Travel and MTC

Dear Family and Friends,

We have set up this blog to share our mission experiences.  It has been a busy few months preparing the Shamrock house for our move and rental.  Everything went very well.  We were blessed to find a good couple to rent to.  They have no children and even agreed to babysit Leah's piano while we are gone.

We left for the Mission Training Center (MTC) in Provo on March 5.  There is no question in my mind that the MTC experience will be a key highlight of the mission experience.  Our first week of training was on the Preach My Gospel Manual.  It was very intensive but we definitely came away better prepared in the techniques and methods to be better missionaries. During our training we taught two lessons to "investigators".  They were church members living in the area who play the role of an investigator.  They gave our teachers feedback on how we did.  Our testimony of the Preach My Gospel Manual grew immensely during this week.  I would encourage all church members to utilize this manual more in their lives.  Not just for missionary work, but for the wonderful references to scriptures on every gospel topic that can help in lessons and personal study time.  In the second week, all senior missionaries receive training specific to their assignment. In our case for Nauvoo, we received Visitor Center training for two days.  We spent most of one day at Temple Square learning from the Sister Missionaries and their leaders who serve at that location. 

Here is our MTC map picture:

During our week there were 140 senior missionaries training.  It was the second largest group in history.  Of those, 28 were going to Nauvoo.  There were around 1500 young missionaries also in training.  The facilities were very nice and comfortable.  I can't imagine the responsibility of keeping track of everyone coming and going each week and planning all of the meals.

This is our Nauvoo group:

We are making new friends for life on our mission.  

During our MTC time we attended multiple devotionals and firesides.  They were all so spiritual and inspiring.  Every Tuesday a General Authority comes and talks to all the missionaries.  We had Elder Pino of the Seventy and Elder Allen who is the head of the entire missionary department.  Before every event one of the young missionaries presents a special music number.  The talent of these young people is incredible.  On Monday nights there are training videos shown in multiple rooms and languages.  They are presentations that Apostles and other leaders have given during their Tuesday visits.  They were one of the Spiritual highlights of the MTC and can only be viewed at the MTC.

We left the MTC on March 16 and arrived in Nauvoo on March 18.  We drove here on I 80 which almost parallels the path the Saints followed on their pioneer trek.  It was hard not to think of their tremendous sacrifice while we moved along at 70 mph in a heated car when it was in the 30-40 degree range outside.  We stopped at the new Winters Quarter visitor center and Temple in Omaha on our route.  It was good to get a feel for the history of that time period since our Nauvoo tours pretty much end at the crossing of the Mississippi beginning in February of 1846.

We miss everyone and hope you can feel the Spirit of our mission through this blog.

Love - Elder and Sister Rober