Saturday, April 30, 2022

Travel to Portugal-Pack your Patience

 

On Monday, April 25th our good friend Chris Clifford picked us up at 6AM and took us to the MTC for our shuttle to the SLC airport. Here we are with Jason as we were hopeful to utilize Delta flight benefits as his parents to fly on the 10AM flight to JFK.



Sadly, there were no seats remaining. We were then placed on the standby list for the 1:40PM flight to JFK. But again there were no extra seats.



Kim, contemplative and patiently waiting for the results.



  Sister Shelly Jordan and Elder Paul Jordan showing us what an actual airline ticket looks like.


Final goodby as E/S Richard & Lea Taylor fly to Barcelona and S/E Shelly & Paul Jordan fly to Madrid.

We returned home on Monday, April 25th having been unable to fly to NY and onto Portugal. However, our 4 suitcases were flown to JFK. Learning from our first attempt of the risks of standby travel we purchased tickets for the following day to JFK. Reminded of the wisdom that “pigs get fat but hogs get slaughtered.” 

We were rewarded on Tuesday, April 26th with First Class tickets from JFK to Lisbon!!


We waited for 2 hours to pass through Immigration.

Sister Barcellos (the mission President’s wife) greeted us at the airport.

We spent our first 2 nights in this very comfortable Holliday Inn hotel. 

Monday, April 18, 2022

MTC Week 2-VISAs have arrived!

On Monday, April 18, 2022 we received our VISAs. We went in person to the Portugal Consulate in San Francisco on February 8, 2022. This was a long process but now we should be able to fly to Lisbon next Monday, April 25th!



On September 2, 1976 I, entered the newly completed Language Training Mission (LTM) in preparation to learn Portuguese on my way to Brazil. The LTM was dedicated on September 27, 1976 by the prophet-President Spencer W. Kimball. I stayed in the LTM until Dec. 7, 1976.  In the fall of 1978 it became known as the Missionary Training Center (MTC). 

This is my good friend Dave “Homer” Longhurst. We entered the LTM on the same day.  Even though we were never companions we were roommates at BYU and have remained close friends since we first met. 


These photos were taken at about the same spot on April 18, 2022 with my eternal companion!



In February 2022, Homer and his eternal companion Chris. How great to have good friends with happy marriages!


This is our classroom. During the 2nd week E/S Kyle & Joyce Miskin (front left) have been added to our District.



During the 2nd week our teacher was Sister Abby Ott on the left. Kim & Brian; S/E Ginger & Brent Barrett; S/E Shelly & Paul Jordan; E/S Kyle & Joyce Miskin; S/E Lea & Richard Tayler; E/S Ron & Linda Waldron.


This was our final meal at the MTC! We all graduated! Next stop Portugal!

                           SCRIPTURE POWER:

And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. Nevertheless I went forth,” (1 Ne. 4:6-7)

Elder Richard G. Scott, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, titled, “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer” (April 2007 general conference). said:

“What do you do when you have prepared carefully, have prayed fervently, waited a reasonable time for a response, and still do not feel an answer? You may want to express thanks when that occurs, for it is an evidence of his trust. When you are living worthily and your choice is consistent with the Savior’s teachings and you need to act, proceed with trust … God will not let you proceed too far without a warning impression if you have made the wrong decision.”

•“God cannot steer a parked car and we have to be moving if we want him to guide us.” –John Bytheway ... •“The Savior rarely moves the mountains in front of us, but He always helps us climb them.” –Sheri Dew ... •“While the Lord will magnify us in both subtle and dramatic ways, He can only guide our footsteps when we move our feet.” –Marion G. Romney ..

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said: “When our wagon gets stuck in the mud, God is much more likely to assist the man who gets out to push than the man who merely raises his voice in prayer—no matter how eloquent the oration.”



Friday, April 15, 2022

Missionary Training Center (MTC)-week 1

 

On Monday, April 11th we entered the MTC!



This is a typical daily schedule. We live close enough that we are able to sleep in our own bed. We work from about 8AM-8PM.



This is Sister Madsen, she is our morning teacher.


This District of young missionaries arrived a few hours earlier this day. You can feel their excitement and goodness!



This week there were 130 senior missionaries that entered the MTC. The largest group in several years.




This is in front of one of the beautiful murals in the new MTC building.



Our area of assignment is to work with the Young Single Adults (YSA). This is our MTC district of fellow YSA missionaries. Beginning on the left are: E/S Brent & Ginger Barrett assigned to Iceland; E/S Paul & Shelly Jordan assigned to Madrid, Spain; Kim & Brian to Portugal; our teacher Sister Madsen; S/E Linda & Ronald Waldron assigned to Boston; S/E Lea & Richard Taylor assigned to Barcelona, Spain. 

It’s quite remarkable that after being together for just 5 days we have developed deep love and respect for all of these couples. Hopefully, our paths will cross again in the future.


Our District with our afternoon teacher Sister Hanamaikai. From the left E/S Brent & Ginger Barrett; S/E Linda & Paul Waldron; S/E Kim & Brian; S/E Shelly & Paul Jordan; S/E Lea & Richard Taylor.