Preach My Gospel training completed

Lois and I completed our one week of Standard Senior Missionary Training.
Below is a picture of our District (I was appointed as the District Leader) with our morning time instructor - Sister Zollinger.

From Left - Sister Kessler (Germany, Berlin), Sister Porter (Kansas, Wichita), Elder & Sister Campbell (Philippines), back row Elder & Sister Wood (Oregon, Eugene), and front center Sister Zollinger (Morning Instructor), Elder & Sister Meeker (Thailand, Bangkok)

We had the opportunity to learn a lot from many volunteers who helped, in addition to the things taught by many instructors throughout the week.  Elder and Sister Tree shared their missionary experiences with us.  They have served 5 missions and are waiting for their 6th mission call.  Elder Tree's first mission was in the early 1950's to Tahiti (sounded a lot like the movie "The Other Side of Heaven"). He and his wife went back together and lived on a very remote primitive island for some of the time.  He talked about the impact that one conversion can have on the larger human family as extended family and children make the impact on the church and their own lives. 

In addition, we met some very interesting people.  One evening at dinner we sat with a senior missionary who serves in a Branch Presidency for the French speaking Missionaries at the MTC.  He was a Hollywood makeup artist who worked on almost 100 full length feature films during his career.  He said he worked on the Jeremiah Johnson movie - Robert Redford was the star.  Someone on the crew suggested he buy a lot at Sundance (the area were the movie was filmed - now a Ski resort in Wasatch Mountains near Provo) at the conclusion of making that movie in 1971. After retiring (lived in Burbank CA) they built a home on the lot and now live there. 

Next week we start our office specialist training.  We have training Monday thru Thursday 8AM to 4:30 PM.  We then depart for Thailand on Friday.