MTC day 5 and 6

MTC Day 5

Friday we did more teaching experiences. This time we were paired with a couple from a different district. We each had a chance to represent an inactive couple and then switch and be the missionaries and they were the inactive couple. We spent 15 minutes to get to know them and problems they are having. Then we went back to prepare a lesson before meeting again and teaching for 30 minutes.  The teachers told us that it would be a special experience and that we would get inspiration to reach those who we know who are inactive, and they were right.  Everyone loved it and learned so much. It's amazing what we can do when we work by the spirit.  All of our lessons were on praying and working with the spirit. More lessons for that day were on how we can work with the Bishop's and Stake leaders to help in their wards. Missionaries need to be a blessing, not a burden for the wards they work with.

We ended Friday with a large meeting where we shared what we learned and felt during our week of training.  Some of my favorite things that were shared were: "It felt like a whole week in the temple", "Everyone here is so happy",  "We are going out to help others find what we already have", "The Gospel is simple, but can solve every problem".  We heard Elder Holland's talk and he said: " REAL LIFE is not what you are leaving and coming back too. Your mission is REAL LIFE."  We would all be better missionaries if we could all spend a week at the MTC!  About half of the couple's who trained with us finished today and are heading off into the mission field.  We will miss them!  We went to dinner and then had good visits with some of them.  That evening we took a walk around the Provo Temple.  Since this temple is so close to the MTC there are almost always missionaries taking walks there.

MTC Day 6

Saturday is our Preparation Day, so we could spend it any way we chose. It was suggested that we attend the Temple that day.  Jason and I wanted to see the Movie, "Ephraim's Rescue". We met my sister Kathy and Karen and went to it at noon in Pleasant Grove.  It was amazing. It was about the Martin Handcart company which our relatives were in when they came across the plains as Mormon pioneers.

It never ceases to amaze me how obedient the pioneers were to leave their country and many times family members, to follow the call of the leaders to join the Saints in Zion. It was a call to help "Built up the Kingdom". I think had I been alive then, I might have said that I was just fine where I was. But they didn't make excuses why they couldn't go. They just wanted to do what the Lord called them to do and they didn't complain. Even when they had hard times, they still called on the Lord and saw miracles happen.  I hope you all can see it.

Then we met our relatives Susan, Spencer and Jacob for lunch and had a fun visit. Then Jason and I enjoyed doing a session at the Mt. Timpanogos temple. While we were in the session, we could hear a terrible thunder storm. We came out to rain,  flooding, fallen trees. We found out that the BYU football game was delayed 2 hours, so we were able to see all the crowds walking back to the game as we made our way back to the MTC. We barely made it to dinner 5 minutes before they closed the cafeteria at 7:00 p.m.

One of the perks of being Senior Missionaries is that we can use electronics. So we came back to our building and found other couples in the lounge watching the Football game. Someone was able to get it on their laptop computer with their Comcast account.  So several of us had a fun evening watching BYU beat Texas 40-21.