The Adventure Begins

 It's been a big weekend. Friday night we were given an open house by Kirsten and Carl Henderson, and Earle and Valerie Anderson. A bunch of ward members came out to wish us well, and we had a wonderful time. 


    Next night we had dinner at the Andersons' with our dinner group, followed by our ward's White Elephant Gift Exchange, which as always, was a hoot. I wound up with a porcelain statue of a Chinese man with a long ponytail. My gift was a Torta Nera (black pie), an Italian chocolate pie and a gift certificate. A little history is in order here. Most years at this event I have donated a special dinner certificate entitling the bearer to a nice meal at our house. Thing is, Clay Jackson (shown here with bride Nancy)

always seemed to wind up with it. What can I say; Clay and Nancy like my cooking. So with this year's certificate, something needed to be done. It read: This certificate entitles the bearer to a dinner for six at Ruth's Chris Steak House. Dinner to be hosted, and paid for, by Clay Jackson." As the comedians say after a good show, it totally killed.

    Sunday morning, 8:30 a.m. We were set apart as missionaries by our stake president, Todd Johnson. Then we spoke in Sacrament meeting, and it went well. What I mean when I say it "went well," is that our eldest daughter Anna (in attendance with all of her sisters) passed approval, saying it was "a good talk." High praise, indeed. Grandson Connor wasn't in a jolly mood 😁.

    Son John took us to the airport with all of our luggage (two large suitcases each, plus carryons) shoehorned into a Honda Insight sedan. Blessings on Leesa's cousin Karalie Murray, who waited up for us after all the delays we had finding our rental car shuttle, wrangling all that baggage, and waiting behind three other customers at the counter for the single on-duty agent, to take care of all of us.

   


    Monday Morning, 27 February, the Provo MTC (Missionary Training Center)! The MTC graciously had a bunch of younger missionaries there to greet us and help us with our multitudes of baggage and got us into a room. 
    An interesting thing happened as we were checking in. They had an envelope for us which someone had donated to the MTC to give to any missionaries going to Switzerland.


    Since we are the only missionaries going to Switzerland in the entire complex, we received CHf 85.50 (Swiss Francs), which exchanges to about $91.00. 
    
    It's just terrific to be in a big complex with a huge group of young Elders and Sisters. So much energy and enthusiasm! We are getting trained by several younger folks in the Preach My Gospel manual, and I gotta tell you, it's a far cry from the curriculum we had when we were in the old LTM (Language Training Mission) in 1976. These people are so much more effective in their love for others and desire to bring the Savior into the lives of others than I ever was (Leesa was a lot better at it than I was then, but then again, she still is).

We'll see what happens next!















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