Elder Gary L. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Gerrit Gong of the Presidency of the Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were the ones to set us apart. What a great moment with a few of our humble leaders, both with great experience throughout Asia as leaders of the Church.
Later in the day, Terri and I entered the MTC in Provo to receive four days of instruction from Church leaders on our roles and responsibilities. We were joined by 170 other new mission presidents and their wives going to places in nearly every country in the world. We are a part of the total of 421 missions on this planet.
By Sunday, we had received great instruction and our picture was added to the board of all current mission presidents so that as missionaries enter the training center for their nine weeks of language, culture and religious training, they will see who their mission 'parents' will be.
One of the best times of the conference was to meet briefly with the missionaries currently in the MTC preparing to go to our mission in the next weeks! The energy and excitement of this group was contagious. I look forward to greeting them at the airport in a few short weeks.
A special experience for me was visiting briefly with my former mission companion from 1978 in Incheon, Korea, Elder Michael T. Ringwood. He was a great leader then and a greater leader now.
We took a moment get a picture together with mission presidents in our mission previously.
Elder and Sister Ringwood 204-2007and President and Sister Burton 2007-2010. The mission was closed 2010-2013 and reopened in 2013 with President and Sister Morrise presiding over the mission until we arrived this week.
Bright and early Monday, June 27 we were bussed to the Salt Lake airport for our long journey to Korea. To say the least, this past week has been one of the most amazing weeks in our lives. To sit at the feet of the Twelve Apostles and be taught.
