Well, week #1 is over and it has been one of the best experiences of our retired lives! We are in a fairly large group of senior missionaries – 77 seniors made up of couples and sisters, mostly couples. There are senior couples here who teach and direct all of the activities here for the seniors and they are wonderful - particularly Elder & Sister Wright. There are others but they have been called to direct the senior missionary instruction. Our days are scheduled and there has been no problem knowing where to go and what to do. I was assigned as a district leader for four couples. No real responsibility, just a contact person who then channels to Elder Wright or Elder Peterson, who is over the teaching. Most of the first day was just some housekeeping activities.
Day 2 was mostly classroom instruction both in small and large groups. We ended the day at the Tuesday Evening Fireside with M. Russell Ballard. The seniors are given special dispensation and are seated on the front rows!
Day 3 was classroom teaching. We were taught how to conduct a visit with someone learning the gospel. The emphasis was on learning to teach individuals NOT teach lessons – a good lesson for anyone to learn. We restarted our Indonesian language training with Sister Kayley Whittemore. She was our on-line instructor also and it was much better to be taught in person. It had been a while since we worked on the language so we were rusty, but she was patient and even simplified her teaching style because of direction she received from her bosses. HOWEVER, most of the class she only spoke Indonesian … and we didn’t do so badly!
Day 4 & 5 we were given an MTC car to travel to SLC to the Church Office Building for Perpetual Education Fund. The first thing we found out via our name sign on the table in front of us was that we are the Indonesian directors of PEF. We were taught about the prophetic origin of the PEF and also how to access and use the computer programs designed for PEF. We came away from this training knowing that we truly have living prophets directed by a loving Father in Heaven.
Saturday, we had one class on missionary health and safety, but then we had the rest of the day from about 11:30 AM on to do as we pleased. We were able to do our laundry and Joel & Bekah were kind enough to let us use their car so we did some shopping and spent some time with them and Logan toward the evening.
Sunday we went to Sacrament Meeting, Music & the Spoken Word (via broadcast) and rested in the afternoon. Tonight we went to a fireside presented by President & Sister Wilkins (he is a district President at the MTC). As with everything here the spirit was so strong and his counsel to the missionaries was inspired. We know that you can’t be experiencing what we are experiencing, but we hope and pray with the coming Stake and General Conferences you will strive to feel the spirit of those meetings.
Sunday we went to Sacrament Meeting, Music & the Spoken Word (via broadcast) and rested in the afternoon. Tonight we went to a fireside presented by President & Sister Wilkins (he is a district President at the MTC). As with everything here the spirit was so strong and his counsel to the missionaries was inspired. We know that you can’t be experiencing what we are experiencing, but we hope and pray with the coming Stake and General Conferences you will strive to feel the spirit of those meetings.
We love you all,
Elder & Sister Greenway
