MTC Week 2

Dear family,

The time has finally arrived for us to depart.  Friday morning we will leave for Antofagasta, Chile and be gone for 18 months.  Naturally we will miss all of our family, but we are  glad for the opportunity to serve the Lord full time.  I am expecting it to be a wonderful experience.  I have been attending the MTC alone some of the time, because Mom had been trying to get ready to leave.  I really admire Mom for even being willing to take on such a large scale effort.  Very few women in the church would be willing to do such a thing, particularly with the short notice we were given to be ready.  That is why there are so few senior missionaries who go on foreign missions.  She has made a yeoman effort to try and do everything she could.  Closing down all of her family history work, and trying to get all the things ready to leave for 18 months has been no small task. She is a valiant saint to even be willing to take upon herself that burden.  We had about 6 weeks from the time we opened our call until we were supposed to be ready to leave for that long.  Without a lot of help from Laura and Amy, as well as some friends, I don't think we could have done it.  We have had to have some private tutoring at the MTC at odd hours to try and be ready and have also downloaded all of the presentations during the second week on a flash drive so that they can be reviewed when we get out into the field.  It would have nice to have a relaxed time together and more fully enjoyed the MTC, but it was just not possible under the circumstances and short notice.  We did learn a lot,and and plan to give our best when we arrive in our field of labor. I know Mom will make a big difference in the mission field as she works with the elders and the sisters.

We love you all and thank you for your love and support.

Love,

Dad