Hello from the Missionary Training Center,

Our Stake President, Mark J. Lies, set us apart at Mark and Catherine's last Saturday morning in Riverton, Utah. Oh how grateful we are for our wonderful Stake President and his wife. Mike, Karilyn, and their family were also there, except Miles B. who is Elder Diede, serving a mission in South Korea.

Our son, Mike, drove us to the MTC this morning.  We were early so had to wait about a half an hour. We have had our first day at the MTC.  There are 133 new senior missionaries going all over the world.  We met another couple going to Zimbabwe at the same time as us. They are from Green Bay, Wisconsin. There are about 8 or 10 couples going on PEF/Self-Reliance missions to all parts of the world who are in our training group.

We have had many trials getting ready to go, but we know this is the right time and the right place.  We are sorry to miss our grandson, Miles' return home from his mission and our grandson, Hayden's high school graduation.  

We have homework assignments already for tomorrow's training from "Preach My Gospel" book. We feel we are getting a great start on our training and know it will be very helpful throughout our mission.  Everyone here at the MTC are very courteous and helpful. We were instructed to "endure to the endowment" as we invite others to have faith and come unto Christ.  We testify that Jesus Christ restored His gospel to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith.