What a sweet MTC week!

Elder Hunter Hull - our first grandson to serve a mission - entered the MTC on Wednesday of the week we were there. 

Here he is saying hello to his mission escorts and goodbye to his family at curbside. 

We debated going to find him at the MTC, and realized that we just needed to let him have his own mission experience without us hovering over him. 

Thanks to Elder Sommerfeldt's height, you should be able to find us fairly easily in this group of senior missionaries.

The week has been a sweet experience in learning and feeling of the Spirit of the Lord. Our teachers, for the most part, have been young Brothers and Sisters who have been experts in keeping us focused, and yet have encouraged us to enjoy each other. We have made great friends who are going to Africa, the Philippines, South Carolina, and several other states and countries. Now we are pumped to get into our own mission fields and get to work.

MTC Experience

Our purpose as missionaries:
     Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.

There are four couples in our district. Our district leader is Elder Andrus, and the group includes L to R - Elder and Sister Wheeler, Elder and Sister Andrus, Brother Copans - our instructor - Elder and Sister Sommerfeldt, and Elder and Sister Bangerter. We enjoy each other and have an easy relationship with one another. We have also enjoyed several excellent teachers!

This evening we attended an MTC Devotional, with Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Seventy as our guest speaker. As we sung "Called to Serve" with all the other missionaries at the MTC, the Spirit sent chills up our spines. Elder Robbins spoke to Chapter 9 of "Preach My Gospel"in "How do I find people to teach?" Nothing happens in missionary work until we find someone to teach. So, we need to open our mouths. The Lord often leads investigators to the missionaries, but again, we need to open our mouths, and bear testimony of key principles.

 - pray for miracles
 - pray for spiritual sensitivities to recognize opportunities
 - open your eyes before you open your mouth so you can connect with people
 - develop boldness
            A missionary name-tag is a license to open your mouth.
 - success if going from failure to failure with enthusiasm
 - the Lord will bless you with success

20 October 2013 Mission Farewell Corner Canyon 7th Ward

What a great day!

After two days of Tami and Justin's family helping clean house, and cook yummy stuff to eat, this day has finally arrived.

President Call set Will and I apart as full-time missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The spirit of the Lord was very strong in the room as the President pronounced these priesthood blessings.

Later at Sacrament Meeting, we both spoke in church.

I preached - Remember, Remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world.

Will told the lighter side of receiving our call, and our delight of going to Cebu Philippines to testify of Jesus Christ, get to know and love the people, and serve in any way we can to hasten the work of our Savior. 

Probably the best part of the meeting was Annie (L) and Kiera Bennion (R), as they performed two amazing songs: "In a Coming Day," and "His Hands."

We have kind of adopted these girls as our own since serving a mission in Rome, Italy with Kiera. 

Our home is too small for the 60+ people who came to our luncheon after church, so we felt Heavenly Father was definitely smiling down on us as the weather was warm and sunny, and we could spill out into the back yard. 

Here are some random pictures of some who attended: 

                    Our missionary - Elder Hunter Hull,  and Ryan, returned missionary, his cousin.

Will and his five daughters!

                       Jacki (GD) , Sister Sommerfeldt, Tami (my daughter), and Alexa (GD).

Will and Karen - I mean - Elder and Sister Sommerfeldt

Sydney and Grandma Karen

Bryn and Ally - Granddaughters

 Daniel - Grandson

 Jack - Grandson

 Scott - Grandson

 Ellie - Granddaughter

 Johnny - Grandson

Married Grandkids - Steve and Maryna

Hailey and Brette - Future Missionaries

There were lots more grandchildren, but they were off doing their own thing in another part of the house or yard. 

The day ended with a hug from Grandma for everyone - 'cause Grandmas give hugs: