We arrived at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, UT on March 26. We decided not to stay in Georgie Boy because he was having generator trouble so we checked in to the MTC room. It was like an apartment and we had plenty of room, we just had trouble remembering what we wanted to have with us! We only locked ourselves out of the apartment once=)
Easter was a great day at the MTC! President Ballard came and spoke powerfully about the resurrection and what it means to each one of us! The Spirit was beautiful! We had an amazing dinner with Kelly and LeaAnn Adams and didn't take a picture! It was a beautiful day all around!
The MTC is like a city with over 1500 18-20 year old missionaries and there were 77 senior missionaries. It was cold and it had snowed pretty close to the Y. I'm not a big fan of cold, especially wearing skirts! We worked hard in the MTC in small groups. Elder Tuttle was a District Leader and there were 6 other people in our district. A district is just a way to divide people up so everyone knows what is going on and no one gets lost in the shuffle. We had two Sisters that were actually sisters and they were headed to Peru to work in the mission office. They were delightful. We ate in the cafeteria 3 times a day and it was a challenge to not over eat! There were lots of choices. There is a strong Spirit at the MTC and I can see our grandkids start coming here in just a few years.
Just before we left Gilbert I had a biopsy of this little thing on my nose. I didn't worry about it at all because I had bigger fish to fry, so to speak. On our first day at the MTC I got a voice message from Dr. Woods saying that the biopsy showed basal cell carcinoma! Giant Bummer! I called and set up surgery with a MOHS doc in Casper for April 7. We told Elder Taylor about the situation and he suggested using a local doctor, within 24 hours I had the surgery over. He scooped out some tissue and looked at it under a microscope while we waited in a cozy room. He brought me back and scooped out some more and checked again. It was okay so he took skin out of my ear and sewed it onto the hole on my nose. We were there 2.5 hours and Dr. Peterson was really funny but caring at the same time. He called me the night before to see if I had any questions and about an hour after surgery to see if I was okay. It wasn't fun but it is over and it was a good experience.
While we were at the MTC we were honored to be dinner guests of Mary and Scott Bitter Friday night and Karen and Dick Blackham on Monday night!
We went to SLC on Saturday on the Frontrunner to go to the afternoon session of General Conference which was fantastic! We met Kristy and Steve Hill and had lunch at the Garden Room on the 10th floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building! We had a yummy lunch and a great time talking about pioneers and old times! The phone with the cute pictures is lost and we continue to look for it!
Every missionary who spends time in the MTC has their picture taken in front of the famous map! We are no exception! We also had our picture with our Gilbert neighbors who are now in Russia, Elder and Sister Crittenden!
The trip from Provo, UT to Evanston, WY was breezy because the breeze was at our back side and Georgie Boy flew down the highway (comparatively speaking=). But after we spent 2 hours in Evanston grocery shopping and eating lunch our direction changed and the wind was not our friend any more! We went to Rawlins and then north and east to Ranch 66 where we now live in Georgie Boy!
Evanston WalMart
The set up!
Frost on the car
Setting Up
Our back yard
Pete the Pronghorn
The first day we were here we spent our time trying to get organized, I use that term loosely. The second day we followed a school group in our pioneer dress. I loved being with the kids! We were on on the work crew Monday (April 11) and it was fantastic because we got to be with the young Elders and Sisters from the Casper Mission that came to help us move about 200 handcarts and some wagons. There was one little Sister that I thought might have Turner's Syndrome, like Molly, and after talking to her I found out that she does! She is willing to communicate with Molly and Cam and I hope it will be beneficial! We were learning about the Visitors' Center today and it is all so much fun! There is also a lot to remember and remember correctly. It is also a lot of work but in a good way!
I know this is ridiculously long but we haven't had our computer set up and the broadband is very narrow here. Verizon has no service here so Roy's cell is on vacation and mine will only work when we go to Casper. You can email us=) We love you all!
