Day 1   was filled with introductions, getting acquainted, receiving study material, taking pictures, checking on our inoculations, a tour of the MTC campus, meeting with the MTC presidency, etc ... BUT

Day 2 ...Tuesday the 7th  

was ALL BUSINESS! We had combined lectures as well as district training; scripture study; then we worked on teaching techniques and lesson plans. YOU DEFINITELY RECOGNIZE YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES! I have felt the spirit many times in my life but I sincerely feel that there has never been a 12 hour period when I have felt it repeatedly, over and over again...until today.  Bishop Edgley, from the Presiding Bishopric spoke in the evening devotional...amazing speaker!  He talked to us about our differences in backgrounds, ages, knowledge, and skills.  Then he said, "There is a great equalizer...the fact that we have been called and set apart will qualify us for what's ahead."  Very comforting. 2,500 young men, women and senior missionaries stood and sang, "Called To Serve".  What an inspiring day!

Day 3...Wednesday the 8th.

We taught our first investigator!!!  He was an 80 year old man with a wife in a care center with severe dementia who has lost three of his six children.  He was looking for peace!  We had prepared the message of the Restoration but as his story unfolded, we added some of  - The Plan of Salvation.  It was an amazing experience...scary, spiritual, moving, and soul searching all in one 45 minute period.  I kept thinking to myself..."Can I have this special experience in broken Russian?"  6-8 p.m. brought more intense training with a Russian teacher.  For two hours we practiced conversations and reading from a Russian Book of Mormon. (By the way, the first Russian Triple Combination has just been released!)  We have so much to learn. Kent & I both had to have more shots...YIKES! What a memorable day!

Day 4...Thursday the 9th

Today was filled with twelve hours of training and more training.  We love the other senior missionaries that we have met.  It's official...we got our Russian visas today.  Yekatrinburg, here we come.  We now are wearing 

Elder and Sister Pocock badges written in Russian. It is all seeming more real.  The big message for today was,

"We teach people, not lessons!"  The days have been LONG but the week has been SO SHORT!!! I can't believe tomorrow is our last day at the MTC.