Elder and Sister Blattman’s Missionary Weekly Journal Week 1

Elder and Sister Blattman’s Missionary Weekly Journal
January 3-9, 2011

Our first trip to the Missionary Training Center for Church Seminary and Institutes Training
We left Winnemucca on our first trip to the MTC in Provo for Seminary and Institutes Training on Sunday after sacrament meeting in our ward. We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas together with everyone. Christmas seemed a bit hurried because we knew we’d have to button everything up in preparation for leaving. I hope we weren’t short with anyone. Everyone helped in one way or another if nothing more than hauling stuff off so we wouldn’t have to pack it. Matt & Kathy were especially kind in helping us clean the refrigerators, mop floors and pack the last few boxes. Many thanks.
Nancy and I talked most of the six hour trip (which always somehow takes us 8 hours), mostly about our children and grandchildren. We proudly hold our own in the senior missionary crowd here at the MTC. After asking where you are from and where you are going, it’s “How many grandchildren do you have?”
Here’s what we looked like in our application photo.

Tuesday evening we attended a devotional where David S. Baxter of the Seventy spoke. His message was one of the basic principles of the church. At the devotional Nancy saw one of her former seminary students, Colton Nielson, who had moved from Winnemucca and is here preparing to go to Bolivia on his mission. She was very pleased to see him.
The CES trainers who taught us through the week were exceptionally good teachers. They were models of good teaching practices as they taught things like lesson planning and classroom techniques. It was one of the best in-service like classes that I have attended.

Elder and Sister Blattman’s Missionary Weekly Journal Week 2

Elder and Sister Blattman’s Missionary Weekly Journal
January 10-14, 2011

Saturday morning as we prepared to leave Nancy spotted a drip under the kitchen sink. The more I tightened the leaky fittings the more they leaked so I had to make a trip to the hardware store before we could leave. I turned the valve back on and as I stood up and looked over the sink, there Nancy sat red-eyed on the couch, sadly staring around her empty and faintly echoing house. As much as she desires to serve a mission it was hard to leave the comfort of our home.
The car is overloaded. Not one more piece of clothing, not one more book can be crammed into the trunk. There is an area in the middle where the driver can see through things piled on the back seat. We have sewing machines to mend clothing and a cookie sheet to make refreshments for the single adults, enough books to make a small library, and plenty of stuff that we just can’t live without. I’m reminded how we stepped off the plane when we returned from Australia with four children, a diaper bag, and a didgeridoo. A couple of duffel bags containing our belongings had been lost and came later.
Saturday evening we had dinner at ‘Jim’s Family Diner’ in Springdale with my sisters, Edie, Judy, and Kathy. Jake and Toni were nearby looking at houses and they joined us as well. That was a nice treat. Edie took us back to her home to stay. It happened that Edie had been asked to give a talk in Sacrament meeting the next morning, the first time she had been asked in nine years. That was a special treat. Larry, Nancy, and I had our usual back row seats and we didn’t make faces at her or anything. Sunday evening, Chris and his family came over for dinner. Chris shared a lot of information about seminary and the Church Education System. We had a nice last day as civilians.
At the Tuesday evening devotional the chorister casually mentioned as we sang prelude hymns that should an Apostle were to enter the room it would be respectful for everyone to stand. That created a buzz in the senior crowd. Jeffrey R. Holland, of the Quorum of the Twelve, walked in with several other general authorities including Gordon B. Hinkley’s son whom I always give a double take. Elder Holland spoke powerfully about the ‘Preach My Gospel’ handbook and how with its implementation the Church was concerned that missionaries had a firmer foundation in gospel doctrine. He practically thundered on missionaries studying more, being more sensitive to the needs of investigators, and preparation. He made it very clear that we will never be the same after serving a mission nor can we go back to being what we once were.
With that, Nancy and I are experiencing a little culture shock. It’s not that we were not religious but we feel a little like we have joined a monastery full of exuberantly friendly monks. There are no vows of silence here for sure, people are so friendly that sometimes we look for a quiet corner in the cafeteria. I think our faces have some new wrinkles from smiling all the time. But on the other hand, we found Elder Ang in the cafeteria sitting by himself during lunch last week and he really seemed to enjoy our company. Elder Ang is from Cambodia and he earned his way to the MTC by working “lots a jobs in grocery store and selling things on street”. He joined the church as a teenager after reading a missionary pamphlet. He stepped on the pamphlet in a muddy street after playing ball with his friends. He picked it up and instead of throwing it away, he put it in his pocket and read it through several times over the next few days. After reading it he said he knew it was true. He found the missionaries and asked to be baptized, then saved until he could go on a mission himself. It took him a year to get a visa. Out of the 2500 missionaries here we seemed to run into a grinning friendly Elder Ang at least once a day. He left Wednesday morning to serve his mission in Boston. We can’t imagine a Bostonian/Cambodian accent. By the way, I had no idea that there were so many Elder and Sister missionaries that came here from all over the world to learn English before departing on their missions.
Here we are in the traditional MTC map

