In honor of Kaylene entering the MTC this week ( Wednesday, January 14) share your memories of entering the MTC or share memories of dropping a family member off at the MTC. Also, this is a chance for you to offer her any last words of advice.
My only memories of the MTC are of the commercials they play, the dork dot, and everyonne crying. That is really all I can remember. Well, Kaylene, you will have to tell me all about it. I am extremely excited for you and it is major cool points at BYU to have a sister going on a mission.
The MTC was an interesting experience, its good to have the family with you for that little but in the chapel, but it also feels good to let them go there as well. But somehow mom always finds a way to get one more look at you before the day is over, mine happened when our path crossed as they were mom and dad caught a glance at me as i followed the winding trial to who know where as i followed the other dork dots. I had a good experience at the MTC, must be because i only had to be there 3 weeks while everyone else had to be in one for longer. I do remember getting great letters thee and also getting some candy right before heading out. Darren and Christian send my a half eaten toblomerone which was very good, i didn't finish it anyway. After i was done with it i added it to a collection of candy for other missionaries as i was heading out the next morning. I think i gained my mission weight at the MTC and in the next couple weeks of my mission. all those meals and classes didn't do well for need to play, but at least i gained some much needed weight.
I don't have memories of sending my brothers off to the Missionary Training Center. They left in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Those were pre Provo MTC days and we weren’t able to go as a family to see them off. But I have many poignant memories of walking out that door labeled "Families" after saying goodbye to my missionary children. It is always hard, and always wonderful.
Christian was the first to leave. That was probably the hardest. It is an act of faith to send a child on a mission. You know it is the right thing to do and that they are where they should be, but it is so hard to let them go. Dad and I cried all the way back to Denver. We had launched our first missionary and two weeks later we would be launching our second. It was a hard recovery.
When we took Megan to the MTC I hadn’t quite accepted leaving Christian. Upon arrival in Provo, I asked Harold to circle the MTC just in case we might catch a glimpse of our Elder Jones. I really needed to see Christian. I took some ribbing over this but it was a big deal. Then the agony of saying goodbye to Megan. Again the happy/sad feeling. At least we were familiar with the drill: Drop off luggage, pick up your name tag at the door, get your dork dot, and head to the big room where you watch heartwarming TV adds made by the Church. There is a peaceful yet anxious feeling in the room. The movie shorts bring a great spirit but you know each minute brings you closer to that hard goodbye. Sing a hymn, hear a few words of welcome and instruction then you part. Soon we found ourselves walking down the long hall toward the outside door. The hallway seems dimly lit compared to the bright light ahead. Once outside, the light blinds you for a moment. We had only taken a few steps out when I noticed a handsome blonde missionary stopped a few feet in front of us. He was looking at us. He didn’t move. Then my eyes adjusted and I realized it was Christian. It was an achingly joyous moment. I still cry when I think of it.
When I saw Christian I really saw a missionary. He looked happy and confident. It was a sweet confirmation that he was where he was supposed to be and would be fine. That knowledge helped me adjust to leaving Megan, Darren, Preston, and now Kaylene.
On January 14, 2009 Kaylene became our fifth missionary to enter the MTC. She was excited and ready to go. Yes, we cried at the hard parting though I tried not to. Becca was grinning as we joined the line of families going down the long hall. I wondered why until I noticed Harold carrying Kaylene’s shot papers. Our new missionary wouldn’t get far without them. It didn’t take loge until Kaylene was chasing after us. The people behind smiled and accused us of planning the reunion. I stole another hug, then Kaylene rushed off to start her new life.
Today at church, people asked if I have recovered from the parting. “Yes,” I can honestly respond, “I have.” It’s not because I love Kaylene less, or that Christian was the favorite. It’s because I have a greater faith and a greater knowledge of what is ahead. Kaylene will grow in amazing ways as did Megan, and Christian, and Darren, and Preston . . . and our family will be blessed. There is great comfort in the knowledge.
5-19-1999 "I don't know what to expect yet. Saw Rich Kunz and he was excited. My companion is Elder Briggs. Everyone tells me the first 3 days are hard. Real hard. I am in Branch 11, what ever that means. It is like any new thing. I just don't feel at home yet, but I know I will eventually. I leave July 21st for California. I saw Jeremy and Nat Cooprider from my BYU 15th ward. Mom, Dad and Megan dropped me off at 1:00 P.M. after going through a session at the Mount Timpanogos Temple. It is about 10:30 so I have to get ready for bed."
