MTC

We went to the new Provo City Center Temple before we checked in at the MTC.

Glen suffered a little pang to his heart as he drove by the BYU stadium and realized he would not be going to any games there for the next 3 years.

We were impressed as we were greeted upon our entry to the MTC by people who were calling us by name before we ever received our missionary name tags. I was so happy to learn the brethren wanted us all to wear them high and right since I cannot wear a magnetized name tag over my pacemaker.

We received both English and Spanish name tags.

At dinner our first night, we met our area assistant Carl B. Cook. His wife Lynette (Hansen) and I went to Ogden High School together and I always competed against her for the highest grades in the classes we had together. It was so fun to see her expression when she recognized me. We decided it would be great fun if her husband ever has an assignment to come to our area and she promised to come with him.

We met Doug and Stephanie Gwilliam on our trip to the Holy Land. He and our tripping buddy Steven Morgan were in the same mission together. Doug has been one of the counselors in the California Carlsbad mission presidency and had to be released to serve as a new mission president. Shucks!! It would have been great for him and Glen to work together. Oh well. Glen is keeping his eyes and ears open to see who might be good to call as his counselors. The other counselor is working in the temple and really shouldn't have two callings.

These wonderful people are President and Sister Salerno (Argentina Comodoro Rivadavia Mission) where my nephew Preston (Andy and Amanda's son) will be serving.

The Badgers (Iowa Des Moines Mission) are good friends with Bill and Jan Evans.

Sister Nelson was the MTC employee who accompanied us to the classroom where our missionaries were waiting to meet us. We learned she is from Preston, Idaho, and knows my Uncle Lyle and Aunt Carol Henderson very well. He is the person who gave her her patriarchal blessing.

In the mornings we met all together with all the other mission presidents and wives and general authorities. In the afternoon we were split into our respective groups of 7 so we could be instructed by Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy, who is over our area.

Elder Kopischke's wife came over to hug me and tell me she liked my polka dots.

The Dunns are in our stake and he is head of church security.

Glen's MTC Spanish tutor, Gabriel Canozo, was an usher. He had wonderful news to share with us that he is now engaged to the girl we met when we went on a double date with them. Good for him! We really like her! 

We had lunch with these people--the McCuistions (Wayne Scholle's friend); Shaun and Christina Myers (who live in Nani's ward and also know my parents); and Elder and Sister Bragg. 

The dining room was always decorated so lovely before we all descended upon it.

Peter Vidmar, from Carlsbad who is an Olympic gold medal gymnast (Australia Melbourne) introduced Glen to this lovely lady, Juliette, who is the daughter of Kathleen Wardle--who is going to be our caterer for our upcoming dinner with the 6 stake presidents, the temple president and our area representative.

Look at this yummy food I was served. I got the special carrot cake dessert because I have food issues. Love the BYU plate decoration.

The Hilliers from Parker Colorado are good friends with our friends Jeff and Rebecca Billat. Sister Hillier's very good friend's son has a year left in our mission.

Every missionary gets a picture of themselves by the big map wall pointing to their appointed mission.

I found my long, lost cousin Jacque Lee (going to Florida Jacksonville Mission). We didn't know we were cousins until my Aunt Lucille told me to look for her. Her grandmother Magdalene and my grandmother Zaetell are sisters.

The MTC took such great care of all who have food issues. I raved over the gluten free/dairy free carrot cake they served the night before and one of the chefs came out to show me the mix they use so I can make my own. So sweet!!!

The Pattisons (going to Canada Edmonton Mission) are from Halifax and know David and Mary Excell (Jeff's parents) who are serving their mission there.

We had lunch with Sister Reeves (counselor in the R.S. General Presidency) and her husband. They were mission president and wife of the California Riverside Mission when Ben's friend Chase Elwood was serving there.

This is our group of new missionaries we were able to spend an hour with teaching them some things and then getting to know them a little bit. They were due to arrive in our mission 5 days after us.

The Thompsons (South Africa Durban Mission) had been trying to find us all week so they could tell us how wonderful their daughter-in-law thinks our sister missionaries are where she and her husband live in one area of our mission. That was music to our ears!

This certainly made it a reality when we saw our faces up on the official Mission Presidents board in the main hall of the MTC. Our photo is a few rows down from the middle of the sign.

 California Carlsbad Mission here we come!!!!