Week One The adventure begins!!!!!!

Monday, May 30th 2011, we entered the MTC with 5 full size suitcases containing everything we need for the next two years (we hope), from clothing to vitamins. Our room, though comfortable is training us how to live in a confined space. After a wonderful weekend spent with John's family, Dick and Lucille brought us to the MTC in two vehicles-Holy Cow.

We checked in a 10 am and after lunch began orientation and classes. Our day begins at 5am walking our usual 2 miles and ends about 8 pm after our 2 hour language training class.

This week we have focused on learning how to teach and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are approximately 34 senior couples and 4 single sisters in our group which has been divided into 9 districts of 8 missionaries each. Below is a picture of our district with our young trainer Sister Street. Sister Street was a wonderful instructor.
Seating left to right: Carey and Bryon Barnard, Larry and Joyce Sprouse
Standing: Jean Stucki, Kolleen Taylor, Sister Street, Us

We have met two of the couples we will be working with in Europe. They are wonderful people.

From Left to Right: Dennis and Janet Broderick , they will be serving in the Cape Verde Islands; on our left are Karen and Brian Page, they will be serving in the Czech Republic.

We have had a marvelous week enjoying spiritual messages that have been given in our classes and meetings, and have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost. As we went to our first simulated teaching experience, we taught a lady who shared with us a significant spiritual experience in which it was confirmed to her that she is a daughter of God and that He loves her. She told us she has not shared this experience with others here at the MTC, but felt prompted to share it with us. So Our first teaching experience became a listening experience and a very special and sacred experience. She gave us her address and phone number and asked us to keep in contact with her during our mission.

On Friday evening we had a testimony meeting with 15 other couples who are learning a foreign language in which everyone had the opportunity to share their testimony in the language they were learning. Both John and I shared our testimonies in German. This was my first time to share my testimony in German. I was really scared but with the help of the spirit it went well.
For John, the language just flowed, he only had to think about the concepts he wanted to express.

We surely have had our own testimonies strengthened. We know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are real, that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Book of Mormon is true.

Next week our training will center on welfare and humanitarian services.
We love you all, Oma and Opa