A Well-Oiled Machine

View from our room, morning, noon and evening.  The rain has been glorious!

I have a feeling that the cafeteria does up breakfast in fine fashion.  I don't know for sure, because on this our second day, we didn't darken the door there because (1) we chose to sleep rather than eat, and (2) if I am going to miss a meal here and there, breakfast is by far and away the easiest to do without.  Nevertheless, every meal we have had there leaves me in open-mouthed wonder.  The food is passably good.  The delivery is an amazing spectacle.  With a capacity of 3700 missionaries (I'm uncertain how many there are this week.) the cafeteria provides a seemingly unending supply of tasty dishes for the hungry youth, as well as the 74 of us seniors (we are hungry too, but a bit more sedate in our selections and consumption.

There are several different stations which offer a variety of foods.  There are hot meals, lite meals, salad bars, banks of drink dispensers and the requisite cold cereal counter, where practically every kind of cold cereal awaits.  The "gourmet salad bar" seems to attract the seniors the most, who like to make a meal out of the tasty gourmet salads.  For the young missionaries, they are just the appetizer of their meals.

I can't imagine that there is anyone around here who could ever be hangry!

The cafeteria is legendary.  People talk about it in the same reverent and awed tone as they talk about food on cruise ships.

I enjoy the whole cafeteria experience, especially all of the visiting that takes place.  In the last two days, I don't know how many times we have introduced ourselves, told where we are from, how many children and grandchildren we have, where we are headed on our mission, and what we will be doing there.  It is so interesting to see how everyone talks about their missions, with a degree of delight and wonder.  Joy. We spoke to a couple this evening who are going to Kenya.  Kenya!!!!  They are thrilled.  Another to Hawaii (what's not to love about that?).  Another to a military base in Kansas.  El Paso, Texas.  Their assignments are varied...who knew there were so many ways you can serve the Lord on missions?

I loved loved loved this day!  We spent most of the day in training classes.  We had different teachers for the morning block and afternoon block.  They were both impossibly young.  Both recently married, and both so in love with life, as well as the gospel, as well as their respective spouses.

There are three couples in our district, so it is a small group.  In the morning we sat in a very comfortable classroom with Sister Anderson, all of five feet tall and stunningly beautiful with long dark hair.  Both she and her husband spent the summer in a third-world country serving in a humanitarian capacity.  We discussed lessons from "Preach My Gospel."  It is a powerful missionary tool.  Throughout the day, we spontaneously bore our testimonies in commenting on different aspects of the gospel and how much joy it brings into our lives.  The spirit is strong here, with an energy that is contagious.

In the afternoon Brother Hepworth - as handsome as Sister Anderson is beautiful - taught all of us seniors how to access some of the marvelous tools on Gospel Library.  (Speaking of which - did you know that the Church's production of the the Book of Mormon Videos debuts on September 20!)
He is well over six feet tall with dark hair and a chiseled face.  He is getting his degree in mechanical engineering.  His mother taught him to sew and so he accomplished one of his long-held goals, to make a dress for his wife, which he did!!!!  Isn't that grand fun?

Later, he led us through some very spiritual discussions about The Book of Mormon.  I loved it, but SK LOVED it.  He loves that book with a passion and will jump at the chance to talk about it.

After dinner, we went to the Tuesday night devotional.  Except for the speakers, the description is probably the same as it was six years ago when we were here.  In the darkening evening, we walked across campus to the building where it was held.  We were surrounded by missionaries, and the feeling is absolutely incredible.  They were all speaking to each other in the languages they will use on their missions, or just talking and laughing.  We walked with another senior couple, whose daughter is married to the son of someone we knew years ago in Gilbert.  Everyone we meet knows Gilbert Arizona.  Not so 40 years ago.

Gary L. Stevenson and his wife spoke to us.  The meeting lasted for exactly one hour.  For ten minutes before, we sang prelude hymns:  We are all Enlisted, Precious Savior, and I Know that My Redeemer Lives.  We were told that the devotional was being broadcast to 10 other MTCs around the world.  Sister Stevenson spoke first and used Alma 26:37 to talk about how God is mindful of everyone all over the world.  Then Elder Stevenson spoke about missionaries.  He showed pictures of himself as a 19-year-old opening his mission call.  Boy did he look young.  Then a picture of his last day in Japan at age 21.  It was clear to see the growth, physically and spiritually.  He told some great stories.  He told us that our missions would be over before we knew it, and that we will be looking back on an incredible experience if we are diligent.  He closed by telling us the it is an incredible blessing to be a missionary in this last dispensation.

On the way back to our room, we stopped to get our pictures taken in front of THE MAP.  We had to wait in line.

Everything runs smoothly here.  It has to be one of the happiest places on earth.