Sunday, November 14, 2010

MTC Training - Day 4, 11/11

7:30 AM - 8:30 PM
 The Baines who taught in China with us in 2008-2009. 

Quite a long day...we are so tired, but happy.  We sat through many workshops, conducted by the young return missionaries.

The cafeteria food is, what should we say?  Interesting!  Yes, lots of choices.  But we are focusing on people, not food today.  We met several young Asian missionaries.  Most of them stay for 3 months for language training.  Several of them will be serving at Temple Square.  I have met some Asian missionaries at the Temple Square and thought they were excellent missionaries.  One of the girls came from Taiwan.  I found out she majored in Elementary Ed at BYU Hawaii.  We talked about the courses she has taken and her prospects for work.  We'll stay in touch with each other.

Tonight at dinner, we sat with the Asian missionaries.  We were so surprised to meet 2 sisters from Pakistan; people who convert from Islam to Christianity are sometimes killed for apostasy.  There are only senior missionaries in Pakistan, and all of their investigators are brought by members to be taught.  We suspect that those who come to be taught are not Muslin as that would put their lives in danger.  We met several sister missionaries from Taiwan, Japan, and Hong Kong.  We also met 1 Elder and 1 sister from SiChuan Province.  It touches us greatly to see these young people devoting the next 2 years preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ when I suspect some of their home town people might despise them for doing it.  When you see them in the streets, or at the Temple Square in Salt Lake, please give them a hug and talk to them.  Most of them are not English speakers and are spending 3 months at MTC, eating foods they are not used to, and following customs they are not familiar with.  I know none will waiver because they are committed.

At our language class tonight, our tutor invited a native Cantonese speaker to practice with us.  He is a teacher at the local high school and we appreciate him coming as a volunteer.  This state should be called a volunteer state as many people here at MTC are volunteers.  It's amazing.     

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