Where in the world is Elder and Sister....?

Study Buddy- Joti Shepard

 Today was another study day. We met new missionaries serving for the church around the world. We also met new people who are assisting us in learning Tagalog.

The morning started off with a "study buddy." This is a volunteer from the community who is either a native speaker or is a return missionary. Our first study buddy is a native speaker, Joti Shepard. Our session is an hour long (from 8-9) and it is self directed by either Marcia or myself. Not only is Joti a very effective tutor but is impressive with a number of additional languages. In total she speaks 10 languages, most of them fluently. She is also in the process of learning Dutch as her 11th language. Now that is impressive!

During the course of the day we had another study buddy, Jimmy Brady. We also had a new tutor who came home from his mission a year ago. His name is Oliver Am Hu.

Tutor Oliver Am Hu with Marcia (don't quite know where the diet coke came from)

 Not all people employed or volunteering at the MTC are native Utahans. One of the senior missionary coordinators, Holly Anderson, is from Appleton, Wisconsin. For those cheese-heads who are in our home stake of Indianapolis, North, they will be glad to know that there are Packer Backers in Provo.

Holly Anderson

Jeff in missionary uniform

I find that one of the highlights of the day is sitting down in the cafeteria with other senior couples. At lunch we met a couple from Oregon who will be serving in the newly formed Salt Lake West mission. The other couple we sat next to at lunch, Dennis and Susan Jordan, are from Salt Lake and headed to Western Samoa.  Sister Jordan and I hit it off quickly as she is a retired Facilities Manager for the church. Having worked for the church for nine years we had some common background. One of the interesting things that some (most?) may not be aware of is that President Monson raises homing pigeons. The interesting things people learn while eating lunch.

During dinner we sat with two other couples. Both couples have been called to serve CES missions. Elder and Sister Vargas are from Las Angelas and have been called to serve on the island of Cyprus. Elder and Sister Noel are from Bountiful, Utah (if I remember correctly) and have been called to serve in Siberia.

Marcia and I thought that we had a ways to travel when it came to getting to our mission. We aren't even close to the farthest to travel! After talking with the Elder and Sister Vargas and Noel we have come to appreciate the short time that it will take us to get to Manila- about 20 hours of travel time just under 24 hours total. Elder and Sister Noel are leaving next week after their CES training. They will take a 5 hour, or so, flight to JFK in New York City. From there they fly 10 hours to Moscow. In Moscow they will have a 10 hour layover as they have to go to the US Embassy to apply and attain a visa. Apparently that is something that has to be done in Moscow. From Moscow they fly 5 hours to some city in Siberia that I cannot pronounce. The city that they fly to is where the mission president is at. They will spend the night at the mission home. From their they will board a train on the Trans-Siberian Railroad and travel 12 hours to their final destination. I got exhausted just trying to add those numbers together!!

As I proofed the above I realized how complacent that I may have become. By no means should the above be read as a complaint against the time that is needed to travel. As I re-read it my thoughts went to the pioneers who struggled to go west. In those struggles what they couldn't put in a wagon or a handcart had to be left behind. There leaving their homes wasn't on their terms but was dictated to them by the mobs that were surrounding Nauvoo, Far West, and Kirkland. Marcia and I have truly been blessed to have been able to leave on a mission at this time in our lives and at this period of time during this last dispensation. We are thankful to serve.

Tomorrow will be another great day to meet new people and share with them their excitement to serve the Lord around the world. We can't wait!!

jsf