this is the Empty Sea (MTC)

Here we are, all ready for our boys to drive us to the MTC. We are so excited....we have been working towards this for such a long time. Five times we have taken our sons on this drive....now it is our turn.

I don't know where to begin to describe our experience here. I'll just say: the buildings, our 'apartment', the instructors, the teachers, the missionaries, the lessons, the organization, the food, the love, the spirit, the friendships, the knowledge, EVERYTHING, is more than I could have ever imagined. The week we shared here in the MTC will continue to inspire me through out my life.

The wonderful friends we made within our 'district' were really great. Each of these senior couples were eager and willing to serve the Lord with heart and soul. We taught each other the gospel in this setting inspired of the Lord. Each of us grew in so many ways. This has been such a spiritual week.

We worked with the Hatchs as ordnance workers in the Mesa Arizona Temple for the past year. They are such a wonderful couple. We were so happy to have shared some time with them during the days.

One of the events we enjoyed together while here for training was

the MTC Devotional meeting on Tuesday night. Over a thousand missionaries gathered to hear the word of the Lord. We were instructed in how we could not only preach the Gospel but help by following up and showing our continual love for the new members. I was nearly over come with emotion as the songs were sung by this amazing gathering.

I can't leave this blog without telling of one of the miracles we experienced there. Shortly after we got here on our first day, we were walking down a very crowded hall when a large group of young Elders intercepted us at a junction. We heard our names called out. As we turned, we saw Elder Alldredge, a young man from our Arizona ward. I spontaneously gave him a huge as he told us this was his last day at the MTC, that he would be leaving later that day. In the early evening as I looked out our apartment window, I saw a group of young missionaries loading into one of the buses preparing to drive off to the Salt Lake airport. I adjusted the view on my camera and there was Elder Alldredge standing next to the bus door. What was the miracle, you may ask, seeing him there among the more than 2,500 missionaries that swarm the halls all day long.

Did I mention that we LOVED the MTC!!??

THIS CHURCH IS TRUE, JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD