Missionary Training Center (MTC) Week

Hello kids,

I was hoping to send you all a note before now. Guess I didn't realize how busy it would be here this week! We have been sleeping great. I don't know if it is because the bed is so comfortable or we are just exhausted! Probably a little of both. Either way going to bed on time isn't going to be a problem if this place is any indication of what the next 18 months will be like:)

It has been a great week. Monday after several stations of orientation we were sent to the book store to order extra name badges then to the General Services for security badges, and on to the travel department to confirm travel plans for home on Saturday.

We've discovered the chocolate milk. It is as good as many of you have warned! Yesterday the BYU Creamery was here with lots of ice cream and toppings. There were a lot of happy elders- the young and the old.

This is an amazing place. The spirit is in abundant and these young return missionaries do a fantastic job teaching. Our District is 4 couples. We have two different teachers each day. A Brother Bellingham in the morning and a Sister Brown in the afternoon. Many of these senior couples are from Gilbert, Arizona or will be going there to serve. That was kind of interesting. There are about three or four couples going over seas on medical missions. And this is the second and third missions for several couples. I almost feel like the 'granddaughter' because most of these couples are older than me and dad.

The role play we do daily has been very helpful, even though you think it is going to be really hard it has been very interesting and insightful. Tomorrow morning we will do it again. We play the role of the investigator and then switch to play the role of the missionaries.

It has been a great week and we have learned a lot. Last night a small group of us were able watch a private MTC video with Elder Bednar talking about some things that happened when he was stake president to us. He was talking about the 'Character of Christ'. The group was really amazed when we told them we personally knew Elder Bednar and the family he was talking about. That word got around pretty fast :). We tried to get a copy of that talk but found out any talk given at the MTC stays at the MTC. Apparently these particular clips and videos are not to be found outside the MTC.
But it was an amazing talk and he is very clear when he teaches, as you all know.

We have been told to check the mailroom often to see if we have any thing from our mission presidents. On Tuesday there was a beautiful red rose (from dad) for my birthday! He wanted me to have it a few days before since I couldn't take it home. That was really a big surprise. He is very good at doing little things like that. How he thought of that with everything else we have been doing is pretty awesome.

Some friends we met at the MTC. This is Brother and Sister Patrick from Canada. They are headed to Alaska! 

Well thank you kids for all your support and love. We are happy to be here. Sad to not see you as often as we would like. But you can rest assured I think of you and pray for you everyday. Don't let the babies grow up too much.

We leave the MTC at 4:30am Saturday morning and should arrive back in Arkansas about 2:30pm. Sure glad church doesn't start at 9:00 right now. We need some rest somewhere. All of our classes start at 8:00am. So sleeping in has not been an option.

Take care, know we love you and can't wait to see you.
Love, Mom

Rifka greeted us like this when we got home from the MTC