MTC devotional celebrating 50 years.

Tonight we had a wonderful treat.  They celebrated 50 years of missionary training--beginning with the LTM or language traing mission.  We were honored to have Elder Holland (as the Junior companion) and Elder Nelsen speak to us.  There were x staff, mission presidents, etc.  We saw Bro. George Durrant across the way and crossed over to catch him before he left.   He was accompanied by Susan Black the wonderful religion instructor we hear so much about.  She is a beautiful, very petite lady.  Then in the foyer in front of the auditorium as we headed out we ran smack dab into Elder Holland.  As he shock Norm's hand Norm, sincerely remarked, "It is an honor to meet you Elder Holland."  Looking at our tags he remarked with sincere emphasize, "It is my honor to meet you."  You know he loves the missionaries, and that includes the seniors.
Tomorrow we have our last 1/2 day of CES instruction, then it is to our rooms to "relax" and begin packing.
I hope our luggage is under weight.  Friday we are up before 4 and leaving for the airport.
Love to you all.

MTC experience

Sister Arcy our afternoon teacher.

So we entered the Mission Training Center on Jan 23.  We loved our MTC experience in 2007, but this time it was so well organized for seniors that there was no comparison.  There were 80 couples in this week's group of seniors. They divided us up into districts of 4 couples where we worked with so  many great teachers from young returned missionaries.  (bear with me as I learn how to use this thing.)  So we had some right down and out rah, rah type peptalks, but very spiritual.  Then they put us into the small groups, for our PMG (Preach My Gospel) training.  We practiced on each other how to teach and then were sent to the TRC.  Though they were only simulated experiences they were wonderful.  We were told that these people will volunteer for years because they love the testimonies of the missionaries and find that it increases their testimonies.  You actually teach a 30 minute lesson.  And you really go in cold.  All the preparation in the world may fly out the window, because you find out about them and their concerns and you are to address their concerns.  There are certain goals we try to achieve with each contact.  One of our contacts goes so into character and stays there as long as she is in the building.  Each experience was a very spiritual experience, for you do bear your testimony, appropriate for the moment.  And each time it was a very spiritual experience.  It is a great way to volunteer.  And it definitely has its rewards.

Elder Storrer and I did it for a month before entering the MTC.  So we got to see both ends of the stick. We also had training in working with less actives.  It was much easier to role play as the less active than the missionary, but it was fun to see the ways we all resolved the problem

It was a tough, tiring week, from 6-8 including the language training.  Last evening we had the most humble testimony meeting as we each stood and bear our testimonies in the language we are learning.  Even Bishops stood before us and humbly tried to form the words in Russian, French, Romanian, Croatian, German, Japanese, Portuguese--and any other language being learned.  Of course there were those like Elder Storrer who were old pros.  But interestingly there were those who had forgotten much--even Norm who took tutoring lessons as well.  And there were those who served missions.  One still speaks French, but he was in there to learn Russian as they are headed to Moscow.

   It was a very sweet and humbling experience for all of us.

   Elder and Sister Flake, left early before pictures

The rest of our district.  Elder and Sister Peterson, Headed to Milan Italy with CES program, Elder and Sister Pierson going to Moscow, Russia, Norm and I headed to (who knows which city in either Austria or Germany.)  The Flakes above are in Guatamala working in MLS (member leadership services.)  And in the middle of us was Sister Arcy our afternoon instructor.  She was delightful and very good.  We didn't have a camera for Elder Barney our morning instuctor but are hoping to get a copy of someone elses.

The spirit in the MTC is the best experience.  We would go again just for this experience.  It really gives the ole testimony a HUGE boost.  The number of senior missionaries are growing.  And they are so needed.
Heard a number bear testimony that they had studied the PMG manual, but learning to use it at the MTC gave it such new meaning a teaches powerful message.

We are in CES training through Thursday and then fly out early Friday morning.  Everyone is trying to figure out how to keep our luggage under 48 lbs, international allowance.  Guess we will be mailing stuff home if it is abover regulation.  A pound over could cost us an extra $75.

Getting ready for our mission to Alpine-German mission

We are in the "messy" process of getting things ready, packed and the house cleaned out for our departure.  Jan 23 we enter the MTC and we fly  out morning of Feb 3.  We arrive in Munich on Feb 4, their time.

It is an exciting time.  If Norm and I make it you will know that we got through the most trying part--getting everything out of the house.

Learning the German has been both fun and frustrating.  I still have a long way to go, but everyone says, "When you get there and everyone is talking German, you will catch on."

I sure hope so!

But moving out with Norm is exhausting.  He has a tendency to panic.  He is either concerned that we are not moving out fast enough or he is concerned that we won't be able to fit everything into storage.  Actually most has been moved out of the house.  I refuse to panic.  Thus the impasse.

But we are close with that end of the project.  Most of my packing is complete.  I have hardly started on Norm's except for ironing and folding all those white shirts and tie.

With a good camera we hope to be blogging back and share the sights and our experiences.