sMTC = MTC for Senior Missionaries

Monday, March 25 - Sunday, March 31  

We reported to the MTC on Monday, March 25th.  We walked into this well-known lobby, having brought Mike and Doug here for their missions so long ago.  David and Steve also walked these halls, but they flew out on their own as we weren't allowed to come by then.

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In the lobby is a reproduction of the Scottish stone carving made famous by David O McKay’s mission experience.  What my kids may not know, is that the couplet, “Where ere thou art, act well thine part,” was a favorite of my convert Swedish grandmother, Anna Elizabeth Holmquist Graff, and she wrote those words in the Book of Mormon she gave me when I was baptized by my dad in the font in the Salt Lake Tabernacle.

It took three tries before we could get an in-focus obligatory photo at the MTC map pointing to our mission field.

After checking in at the front desk in (1 M), we were given a packet and sent off to 2 M to visit the MTC bookstore to get our name tags and a gift bag of goodies, like a missionary day planner and our 3^rd and 4^th copies of the white handbook, which has essential 1 ½ pages which apply to senior missionaries.  We also had our immunization records checked and they decided we needed 3 more shots each,  just in case we go visit our humanitarian couple in the Cape Verde Islands (the Thompsons,[see below] who trained with us): thyphoid, diphtheria, and meningococcal meningitis vaccines.  We are now ready for the apocalypse!  

We also visited my friend (who was generously hosting us in her house these two weeks!), Claire Crowley Field, in the alterations room, where she and the rest of the volunteer crew do something like 400! alterations a month on sister missionaries’ clothing.  We really need to get the word out that skirts MUST cover the knee when sitting, tops should not be skin-tight or revealing, and lace and organza skirts often don’t even survive the first week at the MTC, let alone 18 months of bike riding!!!

Next, we used our passes to go out the north gate of the MTC to the chapel which is serving as the SENIOR MTC under the able direction of Brother and Sister Thomas.  The offices are set up in the foyer, the cultural hall doubled as both the TRC and the lunchroom, and tables, chairs and audio-visual systems were set up in classrooms for training.  ALL of that was set up and taken down EVERY DAY so that the local ward could still have YM/YW and Relief Society in the evening.

Our first full week was spent in “Preach My Gospel” training, just like every other missionary receives.  Our trainers were awesome.  They were able to be spiritual, challenging and encouraging at the same time. 

Our full group of about 50 Senior missionaries was divided up into districts of 8.  Ours included (from left to right) : E/S (that is the shorthand for ‘Elder and Sister’) Parker [going to the Siddell Louisiana Bishops’ Storehouse as employment specialists, E/S Stay, E/S Savoldi [district leaders; going  to Italy as records preservation specialists], Sister Minnick [going to California as a mission nurse], and Sister Shumway [going to be an office missionary in Tulsa Oklahoma where her brother is mission president].  We learned a lot from each other, especially how to love strangers quickly through the Spirit.


These are Elder and Sister Savoldi, the senior seniors of our district.  This will be their FOURTH mission.

Speaking of brothers who are Mission Presidents, here is a very proud Elder Stay pointing to the photo of his younger brother Laurence (Larry) Stay and his wife, Joyce Cutler Stay, who are serving as the president of the Guatemala Mission.  Randy’s sister Linda Stay Danielson and her husband Darrell were also serving their last week in Guatemala, in the mission presidency, during the first week of our mission.  Grandpa Jesse and Grandma Helen must have been thrilled (two Stay sisters have already served some awesome senior missions, Judith Stay Moore as mission medical doctor in South America and Sharon Stay Brown and her husband Keith as Chile Area Welfare Specialists).

On Sunday we went to our first Devotional with all the young missionaries.  We met in the southern most building of the MTC, the Lorenzo Snow bldg.  We passed Parley’s building on the way there.  It was wonderful to be back with all our old OHIO friends!

As we entered the building, an elder who was ushering looked familiar.  I looked at his tag: Elder NORD!  Turns out he is my cousin Laurie Thomas Nord’s son from Vancouver and he looks just like her!  What are the odds that I would see him out of 3000.  But there are no coincidences at the MTC.

The meeting opened 15 minutes early with a hymnsing led by Brother Leggett.  AMAZING to sing Called to Serve with 3000 other missionaries.  Brother Leggett also conducted the 1000 voice MTC choir, now with at least 500 women’s voices blending with the men’s.  They expect 5000 missionaries in May and 7000 by July!

Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge of the 70 encouraged us to go about doing good, as Christ had.  He encouraged us to read 3 Nephi 5:13, Matt 7:28,  Matt 13:54,  Matt 22:33,  Mar 1:22,  Mar 5:42,  Mar 6:2, Mar 7:37, Mar 10:24,  Mar 10:26,  Mar 11:18, Luk 2:47,  Luk 4:32,  Luk 5:9,  Luk 8:56, Act 9:6,  Act 10:45, Act 12:16,  Act 13:12, Alma 10:12, 11:46, 12:19 and 14:6.  Teach His doctrine.  It is the most important thing.

And this is how beautiful Timp was all week.  For the strength of the hills we bless Thee, our God, our fathers' and mothers' God.