I have a few more memories I will share about leaving for a mission. First, at the Temple before we went to the MTC I was having a mild panic attach (if that is possible). The Temple experience was still very new to me and I was having a hard time leaving on a mission without having a strong testimony of this new temple aspect of the church. How could I go teach the world that the church was true when I was a little confused about the temple? I remember saying a prayer at the Timpanogos Temple just hours before entering the MTC. After the prayer I remembered stories I had heard about dedications of earlier temples and I felt the spirit comfort me. That settled my nerves so I was able to enter the MTC with confidence. A few days latter I got a little freaked out again with uncertainties. That afternoon we had one of the big group meetings and the lesson was on Joseph Smith. I left the meeting energized, spiritualized and ready to serve my two year mission.
I had a great time in the MTC. My companion was Elder Hanson. We got along really well. He is the one that taught me how to twirl my pen around my thumb. My district was really great and we were all good friends. We had an equal split between Elders and Hermanas which was probably a good thing. Some specific things I remember are that we had the early dinner schedule. That was not good. I think dinner was at 4:30 or something way to early like that. I was starving by the time we got out of classes for the evening. Some care packages helped out with that. I remember that our Branch President taught a lot about faith. After one of his talks we all felt like we knew nothing about faith and how it works. It was actually a bit of a problem for me for a while. Then I remember walking back to our room the night before we were flying to Madrid. I got the primary song about faith in my head. "Faith is like a little seed, if planted it will grow. Faith is the feeling within my heart, when I do right I know." Somehow that song made it all okay. I wasn't worried anymore. I also had a great Mission President who challenged us to share a scripture about faith with our companions each day then talk about it. This was a great challenge and I highly recommend it. I also remember taking an elbow to the chin while playing basketball and getting some time out of the MTC to walk to the BYU health center for some stitches. My advice to Kaylene. Watch for flying elbows. This is another piece of advice that has served me well. I happened to marry the girl with the sharpest elbows on the planet.
I left for the MTC in July of 1974. My parents saw me off at the Blythe California airport and I flew with only the pilot on a plane to Provo to pick up some of the Mortensen cousins who were at EFY. My grandma picked me up and I stayed with her for a day and she took me to Salt Lake to the Mission Home. She droped me off and I found my room. I wasted a couple of hours until things got organized, fed us some lunch and got into groups. We spent a day in the Salt Lake temple and had a General Authority speak to us in one of the large rooms there. Very Memorable! We taught each other and testified of the truth and it was cool to feel what humble investigators would feel. We spent less than a week in SLC with all the missionaries going out that week as the English speaking Elders left for their destinations after about 4 to 5 days. At that time we transfered to the Language Training Mission in Provo. We started learning Portugues in Provo. I have many great experiences in the LTM. Great teachers, great examples and I had a great companion, Elder Richmond of Salt Lake City. He was a stud football player and was very buff but a bit shorter than I. We just had great times learning, studying and playing soccor.
Well, I was 10 the last time I went to the MTC to drop off my older brother. So it had been a while before we got to take Kaylene to the MTC. It was fun seeing Kaylene off. She seemed so ready! I was very proud of her.
I was so excited to send Christian off the MTC as it would be a good dry run for me. Once my turn came I was very ready to go. I do recall the moments after saying goodbye and I was in a long line to get shots. All the other missionaries had that shocked and lonely look on their faces so I did what I thought Dad would do and started talking to people and making them feel comfortable.
My companion was Hermana Middleton from California. My district was an Intermediate Spanish one, and my branch was a Spanish speaking one. We had to make a rule that if someone had to fart, they just stepped out of our tiny room so that we wouldn't all have to smell it. Some of my highlights from the MTC were: creating labyrinths out of the computer and monitor boxes that were stacked up in our building, playing sand volleyball with the latinos on the courts, teaching my companion how to roll her R's, throwing up all over the girls bathroom with my companion, then hosing it all down. (I had peas that day for lunch.)
I really got excited about reading and understanding the scriptures in Spanish. I enjoyed teaching and studying the scriptures. Attending the temple every week was also a choice experience. Laundry nights were always a blast.
Because Hma Middleton was being sent to Honduras, we were assigned to the wellfare program for the last month of our time in the MTC. It was really interesting training and I was able to use those principles with the people I worked with in Chile. It also gave us a break from the "immature" elders of our district. On one of my last days there, I was asked to be the Spanish translator for a fireside at the MTC. This was a really spiritual experience for me as I felt the influence of the Spirit as I was trying to fulfill a difficult assignment.
One last note: I do recall that our district learned that waiting seven minutes made the Orange creamcicles the perfect temperature for eating. Many creamcicles died to bring us this information.
My MTC memories are not to amazing. I just remember dropping off my brothers (4 of them). I remember the dots that my brothers wore on their shirts and that someone gave a talk (usually I was not paying attention), and I remember the sign that said parents this way and missionaries that way (or something like that). Anyway the sign at the end stood out to me the most because it was the last time you see your sibling for 2 years.
