On Our Way to Kirtland

The MTC Experience

The Missionary Training Center is a wonderful place to be and so well organized. The moment we arrived we were greeted by people to help us at every turn. We felt like  VIP’s being doted over. Everyone at the MTC is either staff or on their way to a mission somewhere in the world. The focus of bring people to Christ keeps you on a spiritual high for the time you are there. They feed you well – if you don’t watch it you’ll gain about a pound per day! The added blessing at the MTC is hearing lectures from general authorities like Elder Bednar and Elder Arnold. Something good like this is going on all the time.

We often broke into small groups to do role plays. We were trained in how to use our iPads to access media and create play lists and videos of talks or music for lessons and presentations.

Part of the training was at Temple Square receiving instruction on visitor centers and taking tours with sister missionaries – observing how they interact with visitors. Statistics show what people remember most about their visits to visitor centers are the sister missionaries, and we can see why.

The MTC is the best preparation for a send-off to the mission field you can have.

On the Road to Kirtland

With our car packed with everything we would need for an 18 month stay, we hit the road at 7:00 a.m. with the objective of reaching Denver that day to meet up with Ron and Cynthia Knoebel (Kay’s cousin) where we spent the night on our first leg of the trip. They graciously took us to a fine restaurant for dinner and then we had an evening playing games.

Driving the lonely stretches of Wyoming, counting antelope and wind generators, we finally made it to Laramie where I had made a promise to see the barber shop of my former students, Sam and Andrew Martin and crew. They have done a credible job with their shop and dress the part of gentlemen barbers. My reward in teaching barbering is in seeing my students doing quality work, running successful barber shops and having their dreams come true. Martin & Co. Barbers is one of the shops on the list I can be proud of.

Day two of our drive to Kirtland was across Kansas with a goal of reaching Kansas City. Let me tell you, driving across Kansas in early Spring, before the corn is up, is like experiencing a prairie without vegetation. Nothing but flat lands with wind generators dotting the horizon as far as the eye can see. Dorothy and Toto can lay claim to the whole state as far as I am concerned. They need a tornado every now and then just to keep life interesting.

Kay did about half of the driving so I could practice calling her Sister Larsen and catch a little sleep. Anyway, we made it to Kansas city and her nephew’s (Eric and Jennie Livingston’s) home before nightfall, and guess what? Kansas City has trees!

Day three was our shortest leg of the trip (only about 4 hours of driving) to reach Kay’s brother’s home (Clyde and Marjean Livingston) in St. Louis. They drove us around to see the flooding they were going through in St. Louis. That much water can be a formidable foe for any community. We had a nice dinner and played Scrabble and Yatzee. (This is like having P-day every day). We did ware our missionary badges every day of the trip. We also received a call from Elder and Sister Thompson, who will be our trainers when we arrive in Kirtland.

Day four, our last and longest leg, took us across Missouri, Illinois to Kirtland, Ohio (about 10 hours). We had dry weather almost all the way, but wouldn’t you know it, the last hour before reaching Kirtland we drove in rain. We were met at our destination by Elder Thompson who showed us to our apartment we will be calling home (a cute little, over 100-year-old, two bedroom duplex about 100 yards from the visitor’s center). At least we have indoor plumbing and manual dish washers (Milt & Kay). No garbage disposal. (It’s hard to believe how dependent one gets on conveniences). Home sweet home! We finally made it and are ready for a long nights rest.