SMTC

We checked into the Senior Missionary Training Center (SMTC) Monday at 10:30, received our name badges, paid for our meals for 2 weeks and showed the nurse our immunization records.  We then met Brother & Sister Thomas, the directors over our group of 49 missionaries.

Brother & Sister Thomas

There were 23 couples and 3 sisters going all over the world: Columbia, Norway, Utah, Florida, Argentina, Mexico, Illinois, Missouri, Guatamala, New York, Europe, Croatia, England, Chili, Texas, Phillipines, France and South Africa. We met so many wonderful people!  Tuesday we were instructed by two young returned missionaries, Brother Heddington and Brother Bateman.  We learned so much from them and had tons of opportunities to roll play!  We were so nervous but after many times teaching, we realized that we learned the most from roll playing. Even though we weren't really teaching investigators, the Spirit was so strong, especially when we bore our testimonies of Jesus Christ and the Atonement.

Brother Heddington & Brother Bateman

Tuesday night we attended a Devotional with Elder L. Tom Perry, who spoke on missionary work and stressed that fear is not of God.  There were about 2500 in attendance including an 800-voice choir.  It was magnificent!  The speaker for tonight's Devotional was Mary Ellen Edmunds.  Starting Monday we begin Office Training.  There are only 3 couples staying for this training and it will last through Thursday.  We'll spend the night with my mother and begin our road trip.  Indiana, here we come!

The famous world map at the MTC