and the Christl are serving in the US/Canada zone in the Family Search Library.  They are all settling in but comment that they are still learning so much every day that their heads "hurt."

Our second week was "Member and Leader Support " training.  We had about 23 of us in that class, going all over the world to do member and leader support.  We have added some of them on Facebook and it is fun to see their experiences so far.  In the morning, we met together in a group and were taught by senior service missionaries who had served as MLS missionaries in the past.  (Elder and Sister Bigelow were one set of our teachers.)

In the afternoon, we were divided into districts (Gary wasn't the district leader this time) and were trained by two young adults-- Bro. Hart and Sister Manning.  Their classes focused on working with young adults, young missionaries, ward members and leaders, and others.  We talked about teaching skills and sharing the gospel as well.  One evening we had to practice teaching a non-member (who they hire to practice with the senior and the young missionaries).  We were glad when that was done.