Our Two Weeks at the MTC

We had the best 2 weeks ever at the Provo Missionary Training Center! Everyone should have this experience, REALLY!! The first week was Preach My Gospel training with the best teachers and fellow missionaries that I could have ever hand-picked. I felt the Spirit so strongly that first week especially in the practice sessions with volunteer investigators. Other spiritual experiences were the Devotionals, the Fireside and the final testimony meeting we had for those of us who received language training. Here are the wonderful teachers that truly molded "missionary-me "
Sister Sarah Zitting Bro. Whitting

Our room at the MTC was so beautiful and the view was spectacular!  ... no not the parking lot!  ...The Provo Temple and the mountains!!  My Spanish teacher, Hermano Gustavo Barrios, was the best!  He was very thorough with his teaching of the Spanish language, and very kind with all my mistakes.  Sister King substituted two times and her sweet spirit brought me a feeling of self-esteem that I really needed.  The most fun part of our two weeks at the MTC was seeing all the beautiful young missionaries.  They were all so kind to us:  opening doors and teaching us how to do the laundry in the dark.  Two special missionaries that we looked up there were Elder Ewell and Sister Argueta.  We even sat with Elder Ewell and his companion at the Devotional the second week.  Others we saw were Elder Duerhing and Sister Jarvie.  Those pictures are on my cell phone and I can't figure out how to upload them.  The first week was Preach My Gospel with the most spiritual experiences I have ever had with the most wonderful fellow missionary couples (that will be explained more in my FRIENDS at the MTC post).  The second week was spent learning from the best of the CES teachers and then 2 days in Salt Lake learning about PEF and Yount.  The view from  the Joseph Smith Memorial building was spectacular!  The Church Office Building was where we learned about the Education Mission that we are very excited to share with our friends in the California ARCADIA mission... Well, that is what it started out as with 5 Spanish speaking stakes, but by the time we left and were home the money was reduced and only the Santa Ana South Stake will receive the blessings of the Yount Educational Fund. 

The Missionary Training Center

Sisters Forever! "I smile when I think that God made us sisters and I laugh when I know she can't do anything about it."
After spending some time with Jared and Joan we packed up on Halloween for the MTC, "dressed as missionaries" and ready for our great adventure.
Look at those heavy bags! But then we arrived and soon discovered our bags weren't so much. After all we had only packed for 2 weeks.
We are ready!
The world is a beautiful place, especially when it is Autumn in Utah, and WE are going to the MTC!

more pictures

Tiffany is also a great cook.
LaVerne brought the best salad!
Janice and Gary brought delicious strawberries and grapes.
Our talks at church went over time and we were the only speakers! I talked about Seeking the Face of the Lord and Jeff talked about the 8th Article of Faith.

Farewell Family and Friends

Family gatherings always include food.We have the best cooks who share their talents.

Celebrating with Family In Utah

Oooh! Those donuts are GOOD!
Vicki Givens, Linda Jill Bonella and Eileen Cloward
Wendy and Jon Casperson
Ray and Linda Jill Bonnella
Joan Zetterquist and Vicki Givens
Robert and Linda Westover
Jim and Nan Hancock came all the way from Idaho.
Our wonderful hosts: Bill and Lisa Wegener
Our surprise guests: Curt and Angie Cummings are our good friends who moved from Costa Mesa to Utah. They joined us for a walk down memory lane before their date night at the temple.
Bill and Lisa Wegener hosted a family gathering in their beautiful home for family and friends on Saturday 29 October 2011 at 2 pm. We all loved the delicious chocolate-iced chocolate donuts, grapes and cider! We had so much fun laughing and visiting. Thank you Bill and Lisa for the hospitality, and thanks to everyone for coming. I'm still smiling about our visit.

Pictures of those who joined our celebrations August 27 and October 23, 2011

We first celebrated with THE ENVELOPE on August 27th, and then we had another party (FAREWELL) after we talked in Church on Sunday 23 October 2011 (by then our mission call had been changed to the California Arcadia Mission:

Called to Serve: We Open our Envelope

Our desire to serve a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been realized.
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On August 27, 2011 Jeff opened the envelope and I called family who couldn't be with us: Jared, David and Joan... and our friend Rayma. The following family and friends arrived to share this special moment with us: Michael, Tyna, Brian, Jason and Jon; Tiffany, Matt and Porter; Chela, Jose, Cherish and Izzy; and Laura Collier.
The mission call was to Bogota, Columbia to serve with the Perpetual Education Fund.