We arrived on a Monday afternoon, the last of the sixty plus seniors that were entering the MTC on that day. It didn't take long for us to become acquainted since everyone knew our names because we were the "late couple". Perhaps they thought we might not show up! Shortly after we arrived, we divided ourselves into three groups so that those in charge could take photos of this fresh batch of senior missionaries.
We ended up sitting next to the two couples with whom we had an immediate connection!.
At the orientation, we took our seats next to a couple in one of the last rows and quickly discovered a fun connection. Elder and Sister Bonny are from Idaho, but had immigrated from Switzerland about 20 years ago. Our son Seth had served in the Swiss Geneva Switzerland and that was, in fact, where Elder Bonny was the stake president (and later regional representative) at the time. Seth had eaten in their home (as all missionaries in the area had) many times!
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| Elder and Sister Bonney. Sister Bonny is originally from England, where he met her while serving his mission. Elder Bonny's great grandmother joined the Church in Switzerland in 1868! The Bonnys are headed to Paris to work with the Young Single Adults and will be living in the ward that we lived in for the first six months of the year. We were "assigned" to work together as couples for the first week, to get to know one another for two days and then to practice teaching one another. It was pure joy! Lucky Bonnys! Lucky Paris ward! Lucky YSA!
The day before we entered the MTC, our son-in-law Billy Edwards, mentioned that his high school football coach, who had been a big influence in his life, and his wife were entering the MTC on the same day. It wasn't long before we met Elder and Sister Dupaix, who are headed to Ithaca, NY where they will serve in the Institute at Cornell. We bonded immediately and appreciated their sense of humor!
 Elder and Sister Dupaix were one of four couples who made up our group. We took daily classes together and worked hard to master the material. 
Elder and Sister McVea were going to be the office couple in Baton rouge, LA.
  It takes patience to teach us "seniors", who love to get off track and have lots of questions.  Brother Echo Hawk served his mission in Brazil and is now studying at BYU, hoping to be an attorney as is his well-known grandfather.  Our afternoon instructors: Sister Beutler who served her mission in Puerto Rico and Brother Ashton who served in Ukraine. There were many highlights in the MTC - devotionals, firesides, classes, role-playing, films, etc. I can't say that the cafeteria food was one of them, but one day we walked in the cafeteria and it was as if there were a "choir of angels".   In one of our CES classes, the instructor asked each couple for the number of grandchildren and great grandchildren they had. We looked about average. 
This was a class in which everyone was attentive! This was the first of two classes on technology, filled with those of us with silver hair or less hair. As soon as some instruction went up on the screen, all of the phones or ipads shot up and we snapped photos so we could remember what we were being taught. All of the young missionary teachers fanned out and tried to help us individually and it was so reassuring to realize there were others who struggled as George and I do. They were so PATIENT! We spent time learning how to navigate the Church website, tagging scriptures, and creating notebooks. All good stuff!!!
During the evenings and on the week-end, we were able to visit with our oldest grandchild, Claire Owens, who is a freshman at BYU. One evening we happened to see a well-known spot in Provo.  Wow, did this ever make me "homesick" for Malawi, not because there was good pizza on our mission (not!) but just to see the design and art.    Another day we visited with George's Aunt Beth, above, who is 98 and sharp as can be! We were also able to visit in Alpine with a close friend of my mother's, Laverl Barrett, who is 97. They were so inspiring! At the end of the ten days, we flew to Atlanta to spend Christmas with (our daughter) Leah and Ryan and their four children. We have been joined by (daughter) Catherine and Mike from New Jersey and their three little boys and (daughter)Sarah and Tomicah from northern Virginia and their five young ones. It seems strange to go to the MTC for ten days and then fly to have a Christmas holiday with family. A vacation already? But the Church did not want us to fly to South Africa until after the Christmas week.  Here are some of us at the park, shooting off rockets, on the day after Christmas. Notice the boots, hats, and layers for the sunny but cold weather. Five more days and we will be in South Africa, where it is summer! -and in the 80s in Port Elizabeth! |
