We made it through the MTC experience

What a wonderful time we have had the last few days.

We spent a lot of time in small groups with three other couples. The Russells from Cardston, Canada are going to the Family History Library in Salt Lake.  They have already been on one mission to Russia.  The Tedrows were from a little town near Colorado Springs and are going to Singapore in Malaysia.  The Johnsons are from South Jordan and are going to Australia.

We had excellent teachers each day in these small groups they call Districts.  Jim was actually asked to be the District leader-----which basically meant that he asked someone to pray each time we started and ended class for the day!  Our teacher for the morning classes was Brother McCarthy.  He recently

returned from a mission to Scotland and Ireland and still had a little bit of a Scottish accent.  Our teacher for the afternoon classes was Sister Wasden.  She was a newlywed of only a couple of weeks, but she had also served a mission to Kirtland, Ohio.

Much of our time was spent in role playing situations that were meant to try and teach us how investigators in the church feel and how to respond to their questions and concerns.  We spent two mornings at the TRC (Teaching Resource Center) where we gave lessons to volunteer people from the community who are actually now members of the church.  These people were once investigators who actually participated in lessons from the missionaries.  We thought at
first that TRC should stand for Torturing Retired Couples!  It definitely got us out of our comfort zones, but it turned out to be a wonderful learning experience and we survived without too much trauma!

Our nephew, Kyle (Jim's sister, Kathy's son), came into the MTC on Wednesday and we looked and looked for him at lunch and as we were walking between classes.  Then finally on Friday as we were going into the huge cafeteria, he was just leaving.  He is going to Jackson, Mississippi and he and his companion just looked so happy.  It was great to see them.





We had our picture taken by the flags at the main building entrance and then left for home Friday afternoon.  We ate leftovers for dinner, trying to use up our last bits of food in the house, and then we fell into bed early.  Today, Saturday, is packing and cleaning day.  Tomorrow we will spend time at church and with family and then we hope to hit the road early Monday morning. Of course we are watching the weather carefully and, OF COURSE, there is a big storm forecast for most of the mid west section of the nation next week!