Nothing like a Sunday in the MTC

I'm a few days late in posting this...

What a blessing to be here at the MTC on a Sunday.  At first, when I looked at the schedule they gave us, I thought I’d never survive that many meetings but really it has been a spiritual feast. 

This evening we were able to hear an amazing presentation by Witness Music called The Lamb of God.  It’s an Easter oratorio by Rob Gardner, who is a returned missionary from France.  Let me just say that it was the most inspirational piece of music I have heard for a long time.  When it was over I was speechless.  The performers were spectacular.  I really can’t explain in words how it all made me feel.  The oratorio was about some of those who associated with Christ during the last week of his life; Mary his mother, Martha whose brother Lazarus was raised from the dead, Peter who denied the Savior and doubting Thomas.  Each solo was so moving and made me think more about how I relate to the Savior and what I want my relationship to be. 

As we have met together as senior couples I truly feel like a baby among all of these seasoned members.  Not only age wise but in experience.  There are couples who have served multiple missions, some who have been mission presidents, they have 10-20 more years of experience than I do and have had successful professional lives.  There are five single sisters that are serving as well.  They are brave, faithful women.  But as I have had the chance to meet these senior missionaries, hear their stories and testimonies there is one characteristic that stands out to me and that is humility.  Regardless of the lifetime of experience they have, they are anxious to learn more and to serve in any way they are asked.  Most are going into situations they feel extremely inadequate for.  Some are going to countries like Mexico, China or Hungary and don’t know more than a couple phrases of the language and they don’t receive the language training like the young missionaries do.  Some are going to work in a mission office and don’t know the first thing about technology, spreadsheets or even the Gospel Library app.  Others are going to missions where they have no idea what they will even be asked to do, like India and Australia.  Regardless of their circumstances, these couples have such great faith, humility and willingness to serve.  It is humbling for me to even be with them.

Here are all of the senior missionaries who arrived with us on April 2nd.

Gaston, Schow, Hansen, Cohen, Taylor, Fuller, Rol, Calder,
Childress, Traher, Clyde, Chen, Chin, Tenney

Jones, Roberts, Hendricksen, Brooks, Pinette, Crump, Wilson,
Garrett, Wright, Ranger, Cook, Edgar, Wilson, Zauner

Schwartz, Sansom, Poulson, Thompson, Dare, Royal, ?, ?, ?,
 Bjarnson, Johnson, Porter, Leavitt, Munns