Sunday morning when we awoke, we thought we were back in Ghana. The power was out in most of the city surrounding the MTC. There was emergency lighting in the hallway only. Church was to begin at 8:30 am so we decided to shower and dress. The bathroom was a dark hole; I imagine it is what the blind must experience every day. We didn't look our best without blow dryers and curling irons but what could we do? The entire campus was dark and no emergency lighting in the walkways. There is a branch just for the seniors but our meeting room had no lights or windows so they combined us with a young branch in another building. I like hearing from the young missionaries anyway. This was an international branch so those missionaries came from all over the world to learn English.
The power came back around 11:00 am and the buildings slowly started to warm up again. After the block we had a mission conference for the entire MTC. We heard from MTC District President Gordon Smith (former senator from Oregon) and his wife. MTC presidency counselor George Rahlf (born in Townsend, Montana) and his wife. MTC President Martino was talking; he stopped and said he was impressed to divert from his remarks and teach the missionaries what happens when a prophet dies. It was a very good teaching moment.
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| President Thomas S Monson passed away January 3, 2018 |
President Monson's funeral will be broadcast at the MTC on Friday morning. We feel badly that we will be on an airplane and miss watching it.
The Sunday evening devotional was given by Kenneth Cope. It was a lovely, spiritual hour with him singing some of his own compositions and his arrangement of some of the hymns. He also talked a little between the music and bore a strong testimony.
Early Monday morning the MTC van took us to the Front Runner station to catch the train to Salt Lake City. We arrived around 8:00 am and were taken to Welfare Square for a tour and some training. We ate lunch (a wonderful break from MTC food) at the Joseph Smith building and met several directors of the Church welfare department. They conducted the afternoon training. We were put back on the train and arrived home around 6:00 pm. We went to dinner at Outback with the Whiteheads (another nice break from the cafeteria).
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| One of our favorite sculptures on the MTC campus |
Tuesday it rained most of the day. We were in training all day for our humanitarian assignment. There are six other couples in class with us. Here are the countries we will serve in: Bosnia, Middle East (Iraq), Vietnam, Albania, Ghana, Vanuatu, and Senegal. We learned today that the Elder going to Albania taught the missionary lessons to the Elder going to Ghana. It was in Ohio and they had not seen each other for nearly 40 years. They have had quite a tender reunion this week.
Tuesday morning the MTC President and his wife sat by us at breakfast. While chatting, I had mentioned how much we enjoyed the Sunday devotional. Sister Martino said if we liked that one, Tuesday evening would be 100% better. So we kind of figured it would be a general authority but we were treated to more than one. Elder and Sister Bednar; Elder and Sister Joseph Sitati, Elder and Sister Gifford Nielsen, Elder and Sister Brent H Nielson, Elder and Sister Claudio R M Costa, Elder and Sister Weatherford Clayton, Elder and Sister K Brett Nattress and Elder and Sister Gregory A Schwitzer. The meeting was an all-MTC broadcast for the 15 MTC locations. Only the Bednars spoke so not sure why all the others were there but it was a wonderful meeting. Elder Bednar said that President Monson had received a transfer to a new field of labor.
Sister Bednar gave a good talk - I'll try to recap. She spoke about when they were in Rexburg and Elder Bednar was BYU-I President. It was common to have a general authority visit campus and they were often in Bednar's home. They decided that they would ask each one of them a question when they visited: if they (the visiting authority) could teach their (Bednar) children just one thing, what would it be? She told us several of the responses, then applied it to the missionaries. Boyd K Packer: come to know who you are; Elder Hales: return with honor; President Nelson: pray with gratitude; Richard G Scott: let someone else have the credit. Elder Scott had been with Elder Perry and they were walking across campus. Someone had stopped Elder Perry to talk so Elder Scott stepped a few feet away. While he was waiting, some excited students approached Elder Scott, pointed to Elder Perry and asked if he was a member of the quorum of the twelve. Elder Scott said, "Yes, he is. Be sure you shake his hand and tell him you love him."
Elder Bednar gave one of the best talks I have heard. He took considerable time teaching us about the apostolic interregnum (word I honestly don't recall hearing before - I had to look it up). I think I knew how the succession of the prophet works but have never been taught with such clarity. He took us step by step, starting in the sacred grove up to what will happen in the Salt Lake Temple Thursday morning when the remaining 13 apostles meet. He said there would be only one item of business - whether they should organize the first presidency now or wait. Each will offer an opinion, starting with the youngest in seniority. If it is unanimous, the second in seniority will be the voice as they set the new prophet apart. At that point it is done; President Nelson is the prophet and will select his counselors.
