Getting Settled

Getting Settled

I started out tonight with the idea that I would add some more pictures from the MTC and from our apartment but for some reason our computer doesn't want to load pictures right now. The internet is great but it's also the source of my greatest frustration.

We thought we had out internet hooked up last week but the phone jacks in 2 of the bedrooms aren't working so, finally, last night we figured that the computer would have to go into our bedroom as it seems to be the only working jack we have. So we rearranged the furniture and move the computer and now we are hopefully in business.

Well, a little about the mission. We arrived in Salt Lake on the 6th from an amazing week at the MTC. We had lunch and orientation at the Joseph Smith Building with the other 35 missionaries who had arrived in our mission. Only 8 of us had been in the MTC because the family history missionaries don't go to the MTC. We met our Mission Presidency and our Branch Presidency and got our pictures taken. One of Brent's friends from high school is here serving at the Family History Library. We also met one of Nancy's roommates from BYU and her husband, Gretchen and Ken Bray. They are in our branch, too. We haven't seen them since we got married but we were all in the same ward and apartment complex back then.

We got our stuff into our apartment on Friday and Saturday we put stuff away and went shopping for groceries and other needs. Sunday we went to our new Branch, the Salt Lake 2nd Branch in the Salt Lake Stake. We're in the oldest stake in the church and meet in the stake center just west of the Conference Center. Behind the pulpit is a large stained glass window depicting the First Vision. It's really beautiful and not something you see in churches. We were also warned that because our church is right downtown you have to be careful about leaving your coat hanging in the hall as people wander in off the street and take coats if they need one!

Our Branch is senior missionaries and 65 young elders with disabilities that would keep them from serving a proselyting mission. They work up the canyon in the vaults and in the FH library. They are an interesting bunch but bless their hearts for wanting to serve missions. They jump right up to bear their testimonies and the Branch President finally had to get up and close the meeting even though everyone hadn't born their testimony.

Monday morning we reported at 7:30 to the devotional and were introduced with all the other new missionaries. Then a short orientation and off to the COB to begin our training. The first 2 days were a bit overwhelming as we did some work and also had to get our security badges and parking permits. Because we have to drive to work we have parking privileges under the Conference Center. After 3 PM and on weekends we can also park under the COB.

On Monday night our Branch had a "Hail and Farewell" potluck dinner. They have this every other month to say good-bye to the missionaries who are leaving and welcome the ones who are new. Our Branch President does magic tricks so he dressed up in his clown outfit and put on a magic show for the program. He's really pretty good!

Time to sign off and write more later.