MTC Day 3

This day was the busiest and best so far! It began with a talk by President Uchtdorf, and you know what a wonderful speaker he is! He invited us to not underestimate our influence on the missionaries and gave an apostolic blessing that our personal affairs would be satisfactory and that our family and missionaries would be watched over and blessed.

Following Pres Uchtdorf was Elder Russell M. Nelson and he was awesome. He reminded us to take care of ourselves physically and to be an example of that to our missionaries. We must learn to live with stress (of course it will be there) and stress will be eased as we are fully yoked with the Lord and develop an eternal perspective. As he closed, he called us his sons and daughters as he bid us an emotional farewell. Remember when Captain Moroni referred to his stripling warriors as his sons? That's how it felt. We also looked at a couple of new mormon.org vignettes. Check this one out, it's really good!: http://mormon.org/people/ and select Tessa (maybe the fourth profile).

Today it was emphasized that our responsibility for our missionaries is a life-long responsibility. We are even encouraged to establish a Facebook Group through which we can keep track of important events in the lives of our returned missionaries. One speaker told us that President Monson regularly drives home via a far out-of-the-way popcorn store where he purchases popcorn from the store owner, one of his former missionaries. How long has he been home from his mission--maybe 50 years? Yet he is still involved in the life of one of his missionaries.

Elder David F. Evans who will be replacing Elder Richard Hinckley in August as the Executive Director of the Missionary Department (he was in my missionary group in the Japan Mission and I was once his zone leader while he was a district leader--attached is our picture with him and his wife, Mary) led much of the discussions today.

This afternoon Elder David A. Bednar spoke to all the missionaries and mission presidents in the weekly devotional. It was awesome as he discussed "Becoming a Preach My Gospel Missionary". For all you prospective missionaries (Drex, Braden, Crew, Alex, Noah, Tate, Lincoln, Cannon, Adam, Will, and Bennett), Elder Bednar outlined five steps:
1. Understand that we serve and represent Jesus Christ (3 Nephi 3:15)
2. Be worthy
3. Treasure up the words of eternal life, that is study and love the scriptures
4. Understand that the Holy Ghost is the ultimate teacher
5. Understand that teaching is much more that talking and telling, it comes through observing, listening and discerning.
He concluded with his testimony and an apostolic blessing upon the missionaries and mission presidents that we will have all we need to understand and fulfill our responsibilities. And then he said, "You can do it!" We loved the missionary choir that sang before Elder Bednar spoke and were reminded that Matt sang in that choir when he was in the MTC.

One tender moment that occurred just prior to the devotional beginning: Over half of the Quorum of the Twelve were on the stand with their wives. Elder Scott was the last to arrive on the stand and of course was alone. To me, he looked surprisingly old and feeble. As he walked toward his seat, he stumbled a bit, and Elder Holland reached out his hand to steady him and help him sit next to Elder Holland. Then Elder Holland leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. It was not something that many saw, but to me it was a tender expression of the love that these great brethren have for one another. Certainly that is the sort of love that the Father wants each of us to have for one another.


At dinner tonight we sat next to Elder Bennett. He and his wife will be going to Moscow, Russia in August where he will serve in the Area Presidency. He told me that as part of his training as a new General Authority, he attended a meeting of the 1st Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve at which the creation of the Moscow Russia Stake was approved. After looking briefly at the supporting paperwork, President Packer said that he thought they should forego any discussion and simply approve the recommendation. Then he gave Elder Russell M. Nelson the assignment to go to Russia to create the stake. It was Elder Nelson who had been given the assignment by President Ezra Taft Benson many years ago to somehow get the church into Russia (and this was when the Iron Curtain was still up and the Cold War was still strong!) Elder Nelson's son was among the first to serve in Russia as a missionary. So what a nice blessing for him to return and create the stake.

After dinner we met with the three missionaries in the MTC who will be going to Sendai. Elder Everett is half-Japanese and his mother's family who are not members of the church live in our mission. Elder Preston is from Alabama and lost 70 pounds so he could come on his mission. He is an a classical pianist. Elder Tilleman-Dick comes from a Jewish family who were converted due to Elder Holland's involvement many years ago. He is fluent in Spanish and Arabic. We love these missionaries already and have begun to receive promptings about where they should be assigned to serve.

Finally, at 9:00 p.m. we had a follow-up filmed interview with lds.org and lds magazine about how the Seminar has been instrumental in preparing us to serve. Needless to say, we were a bit tired by 9:00 p.m., but I think it is all in the life of a missionary! We are honored to serve. And every hour I am more grateful that Pam is my companion. She is a great blessing to me!

Love,
GR