Week Two at the MTC

This week we went to Salt Lake City everyday except for Monday.  Monday we attended a session at the Provo Temple and had a day of training on teaching Institute. I was grateful for that training which helped me understand some better ways to create lessons. We also had language training Monday evening. The remainder of the week we spent in Salt Lake City learning about our responsibilities concerning the  Perpetual Education Fund program. 

Tuesday morning Elder and Sister Ball who live in Orem, Utah picked us up at 7:45 and we went together to Salt Lake. They remained in Salt Lake and we caught a 4:15 pm express bus back to Orem. The MTC shuttle service picked us up from the bus stop and brought us home. Tuesday training was great. That evening we arrived back at the MTC just before the cafeteria closed.  I was really tired. I thought it would be nice just to go to bed.  I did not express that thought out loud. We went to the evening devotional.  The guest speaker is unknown until the last minute. About 15 minutes before the devotional is to begin the congregation sings hymns. This night as the song was coming to an end everyone stood up. I am short and could not see what was happening. I was finally able to peak between the bodies of the people in front of me and there standing on the stage was Jeffery R. Holland a member of the Quorum of the Twelve.  He gave a powerful talk on the Book of Mormon and how it changes lives. I was so glad I went.  The remainder of the week we took a 6:15am shuttle from the MTC to the bus stop in Orem,Utah and from there boarded the 801 express bus to Salt Lake City. Each morning we woke up to snow on the ground and a chill in the air. We huddled together waiting for our bus. We were in our missionary attire so my legs were exposed to the cold and I wore a light weight jacket. We will not need winter clothes in Cambodia. Our training for our responsibilities concerning the Perpetual Education Fund was wonderful. This program is truly God's plan for his children in parts of the world where there is little hope of opportunity. Through the Perpetual Education fund people obtain skills to be able to get jobs to help improve their lives and the lives of their families.  In the words of President Hinckley in General Conference 2001, "Education is the key to opportunity [and] with good employment skills, these young men and women can rise out of...poverty.  Most of these students will attend technical schools...in the areas where they live.... They will learn skills which are in demand and for which they can qualify. They will learn self reliance and integrity for they will repay the money they receive from this program.  When they do so, they will experience a wonderful sense of freedom because they have improved their lives not through a grant or gift but through borrowing and repaying.  They can hold their heads high in a spirit of independence." In most cases these people will become the leaders in their communities and in the church.  Dale and I are grateful to have the opportunity to help move this program forward in Cambodia.  At the present time  in Cambodia there are 165 young people taking control of their lives through the Perpetual Education Fund program. 

More to tell about our second week. Besides being able to hear from Elder Jeffery R. Holland on Tuesday evening we had another exciting event.  Thursday we walked from the Church Office building to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building for training. We had lunch in the cafeteria of the Church Office building. On the way back to our class we had to walk through the underground parking lot.  As we were walking we saw in the distance a small cart with the Prophet and his councilors. Then as we were about to enter the hallway leading to the Joseph Smith Memorial building the rest of the Quorum of the Twelve walked passed us. It was amazing.  There was security all around.

We begin our  final week at the MTC tomorrow.  Monday we again go to Salt Lake City, but this will be on an MTC bus because there is a larger group of us going to tour Welfare Square. I have heard it is quite the place. This entire week we will learn about the Welfare program of the church. We depart for Cambodia on Saturday at 4:50 pm.  Family and friends... this is really going to happen! Until we blog again, may God bless each and everyone of you.