And the adventure begins

I wanted to let everyone know about my new project.
I am asking Dad and Mom to send me a weekly letter and photo. I plan to compile them in a book and get each family a copy when they return.

If you have anything you would like to include in this record (ie: letters sent to you, letters you send to them, photos if you visit them, etc) you can also send to me in soft copy and I will archive them in the book.

thanks!

Kiddo update

Where does the time go? ***sigh***

it feels like just the other day I was dragging my little Emily out of the dishwasher and out of my kitchen cabinets. Now I can hardly get her to help me put away the clean dishes out of the dishwasher.

Emily jumped in the car as I picked them up from school and informed me that she tried out for Honor Choir, and made it - ummmm...ok. Sometimes I marvel as her confidence levels.
Emily is also playing in a 5th & 6th grade league of volleyball and last night I watched her jump to block a ball at the net - what!!....ok....she is growing up. (granted her finger tips barely reached the top of the net) but she was ready. ( the Scott Pyrah family would have been proud)

Morgan has been asking "when is fast sunday?" for serveral months and wondering if she should get up to bear her testimony....each month fast sunday comes and goes as she decides she is too nervous. But last week, I got up and about 2 minutes later Morgan came up all by herself. She gave a great testimony that I think she practiced a million times in her head. Love that kid, that took so much courage for my little shy girl.

Jacob has been asking me things like "where is Jesus?" "Can he come to my birthday party?"
This usually leads to a discussion about earth, planets, and rockets....somehow...

Yesterday we were headed to the church for a Primary Pres. mtg and he said "Mom, Jesus made that church."
I replied, "Yep, He sends so many blessings so we can have the nice church."
Jacob, "Yep, and where is He? Can He come visit?"
"Not yet," I replied, "But Jesus will come again like He promised, and you will be able to meet Him."
Jacob, " I know! let's make a rocket and go visit Jesus!"

Sam is growing fast and has 3 teeth and one more incoming! He is pretty normal, so all systems are go! Loves him some cars and anything else left on the floor to stick in his mouth....my little human vacuum cleaner :)

Butterflies

Since Mom and Dad were in town I am taking the liberty to share - they got a call from their Bishop that he received a note that their mission call was mailed off.....so they are expecting to see it in the mail Mon. or Tues!

So exciting! Mom confessed the butterflies were setting in and Dad was excited to share the update with everyone!

I sort of feel like "wow, this is really happening...." said in that high operatic voice

looking forward to see what comes!

Oh Say Can You See?

Photo blog - Themed

our theme is "Oh Say Can You See"

post your best photo blog pic!!

Just because we don't know how to say Arboretum, doesn't mean we aren't classy enought to bust a move while we are there.....

a day at the abororoumnumtomy....

We spent a day at San Rafeal Park with Max, Luke, and Heather. We were not able to observe the "quiet recreation" of the arbore...arbarum...arba...the nature trails.

Max really liked this girl's bike, even going as far as stroking the streamers hanging from her handle bars. But her dad came over to diffuse the negotiation over the bike.

putting the "nature" in nature trails

Just building immune systems while at the park.

Ohhhh, what do you do in the summertime,

when all the world is green.

Do you fish in a stream or lay on the banks and lazily dream as the clouds go by?

Is that what you doooo? So do I!

Do you swim in a pool, to keep yourself cool, or swing in a tree up high?
Is that what you doooo? So do I!

Do you march in a parade or drink lemonade or count the stars in the sky
Is that what you doooo? So do I!

Decide I would keep the kids busy this summer with something to do each day. I even got them each a little book to keep the pictures in and color or write.

I think it was more for me to have proof that they were not bored and put the kabosh on the "there is nothing to doooooo" whine.