We thoroughly enjoyed our two weeks at the Provo MTC. The first week was dedicated to teaching us from/by PREACH MY GOSPEL. We [me, especially] feel more informed and qualified as to what to teach and how to teach, should we be given opportunities to do so. [We know that we will be assigned to attend a ward or branch other than the one that meets at the Hyde Park Chapel, where the office is. Hopefully we can be helpful in supporting a new branch get started.] It was a bit "intensive, all done within the 4 days after our checkin Monday. Very uplifting, of course. This past Monday we started our office training. First we got a review of Microsoft Office, esp. WORD and Excel. They used the 2007 version, and we both liked it, so we purchased "home" or "student" copies for both Mac and PC. Then we had 3 days of training on MOS / iMOS. This was fun, although by the end of Thursday we were wondering if our brains could hold any more! iMOS stands for Internet Mission Office System. We can login to it from home. Don and I received separate training -- he got finances, housing, and vehicles. I got transfers, baptisms, referrals, the newsletters, and general correspondance. Don will have to have access to a car, plus he'll be going to district and possible zone meetings. I am the mission secretary, so will "hold down the fort" during the hours that the mission office needs to be open. We are also "support" for the missionaries, and perhaps a good source for COOKIES!
Transfer days might be opportune days to bring treats for the missionaries. I guess I may also be called on to teach them to cook AND how to clean/keep house! [After some shared "horror stories" re wrecked apartments, I'm glad I taught our kids how to clean and cook!]
Don put together a list of all the names and home towns of our MTC group couples, and added their email addresses and their mission destinations. I took photos of each couple & then added them to Don's list. We were able to email these "picture pages" to each, making it quite easy for everyone to get a copy of the set of four pages. Then we can keep in touch with each other. Our group split last Friday when some left for their mission destinations. Others went for additional training specific to their calls, and about 6 couples went with us for office training. We had some patient, personable and well-versed-in-computers young teachers. We enjoyed them and appreciated their patience with us. At first we were given an overview of Microsoft Office 2007. We'd been using Office 2003, and like the new 2007 so much we went and bought "home" or "student" copies for both Mac and PC. Then we received an overview/review of EXCEL and WORD. It was easy for Don and I, plus it helps to have done some work on PAF beforehand, and just to be comfortable with the computer. Two couples had their calls changed so they won't use the office training, at least right away, but they took it anyway.
For the rest of the week we studied MOS / iMOS -- Internet Mission Office System. We had some joint training and then separate training sessions in different rooms for whichever responsibilities we are assigned [see above]. It was fun, and the week went by fast. We enjoyed our group very much, and each added an element that made the training fun and interesting. We had couples going to various missions in the U.S., to Guatamala and Scotland and the Phillipines and Germany and Ghana and South Africa, as well as us to England. One couple were on their fourth mission! We have such respect for each of these wonderful people! And our single sister is going to work at Church Headquarters in the . . . Missionary Department! One couple is going to Nauvoo Visitors' Center and another to Temple Square. What amazing experiences we all will have! How grateful we are that the Lord has such faith in us!
On Friday our son Rob, his wife Rachel, and their three children [Tanner, McKenna, Emma] took us to Mimi's for a farewell breakfast. It was lots of fun, and I love those "hugs and loves for Nana!" Rachel is so close to having their new baby -- we will miss the big event, and so we'll be eagerly awaiting a telephone call soonest! Jason called yesterday and we had a good, long, fun talk. He said he remembers the treats we sent him when he was on his mission to Paris, and he plans on sending us a goodie box in return. Debbie is coming tomorrow morning to take us to the airport. Sadly, we cannot get her four children [Cam, Linz, Jake, Maddie] in the car with us and ALL our luggage! [We have 8 bags between us: 2 carryons each + 4 larger suitcases that we will check! It's not easy to leave home!] I wanted to see them again and have them come with us to the airport! We will SKYPE them and Jeff & Evelyn and Julianne & Seth tonight.
Tomorrow we fly from Salt Lake to Chicago on American Airlines. We have a 2-hour layover and then transfer to British Airways for a "red-eye" overnight flight to Heathrow, arriving Tuesday morning about 9 a.m. President Patch and probably his two AP's will meet us [and other incoming missionaries?]. Evidently there is a LOT of traffic and it could take hours for us to reach downtown London and our Best Western Cromwell Hotel. We are looking forward to talking with President Patch, to see how we can begin getting acquainted at the office with what needs to be done, and his preferences, and also plan time to find us a flat and do whatever else we need to -- register for council tax [residents' fees pay for the "free" health care system this way], open a bank account, sign up for free bus and tube passes, and purchase whatever furnishing aren't covered in this nebulous "fully furnished" tag that comes with so many flat adertizements.
Our goal is to find a flat that is equa-distant between the office and the grocery store. Whether we can find one we can afford in downtown London is another issue! We'd like to be able to walk to and from the office and get some exercise that way -- good for us in may ways, especially since we will spend a lot of days sitting at the computer. We also want to familiarize ourselves with the bus system, which in London is quite good. We are told there are all the things we'd want to be close to -- barbers and beauty salons, "chemists" [pharmacies], corner grocery stores, dry cleaners, book stores, restaurants, malls, theaters, wonderful museums [free!] and spectacular parks [St. James, Hyde Park], etc.. Buckingham Palace is only about 1/2 mile away from the office. It is open to the public only August and September each year, so we will try to see it on our P-Day. Already we are being welcomed into the couples' group, with an outing to see "Hello, Dolly" after a picnic in the park. Another 2 couples have invited us to dinner after our arrival and one of them has even found us a flat to check out in their building. We already feel welcomed and at home!
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