Dear Reader,
Recently a friend of mine who works at the Missionary Training Center uploaded a picture to Facebook of all the name tags she has. Her tags were all related to work at the MTC whether as a missionary or as an employee in several different departments. I had to laugh because I have worked with her on several of the jobs or seen her while working those jobs. I also laughed because I have just as many name tags from the MTC.
My affinity toward missionary culture started while I was really young, according to my parents. My dad was ward mission leader in the church congregation we attended while living in Boston. Due to his calling, we had regular contact with the elders. My mom fed them dinner regularly and as a result, I was constantly surrounded by missionaries who would wrestle with me, tease me and teach me.
This connection with these young men was apparently a very important part of my life. According to my mother there was a dramatic change in my attitude when we left Boston and moved to Denver. She recounts that I was kind of sad and not really acting very energetic. This demeanor continued until one day we had the missionaries over for dinner. Upon arriving, my mom says that I perked up and ran over to them as if they were good friends despite the fact I had never met these particular elders before. After that my mood was drastically different.
It just goes to show that missionary culture is significant and continues to be in my life even now. After moving to Utah, I still loved having the missionaries over and before my own mission, I accompanied the missionaries as much as they would let me. I served 2 years as a full-time missionary in Chile and then came home to the MTC. That's right, just a few short months after arriving at school in Provo, I started working as a custodian in the MTC, where I stayed for almost a year. Even the custodial work was better with the missionaries around. Over the next 3 or 4 years, I worked in the MTC as an app developer in the development department, an interpreter, a cashier in the bookstore and a scheduling specialist.
You might ask, "What is with you and missionary work?" My favorite saying about missionaries says, "Missionaries leave their families for a short time so that others can be with their families forever." Missionaries have the most profound purpose of "[Inviting] others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end" (Preach My Gospel).
The environment of missionary work has a certain spirit that is unique. I love that spirit. It has brought me back to missionary work over and over again. I know that the message they share of the restoration of priesthood authority is true. They testify of the divinity of Jesus Christ and I add my testimony to theirs: He lives.
Recently a friend of mine who works at the Missionary Training Center uploaded a picture to Facebook of all the name tags she has. Her tags were all related to work at the MTC whether as a missionary or as an employee in several different departments. I had to laugh because I have worked with her on several of the jobs or seen her while working those jobs. I also laughed because I have just as many name tags from the MTC.
My affinity toward missionary culture started while I was really young, according to my parents. My dad was ward mission leader in the church congregation we attended while living in Boston. Due to his calling, we had regular contact with the elders. My mom fed them dinner regularly and as a result, I was constantly surrounded by missionaries who would wrestle with me, tease me and teach me.
This connection with these young men was apparently a very important part of my life. According to my mother there was a dramatic change in my attitude when we left Boston and moved to Denver. She recounts that I was kind of sad and not really acting very energetic. This demeanor continued until one day we had the missionaries over for dinner. Upon arriving, my mom says that I perked up and ran over to them as if they were good friends despite the fact I had never met these particular elders before. After that my mood was drastically different.
 |
| Just one of many families that the Gospel has blessed (Les quiero!) |
You might ask, "What is with you and missionary work?" My favorite saying about missionaries says, "Missionaries leave their families for a short time so that others can be with their families forever." Missionaries have the most profound purpose of "[Inviting] others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end" (Preach My Gospel).
 |
| Just one copy of each of the tags I have used at the MTC |
Comments
Post a Comment