Today we went up to Salt Lake City and received training at the Visitor's Center on Temple Square. The building in the background is the Visitor's Center. The photo below is taken inside the center and shows again the 3 other sisters in my group that are going to serve in Nauvoo with me. LtoR: Me, Sister Thomas, Sister Allen, and Sister Brown.

This is the Assembly Hall where they have small concerts and lectures.

Behind the trees and flowers is the famous Tabernacle building on Temple Square where the Tabernacle performs each week for "Music and the Spoken Word". Other concerts and performances also take place in this amazing building.

Spring is just starting to arrive in Salt Lake City as you can see on the trees behind us. Also in the background is the famous Salt Lake Temple and to the right of that is the Church Office Building or Headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. LtoR: Sister Thomas, Sister Allen, Sister Brown and me! Believe it or not there was a big snow storm last night, but the snow had melted by the time we took this picture.

As I finish off my first week here at the MTC, I am counting my many blessings. Other than my testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ...I am most grateful for the blessing of being a Mother to my 6 wonderful children - Chad, Matt, Michelle, Heather, Brian and Greg. And of course Grandmother to my 12 Grandchildren - Burgandy, Brinkley, River, Brielle, Hayley, Sadie, Weston, Whitney, Gregory, Macy, Emmey and Talia.

What could be better for me than a night of AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL music and testimony! NOT MUCH! Tonight at the Sunday evening devotional meeting we were honored to hear music combined with the conversion story of the principal organist for the Tabernacle Choir, Richard Elliott, and he brought David Archuleta with him to sing and talk to us!!! David just returned from his full time mission to Chile this past week and in fact just gave his homecoming talk in his home Ward today. David brought his Mother with him this evening. It is a night I will never forget! No one knew either of them were going to be the ones speaking to us ahead of time! 

The only thing that could top that was being able to hear a recorded talk by an Apostle of the Lord, Elder David Bednar, that he delivered at the MTC a few years ago on Christmas Day and it was also a Sunday. He spoke on "The Character of Christ". It is THE ONLY thing that could have topped the devotional music and talks by Richard Elliott and David Archuleta!

This is the view out of my window looking west toward Utah Lake and the mountains south. The far mountain in the center of the 2nd picture is near Payson where my parents and grandparents lived and I vactioned every summer growing up. The buildings you see in the foreground are the clasrooms etc on the MTC campus. I am on the third floor and have my own room with wonderful accommodations....As nice as any hotel room I have stayed in minus the TV!

It took 2 pictures to show all of the missionaries that entered the MTC as part of my group! See if you can pick me out!!!

This was my district here at the MTC this week. Elder Heninger on the bottom left was the District Leader. Today was the last day before 2 of the couples left for their mission assignment. It is amazing how close you can get to people you never knew before when you spend so much time together!
On the bottom row left to right: Elder & Sister Heninger from Calgary, Alberta Canada going to serve in Halifax Canada Mission; my companion, Sister Thomas from Payson, Utah serving in Nauvoo and me!
Top row left to right: Elder & Sister Green from Cedar City, Utah serving their 4th mission going this time to Bacolod Philippines; Elder & Sister Turner from Raymond, Allberta Canada serving their 2nd mission going this time to Martinique West Indies.

I attended the Provo Utah temple tonight with a few of the other sisters. All of the sisters except the sister on the left are going to Nauvoo. The sister in the center in the light jacket is Sister Allen from Adelaide Australia. She is flying to Nauvoo and will not be driving a car - she doesn't think she will be able to adjust to driving on the wrong side of the road here in America!!! From left to right - Sister Evanson, Sister Brown, Sister Allen, me and Sister Thomas.I was lucky enough to see Madison Parks going into a session at the temple as I was coming out. It was wonderful to see her and get a big hug. Everyday is so wonderful!

This photo is taken in front of the World Map and it is tradition for a missionary to take a picture here pointing to the place where they are going to serve. So here I am with my assigned companion, Sister Thomas, from Payson, Utah. We are pointing to Nauvoo, Illinois where we are both going to be serving the Lord for 18 months. Ironically, both my parents are originally from Payson, Utah and I spent every summer growing up vacationing in Payson visiting grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins! Small world!
I am loving the experiences and teachings I am having here. I taught my first discussion today!!! The food is really good and we can have anything we want and as much as we want - so fun, but the pounds are creeping on! My companion and I try to offset that by going on a 30 minute walk at 5:30am in the mornings!
I drove in my first snow storm tonight going to visit a friend - a little scarey! The first of many I am sure!!!

Here I am entering the Missionary Training Center on the morning of March 24, 2014 to start my full time mission journey. I was so happy and excited to get started!

The Journey Begins - March 24th

I entered the MTC at 11:00am.

Map of Nauvoo