Sunday at the MTC

This has been a beautiful day at the MTC.  It started with Sacrament meeting at 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. - wouldn't that be wonderful to always have Sacrament meeting at 7:30 a.m.?  Then we went to the cafeteria for breakfast where they keep it simple for the workers who have to be here to feed everyone.  It consisted of cold cereal, muffins and fruit - which was perfect!  They even used paper bowls and cups and plastic spoons.  We have appreciated the 4000 workers that it takes to keep the MTC running!

Then we went to the Music and the Spoken Word broadcast with all of the missionaries in building 19M.  Then the sisters stayed in that building for Relief Society and the men went to Priesthood.  Young Elders conducted the meeting and Elder Ruse said it was incredible.  He said that the Church is in wonderful hands with these young people.  Sister Edgington from the Relief Society Board spoke in Relief Society and it was wonderful. The music was incredible.  They ask the young missionaries - sisters and elders - if they have musical talents that they can try out for all these times when they need musical numbers and they have all been amazing and very spiritual.  We sang a song in Relief Society that was to the music of "As Sisters in Zion" - but the words were changed for missionary work and it was inspirational!  We also sang another song tonight where the words were changed.  My guess is that they have received permission from those who wrote the songs to change the words, but they have to keep them in the MTC.

At 11:30 we went to lunch where they served steak and shrimp - which was such a highlight for all of the missionaries.  They did post a sign that stated - please do not ask for more steak or shrimp - we have plenty of vegetables, rolls and fruit, but only enough meat for the missionaries.  After lunch it was rest time until dinner at 5:00.  At dinner, it was again simple - with salads and some kind of sandwich and desserts that have been left over from yesterday.  Before dinner, Elder Ruse and I went for a walk around the Provo Temple and there were hundreds of missionaries walking around and having district meetings on the Temple grounds.  It was so beautiful!  I told Elder Ruse that everything looks more beautiful - do you think we are looking at everything through different eyes?  Here is a picture of us on the Temple grounds:

Then we went back across the street for dinner and they had to stop people from going into the cafeteria because they had too many missionaries in the cafeteria.  Here is a picture of them in the hallway waiting to go in.  However, Elder Ruse and I were allowed in - because they always let the seniors in without waiting.  We have never seen so many in the cafeteria at one time!

After dinner we went to a departing devotional for all those who will be leaving this week.  They were at the west MTC, and we were in a large chapel and then they had to open up another room.  They gave instructions for traveling and then they had everyone stand when President Nally would say their country or state.  They were going all over the world - with a very large number going to California!  Look out California!

After that devotional, we went back to 19M for the Sunday night devotional.  It was Brother Ron Tanner and his wife Kathy.  Brother Tanner is a producer of many Church films - such as 17 miracles and Ephraims Rescue.  He talked about how that all came about, bore testimony of the work it took to do the film and the spiritual events that happened and then showed 4 segments of the film that were great.  We were glad that we saw the film this summer.  If you get a chance to see it do - when it comes out buy it!  All of his movies were based on real stories.  His cousin is TC Christensen and together they made the films.