Week 1

Most of Monday was spent unpacking and arranging our apartment.  It has two bedrooms (one is our office, where we each have a portable table for a desk and pretty good office chairs, and another table with all our seminary and institute things).  Also, for the first time in our marriage, we have two bathrooms.  Yippee!  There is an electric fireplace, which will be nice in a few months when the temperature finally drops a bit.

On Tuesday Brother Bonham, the Seminaries and Institute (S & I) Director (located in Baton Rouge), and Brother Hadley, the assistant area S & I coordinator (stationed in Tennessee) came to the stake center to give us some training. It turns out we are part of a pilot program for using senior missionary couples as stake S & I coordinators.  There are only about 10 couples doing this right now.  As a pilot program, there are some things to be worked out as we go, and our training was helpful but certainly didn't teach us everything we need to know.  But at least we can get started.  He also gave us a boatload of stuff--nice printer, projector for powerpoints or videos, paper supplies, manuals galore, etc, etc.

We are to visit every seminary class and every institute class in the stake at least twice a semester (some of them are two hours away, so we stay in the town overnight since classes meet a 6 am), give support to the teachers, help in training new teachers and in in-services, work with the stake priesthood leaders, and so on.  We'll be teaching the home study class once a week (they do their own study daily and meet together on Wednesday right before Young Men/Young Women meeting).  There may be a new institute class starting, which we would teach, as well.  There will be more coming, but that's what we understand so far.

So, on Wednesday we had a conference call with two other coordinating couples in the morning, then went to our District Council--two sets of sisters and two sets of elders (all young missionaries) in this district.  That evening we visited the home study seminary class and later the institute class in Alexandria.

Friday afternoon we had an appointment with the stake president.  He's the head of the art department at Northwestern State University, LA in Natchitoches, about an hour north of us.  Natchitoches is pronounced knack-a-dish with accent on the knack.  Don't ask, 'cause I have no idea why that's so, but it's so! Anyway, it was a good meeting.  He went to Kansas State University for his MFA, and his family was in the same ward I was in years earlier in Manhattan.  They knew several of my friends there.

While Alexandria doesn't have a charming downtown, Natchitoches does.  We can't wait to really explore it later, but many parts of it looked like the French Quarter in New Orleans.  The movie Steel Magnolias was filmed here.

Charming Natchitoches

Today we met with our Marksville Branch again.  It is a 40 minute drive through beautiful farmland to get there.  The stake center is just about 7 minutes from us, practically around the corner, but we've been assigned to Marksville, and love getting to know the people there.  

The mission president, President Varner, and his wife stopped in to see us on their way home from a stake conference in the stake north of us.  It was wonderful to meet them; we had dinner together and we got to know each other.

Seen while driving around:

• A flower called Lycoris--it's a bulb I've never seen before, but it pops up in medians and people's yards; quite pretty when lots are growing together

Lycoris--long skinny stalk with no leaves

• So many egrets I might even stop getting excited every time I see one--they even hang around in cow and horse pastures, not just by ponds and lakes

• Lots of green, lots of lush pastures, lots of cotton fields (ready to harvest any time now)

Here are some Alexandria, LA facts:

• Sister Neill Marriott, former General Young Women's Counselor, was born and raised here; her mother just recently passed away
• Elevation 75 feet above sea level
• Central time zone
• Average yearly precipitation--61.4 inches
• On the Red River
• In Rapides Parish (parish is what counties are called here)
• Population 48,000

Some Louisiana facts:

• Nicknamed the pelican state

• State bird, the brown pelican

The MTC and Travels

A little late because we just got internet connection yesterday.

We had a wonderful 2 1/2 days at the MTC in our Seminary and Institute training.  Just some great help in teaching the gospel and connecting with youth and young single adults.  On Tuesday Elder Neil L. Anderson of the Quorum of the Twelve was our devotional speaker, and was, of course, very good--he spoke about the temple.  Afterward, Sister Keaton Carter, a YSA from Stillwater, came to say hello--she'd spotted us from her seat in the choir (we'd seen her once before in the cafeteria).  It was delightful to see her, as we'd become quite attached when we were in Stillwater.

Sister Carter--going to Paris, France

Wednesday was half a day of training, then we finished loading the car and set off for Denver, arriving at 11:30 pm (and a bit tired).  We spent Thursday with Kim, Doug and the girls--won't be getting many grandkid hugs for a while.  We're going to miss all of our grandchildren, great nieces and nephews, and all their parents.

