Missionary Training Center Part 2
- Elder Denny Blodgett
- Jun 14
- 3 min read
We arrive in Ghana tomorrow after spending two amazing weeks in the Missionary Training Center. I wrote about the MTC somewhat in my Blog last week, but I wanted to finish it up this week…and add a few thoughts about what it was like. The first week we were taught by young returned missionaries from several of the chapters out of the manual “Preach My Gospel”. In one week, they taught us what the English-speaking missionaries learn in three weeks. It was a crash course that was very spiritually uplifting. Every member of the church should spend time reading “Preach My Gospel”, which is in the Church’s library app. Many of the teachings and concepts were written by the Apostles. We were given assignments to plan lessons… then to teach those lessons to assigned investigators ....and then to follow up the next day on invitations we may have given. We were also sent out to contact people we did not know and share a principle of the gospel. We were also encouraged to introduce ourselves to as many missionaries as we possibly could during the week and have conversations with them to get to know them. Everything was designed for us to come out of our comfort zone, learn to talk to total strangers, and to share something with someone who we did not know. We had many very nice experiences. The enthusiasm, excitement, and confidence of the young missionaries is very infectious. Jill and I are not afraid to talk to people, so it was easy for us, but thinking about it from a missionary standpoint put a different light on what we were doing. It was very enjoyable and again, very uplifting.
The second week was all about our individual assignments.... learning the software programs, how the church wants things done, and how to manage the affairs of the mission office. I'm over Finance and Jill will be the General Secretary. She will be doing about everything to keep the mission running smoothly. We are the only senior couple, other than the Mission president and his wife, so there will be a lot to do. One of our other responsibilities will be to help prepare breakfasts and luncheons for in-coming missionaries and those going home. We will also both be involved with Zone conferences and Mission Leadership meetings. It will be very busy, but lots of fun mingling with 170 missionaries. Finally, during the second week, we had inspiring meetings every day, two general authorities came to speak to us, and we heard from several senior couples who shared their experiences of what they did on their missions with assignments similar to ours. I have posted a few of the inspiring thoughts that I liked below.
Words cannot really describe the feeling we both have had these last two weeks. The spirit we have felt and the inspiring meetings and discussions we have had is all worth serving a mission… just to spend two weeks here at the MTC. I will admit there were some tears as we said goodbye to the couples we have only known for two weeks. They will go off to their missions somewhere in the World and now we are about to land in Ghana.... we are excited, but also a little nervous, and somewhat anxious as to what is about to happen in the lives of a Senior Missionary Couple on the continent of Africa.
It was a treat to be able to visit some family. The Abillas, Pitchers and the Butlers.
The MTC experience was beyond words. The art in many of the buildings was breathtaking. We will never forget our experience and the feelings we had in the MTC.
I could say amen to everything you wrote. I loved the MTC and our missions. How come you got to take so much luggage?! We only got 2 suitcases plus one small carryon. When the young missionaries went home from Chile, they were only allowed one suitcase so we had clothes from them in the mission office that had to be left behind.
Love the write up and pics. Good luck. Stay in touch.