Loved it! Day One of three days of 'pre-mission' training at Church Headquarters today.
In the afternoon we met at the Mission Office in the Joseph Smith Building with some of the staff. President Simmons was not there, but we met his wife. Sat down with some of the mission staff to check our file and then the mission housing sister took us on a walking tour of the four housing complexes that Senior Missionaries live in. She slipped on her walking runners as we left. We walked many blocks in and around the COB. We won't know where we will live until we get closer to the date of officially arriving, and seeing what apts. are available at that time.
Amazing workers in the Translation Department...so looking forward to tomorrow!
Started our day at 8, meeting our several 'bosses'. Jeff Batesman is the Head of the whole Translation Division (married to a Taber girl). Jeff Johnson is the Department Head over us, however it is Brad Lindsay who is our Department Manager, whom we will report to and work very closely with and plan with weekly.
We then attended the Monday 8:30 weekly devotional where all the Translation Division staff meet. We were introduced at this time to all the Translation 21st Floor Staff. Special.
So friendly and helpful...they sure wish we could stay right now and start...they need us
and one of the senior couples leaves June 1st with no replacement in sight yet. We met the three Senior Mission couples now working in the Translation Division. The Evans are leaving June 1st, and they are the ones we were originally suppose to replace, however due to the long wait for Visas, we aren't able to be there. So NO couple is replacing them at this time. (Not good as no other couple has been called.) Their duties will be divided up to the other couples. The Joneses leave right after October Conference...we will replace them. The Porters have another year to serve and we are SO glad!!
We were taken on tour of the tunnels from Church Office Headquarters connecting to the Conference Center, Tabernacle, SLC Temple, and Administration Building. Walked them all today. The tunnels have major security at every door, are quick, and wide enough for golf carts to take the General Authorities safely. Inclement and too hot weather also makes the tunnels valuable. (We saw start of the private tunnel leading to the Apartment Building where the Prophet lives.) Believe it or not, the Translation Senior Mission Couples have the security passes to swipe and get through all those secured doors. They need to use the Conference Center at all hours with their translation team. They need to get in the Joseph Smith Building via the tunnel as the Mission Office is there on level 3 and so on. What a responsibility to carry that high of security pass!
Lunchtime: huge cafeteria at the COB (Church Office Building). Not open to the public but just for the missionaries of any age, and ALL church staff workers from garden staff, cleaners etc. and up. Saw two of the Quorum of the Seventy eating there too. Yummy food...huge variety of buffets and such. Hundreds of missionaries eating there...amazing and humbling. We ate lunch with the three Senior Missionary Couples from the Translation Division (officially called Headquarter Missionaries). We brainstormed with these couples about housing, and so many other questions.
We definitely got in our 1,000 steps...only wish we had on our running shoes. I even got a blister on my toe...lol.
We learned that we have a 60 mile radius for our mission where we CAN travel without permission, when we have free time, and go visit anywhere in that area...
which means hello occasionally to Plain City (daughter Emily, hubby Mark, and five grandkids) and Ogden too (brother Gordon and sister Sharon and spouses) ...yeah! There is a map in our mission book that shows all 60 mile area.
So much to learn, but feel we so blessed and area absorbing as much as we can!
We are also grateful to Philip McClain, the Financial Manager, who is also in charge of the Headquarter Senior Missionaries and their well being. He arranged for our stay at the Radisson Hotel and Diner card as we train for these three days. He has a fun sense of humor too. He has been our liason by phone and email.
Looking forward to Day Two of training tomorrow!!
What a great first day. You guys are going to be such an asset to that mission. Everyone loves you already! You guys are going to have such an amazing experience!!! Yaaaaaa
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