Forty-Four Years of Coming Together

There are Some Differences

We have been closer together (literally) these past few days.  It is down to the point of sharing toothpaste again.  We haven't tried that since we were first married.  I knew we had separate tubes and I had forgotten why that started.  Growing up, our family all used the same toothpaste tube.  Well, all of a sudden I had a flash back and immediately remembered our first agreement to disagree.

Here is the proof.

Guess which tube of toothpaste belongs to whom?

I think most would guess incorrectly, as I am known as the messy, casual one.

Mine is the bottom one.

Surprisingly, it is Kristi who feels no need to see the paste is retracted into the tube before closing the top.  Screw on or flip-top it doesn't make a difference, her tube of toothpaste will always be this dried mess of stuff, that she squirts Crest paste through in ever decreasing spurts of paste.  I just can't figure it out either, but that is what marriage is all about - overlooking the little things  and moving on.

Thank heavens that we can afford two tubes at the same time!

May all of our differences be so easy to adjudicate.

What Will Change The Most in 23 Months?

Today we finished our training.  While Kristi was learning about emails, letter writing, Excel and newsletters, I was learning about housing, cars and finance.  It was at the finance part that I started to glaze over.  Several accountants in the room asked questions and were very impressed by the system to account for all the funds.  I just hope that it is a well oiled machine when I arrive and I don't mess it up too badly.  I hope in 23 months there is a change in my efficiency and productivity.

Each time I have lived out of the country for a while - England, Thailand, Germany - I was shocked at the change in politics, social standards and levels of technology that I hadn't kept up with over a pretty short period of time.  Change can be very subtle and barely noticeable.  I always think of the story of the two frogs.  If the water is boiling and you toss one in, he will jump out immediately.  The second frog swims in cool water while the heat is applied to the bottom of the pan.  It is not long until boiled frog legs are available.  It is only major change that gets noticed.  I suppose it takes a prophet to make us aware of the eventual outcome.

One big change right now is the increased number of young missionaries being called to serve.

This necessitates increased number of housing units and increase in cars and the oversee of funds.  As most of you know, each missionary pays their own expenses, but to equalize the costs over the world they each pay $450 a month.  This means that those in cheaper areas like Equador and Peru and many rural areas help with the expenses in more expensive areas, such as London, New York and Tokyo.

These young missionaries live cheaply and members are asked to feed them as much as possible.

Senior couples also support themselves but the costs around the world are not equalized.  Some areas definitely are cheaper that others.  Fortunately, the Church has offered to pay the excess housing cost for couples over $1400 a month.  This has made it possible for many more seniors to serve in the more expensive areas.

Here are our four youngest grandchildren.

As much as we will miss all of our grandchildren,
I think these four will probably change the most.

Lucy, 18 months

Zach, 3 years

Dane, 2 years  

Gideon, 19 months

They are the face of innocence.

I wish they wouldn't change, but they will.  I hope they know me when I get back.


Below is one of my favorite photos.  The four youngest were not around yet.  Charlie is being held by Oma.  This was taken when our family was at Island Park, Idaho just outside Yellowstone National Park in 2009.

Missionary Life At The MTC

This is what missionaries used to do.

In fact, old guys like me sort of romanticize about  the old days and all the time spent traveling.

I still like the photo a lot.  It epitomizes a lot of sacrifice in the past.

Nowadays, missionaries spend most of their time teaching and they are prepared better than ever to "invite people to Christ".  What is needed most is members providing folks for them to teach.

I thought I would show you a little more of this place during our second week here. 

Security is very tight, but I have never seen a guard, other than a couple of twenty year olds at the entrance gate.  This is the only sign that hints that there is a Missionary Training Center around.  There are no other signs on buildings or anywhere that this is the MTC.

Every building, I mean EVERY building is locked at all times and you cannot enter without a magnetic strip photo ID card that you are issued as you check in.

This is the box at each entrance of a building that you slide the card through.  Notice the white on the wall above and below.  They  are used constantly.

Below was our classroom the second week.

We are learning to work with all the software and are being introduced to some of the tasks to keep a mission running.

Couples who are serving in a Humanitarian and Public Affairs capacity are trained in Salt Lake.  Couples who are called as Leadership and Member Support left for their missions after the first week, along with Family History, Record Preservation, and many other different areas of work.  If you are interested in doing something, just call the Missionary Department in Salt Lake and believe me they will accommadate you and fix you up for whatever length of time you can serve and whatever you can afford.

