One chapter closes, another begins

We walked out of the MTC today for the last time. We're done. Rick was released from his calling as a branch president. We probably won't go back for at least 10 years when we go there as a senior couple to serve a mission together. It's been four years almost to the day and the calling came to a close. We're going to miss it. A lot.
Rick put it this way - it's like going from first class back to coach as we return to our home ward. We've been serving in a first class environment for four years now. Let me explain:
1. We were surrounded by the best young men and young women in the world. Those Elders and Hermanas have faith, courage, determination and a desire to follow God's plan. The gave up something they loved (their current lives) for something they love more (spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ) at their own expense. Willingly. It's awe inspiring to be surround by that kind of goodness, that kind of faith. It builds your own faith. Those young missionaries are the hope of tomorrow and it was awesome to be in their company. We figure we rubbed shoulders with approximately 1500 of them personally in the three branches in which we served on Tuesday & Thursday nights and most of the day on Sundays.
2. The meetings were reverent and filled with the spirit. Testimony meetings were testimony meetings. Pure doctrine was taught in the Tuesday evening devotionals. I've mentioned before the caliber of those meetings. We learned from the best and will be forever grateful for that instruction. You could feel the spirit of the MTC every time you walked into the building.
3. I'm going to miss the special musical numbers. The MTC choirs that sang every Tuesday night at the devotionals were great. They were comprised of Elders and Sisters who stepped forward to sing a hymn before the talk each week. About 300 of them practiced twice and performed with skill and spirit each week. In Relief Society every Sunday, a sister or Elder performed a musical number before the lessons. These were numbers performed as solos, duets, trios or as instrumentals. The quality again, was amazing. The Sisters and Elders had to audition to perform, so you can imagine that the quality was the best. I'm going to miss hearing 2000 missionaries sing "Called to Serve" each week in the devotional. It's such a powerful sight to see all of them singing this song with gusto and enthusiasm.
4. I'm going to miss singing our congregational hymns in Spanish each week, listening to the sacrament prayers, the missionary talks and the opening and closing prayers in Spanish as well. My Spanish has improved in the four years I've served at the MTC. Just using it again after 32 years has helped to bring it back. I'm still not the best, but I can understand what is being said well and bear my testimony in Spanish. We spent two years with the intermediate and advanced Spanish speakers and heard Spanish as it was intended to be spoken. It's such a beautiful language.
5. We're really going to miss the other couples we've served with. To a person they have been quality, quality people. People who have been no strangers to church service over their lives. People of strong testimonies and strong leadership skills. Good natured, talented people both the men and the women. As leadership changes happened in Branch 13 we served a year with the Lyons, Eddys, & Nacarattos, with Rick serving as a counselor. In Branch 47 we served two years alternating with the Browns, Morrises, Palmers, Hollisters, & Dennises with Rick serving as the Branch President. And in Branch 17 we have served another year with the Braithwaites, Taylors and the Stones with Rick as the Branch President. We've trained missionaries together, heard them introduce themselves and bear their testimonies. We women had the opportunity to get to know the sister missionaries even better as we spent time with them in instruction and visiting their resident halls. We all had the opportunity to speak in sacrament meetings each month. We've born testimony and shared gospel insights. It's been a pleasure to serve with these wonderful people. We're really, really going to miss that.
6. Everything at the MTC is done well. It's a well oiled machine. The teachers are the best. The services and the full-time employees work diligently to help every missionary succeed. There are women who mend clothing, others who tutor missionaries who struggle with reading or comprehension, others who come in to listen to the missionaries as they practice their lessons. The cafeteria is something to behold. 2,000 missionaries are fed three meals each day in an orderly fashion. The food is good, filling and the menus rotate about every three weeks. Cold cereal and PBJ is always available, so even if the missionaries don't like what is being served, they can always each something. Fresh fruit is always available and there is a great assortment of juice, milk and drinks. The ice cream bar on Wednesday night and Sunday is always a favorite. We've eaten MANY meals with the missionaries and the other couples and it's been a great time to visit and get better acquainted.
7. It's been a pleasure to use Preach My Gospel and to study from it. It's a inspired program to help prepare the missionaries to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

These are the main things that we have really enjoyed. I made a list of 16 items in a journal, but I won't recite them all here. Suffice it to say that there is much that we will miss.
We walked around yesterday to all the areas were we have served. We walked through the classroom buildings, the large meeting areas and the chapel areas. We've walked around much of the MTC over the years and we know it well. It's like a little city and all services that missionaries need are located there. I'm so happy that so many of our family members came to attend Sunday meetings with us. That made us feel so good to show you around and to have you see our missionaries (and eat in the cafeteria.) I hope you could feel the spirit of the missionaries as you visited.

So, we close that chapter of our lives and look forward to the future, whatever it may bring.