MTC

 Hunter (7) wanted just one more game of Battleship, and Tanner (6) gave us his lucky marble, and Bekah (4) did a stunning pirouette for us, and then we left for the airport (compliments of Jana's taxi service) and flew to Salt Lake City, then shuttled to the MTC in Provo and were assigned to cozy room in the senior missionary hall. 
 
The MTC experience is a spiritual ramp.  There are about 50 other senior missionary couples and we share classes, swap stories, and get to know one another a little better each day. 

We were assigned districts the first day and our district has three other couples, with whom we've shared most of our learning experiences.  We dress up in suits and beginning at 8 a.m. we're grilled, taught, corrected and challenged in gospel teaching, which is both humbling and elevating. 



Our District:  Us, the Pettingill's, the Hansen's and the Leavitt's (seated).
The Pettingill's are going to Nicaragua, the Hansen's are going to West Virginia,
and the Leavitt's are going to Florida. 



Meals are a wondrous sight.  In addition to us seniors there are about 4,000 single missionaries, average age of about 20, who are fed gourmet meals three times a day.  It's nothing short of a dance to get from one end of the 2-acre-size cafeteria to the other. 

The young elders and sisters go out of their ways to serve us seniors -- hold doors, give cuts in line, carry our trays, etc.  The laundry may be an exception to that.  We had to do a load today and getting into the laundry we maneuvered down stairs where missionaries were studying with books, marking pens, tablets, 3-ring binders and scriptures spread across every step.  Once inside the laundry we found that most washers and dryers were in use.  We managed our way down the washer/dryer aisle amidst lots of legs sprawled out where young missionaries were studying with their backs braced against machines.  No one even looked up.  Missionaries must teach in new languages from their second week at the MTC and are in classes from 8 a.m. through 9 p.m. every day except on their preparation day, where they have a few hours to wash clothes and do personal chores.  Even during that precious little time they study.  We carefully stepped through their legs so as not to disturb their studies. 

The Christmas lights came on today on the MTC grounds.  It's certainly a magical place to be and we are very, very happy.

Our love to each of you.

Richard and Linda; Papa and Nan.



Daughter Tammi's family: Husband Allen, Nicholas (19), Erin (16) holding dog Molly, and Jara Lynne (12)





Daughter Jana's Family: Husband JJ, Hunter (7), Tanner (6) and Bekah (4)



Calling!

NOTE:  In case you don't want to wade through the rest of this right now, just understand that we're sending Christmas cards via Blog this year and would love to get emails instead of cards from our loved ones at laternlater@gmail.com . 

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After a couple weeks of sitting on our mailbox we received our mission call at 6 pm on Saturday, October 25, 2010. 


OK, I'm gonna look...

It's Here!



We finally get to know.  Drum Roll...

Hunter reading our calling

Relieved and Excited Family

"You have been called to serve in the Alaska Anchorage mission," it said.  Richard was ecstatic immediately.  I had to go through my usual deer-in-the-headlights adjustment.  I tried to understand my own reaction and could only explain it this way:  Imagine fighting for the first spot at the guillotine and then having someone give you a free pass.  It takes a minute or two.  Or a day or two if you're slow. 

Reminiscences: We love Alaska.  Richard went there last summer to fish with his friend Steve Hunt.  They each brought home 125 pounds of halibut.  My parents and grandparents both homesteaded in Alaska and I've had a thousand memories rush through my mind over the past two weeks.  I celebrated my first birthday there and met Richard in Anchorage when he came up to work after serving his first mission in Australia.  We had children there and lots of amazing friends.  For us it's like going home.  Home to where my parents worked hard to influence the building of the church in the Chugiak/Eagle River area.  We held the first home Sunday School in Chugiak in the front yard of my uncle's house and I only recall three things:  I wore my best dress, Brother Johnson from Anchorage blessed the sacrament, and my aunt was late for church.  Dad commented that he didn't know how she could be late for church when it was at her house.     

Our letter from President Monson says that we will be reporting to the MTC on November 29 and in Anchorage December 4.  We have no clue where (within the 850,000 square miles) we will serve, which will be a future blogspot.  The mission also includes parts of Canada:  Yukon and Northwest territories.  Wherever it is I have excellent examples of courage and faith to draw from in doing my best to serve those hardy, independent and wonderful people. 

We will go to southern Utah to see Tammi, Allen, Nic, Erin and Jara Lynne on the 18th so expect pictures from that sweet family in the near future.  They are happy and supportive and expressed relief that we're going to Alaska.  Nic will be 19 on the 19th of November.  He's a rugby dude at SUU.  Erin is in her junior year and Jara is in junior high.  They're all three communication guru's so we hope to be able to stay close to them.   

We found a family to live in our home and sold our truck to a police officer who is letting us use it until we get personal things moved to a storage unit.  Only one interested buyer for our Cadillac, who hasn't called back.  We've made room for it in our storage unit.

Jana brought us some news on October 25 -- the day after our mission call:

It's a "Wahoo!" and a "Oh no!"  We missed Bekah's birth and want very much to meet this important person on his/her first debut.  We plan to be as close as possible, depending on our mission president.

Our subdivision entry at Autumn.  



Bekah playing with her shadow



JJ is shooting the photo.