9 comments:
My only memories of the MTC are of the commercials they play, the dork dot, and everyonne crying. That is really all I can remember. Well, Kaylene, you will have to tell me all about it. I am extremely excited for you and it is major cool points at BYU to have a sister going on a mission.
The MTC was an interesting experience, its good to have the family with you for that little but in the chapel, but it also feels good to let them go there as well. But somehow mom always finds a way to get one more look at you before the day is over, mine happened when our path crossed as they were mom and dad caught a glance at me as i followed the winding trial to who know where as i followed the other dork dots. I had a good experience at the MTC, must be because i only had to be there 3 weeks while everyone else had to be in one for longer. I do remember getting great letters thee and also getting some candy right before heading out. Darren and Christian send my a half eaten toblomerone which was very good, i didn't finish it anyway. After i was done with it i added it to a collection of candy for other missionaries as i was heading out the next morning. I think i gained my mission weight at the MTC and in the next couple weeks of my mission. all those meals and classes didn't do well for need to play, but at least i gained some much needed weight.
I don't have memories of sending my brothers off to the Missionary Training Center. They left in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Those were pre Provo MTC days and we weren’t able to go as a family to see them off. But I have many poignant memories of walking out that door labeled "Families" after saying goodbye to my missionary children. It is always hard, and always wonderful.
Christian was the first to leave. That was probably the hardest. It is an act of faith to send a child on a mission. You know it is the right thing to do and that they are where they should be, but it is so hard to let them go. Dad and I cried all the way back to Denver. We had launched our first missionary and two weeks later we would be launching our second. It was a hard recovery.
When we took Megan to the MTC I hadn’t quite accepted leaving Christian. Upon arrival in Provo, I asked Harold to circle the MTC just in case we might catch a glimpse of our Elder Jones. I really needed to see Christian. I took some ribbing over this but it was a big deal. Then the agony of saying goodbye to Megan. Again the happy/sad feeling. At least we were familiar with the drill: Drop off luggage, pick up your name tag at the door, get your dork dot, and head to the big room where you watch heartwarming TV adds made by the Church. There is a peaceful yet anxious feeling in the room. The movie shorts bring a great spirit but you know each minute brings you closer to that hard goodbye. Sing a hymn, hear a few words of welcome and instruction then you part. Soon we found ourselves walking down the long hall toward the outside door. The hallway seems dimly lit compared to the bright light ahead. Once outside, the light blinds you for a moment. We had only taken a few steps out when I noticed a handsome blonde missionary stopped a few feet in front of us. He was looking at us. He didn’t move. Then my eyes adjusted and I realized it was Christian. It was an achingly joyous moment. I still cry when I think of it.
When I saw Christian I really saw a missionary. He looked happy and confident. It was a sweet confirmation that he was where he was supposed to be and would be fine. That knowledge helped me adjust to leaving Megan, Darren, Preston, and now Kaylene.
On January 14, 2009 Kaylene became our fifth missionary to enter the MTC. She was excited and ready to go. Yes, we cried at the hard parting though I tried not to. Becca was grinning as we joined the line of families going down the long hall. I wondered why until I noticed Harold carrying Kaylene’s shot papers. Our new missionary wouldn’t get far without them. It didn’t take loge until Kaylene was chasing after us. The people behind smiled and accused us of planning the reunion. I stole another hug, then Kaylene rushed off to start her new life.
Today at church, people asked if I have recovered from the parting. “Yes,” I can honestly respond, “I have.” It’s not because I love Kaylene less, or that Christian was the favorite. It’s because I have a greater faith and a greater knowledge of what is ahead. Kaylene will grow in amazing ways as did Megan, and Christian, and Darren, and Preston . . . and our family will be blessed. There is great comfort in the knowledge.
5-19-1999
"I don't know what to expect yet. Saw Rich Kunz and he was excited. My companion is Elder Briggs. Everyone tells me the first 3 days are hard. Real hard. I am in Branch 11, what ever that means. It is like any new thing. I just don't feel at home yet, but I know I will eventually. I leave July 21st for California. I saw Jeremy and Nat Cooprider from my BYU 15th ward. Mom, Dad and Megan dropped me off at 1:00 P.M. after going through a session at the Mount Timpanogos Temple. It is about 10:30 so I have to get ready for bed."
