The time is drawing nigh...

We had a family get-together at the stake bowery Saturday night.  There were 97 there, including Jack and me!  What a great turnout of family!

Sunday, it was our turn to speak in Sacrament Meeting.  We were assigned the topic of charity.  Lots of friends and family showed up for too.

Today we met with President Skeen for our final Priesthood interview.  He will be out of town Sunday, so his counselor, President Beutler, will set us apart as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  And Monday morning...we're off to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah.  Whew!  The days are flying by!

MTC

We got an email from the Provo MTC a couple of days ago.  They had the following questions for us...

      1.       Will you need accommodations at the MTC, or do you have other arrangements?
      2.       Will you bring a car to the MTC?
      3.       Will you have a cell phone at the MTC?  What is your cell phone number?

Senior missions are sure a lot different than the young men/women's missions!  We have heard that the MTC is so crowded that a lot of the senior couples are being housed in area hotels!  Don't know yet where we will be.

They also told us that our day will begin at 8 AM and class the first week will end at 4:30, except for Friday, when we'll be done an hour earlier.  We will be studying from Preach My Gospel the whole first week.

We have the option of staying in Provo or coming home after the 1st week.  We are coming home.  :o)

The second week, we will train Monday through Thursday, and will be learning about our responsibilities in the mission office. When we're done, we'll drive home, pack up all our stuff and head back east.

We plan to stop for a night with Danny and Dalena and the kids along the way, and another stop in Knoxville, to see Ryan and Heather and their children.  After that - the next stop will be Columbia!  :o)

 

A Possible Assignment?

Sister Decker also told us that it has been their assignment to attend church services at Ft. Jackson...an Army Base located in the area.  She said they help with the baptisms every Sunday.  I was kind of surprised when she told us that there have been very few Sundays while they've been on their mission when there has not been a baptism!  She said this assignment has been the highlight of their mission.  They call it a "perk for all the hard work."

Since Jack is retired military (a lieutenant colonel in the Army National Guard), he was very interested to know that there are several military bases in and around Columbia.  We had already planned to take advantage of the commissary back there.  But to hear that we may also be assigned to attend church on base, really excites him - and me!  :o)

Our Housing

We talked with Sister Decker again yesterday.  We asked her about the apartment we'll be living in when we get back there.  We will be in a ground level, 2 bedroom apartment in the Paces Brook complex right in Columbia.  It looks pretty nice.  She says it is.

Hopefully, we can take advantage of this beautiful walking path around the lake.

Nice!  A treadmill and a stationary bike!  No excuses!  :o)