He said people have questioned President Nelson because he is 93. He said if he were a betting man, he would give all he had to see anyone keep up with President Nelson, including the buffest 18-year old missionary in the MTC. He said President Nelson would have him worn out by lunchtime! He also said there was a question about the 1,000 new mission calls issued last week. Do they send them out with President Monson's name? Or hold them until a new prophet is set apart? The letters went out on Quorum of Twelve stationery under the signature of the presiding authority - President Nelson.
I am writing this Wednesday evening while we wait for a wheelchair specialist to come talk to us about a possible project in Bosnia. This is our last night at the MTC. We will finish classes at noon Thursday, then head to Salt Lake for hair and dental appointments. We fly out Friday morning and the fun begins. We are excited to see what awaits us in the Adriatic north Mission!
Tuesday morning the MTC President and his wife sat by us at breakfast. While chatting, I had mentioned how much we enjoyed the Sunday devotional. Sister Martino said if we liked that one, Tuesday evening would be 100% better. So we kind of figured it would be a general authority but we were treated to more than one. Elder and Sister Bednar; Elder and Sister Joseph Sitati, Elder and Sister Gifford Nielsen, Elder and Sister Brent H Nielson, Elder and Sister Claudio R M Costa, Elder and Sister Weatherford Clayton, Elder and Sister K Brett Nattress and Elder and Sister Gregory A Schwitzer. The meeting was an all-MTC broadcast for the 15 MTC locations. Only the Bednars spoke so not sure why all the others were there but it was a wonderful meeting. Elder Bednar said that President Monson had received a transfer to a new field of labor.
Sister Bednar gave a good talk - I'll try to recap. She spoke about when they were in Rexburg and Elder Bednar was BYU-I President. It was common to have a general authority visit campus and they were often in Bednar's home. They decided that they would ask each one of them a question when they visited: if they (the visiting authority) could teach their (Bednar) children just one thing, what would it be? She told us several of the responses, then applied it to the missionaries. Boyd K Packer: come to know who you are; Elder Hales: return with honor; President Nelson: pray with gratitude; Richard G Scott: let someone else have the credit. Elder Scott had been with Elder Perry and they were walking across campus. Someone had stopped Elder Perry to talk so Elder Scott stepped a few feet away. While he was waiting, some excited students approached Elder Scott, pointed to Elder Perry and asked if he was a member of the quorum of the twelve. Elder Scott said, "Yes, he is. Be sure you shake his hand and tell him you love him."
Elder Bednar gave one of the best talks I have heard. He took considerable time teaching us about the apostolic interregnum (word I honestly don't recall hearing before - I had to look it up). I think I knew how the succession of the prophet works but have never been taught with such clarity. He took us step by step, starting in the sacred grove up to what will happen in the Salt Lake Temple Thursday morning when the remaining 13 apostles meet. He said there would be only one item of business - whether they should organize the first presidency now or wait. Each will offer an opinion, starting with the youngest in seniority. If it is unanimous, the second in seniority will be the voice as they set the new prophet apart. At that point it is done; President Nelson is the prophet and will select his counselors.
He said people have questioned President Nelson because he is 93. He said if he were a betting man, he would give all he had to see anyone keep up with President Nelson, including the buffest 18-year old missionary in the MTC. He said President Nelson would have him worn out by lunchtime! He also said there was a question about the 1,000 new mission calls issued last week. Do they send them out with President Monson's name? Or hold them until a new prophet is set apart? The letters went out on Quorum of Twelve stationery under the signature of the presiding authority - President Nelson.
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| Elder David A Bednar spoke at the MTC devotional January 9, 2018 |
I am writing this Wednesday evening while we wait for a wheelchair specialist to come talk to us about a possible project in Bosnia. This is our last night at the MTC. We will finish classes at noon Thursday, then head to Salt Lake for hair and dental appointments. We fly out Friday morning and the fun begins. We are excited to see what awaits us in the Adriatic north Mission!
Godspeed😘
ReplyDeleteI was very inspired reading this. I will admit to a little eye leakage.
ReplyDelete