After many months (make that years) of deadlines, Clint and I came to a dead stop on the calendar. October 7th, 2013 we reported to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. I don't have anything else written down, except for the day we fly to Concepcion, Chile.
39 years ago we graduated with bachelor's degrees from the Brigham Young University campus. We have been back many times, but never like this. Thursday night we stayed at our son Conrad's, visiting with Sarah and Athena, Carson, Anna and round-cheeked, blue-eyed Clayton. What a happy, content family of parents and children.
Friday we left our faithful Camry with Clint's sister Cathy and her husband Tom Dayley, who drove us to the Boise airport with our four 49-pound suitcases plus carry-ons. We were so exhausted we could hardly keep awake. My brother-in-law David Barker drove us home after the one-hour flight, and he and my sister Karen kindly let us stay for the weekend watching the LDS conference on TV and eating fresh vegetables out of David's garden.
Monday morning we met Mom and LaMar, who had driven up from St. George, at Kneader's Bakery in West Valley City for a last breakfast together. Then David drove us to the MTC and dropped us off. Fifty senior couples checked in today, from all around the country, heading for such diverse places as Kiev, Ukraine, the Lebanon, Honolulu, Hawaii, Peru, El Salvador, Iceland, Nepal, New Jersey, Osorno, Chile, Eugene, Oregon, and Wellington, New Zealand. Some were humanitarian missionaries, some health service missionaries, Member Support services, Records Preservation, visitors center, and some Perpetual Education Fund like Clinton and me. Everyone had their nametags on and are ready and excited to go.
39 years ago we graduated with bachelor's degrees from the Brigham Young University campus. We have been back many times, but never like this. Thursday night we stayed at our son Conrad's, visiting with Sarah and Athena, Carson, Anna and round-cheeked, blue-eyed Clayton. What a happy, content family of parents and children.
Clint hugging my sister Karen goodbye in front of their West Valley City home.
Friday we left our faithful Camry with Clint's sister Cathy and her husband Tom Dayley, who drove us to the Boise airport with our four 49-pound suitcases plus carry-ons. We were so exhausted we could hardly keep awake. My brother-in-law David Barker drove us home after the one-hour flight, and he and my sister Karen kindly let us stay for the weekend watching the LDS conference on TV and eating fresh vegetables out of David's garden.
Stopping in front of the STOP HERE sign.
Our luggage waiting to be transported to the Provo Marriott hotel, since there wasn't room for us at the MTC.
We have five days of regular instruction and four days of Perpetual Education Fund instruction. We will fly out of Salt Lake City to Dallas Fort Worth and then to Santiago and Concepcion on Thursday, October 17th, if the U.S. airports are still functioning.
The lobby of the MTC
Young sister missionaries posing next to the Bicycling Elders statue
Walking around the MTC buildings is just like the BYU campus
The Big World Map. Clint and I are pointing out where we will be headed in ten days.
We finally made it! We are glad to be here and looking forward to what happens next.
Ohhh the memories of being a missionary and working at the MTC. Awesome.
ReplyDeleteDad says, forget awesome. Try exhausting.
DeleteWonderful! I love the photos! So excited for you. :)
ReplyDelete