A Family History Mission: The First Day in the MTC

No. 4

Our first day in the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, Utah started out with a light covering of snow and freezing temperatures. There was not enough snow to stick on the streets. It took us just over five minutes to travel down to the MTC and start the check-in process. Everything about the process was completely organized and there were missionaries to answer questions or give directions at every possible turning point. We were scheduled to arrive at 10:40 am and it was soon evident that there had been about a hundred senior missionaries arriving at staggered times during the morning. We were among the last to arrive. We were given a parking pass and a place to park during the time we serve at the MTC.

The overall impression is one of organization and order. As we get to know the other Senior Missionaries, we find that there is a common denominator: we are all old. Otherwise, they come from all over the United States and have varied backgrounds and experiences. There are quite a few Record Preservation Missionaries going to Ohio and other locations. One couple is on their way to Colombia (in South America).

Lunch in MTC is an experience. There is one common lunchroom and it is huge and full of young missionaries; hundreds of them all talking at the same time. The food is about average for a huge institutional organization, but we were speculating about the quantity consumed by all these teenagers and a little older missionaries.

Our instruction in the afternoon and evening was mainly about the Plan of Salvation and based on sections of Preach My Gospel. We will be in the MTC for two weeks. Now we are off to our second day.

This ongoing series of posts will report our mission with the tagline of "A Family History Mission."