THE MISSIONARY TRAINING CENTER - PART II

During our second and third day at the MTC we gave lessons to volunteers from the community that pretended to be someone interested in learning about our religion. We gave these discussions in our apartment and the investigators came to us. We were especially touched by one of our investigators. He pretended to be Episcopalian and had concerns about being baptized again. He also wondered about his grandmother that had passed on without a knowledge of the Gospel but was a good woman. He played his role well which was helpful for our practice and we felt the Spirit during the lesson. At the end of the lesson he was excited to learn we were going to Palmyra on our mission. He then told us that he and his wife had been called to serve a mission in Russia but before they could leave his wife became ill. They were then assigned to be service missionaries at the MTC. They both used to come as pretend investigators – he brought her in a wheelchair to the meetings. We were amazed to learn that his wife passed away only 11 days before he met with us, yet he still came as a volunteer. What an example of faith and strength he was!

On Thursday we started the day with some instruction by a returned missionary couple, the Burns. They had served two missions, one on the Ivory Coast and one in Minnesota, both times as office missionaries. However, they had such a desire to serve that they went out proselyting in the evenings after working in the office all day. They prayed for strength to be able to do the work and were blessed with the strength. They taught over 200 lessons in 6 months and had over 18 converts, all from member do not contact lists.

During our last class of the day one sister expressed her concern about being able to do the work. As a result of her concern our trainer showed us a short video of a talk given at the MTC by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. In this talk Elder Holland shared a poem he learned from his wife. It was originally written in French but the English version goes something like this:


"Come to the edge."
"If I come to the edge I will fall."
"Come to the edge."
"If I come to the edge I will fall."
"COME TO THE EDGE."
"I came to the edge and you pushed me."
"Then I flew."

Elder Holland was trying to help us understand that we need to stretch ourselves, to come to the edge to find real success as missionaries. We hope to use the next 18 months to the very best of our capacities.

The end of the training at the MTC for many of our group was Friday so we took a group picture and said goodbye to many of our MTC friends. The sister in the front row, far right, is going on her 3rd mission in 11 years. She has many health problems, such as very serious arthritis and diabetes, but she continues to serve faithfully. She is going to Nauvoo. She said she was called to go to Poland, but her health wouldn't permit her to leave the country. The two sisters just behind her are high school friends and have been serving on Temple Square for 4 years together. They got permission to go on a mission together and be companions for the entire time. They are going to Independence, MS. So many great people with so much faith!