Chapter 4, in which Elder Baer gives a rather detailed account of serious and not-so serious matters in an effort to illustrate how the Mission Training Center is, in fact, quite "dope."

 September 4, 2023

Happy Labor Day Everyone! How is the day off of. . . whatever you're doing?

As the weeks go by at yon Missionary Training Center, I'm continually amazed at how cool my district is. All the Elders in room 217 are real Renaissance Men. Elder Groscost played football for Alta, rocked a blond fro, and has D&D experience? Crazy! Elder Biggs was a baseball star and crushed the AP Calc test? Bonkers! Elder Sheffield lived in China and Switzerland? Wild! Elder Hart takes cello from BYU professors? Big Flex! Elder Logan has an associates degree and had sponsorship in boogie-boarding competitions? That's not even the half of it! 

I'm also continually amazed at the things one can witness at the MTC, such as the following (grab some popcorn and snacks if you need):

--I've been getting up for morning runs with Elder Groscost (he and Elder Logan are workout champs). This morning we saw a deer, a stray housecat, and a legit owl all on campus. Just goes to show, you never know "who" will want to meet with the missionaries. Could've been a great teaching opportunity if we knew the language.

--The difference in Sunday Devotionals vs. the Tuesday Devos? Wild! Tuesday Devos are basically epic conference talks directed to the missionaries from General Authorities of the Church. Sunday Devos are like gospel thoughts from the MTC president, but they're always introduced via presentations about his personal life; highlights include film from high school football career and a live Heisman pose on stage. Highlights also include our good Cantonese Elders likening the scriptures and "taking by stratagem" in chess.

 

--We got a lil' talking to after we all showed up 10 mins late to watch an epic arm wrestle between Elder Logan and an Australian Elder. 100% worth it.

 

 

--My companion ordered a mini mah-jhongg set that arrived this week. Facebook Marketplace really coming in clutch.

a

--I was writing in my journal one night when I heard a bunch of gut-busting yelling coming from somewhere on the floor above. That's right y'all, the bros upstairs doing the HAKA!! I think there was a big district of Elders from New Zealand heading out, so I'm guessing that was their goodbyes. One of the most rad things I've heard at the MTC (in addition to the organ hymns at Devos)

--All the Elders at the MTC on Fast Sunday? You'd best believe the line for dinner gets  w i l d ! The poor people serving in the cafeteria, trying to hold down Gondor under siege.

--I was sitting in sacrament meeting yesterday and our branch president asked some of the other branch presidency members to bear their testimonies. Mark and Sheri Nyman are switching out of our branch. But the CRAZIEST thing happened when he got up to bear his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It felt like I had a sixth sense flip on, where I could feel so strongly that the spirit of the Lord was upon him, almost to the point of seeing it. My physical eyes obviously just saw him, the pulpit, and the blank wall behind him, but I guess my "spiritual eyes" if you will could discern that there was power in the room. There's one more testimony that the Holy Ghost is manifested in innumerable ways.

I hope all of you have a fantastic holiday to enjoy the fruits of your labors, and a flipping good week! Love you all!

--Elder Baer

 

PHOTOS:

  More wildlife on MTC campus?

 

The district -- unity is lookin' good

Teacher, Elders Biggs, Hart, Groscost, Sheffield, Logan, Baer

 

Items for improvement

[Who puts chocolate milk in the irons?!?]