April 14, 2014--Left Naples in plenty of time to get to the MTC at our appointed time between 10:20am and 10:40am, just getting there in the "nick of time". For our housing we were assigned the Marriott Courtyard, but were instructed to get signed in and get registered first. So, after parking we went off to get "first things first" done first. We received our packet with details of the week, received our name tags, paid for our meals, had our immunizations checked, etc. We even got to go to lunch, then went to the Stadium Ave. Chapel (This is where all of our training took place for the first week.) for our Welcome by the MTC Presidency and an overview of our training for the week. Then we were organized into Districts. We had two couples and two single sisters in our district. Elder & Sister Bradshaw, from Alpine, Utah will be serving in their own stake as Member Activation Missionaries; Elder & Sister Maynard, will be serving in Paris France as CES; Sister Nielson, from Medford, Oregon will be serving in Spain in the Mission office; Sister Tilley, will be serving at the Polynesian Center in Hawaii. Sadly, Sister Tilley was sick this week with a contagious virus so was only with us on Mon., Tues. and Wed. Hope she will get better soon and be able to go on her mission. After our division into districts we were excused for dinner, then personal time, get settled in at the hotel and read our assignments for the next day. Our week will be study, training and role playing, etc. in regard to Preach My Gospel. Assignments for next day: "What is My Purpose as a Missionary?" and "The Message of the Restoration". Our instructors were BYU students who were return missionaries; Rachel Holland from California, will be graduating next week and going back to California to work for Apple in the finance department and Eric Lystrup, from Las Vegas, California. They were excellent trainers.
April 15, 2014--Began our training with large group instructions, small group study, planning lessons, role playing, teaching, etc. This day was full of spiritual experiences. The end of the day was the MTC Devotional with Elder Anderson of the Council of the Twelve Apostles and his wife as speakers.
April 16, 2014--More being taught how to teach and share the Gospel. Love our instructors, they are great. During this training we are able to have one on one teaching experiences with investigators. Sort of a scary experience planning how to get acquainted and plan a lesson to teach them as you find out their needs. We had a special computer training this evening that we found out late in the day. It was a good reminder and we learned some good things we had not know. Great opportunity.
April 17, 2014--More classroom learning and teaching. Also how to help others receive revelation through the Book of Mormon and how to work with less-active members of the church. This also brought some more one on one teaching. We were to have some more computer training this evening on XL, but the instructor did not show up after 30 minutes so we left. The BYU students that are instructors are in the middle of finals so have much on their minds we know other than helping us.
Friday, April 18, 2014--We received instruction on working with Stake and Local leaders and also some experiences from a Senior couple who have served several missions, (Brother & Sister Tueller) with experiences that would help us fulfill and gain many opportunities while serving our missions. We closed this week with some Senior Elders and Sisters bearing their testimonies of how this week has been of benefit to them. It was a very special time to hear how they felt about this week and what we were given through the special instructors and the spirit we have felt. These Senior couples are from all over the United States and going to many places all over the world. There were 188 individual (including couples) attending in our large group. This is the end of a wonderful 5 days rubbing shoulders with so many elders & sisters taking their time and going to use many talents and to grow in the gospel as well as to share the gospel to whomever they can in the service of Heavenly Father. We are now looking forward to the coming week at the Church Office Building at the Family History Department for training in what we have been called to do at the State Archives in Olympia, Washington.
