First Week of MTC (Mission Training Center)

Sorry for the long post, but this covers a whole week.  The posts should get shorter once we are in Nauvoo. 

The Mission Training Center (MTC) in Provo, Utah

Some key things I learned this week:

• The Doctrine of Christ, Faith, Repentance, Baptism or for baptized members, the Sacrament, and receiving the Holy Ghost, or revelation, was presented in a circle.  Endure to the end was in the center, because we go through this process over and over as we move closer to Christ.It is a life-long journey. 
• There are no boarders in missionary work.  Our call is to bring others closer to Christ. "Others" include anyone we interact with, not just those in our mission.  
• Where ever someone is on their path towards Christ, our mission is to invite them to do something that will bring them closer to Christ. 

 A typical day at the MTC:

6:00  Wake up,  prepare for the day.  This wake up time was our choice.  No one told us when to wake up. 

7:00 Breakfast 

8:00 Large class with all of the Senior missionaries

9:00 Break into districts for small classes

11:30 lunch

1:00 small classes

4:30 dinner 

7:00  Monday - Family Home Evening

         Tuesday - Devotional with a General Authority

         Wednesday - Free time: We visited the large murals in the high rises

         Thursday - Free time: We went to Provo City Temple, which has the most beautiful wood work.

         Friday - we finished at 3:00. We visited Dee's oldest sister, Joan, in Santaquin and then we headed up to Ann's in Farmington. We report back on Monday for two more days of training in historic site work. 

This experience was totally different from our first Mission training experience.   First of all, I knew my companion, and had even chosen him.  It made it so much more fun to be with my best friend. Secondly, while our first mission, 45 years ago emphasized teaching the discussions, the emphasis  this time was on how to bring people closer to Jesus Christ.  We were organized into districts of 4 couples.  Our district worked together really well.  Everyone had great experiences to share and were very eager to learn from each other.  Our teachers, Sister Barlow from Burlington, NC, and Brother Keepman, kept us awake with their energy.  They had such well-prepared interactive lessons.  I never felt sleepy, even in the afternoon. 

 We did have a lot of teaching experiences. In the past the missionaries did a lot of role playing, pretending to be people who didn't know about the church.  Now we taught other missionaries as themselves. This gave us a chance to let the Holy Ghost inspire us rather than just pretend.  We had to determine where they were in their relationship to Christ and help them take a step closer.  On the last day we taught a volunteer from the community. Dee and I taught the sweetest lady, Sister Read.  She comes every week to let the missionaries practice with her. 

The MTC was a taste of Zion.  We were all of one heart and one mind. And we were all worn out at the end of the week.

This mural depicts Moses 1:4 - 6

4 And, behold, thou art my son; wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands; but not all, for my works are without end, and also my words, for they never cease.

5 Wherefore, no man can behold all my works, except he behold all my glory; and no man can behold all my glory, and afterwards remain in the flesh on the earth.

6 And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth; but there is no God beside me, and all things are present with me, for I know them all.

                                    Martha - Jenny says she looks like she'd like some help. :-)    

 In one hall are many photos of missionary moments.  This one caught my interest. I don't know where it was taken.