Our First Week at the MTC

Our first day was a busy one but they encouraged us to go across campus and view the large murals in another building. The murals were big and beautiful.

This decoration was in that building. It was made by a woman in Japan. When the decoration arrived it was all tangled up. The church paid her way to come to America and help untangle it so they could put it on display.

                We were all glad they brought her over because it was beautiful.
                                                                Murals 

                      This is Higa. She is an instructor here in the MTC. 

                          She is Japanese but raised in Hawaii.

Many of you know there is a famous map of the world in this building and it is tradition that you stand by it and take a picture pointing to where you are going.

       We are assigned Districts in the MTC. This is a picture of our District.

                         Everywhere we look there are white shirts.

By the second day we could relate to this pair of shoes. Our feet hurt from wearing shoes instead of sandals and we were so very tired.

Veva's first blister on her ankle and hopefully her last.

By the end of the week the Young Teachers said they were sure that we were 

up lifted this week. It makes you wonder why they choose this picture to relate to being uplifted.

The young elder who showed us this picture said, "You know President Russell M. Nelson? Well I am his great, great, greatest fan!"

And for all you knowledgeable church going people, who is Satan always looking under his bed for each night?

You know the drill... Read ON.

These are the Senior Missionaries. This first picture has the five single sisters.

Who is Satan always looking under his bed for each night?

Jeffery R Holland

It is amazing that among all the Senior Missionaries in our three groups more that half of them are stay at home missionaries. They are called to serve in their own Stakes.

In this group there is a couple that were our, "Others". We had a district that we were part of and then we had the, "Others". We worked and studied with our district but we got to know and then taught our, " Others". 

Brother Wilson lovingly referred to us as their, "Sisty Others".  I know, I know It has a familiar ring to it!

Veva and I are called many names, Sisty Others by brother Wilson, Double Trouble by our teacher, but the names we love the most are Sister Snyder and Sister Cox!

We are assigned to teach others several times. This was very scary to Veva and I. Our last teaching assignment was Friday morning. The mission home brings in members and we are given 15 min. to get to know them, 10 min. to prepare a principal to teach and then 20 min to teach. 

Please don't let this scare anyone from going to the mission home. We are given valuable tools during the week to be able to do this. This doesn't mean this isn't a scary experience because it kind of is.

During our 10 min study time in this session Veva felt very impressed to read a paragraph out of Preach My Gospel. We then discussed how she might introduce this paragraph that she felt so strongly about. I gave my impute and she made notes but still had the, "Deer in the Head lights look". When it came time for us to teach our lesson she began. I sat in awe because it was nothing we discussed. It was so plain and clear and a beautiful introduction. 

We both went away amazed. I at, watching her be guided by the Spirit and Veva knew for sure the Spirit had spoken to her.

Having completed our first week in the Mission Home studying the, Preach My Gospel Manuel, we now look forward to next week learning about the office.

   After this week we both feel we have learned a lot and we are growing!

Farewell Normal Life

On Sunday, Veva and I both spoke in my ward in Mesquite and then afterwards we quickly drove to Bloomington Hills, Utah to speak together in her ward.  It was an exhausting, but an exciting day for us and for our families. 

It was a most wonderful day because Veva's son and grandson and their families were able to attend our meetings. Veva's son's family were here from Okinawa, Japan. Her grandson and his wife came from Colorado Springs, Colorado.

After our farewell, we felt like the days just flew. So much to take care of but somehow our to-do lists got smaller and finally the day came to leave to Salt Lake. 

That morning as Jenn and John drove me to St. George to pick up Jamie and Veva, Jenn mentioned a car with problems on the side of the road. We were just passed Littlefield and at the Desert Springs turn off when they pointed out a car off to the side in distress. Jenn mentioned that we should slow down to check on them. I was surprised at her kindness and thoughtfulness at a time I was in a hurry to go serve others. When it settled in what was happening, my heart melted because there was my other sweet thoughtful daughter, Jodi and her boyfriend, Jace. 

What a GREAT surprise!

   Before entering the MTC we spent Sunday at church with friends.

Mallori Taylor Strong, Jamie Cox Shillig, Trisha Gunderson, Mary Taylor, Myself and Mallori's 5 year old daughter Taylor, and last is my sister, sister Veva Snyder.

After a great lunch at her place, we left Mary's home that day and little Taylor started crying big crocodile tears because we were leaving. It didn't take long before we were all crying big crocodile tears!

The fun part of Little Taylor is that earlier she had told her mother she couldn't wait to see me because I was so fun. I had helped Mary move over a year ago. I was sure she had me mixed up with someone else because it had been so long and "I ain't fun"! When we walked into the church Taylor just stared with that deer in the head lights stare.

Later that day as I walked around the chapel with Taylor she told me that the reason she didn't know me when I walked in was because she, "Didn't remember I was that OLD!"

She still cried when we all left. I can't imagine what she will think of me in a year and a half?

                  Quiz...What time of day did Adam partake of the fruit?  
                            (answer later so you must keep reading.)

The next day was the morning we were to report to the MTC. It is a Woods tradition to go to the temple grounds and take pictures before checking in across the street.  

                      What time of day did Adam partake of the fruit?

                                                "Just after Eve".

Speaking of Adam and Eve, what time of the year did this all happen?

                                              Keep reading!

Checking into the MTC

As Jamie, my daughter, was feeding her family breakfast she reminded her 7 year old son to include in the prayer a blessing for Mema and Aunt Veva at the MTC.  When he prayed that morning he said, "Please bless Mema and Aunt Veva to cross the, "Empty Seas"!

       Yes we know, Moses was the first to go to the MTC (Empty Seas)

               We have great teachers but their jokes need work. (Moses joke)

We're here and as hard as it was to leave our families, we're excited for the journey ahead.  Thank you for reading, and for following our adventures in the "Empty Sea!"