These are missionaries practicing teaching in a foreign language.

Here is a district working in a language lab. 

I had to take a photo of this Elder.  I know just how he feels.  It is not easy to keep up with the routine even though everyone is in bed by 10:30 PM.

The basement under the cafeteria is filled with washers and dryers.

The gym, treadmills, and jogging around the complex is always popular.

The thing these photos can never explain is the feeling here.

I can't explain it either.  No one is lecturing to us.

We are just slowly internalizing what we read, and we mostly talk with other couples who are headed around the world.  They all have parents, children and grandchildren.  Some are on their fourth mission and appear to be approaching eighty years old, if not older.  Money doesn't seem to be a factor.  I chatted with one fellow whose home is underwater and he hopes it will be in the black when he returns.  It is now rented, and if the economy hasn't recovered enough, he'll probably have to walk away from it.  Some have sold their homes, most have someone else living in them.

Whatever the reason, Kristi and I seem as close as we have ever been.

The future seems challenging and bright.

I feel the love of God and Jesus Christ.

I suppose we are about ready to step out in to the dark and dreary world. 

Malawi Pizza

I had heard about a place here in Utah called "Malawi Pizza"

so I thought we should check it out and see what it was all about.

Malawi is part of the Zambia mission even though it is a very separate country.

One third of our missionaries serve there.

It is the little patch of green just to the right of Zambia.

It follows the great Rift Valley and is on the border of Lake Malawi.

The population of Zambia (about the area of Texas) is over 14 million.  As you can see, Malawi is a lot smaller, but has a population that is slightly LARGER than Zambia (close to 15 million).  It is one of the most densely populated African countries, and also one of the poorest.

This is what the Malawi Pizza special looks like.

The store's claim to fame is their tag line: "PIZZA WITH A PURPOSE".

For every meal sold they donate one meal to children of Malawi.

I asked if the owners had served in Malawi, but the young folks working there were pretty clueless about the restaurant's origins.  It is a big place but we were there before the dinner hour.

This is one of the restaurant's displays.

They had videos playing, showing happy children of Malawi.

This little girl seemed to be their poster child, and was too beautiful for me not to take a photo.

It won't be long before many of the things we have learned will be a reality staring us in the face, and not only a pretty picture. 

I am impressed with folks who put action into words.

The least I can do is have another pizza.

MTC Weekend

As Senior Missionaries our P-day or preparation day is on Saturday.  The youngun's have their p-days spread throughout the week.  We first met with Marjolyn and Leon Kirkman, Kristi's sister and husband who will be staying in our home while we are gone.

Leon broke his ankle eight weeks ago and this was his first day of putting weight on it.  They will be heading to California in a week or so.

These are some friends from Clayton who moved away about twenty to twenty five years ago.  Jack and Carolyn Theler and Dave and Janet Troxel.  We had lunch at Thanksgiving Point.  

(Notice the badges).

This is my sister Diane.  I consider her a traitor to all our parents taught us.  She had the nerve to move to Lehi, Utah from the golden state of California after living there all her life.  

Surprisingly, she looks pretty happy in this photo despite the lack of judgement.  We have never agreed on much over the years.  I always thought the porch light should be switched on and off when she was on the porch with a date.  I also thought that if I locked the front door and chased her with the garden hose to the door, I could help her get her hair washed before her date.  It seems she thinks I let her parakeet out so the cat could eat it too.  If there is anything I have learned here at the MTC, it is that "families can be together forever".  I didn't mention that principle when she graciously had us over for a delicious dinner on Sunday.

This is the scene of half the room after a Sunday evening fireside.  I am continually inspired by these young men and women.  It is truly marvelous to watch them interact, speak different languages wherever they are, and study in every nook and cranny.  I feel privileged to be in their presence.  Earlier that day was a Sunday MTC Conference.  Each branch also has their own Sacrament meeting and there is a meeting for those leaving the MTC this week, and then later there are showings of Legacy and other videos, some in the foreign languages where they will be going.  Being busy is a key to a productive life.

We keep running into this handsome Elder.  The grey haired lady that follows me around waves her arms wildly and this shy kid lifts his fingers about an inch across large halls to just keep her from yelling out --  "That's TYLER, my GRANDSON".

