September 30,2010

Today is our last day at the MTC and it has been a whirlwind. We have been at the Temple all morning. Bro. and Sis. Pinegar were our instructors, we were their last group; they are being released and Bro. and Sis. Hammon are taking over. They are both 70 emeritus and really GREAT teachers with lots of experience. We have learned that the RECORDERS in Temples are VERY important and do a WHOLE lot more then just make sure all the ordinances are recorded. In the larger Temples this is a paid position. In the smaller Temples, like the Guatemala Temple where we are going to work, usually the Temple President's 1st counselor will be the recorder and the 2nd counselor will be the engineer. There is 134 Temples now and we are told that President Monson is not slowing down. Today President Monson and his counselors and the 12 and all the 70's are meeting in the Salt Lake Temple fasting and praying and getting ready for General Conference this Saturday and Sunday. We will be in Guatemala listening to it. The weather is BEAUTIFUL and it will be that way for the conference too.

We have made some very special new friends whom we love and admire very much!
There are couples here our age who have had both hips replaced, he and his wife are going to Africa. Others who have had knee replacements and some who are missing parts of their hands. Our group has 2 couples going to Mexico, 1 to Peru, 1 going to New York, another to Washington D.C., Taiwan, Philippines, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Chile, and then us to Guatemala. What an impressive group and we are happy to be a part of it.

We just got back from the Temple and and now we are trying to get our washing done. There at least 100 missionaries in here too trying to do their laundry as well. Don't they know we have to pack?
Ok, I'm back and you never even knew I was gone! We have been packing now for an hour and EVERY bag we have is over weight!!! Oh, how we really do not like this part of all of this. Well must go and try and make it all work. Will email again when we get settled in Guatemala.

September 20th, 2010

Arriving At The Provo MTC

Yesterday I did something I may never get the chance to do again. I made a drop off at the MTC. If by chance I get to do it again someday I’ll remember that it’s harder than it looks. I felt like I was like leaving my parents in a college dormitory. Years ago I might have gotten a kick out of the role reversal but yesterday it felt a bit harsh. I left them in the middle of white cinder block walls, a bed against the wall with a lonely lamp on the bedside table and a few drawers to put their belongings in. On the table there was a note apologizing for only leaving one set of towels. They were running short and would hopefully get more tomorrow. My parents smiled at each other. Matt poked fun while my Dad handed my mom the bigger of the two and obligingly took the hand towel for the evening. Only one of the keys to their room worked and the only welcome gift was a small bucket of cleaning supplies left under the sink. Mission life is not the high life and bless them for being willing to do it again.

They are both there for their 3rd time. A third mission for each of them. This time together to Guatemala where they will be working in the Temple, teaching in the MTC, and serving in any other way they can.

It’s never a good time to say good-bye to your parents for a couple years. And I know it’s just as hard for them to walk away again from their lives, their home, their family and their grandies who will miss them the most. But as hard as it is I’m so glad they went. I’m proud of them and thankful for their example to be the ones who are willing to go and not just the ones who are willing to talk about going. They are doers and they are very good at doing. So we will let them go and do because they will bless many through their dedication and service, including the ones they left behind at home. We won’t be going with them but our prayers will follow on their coat tails. We miss you already Mom and Dad.

Today is the 25th of September and Denton and I have been at the Provo MTC for 5 days!! Talk about stepping into a NEW world. No TV, no news about the world, no Glen Beck and especially NO FAMILY. It was a tough start but now it is OK.
It has been a GREAT 5 days! Very busy and we have fallen into bed every night. These past 5 days have been in the book Preach My Gospel. It is a GREAT book and we got to introduce that book to our mission in Maracaibo, Venezuela 6 years ago. Missionary work will be associated with the book for ever!! They are perfecting the use of this book and how missionaries use it. They have worked really hard with us, the adult missionaries, to be able to meet and present enough of a message to people that they would have us, or the young missionaries back. I'll give you an example. We take 3 minutes to introduce ourselves, get to know who we are talking to and to see if they believe in God. Then we ask them for Permission to give them a quick over view of our message and ask them if we could start with a prayer. Our first message would be on The Restoration. We would take 3 to 5 min. to give them a quick over view NO details.

1. God is our loving Heavenly Father
2. His Gospel Blesses us.
3. Through out every dispensation God has sent us Prophets to teach and guide us. Abraham, Noah, Moses.....
4. In the meridian of time God sent his Son Jesus Christ. He taught His Gospel, called Apostles and Prophets.
5. Christ was crucified and we went into what the world knows as the GREAT APOSTASY. Dark Ages.
6. In the 1800's a young boy by the name of Joseph Smith was looking for the truth.
7. He was called as the Prophet to Restore the Gospel.
8. One of the Tangible evidences that Joseph Smith is a Prophet is the Book of Mormon.
9. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ.
10. Pray to know the Truth through the Holy Ghost.

There you have it, now see if you can say all of that in just 3 or 5 minutes.

You have just introduced a ton of things Pre-earth life, need for a prophet, Joseph Smith, Apostasy, Restoration, Book of Mormon, Prayer, Holy Ghost.

You ask them if they have any questions on what you have just shared and LOOK OUT. Make an appointment to come back and teach them, invite them to church, and close with prayer.

This is what we will be helping to teach in the MTC in Guatemala.

Monday Sept 27th we start our Temple training. Can't wait.


This is a picture of our District. From left to right, the Ladles (going to Capetown, South Africa), the Larsons (going to Freiburg, Germany Temple), the Parkers (going to Merida Mexico Temple), and US.