MTC

The days before I went to the MTC were filled with packing, picking up last minute things, writing my farewell talk, practicing the piano, trying to memorize some scriptures in Spanish and I spent a lot of time at the practice football field watching Brant.  

On April 23,1996 I was set apart as a missionary.  I was told that the Lord was aware of my ability to overcome obstacles that block my progression.  I was told that I would bless my companions because of my righteous desires and be able to learn the language and think like a native Spanish speaker.  I was told that many would accept the gospel because of my words because I would be an instrument of the spirit.  When I got home, Mindy and Brant came to say goodbye.  Mindy was bawling her eyes out.  I held it together until Brant left, but my family comforted me and we watched Apollo 13 together.  I didn't sleep very well that night.  

The next morning I woke up at 8, did some laundry, straightened my room and typed Brant a letter.  I couldn't believe how calm and peaceful I felt.  Then we had breakfast, loaded up in the minivan, had lunch in Provo and then headed to the MTC.  We all went in and watched a movie about missionary work and then it was time to say goodbye.  Julie cried the most.  I gave everyone a hug and then I went out one door as they went out another.  After they left, I got my immunizations checked, got my room assignment and my luggage.  Some nice elders offered to take my luggage to my building, then I lugged them up to the 4th floor.  I unpacked, made my bed and read a letter that I had received from Elder Miner to open on my first night in the MTC.  

My roommate, Hermana Strang arrived after a while and then we headed over to meet the rest of our district.  We each shared why we were serving a mission and I was asked to give the closing prayer.  When we got back to the dorm we met the other sisters in our room and had a "branch brush," where we all got together and someone shared a spiritual thought while the rest of us brushed our teeth.  I was a little home sick the first night and cold, so I didn't sleep well at all.

The next day was full of meetings.  We met our branch president and had interviews and were commanded to write home to let our family know we were okay.  Our district started to get to know each other better and we started having a lot of fun.  We decided we would meet up as a district for meals.  The elders thought we (the sisters) were brilliant and said they worshipped the ground we walked on.  They treated us really well.  They would get our meal trays for us and then clean up our trays when we were done eating.  They would carry our bags and race to get the doors for us, so we never had to lift a finger.  Their mommas taught them well.  

I absolutely loved everything about the MTC.  You could feel the spirit so strong, all day, every day.  There was a peace and calm that felt amazing.  We were constantly learning and progressing and everyone was trying to be obedient.  It was a slice of heaven on earth.  

Every week we got to hear from different apostles and prophets.  President Monson, Elder Haight, Hales, Eyring, Maxwell, Scott, Packer, Wirthlin, Featherstone and Mickelson all spoke.  There was also a broadcast from President Hinckley.  

The MTC is made up of lines and classes.  We stand in lines to shower, we stand in line for breakfast then we go to class from 7:15-11:30 and then stand in line for lunch and then have class from 1:45-4:45 and then back to line for dinner and then to class from 6:00-9:30 then back to the dorm and stand in line to brush our teeth and then to bed at 10:30.  

On my first Sunday there, we had our first district meeting and I was called to be the coordinating sister in our branch.  Then we had Relief Society where Mary Ellen Edmunds spoke, she was funny and great.  At our morning meeting we were told the topic for sacrament meeting.  We never knew who was going to speak until we got to the meeting.  They would just pick some speakers, so we all had to prepare a talk every week.  That day we had a new sister class where we were taught how to act appropriately around the elders.  Hermana Strang and I both like to sing, so we joined the choir. 

Every P day, we started out with an hour of service and then went to the temple with our district.  On my first P day I wrote 23 letters.  Most of them were thank you cards but my hand really hurt.  On days when we had gym time, we would play sand volleyball as a district, I loved it!  For more exercise, I often jumped roped in the stairwell at our dorm.

During my stay at the MTC, there was also a conference for all the new mission presidents.  I was one of 45 chosen to be part of a choir that would sing for them every day.  I got to be in the presence of each member of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during that week.  My new mission president was also there.  His name is President Ontiveros.  I had the opportunity to meet him and he seemed wonderful!    

President Ontiveros and my travel group

My 2 months at the MTC were magical.  I had many special experiences that strengthened my testimony that Heavenly Father loves me and that Jesus Christ is my Savior.  You can read more about my experiences in my red mission journal.  

The elders in our district left the day before we left and it felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest.  I had grown to love each one of them as we had shared many personal experiences and a lot of spiritual growth together.  I was really going to miss them.  Each one of them wrote a special message in my journal.  

I was feeling down one day and my district 
wrote some nice messages on the board
to cheer me up.  They were always so sweet!

Before we left I was asked to be the travel leader for the missionaries going to Argentina with me.  I was a little nervous about that.  It was good to see my family at the airport.