He posed for this photo hoping that perhaps she'd stop, but his district has bets.

I said earlier you should notice the badges we are wearing.

I have had a real aversion to badges until now.  I just couldn't bring myself to wear one in a local Stake calling.  Val Stratford and I went two years as missionaries in the twelve step program without wearing them.  Whenever the subject came up I couldn't help quote the fine young man in the movie, "Treasure of the Sierra Madre".   BAADJES?  BAADJES?  WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' BAADJES!!"   

I need to see that  movie every few years just to hear that line.

I think it is hilarious.

Well,  I told you my heart was beginning to change.  Wearing these badges was the only real rule that the Senior Missionaries were asked to comply with.  No one said more than that, and since I had signed on for the whole "E" ride ticket I knew I would comply.  I found out it isn't hard at all.  In fact, it feels sort of comfortable.  Perhaps I will grow into the fact that I am wearing the name of Jesus Christ on my chest.  Let's see what two years of obedience will do to me.  Perhaps I NEED the badge?

I Scratched One Off My Bucket List!

My son Josh bought a semi-truck several years ago.  His father-in-law gave him a quick lesson in driving and Josh went in and passed his test.  I always wanted to try driving but didn't want to grind off a pound of metal from his only truck.  I was patient and now he has twenty-five trucks so I figured he could lose one and still be in business.

 He keeps his equipment in pretty good shape.  This older one is for local hauling. 

Here is a later one that he was getting ready for the Las Vegas truck show just before we went to the MTC.  It has almost 700,000 miles on it and he had just had the pin striping done as one of the last details before the final put together.

The good news is that he took "Best of Show" plus a couple of other categories so he will take it to the big truck show in Dallas, Texas this August.

Anyway, back to me, because this is what this blog (and mission is all about, right?)

ME, ME ME!!! 

 (Does anyone understand my humor?)

I finally asked my own son if I could drive his truck.  He didn't hesitate and let me.  It was a lot of fun even with my grandson,  Jack, in the sleeper scared to death.  (Actually, that made it more fun.)  Driving wasn't difficult but the art of shifting gears without double clutching will take some getting used to.  There are eight basic gears which are split, that is sixteen.  That doesn't include the two low gears or reverse.

My justification was that you never know when (maybe in Zambia?), I will need to move a semi in a pinch.  I will be on alert for such an emergency.  :^)

Josh didn't panic until when turning into his yard, I couldn't find the brake.  (It is not right next to the clutch but lower almost on the floor)  I wasn't nervous but Josh's voice got a little high, until I looked down and finally found it.  I still can't imagine doing all that with 20 tons on the back and going up and down the Rocky Mountains.  Josh's grandpa Skidmore would be very proud of him.

What Just Happened?

A Week Of Change

 I have heard reports of folks attending the MTC as adults.

It has been referred to as trying to get a sip of water from a fire hose. 

 I have tried that while cleaning out huge oil storage tanks at Shell Oil in Martinez.  It is hardly possible.  This week the hose was a gentle sprinkle, but it never quit.  Even when I thought I wasn't thirsty anymore, it kept coming and we ended up totally drenched in spiritual experiences.

As I reflect on what happened this week, I realize the experience was still totally different than what I expected.  Forty-seven years ago I attended a week of missionary training in Salt Lake City.

We were taught all week, mostly by general authorities of the church.  Great men.  It was very interesting but mostly lecture, by those very experienced in missionary type work.

I was entertained, motivated, and ready to copy their style of success.

This week the emphasis was on this little book prepared for all missionaries. 

Most interesting of all we didn't have one lecture from a church general authority.

We sat as students, with 65 seasoned adults with many years of varied and significant church experience, and we were taught by young men and women about twenty-four or twenty-five years old!  They had all served missions but did not even relate their mission stories.  

What they guided us through was:  the realization of the testimonies we have of Jesus Christ, how those testimonies were obtained, and how each individual must come to the knowledge of God the Father, Jesus Christ, His Son and the atonement,  the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ through a modern prophet, Joseph Smith;  also our purpose of life here on earth and possibility of being with our loved ones after we leave this earth life.

Missionaries are taught to help others find truth, but to not get in the way of them receiving their own essential spiritual guidance. 

So what happened this week?

I feel my heart beginning to change.