Mission Phase 1 - Completed

 As my Kenyan friend likes to say when something is finished, “Mission phase 1 is done and dusted”.  Our two weeks at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah have been memorable - a time of  spiritual growth, testimony building, and making friends, young and not so young.

Surrounded by about 1000 others who are also leaving the comforts of home to go and serve missions all over the world has been inspiring.

 Using fantastic, interactive teaching methods, our young trainers have taught us how to share our love of Jesus in simple ways that won’t be hard to do. 

Our district - Elder Pass from Washington State, heading to Montevideo, Uruguay; Elder and Sister Flower from Texas also going to Peru and our two adorable trainers - Sister Barker, who served her Misison in California, Spanish Speaking and Sister Bennett who served in France and Switzerland.  They were our 8-12 in the morning teachers.  And they made learning so fun.

In the afternoons from 1 - 4:30 Brother Kidd, who served in Oregon, and Sister Gee, who served in Brazil managed to keep us awake even during the sleepy afternoon nap time slump.

That’s what the first week was all about, then the 2nd week was specifically geared to those of us who will be working in mission offices.  There was a lot of information and I am sure I have forgotten most of it but we have been assured that there will be a lot of help available, both from Salt Lake and Lima and most importantly through the Spirit’s guidance.

Since we will have different responsibilities on the mission we were in different classes. George will be the Financial Secretary and he and I will share responsibilities as Housing Coordinators.

Here is George with his trainers and all the others who will be handling the finances in their missions.

Trainors Brother Barney and Sister Lau, Elder Pearson heading to the Philippines; Sister Dietz to Tampa, Florida, and Sister McCann to Albuquerque.

And here I am with my fellow ‘Housing Coordinators’.

Our trainer, Brother Henry, Elder Dietz going to Tampa, Sister Oakason who will live at home and serve in the Salt Lake City East Mission; Brother Stephenson who is going to Yakama, Washington; Sister Babbel going to Frankfurt, Germany; the Flowers who will be going to Lima, Peru; our trainers Brother Bish and Brother Draper, one of the mentors the church provides to help train senior missionaries.

The days were very busy and on several nights we had devotionals.  Yes, we were tired but those devotionals were highlights for me. 

I will never forget the feeling of singing “Called to Serve” with that huge group of missionaries.  I had been really looking forward to this and I got to experience it twice.  I was so tempted to record it with my phone but I resisted the urge. At the beginning of the song in the hymn book, the directions are ‘with conviction’ and boy do these mighty young people sing with conviction.

Called to serve Him, heav’nly King of glory,

Chosen e’er to witness for his name,

Far and wide we tell the Father’s story,

Far and wide his love proclaim.

 2. Called to know the richness of his blessing—

Sons and daughters, children of a King—

Glad of heart, his holy name confessing,

Praises unto him we bring.

 [Chorus]

Onward, ever onward, as we glory in his name;

Onward, ever onward, as we glory in his name;

Forward, pressing forward, as a triumph song we sing.

God our strength will be; press forward ever,

Called to serve our King

Tomorrow we leave this sacred place to start Phase 2 of our mission.

Since our visas haven’t arrived yet, we have been reassigned to the Salt Lake Headquarters Mission while we wait.  We’ll be in an apartment in downtown Salt Lake doing something around Temple Square.

They provide an overview training on everything from family history to church security.  

It will be interesting to see where we will serve…..and interesting to see how long we wait for the Visas.

Life always gives us surprises.