Early Friday morning we started our drive to Wichita Falls, TX, and arrived about 7 pm.  We drove through more rain than we've seen in Utah for ages, and most of the intersections were flooded. The next day we continued to drive though pouring rain until we were well past Dallas.  Then we just had intermittent rain and mist the rest of the way to Alexandria, where we arrived at 4 pm Saturday.

On the was we passed fields and fields of cotton, at least 100 egrets, and beautiful lush green trees and pastures.

Our apartment is very nice, much newer and larger than the one we had on our last mission.  Because we weren't sure if we would get here before the apartment office closed, the sisters assigned to the area had one key to our apartment and the other was in the office.  We made it in time, but the sisters came shortly after to give us the other key.

Sisters Martin and Parkinson and their Louisiana tracting footwear--great waterproof boots!

Sunday we attended our branch in Marksville--about a 40 minute drive from here. The branch meets in what is essentially a triple wide trailer. I counted 35 people including 10 children, 4 missionaries, and 2 stake visitors.  Never in my life have I experienced a welcome at church like we had there.  People kept saying things like, "You're OUR missionaries?  You're going to STAY in our branch?"  On the 4th Sunday, they have a linger longer pot luck meal after church, and we sure had some good Cajun cooking. 

Much more to follow, but will end by saying we've been greatly blessed in every way.  We're excited for our new adventure and know that very little in life brings as much satisfaction and as many blessings as serving the Lord.

The MTC

We arrived at the Missionary Training Center at 9:45 am on Monday, September 10.  After going through the checking in/arrival process, we had our picture taken (it's part of the process) to prove we are here:

Outside the MTC

Finding our Spot in the World

On Monday, 113 senior missionaries came with our group.  They are going all over the world and in quite a variety of assignments (Office, Church Education System, Sister Auxiliary Support, Member Leader Support, Pathways, YSA, Military Relations. . . ).  After an orientation, a partial tour, and lunch, we all met together for the official start to our training.

First we were divided into districts, then came together for a session about the Doctrine of Christ and the Missionary Purpose.  The Spirit was in evidence as we studied and listened to our instructor.  This really is the Lord's work and it is a privilege to be part of it. Then the MTC president and his wife spoke to us.  That evening for Family Home Evening, we watched a Christmas MTC video of Elder Bednar talking about The Character of Christ; it was absolutely superb, both humbling and inspiring.

Tuesday each district went with its teacher for the morning's instruction.  Our morning teacher was Brother Roberts. He's been home from his mission to Scottsdale, AZ, just three months, and here he was poised, personable, and enthusiastic teaching four senior couples.  Our afternoon teacher was Sister Yonk.  She's taught at the MTC for two years since her mission to Italy.  

The training this time was completely different than it was when we were here three years ago.  It was much more applicable to the types of assignments senior missionaries have, and we enjoyed it even more than last time.  I won't go into all the exercises and experiences we had, but between large group and small group activities and lessons, we increased our capacity for and excitement about missionary work.

On Tuesday night, Elder Robert C. Gay of the Presidency of the Seventy spoke.  The majority of the 2100 young missionaries here sang in the choir, and they were simply amazing.  With one hour of practice they sounded like a polished choir singing Nearer, My God, to Thee.  A few of Elder Gay's points:  You can live your life by covenant or by convenience.--  The easiest thing you can do is quit; be a partaker and finisher.--  Forsake the world and do it His way. -- You cannot move missionary work forward without personal revelation.

There are two beautiful, impressive new buildings at the MTC.  The next two pictures were taken in those:

Done by a Japanese artist--the "birds" above represent spirits coming to the earth, the "birds" below represent those leaving

Finally, a picture of our district:

The Birds, going to Provo; the Heilners going to Cambridge, England; the Gowans going to Ohio; us

We attended our MTC Senior Branch today for our church meetings, and we go back tomorrow for our CES training, which lasts until noon on Wednesday.

It's been a week of growth and learning, feelings of inadequacy and hope, and above all, a week of gratitude for our Savior and His atonement.

It Begins

Today our Stake President, Kline Bradford, set us apart as full-time missionaries.  He gave us each beautiful blessings, and we are now officially Elder and Sister Kerr.  We report to the Missionary Training Center tomorrow morning, and begin our week and a half of training before we "report for duty" in Louisiana.

We were originally supposed to go to the MTC on October 8, but shortly after we received our call, we were asked if we could go a month earlier.  That meant a little bit of a scramble to tie up loose ends, make a few doctor's appointments, and cut our visit to the east coast short a day (we visited family in Maryland and North Carolina--just got back this morning), but otherwise we are very happy to be going a little earlier than originally planned.  It's nice to be needed even if we don't yet know exactly what we're needed for!