August 29,2010

HOLA to the sweetest ninos and nietos in the whole wide mundo;
WE LOVE YOU MORE THAN CUMPLETOS!!!
We have completed our week at the MTC and are spending the weekend with my brother Steve's family in Centerville, UT. Tomorrow afternoon we fly away to Chile. I don't know how soon I'll be able to email again, so hang on to this one and reread it if you need to. Even when you don't hear from us for a while know that we always think of you and love you, and we will call or Skype or email or snail mail as soon as we can. I know we are going to be BUSY. The MTC was 12-13 hours every day--more about that later.

Hermana Pack and I just returned from picking up Bianca at the airport. She flew from Chile overnight. She sat down on the couch and was asleep almost instantly. We're guessing that's how we will be when we arrive in Chile Tuesday morning. On the shuttle at the airport everyone was asking us about our mission (we now wear our nametags everywhere we go) and in two stores the other day we got 10% missionary discounts. Just like Hudson's on Tuesday! We already love being missionaries; not for the discount, but for the ease of talking to people and the good vibes we get from the members who speak to us. We hope we can learn to be as comfortable talking Español with the Chileans. They will probably ask about our name tags and want to talk to the Norteamericanos. Everybody says we'll pick it up quickly. We're trusting. It won't be soon enough for me after the high we've been on the last week. We are MISSIONARIES-- feelin' it and anxious to be doin' it.

We were amazed by the MTC itself and the intense spiritual experience they provide. In the day our classes were in English with two hours of Spanish at night. All the classes are taught by young returned missionaries. My favorite thing about the MTC was the young people teaching the old people. Here was a room full of 60-70 year old ex bishops, stake presidents, Relief Society presidents, patriarchs, third or fourth time missionaries, 30-40 years of church and world and professional experience, all sitting at the feet of 22-25 year olds and lapping up every word. It was indescribable. They did such a good job and tailored everything to our situations, it was hard to believe they were so young and so wise. In my opinion they were perfect. We came away feeling like we were real missionaries, well trained and with authority to do everything any missionary can do.

The food was plentiful but not as perfect as the classes. There were always many choices and some pretty good stuff, so everybody seemed to be eating lots of something, but when we returned our trays we saw a lot of returned food. We sat across from two of the neatest missionaries from China who said they couldn't find much they liked; even the rice was too cold and they didn't eat it. They missed having a cup of HOT water at the end of the meal. They were very eager to use their new English skills and we had a fun, long conversation with them. They flew all the way to Provo for missionary training then they are flying all the way back to China and Australia (Chinese speaking). I was aware by many things that the church invests a ton of money in the missionary program. The MTC campus is much bigger and more beautiful than I expected and expanding--over 20 three story buildings now (no elevators anywhere) and more under construction. Our dorm was getting a huge addition to house more senior couples. Everyone's travel, lodging and meals are paid coming and going and coming home. That alone is a big purse.

A note to future senior missionaries: you will pay for a lot of things getting ready: dentist, shots, medical, passports, visas, more shots, HIV tests, FBI background checks, books, drugs, room and board at the MTC, overweight luggage, etc. and forever and ever it seems. I don't even want to know what it adds up to. It's worth it but they don't prepare you for the sticker shock when they say a mission costs $1500 a month. Our pres. sent photos of our apartment--no stove, no fridge, no washer, no bed, no table and chairs, no couch , etc. He said they had some stuff in storage somewhere, but we would probably have to buy some things. Other than that it looks like a very nice small apartment in a nice building in a nice area, and it appears to have a place for a washer and stove and fridge. He also said they may have found a car we can buy for $5K or so. We'll be glad to have a car because it looks like we'll be traveling a lot. And we can resell what we buy at the end of our mission so the net cost won't be so bad. It's just the start-up cost that surprised us. I am not complaining, just advising. Start saving now.

About that question everybody asks: "Do you speak Spanish?" The answer is still a very confident NO. We did have a concluding testimony meeting in which we shared our testimonies in Spanish from a "script" we each prepared, with help. It was quite emotional for me to think that I could actually express some of my feelings. In fact, the whole week was very emotional for me. When we were practicing teaching with volunteer "investigators" it seemed completely real to me and I really felt like a missionary. It was powerful. We haven't learned enough Spanish to even practice teaching a lesson, so all of that was in English. We love our tutor, Leo Valladeres, and he has helped us a lot via Skype and for a few hours last week. He seems to have faith in what we have learned and our ability to learn the rest on the job. Bianca assures us the same. We have faith in the gift of tongues and the kindness of strangers, so let the adventure begin.

We know that this is what we should be doing. As hard as it is to leave all of you and all of our comforts and loves, including our Tuesday road trips to Dirt Cheaps, we will do it and do it the very best we can. Sister Maria Johnson, the head linguist at the MTC, convinced us that old people are good learners, and Elder Holland convinced us that we are real missionaries with authority and power, called of God to bring His children to Christ, and our young teachers taught us skills and built our confidence and desire. Our mission is to teach and testify and invite and love. We can do that. And we get to do it together, in Chile. Don't feel sorry for us, but please do pray for and remember us. WE LOVE YOU!!!

Mom and Dad, Grammy and Gramps, Elder and Hermana Pack (real missionaries)