Life at the MTC

 We have been at the MTC (Missionary Training Center) for a week and a half now. It is interesting. When we talk to those who are members of the same church, they are surprised that we will be serving for only a year. When we talk to those who are not members of our church they cannot believe that we are going on a mission for a whole year!

We have been called to serve in the Alabama, Birmingham mission. It is really the only mission in Alabama. We are, of course, unsure of what awaits us there. We will be supporting the branch, the mission and the young missionaries. We will likely be serving in the community as well. 

It has been suggested that we could teach classes at a community center, at a library or at the chapel. Today, we learned some fun resources and activities on the Family History page that the church has made available. We actually did a few of those exercises in our class this morning, and this afternoon as well. As family history averse as I have always been, I was surprised that I enjoyed the experiences, and can see how others would as well.

Overall, our experiences here have been quite remarkable. We have met amazing people. We have felt amazing things. But the air here is, as Elder Holland has said, "rarified". Those that we meet outside these walls will likely have questions for which we do not have the answers. I trust that God knows who they are, what their questions and fears are, and we will be led to help them in ways that will, eventually, give them what they truly seek, if they are open to the answers. I need to remember that we are on God's errand, and that the answers will ultimately come from Him.

There is more to come, and there will, no doubt, be interesting twists and turns. 

The adventure continues.