Finished with the MTC, On to Illinois

 We finished our two weeks at the MTC and head out driving to Illinois next Monday. 

 

    The MTC was a great spiritual experience.  We really got to know and love the three other couples that were in our district.  We bonded over sharing spiritual experiences and life challenges that we all needed to overcome to commit to serving the Lord full time away from home. 

 

    During the second week we were taught in the afternoons by Sister Ott, a very recently returned missionary who served in Houston.  The young returned missionary teachers were all great.  They were very patient with us especially when teaching us the technology that we will need to use.  Sister Ott spent the last year of her mission contacting people through Facebook.  The success rate in teaching people went up many times compared with prior methods and we are being taught to continue using these tools.  I (Dave) went on Facebook for the first time in my life and I am beginning to get the concept; although I will still need a lot of help to make it work.  We also spent a lot of time with Family History apps that we can use in helping to teach people.

 

    We also had great devotionals on Tuesday nights.  The first week we listened to Elder Jaggi of the Seventy and his wife.  Their daughter was serving a mission in Florida during the pandemic. They told us how they taught a number of their daughter’s contacts in a weekly virtual Come Follow Me lesson over  Zoom from their home in Utah.  They showed videos of five of these contacts that participated in the lessons and had become converted.  I’m starting to think that these changes in technology may have a reason.

 

    The second Tuesday we listened to Bishop Budge, second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric and his wife.  Sister Budge talked about miracles and shared some of the miracles recorded by missionaries they served with in Japan.  Bishop Budge talked about not being too hard on ourselves as missionaries.  Even if we find ourselves slipping in effort, we can repent and change.

 

    The MTC campus is amazing.  The grounds and buildings are beautiful.  There is art work everywhere, some of which does not exist any where else.  Unfortunately, the only way to see the art is to go on a mission or get a job at the MTC.  The newest building on the campus is a six-story classroom building.  On each floor are two 20’ X 8’ murals depicting scenes from the scriptures.  Each is a combination of photographs and computer generated images.  They are back lit to make them amazing.  I have attached a file on these murals.  Deanne’s favorite mural is the one of Joseph Smith after the first vision.  David really loved the one of Alma the Younger.

 

We need your prayers as we head out to Illinois.  Pray for good weather across Wyoming and Nebraska.

 

Love, Dave and Deanne Curtis

MTC artwork- use this link to see the murals and learn more about them.