August 26, 2013
A few years ago, we had occasion to be sitting in the lobby of the Mission Training Center (MTC) in Provo, Utah. From where we sat, we could see down several steps to a long, wide hallway. As the hands of the clock moved to the noon hour, the doors of large classrooms along the hall opened. Doors in the hallways which opened off the main hallway opened. Four sets of double glass doors at the back of the hallway opened. Hundreds and hundreds of young men and young women poured into the hallway on their way to the cafeteria for lunch. They talked excitedly, laughed with each other, and hugged friends they happened to meet. As we listened to the sounds, waves of joy rolled down the hallway toward us. We thought to ourselves, “How could anyone not want to be in a place like this?”
Now we are missionaries. Along with forty-four other senior missionary couples, we walk the halls. We laugh and talk and greet friends. We don’t just observe the joy; we feel it.
When we arrived at the MTC, someone met us at the gate. Someone met us at the door to the lobby. Someone went with us to show us all the rooms where we were to check in. We felt cared for and loved.
Someone showed us to the chapel for our orientation meeting. There we all introduced ourselves.
Three couples in our group are assigned to serve in the Philippines; two in Germany; one in Hong Kong; one in Japan; two in Texas, others in Vermont, Illinois, Nevada, Florida, California, and many other places.
Almost four thousand young missionaries are in the MTC this week. This is a record number so far.
On Wednesday, 800 more young elders and sisters will come to the MTC. Next Monday 140 more senior missionary couples will come to the MTC. Someone will be assigned to meet and care for each of the new arrivals.
It feels as if the Lord is scattering missionaries across the face of the earth like a net to gather in His people.
We have been organized into districts of three couples. We are taught in large groups, in our small district groups, and as individual couples. Our teachers are young men and women who have already completed missionary experiences. Our teachers are all in their early twenties. We have listened to a number of teachers in our lives, but these are the most amazing teachers we can imagine.
We go to the cafeteria for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food is amazing. The thousands of beautiful young ladies and handsome young men are more amazing. Imagine a lunchroom with several thousand young people. Then imagine it as a joyful, pleasant place. We have never had more enjoyable meals.
At dinner on Tuesday, we saw a couple of small boys dressed in suits and ties, and several nicely dressed young girls. The senior missionaries looked at them with home-sick eyes. We later found out that they were the grandchildren of Elder Neil L Anderson, one of the apostles. He was the speaker at the Tuesday night missionary devotional held in the Marriott Center.
Our week in this marvelous place will end tomorrow. It has been an exciting and exhausting week. The senior missionary couples have pleasant room in the Marriott Hotel, but the intensity of our days has left us short on sleep.
After the one-thirty meeting today, our young teacher asked us a question.
Are you sleepy?
Yes. We all are.
I was in the back of the chapel and I thought that either a lot of you were either really engrossed in your scriptures, or that you were asleep.
She disappeared and returned to the class room with a bag of trail mix for us to chew on.
We have learned much, and realize that we have much more to learn. We have come to appreciate the concise but undeniably inspired words of the “Teach My Gospel” manual. Most of all, we are filled with gratitude and joy at the opportunity of being in this place and gratitude for the call to serve.
The waves of joy continue to roll down the hallways.