I have a few more memories I will share about leaving for a mission. First, at the Temple before we went to the MTC I was having a mild panic attach (if that is possible). The Temple experience was still very new to me and I was having a hard time leaving on a mission without having a strong testimony of this new temple aspect of the church. How could I go teach the world that the church was true when I was a little confused about the temple? I remember saying a prayer at the Timpanogos Temple just hours before entering the MTC. After the prayer I remembered stories I had heard about dedications of earlier temples and I felt the spirit comfort me. That settled my nerves so I was able to enter the MTC with confidence. A few days latter I got a little freaked out again with uncertainties. That afternoon we had one of the big group meetings and the lesson was on Joseph Smith. I left the meeting energized, spiritualized and ready to serve my two year mission.
I had a great time in the MTC. My companion was Elder Hanson. We got along really well. He is the one that taught me how to twirl my pen around my thumb. My district was really great and we were all good friends. We had an equal split between Elders and Hermanas which was probably a good thing.
Some specific things I remember are that we had the early dinner schedule. That was not good. I think dinner was at 4:30 or something way to early like that. I was starving by the time we got out of classes for the evening. Some care packages helped out with that.
I remember that our Branch President taught a lot about faith. After one of his talks we all felt like we knew nothing about faith and how it works. It was actually a bit of a problem for me for a while. Then I remember walking back to our room the night before we were flying to Madrid. I got the primary song about faith in my head. "Faith is like a little seed, if planted it will grow. Faith is the feeling within my heart, when I do right I know." Somehow that song made it all okay. I wasn't worried anymore. I also had a great Mission President who challenged us to share a scripture about faith with our companions each day then talk about it. This was a great challenge and I highly recommend it.
I also remember taking an elbow to the chin while playing basketball and getting some time out of the MTC to walk to the BYU health center for some stitches. My advice to Kaylene. Watch for flying elbows. This is another piece of advice that has served me well. I happened to marry the girl with the sharpest elbows on the planet.
I left for the MTC in July of 1974. My parents saw me off at the Blythe California airport and I flew with only the pilot on a plane to Provo to pick up some of the Mortensen cousins who were at EFY. My grandma picked me up and I stayed with her for a day and she took me to Salt Lake to the Mission Home. She droped me off and I found my room. I wasted a couple of hours until things got organized, fed us some lunch and got into groups. We spent a day in the Salt Lake temple and had a General Authority speak to us in one of the large rooms there. Very Memorable! We taught each other and testified of the truth and it was cool to feel what humble investigators would feel. We spent less than a week in SLC with all the missionaries going out that week as the English speaking Elders left for their destinations after about 4 to 5 days. At that time we transfered to the Language Training Mission in Provo. We started learning Portugues in Provo. I have many great experiences in the LTM. Great teachers, great examples and I had a great companion, Elder Richmond of Salt Lake City. He was a stud football player and was very buff but a bit shorter than I. We just had great times learning, studying and playing soccor.
Well, I was 10 the last time I went to the MTC to drop off my older brother. So it had been a while before we got to take Kaylene to the MTC. It was fun seeing Kaylene off. She seemed so ready! I was very proud of her.
I was so excited to send Christian off the MTC as it would be a good dry run for me. Once my turn came I was very ready to go. I do recall the moments after saying goodbye and I was in a long line to get shots. All the other missionaries had that shocked and lonely look on their faces so I did what I thought Dad would do and started talking to people and making them feel comfortable.
My companion was Hermana Middleton from California. My district was an Intermediate Spanish one, and my branch was a Spanish speaking one. We had to make a rule that if someone had to fart, they just stepped out of our tiny room so that we wouldn't all have to smell it. Some of my highlights from the MTC were: creating labyrinths out of the computer and monitor boxes that were stacked up in our building, playing sand volleyball with the latinos on the courts, teaching my companion how to roll her R's, throwing up all over the girls bathroom with my companion, then hosing it all down. (I had peas that day for lunch.)
I really got excited about reading and understanding the scriptures in Spanish. I enjoyed teaching and studying the scriptures. Attending the temple every week was also a choice experience. Laundry nights were always a blast.
Because Hma Middleton was being sent to Honduras, we were assigned to the wellfare program for the last month of our time in the MTC. It was really interesting training and I was able to use those principles with the people I worked with in Chile. It also gave us a break from the "immature" elders of our district. On one of my last days there, I was asked to be the Spanish translator for a fireside at the MTC. This was a really spiritual experience for me as I felt the influence of the Spirit as I was trying to fulfill a difficult assignment.
One last note: I do recall that our district learned that waiting seven minutes made the Orange creamcicles the perfect temperature for eating. Many creamcicles died to bring us this information.
My MTC memories are not to amazing. I just remember dropping off my brothers (4 of them). I remember the dots that my brothers wore on their shirts and that someone gave a talk (usually I was not paying attention), and I remember the sign that said parents this way and missionaries that way (or something like that). Anyway the sign at the end stood out to me the most because it was the last time you see your sibling for 2 years.
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